Duster/Speedster

This was built in one night.  This was built on a budget, so I printed the plans, cut, and built her as close to spec from the FT crew.  The build video took all the guess work out of the construction, and easily cut my build time in half.  Moderate difficulty.

This was after a treatment of minwax (clear satin).  A coat of the cheapest Yellow Sun spraypaint I could find, and some colored packing tape for simple decal work.

After numerous flights, i was getting tired of breaking propellers.  She is currently over-motored (too heavy), but very powerful.  Its a N3536 1400 KV Outrunner prop-drive 100+ grams, swinging an 8*6 prop, and a 60A T-Jet ESC.  Im only pulling 33 amps/approx 340 watts, full throttle static thrust with this setup. I could easily have gone bigger with the prop, but i was already screaming with unlimited vertical with this setup, and my flight times on a 2200 mah lipo were a solid 10 mins with aggressive flying (full throttle, nose to the sky, touch the cloud flying).  Thinking back, I probably could have easily accomplished this with a lighter motor, but this one is the only one I have, so I ran with it.  Beware, I experienced a nose heavy CG, and the weight of the motor with battery meant very fast landings (reason for prop breaks).  I tried to fix with with some flaperon setups, but I still had issues.  This lead to me resorting to a landing gear.  This is the first time I have ever used a landing gear in RC flying (I've only been doing this a year).  I didn't like the bland looking gear on such a cool looking little plane, so I added the "wheel pants" from the Old Speedster build from the FT crew.  The gear was constructed of 1/8" steel rods bought from my local hardware store.  I couldn't find any 1/10" bar that the FT specs call for, but as fast as I have had to land, I figured it wouldnt be a bad thing.

This was her in what I consider her finished form, with a simple canopy, and cool looking wheel pants.  She flew great even with the added weight, and drag.  I was able to accomplish 5 great flights in her "finished form".  landings were pretty much power on until I was an inch from the ground, cut power, touch down, and don't worry about flaring, because the point of flare/stall was too drastic as heavy as she was.  

Unfortunately, she met her demise that day also.  I had a great day of flying.  I flew this at my local soccer field, and even though she covered ground quickly, this little speedster would turn in on itself so easily, and cleanly, that I didn't feel cramped, and made for great looking flights.  I had many people who thought this was a sport for those with deep wallets, amazed when I told them how this plane came to be.  This plane met its end not due to lack of engineering from the hard working FT crew, but from my arrogance in flying, and pushing the envelope with low, fast, aerobatics.  I was becoming very comfortable flying low (even in unpredictable wind conditions).  I came in for a low and fast pass, to buzz over my head. I lost sight of her for a blink of an eye as it passed over me.  I had failed to realized that the wind had kicked the wing over about 30 degrees, and when I went to pull the sticks to apply full elevator, she kicked towards the right when I had expected her to go straight up.  I had performed this menuever over and over again, and the simple action of this plane performing something "unpredicted" caused me to over react on a plane that was swinging FULL rates.  This lead to a powered crash into the ground.  This plane had approximately 20 great flights, 6 "crashes" and even taking the beatings she did, was a great plane to fly.  There will be a Mk. II.  Thank you for the hardwork you guys bring to the hobby Flitetest.