Random RC purchase.

Vince

Vince

Vince

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Joined
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So... years ago I used to love RC cars, I had many in my time but in recent years they just sat in the loft and never got used. Anyway on Sunday morning feeling a bit subdued and bored, I was browsing the net and came across a site about monkeys which subsequently led me to this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi1IT69QlSs

Now to the Mrs dismay I spent the next four hours like a excited school kid looking for the DeWalt Car/Boat/Plane you see in the video, but as is often the case with these things I couldn't find one anywhere and as time progressed it was looking less and less likely that I would find myself a new toy.

Finally though I came across a model in the UK called the Iccarus Wizard, thinking the cost was going to be crazy (I’m sure it was back in the day when I used to love my cars and trucks) I prepared myself for the worst... but it didn't come. I found a very similar model and for all of the body etc it was a mere £40 (this doesn't include any radio gear, motors, servos and all that jazz), but I couldn't resist.

I set aside a budget of £200 and started looking at model shops online and of course the bay. finding that it was feasible to do it within budget I took the dive and ordered the kit.

As I receive it and start assembling it I will no doubt take a few shots to share and hopefully follow it through with a video of its maiden voyage, which will no doubt end in tragedy.

Anyway I have a few questions...

Has anyone had a go on one of these things or even got one?

Are they easy to fly?

How likely is it that on the first flight, with no prior experience, I make it crash and burn causing a crater in the bottom of a nearby pond and/or the head of a friend?
 
VinceB1 said:
So... years ago I used to love RC cars, I had many in my time but in recent years they just sat in the loft and never got used. Anyway on Sunday morning feeling a bit subdued and bored, I was browsing the net and came across a site about monkeys which subsequently led me to this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xi1IT69QlSs

Now to the Mrs dismay I spent the next four hours like a excited school kid looking for the DeWalt Car/Boat/Plane you see in the video, but as is often the case with these things I couldn't find one anywhere and as time progressed it was looking less and less likely that I would find myself a new toy.

Finally though I came across a model in the UK called the Iccarus Wizard, thinking the cost was going to be crazy (I’m sure it was back in the day when I used to love my cars and trucks) I prepared myself for the worst... but it didn't come. I found a very similar model and for all of the body etc it was a mere £40 (this doesn't include any radio gear, motors, servos and all that jazz), but I couldn't resist.

I set aside a budget of £200 and started looking at model shops online and of course the bay. finding that it was feasible to do it within budget I took the dive and ordered the kit.

As I receive it and start assembling it I will no doubt take a few shots to share and hopefully follow it through with a video of its maiden voyage, which will no doubt end in tragedy.

Anyway I have a few questions...

Has anyone had a go on one of these things or even got one?

Are they easy to fly?

How likely is it that on the first flight, with no prior experience, I make it crash and burn causing a crater in the bottom of a nearby pond and/or the head of a friend?
Click to expand...

I fly RC planes and helis (as well as boats but haven't got around to making one of these yet although i've seen plenty of variations on the theme and do fancy one). I think the chances of you driving this into the ground first flight are unfortunately very high! Control is twitchy and not at all suited to a beginner. This will be very unforgiving but great fun later.

I really would recommend building a stable high wing trainer and getting used to flying a plane first (just a few weekends behind the sticks might be enough to save you from turning this into a lawn dart.) Something with dihedral ( wings that are a soft v coming up at the wing tips) will self correct and give you loads of time to correct your mistakes.

If you want a kit, grab a GWS slow stick (incredibly cheap) use the radio gear in that, get used to it and then swap over. The slow stick is an amazing trainer plane anyway (in light wind). http://www.elitemodelsonline.co.uk/...-EPS300C-SFLYER-ARTF?utm_source=googleproduct - that has motor with it, not sure about speed control but you're talking £5-7

If you would prefer to scratch build, get yourself over to rcgroups scratch built foamies and knock something up for a few quid:

http://www.rcgroups.com/foamies-scratchbuilt-428/

Pick an easy trainer such as this (although there are tonnes there):

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=383687

RC flying is really rewarding but there is no better way to be put off it than starting with a very aerobatic, twitchy plane and turning it into dust on the maiden.
 
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loving that video,

attach one of the mini keyring cams as per the other thread and that would be a brilliant video
 
Just posted in the other thread asking about weight! If its possible its going up for the maiden flight which will likely end in tears :)

Skidder: That £26 model, what else do I need for that kit? I want to build from scratch gluing and breaking it before it works is all part of the fun.
 
VinceB1 said:
Just posted in the other thread asking about weight! If its possible its going up for the maiden flight which will likely end in tears :)

Skidder: That £26 model, what else do I need for that kit? I want to build from scratch gluing and breaking it before it works is all part of the fun.
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Just a speed control, receiver, servos, suitable battery (presumably you have servos / receiver from the radio you bought). You can build a slow stick in about 3 hours or less. (having done one before I reckong less than an hour is possible)

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=122951

That is a kit. Scratch building is when you start with a plan and do it yourself (like the other link).

I really wouldn't bother maidening the kit you have until you can fly a little bit. Will be great when you have the basics. I started with a slow stick and have made loads of planes since from scale through 3D.
 
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Ahh I see... well the wizard is not a kit (doesn't include anything electronic) and I need to source all the bits myself. Kinda half the fun of building it really - I like a challenge.

The shoping list for the Hydra Foam is as follows:

kit
brushless motor
brushless ESC
servos
Prop
prop adapter
Antenna
reciever
battery

masking tape & Spray as I hate yellow with a passion.
 
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VinceB1 said:
Ahh I see...

The shoping list for the Hydra Foam is as follows:

kit
brushless motor
brushless ESC
servos
Prop
prop adapter
Antenna
reciever
battery

masking tape & Spray as I hate yellow with a passion.
Click to expand...

what battery? may be that you can use that with a slow stick - you may also be able to mount the brushless motor on it depending on spec (although it does come with a brushed motor which only needs a very cheap speed control)
 
Battery spec is:

Twenty 3 Cell 11.1V 800 mAh LiPo - I guess this is quite a light weight battery.
 
VinceB1 said:
Battery spec is:

Twenty 3 Cell 11.1V 800 mAh LiPo - I guess this is quite a light weight battery.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's plenty light enough but the stock slow stick motor will get burnt out by 3 cells. (designed for about 9 v if i recall) - could pick up a 2 cell very cheap (1200 mah would give very long flight times with a slow stick - 40 mins?)

Very cheap and pretty good batteries and chargers:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_index.asp
 
Great stuff, I will give this a look. Gotta jet out to a clients for a few hours now but will check in later. I may need a little guidance on a few other things while we are here.

Can I spray over the foam? If so whats a good paint to be using?
 
VinceB1 said:
Great stuff, I will give this a look. Gotta jet out to a clients for a few hours now but will check in later. I may need a little guidance on a few other things while we are here.

Can I spray over the foam? If so whats a good paint to be using?
Click to expand...

on the slow stick or the hydroplane jobbie? Slow stick has glossy top sheet so not sure you would want to. With foams depends on what they are. I use an airbrush with acrylic paints on foamies i make (with EPP or depron foam).
 
Skidder said:
on the slow stick or the hydroplane jobbie? Slow stick has glossy top sheet so not sure you would want to. With foams depends on what they are. I use an airbrush with acrylic paints on foamies i make (with EPP or depron foam).
Click to expand...

Ok thanks for the advice, I have sat down and had a good think about this, and the plan im going with is this.

I'm going to build this hydrofoam thing over the next few weeks. Half the fun is the build so I am going to take a look into getting rid of the yellow design and respraying the craft with some arts paints etc.

The way I look at it, If I enjoy building it and subsequently crashing it on the first run, but I still enjoy it. I will then invest in another cheap plane and learn with that before taking on another possibly different hydro.

I have also been thinking that if I do stack it massively on the first run it would be rude not to have some kind of video evidence, how possible do you think it would be to strip down and build one of these mini cams into the hydro?

I guess if I strip the plastic down on the camera and build the electrics into the planes (will need to call on the expertise of a mate of mine here), as long as I keep the thing balanced what could possibly go wrong?
 
VinceB1 said:
Ok thanks for the advice, I have sat down and had a good think about this, and the plan im going with is this.

I'm going to build this hydrofoam thing over the next few weeks. Half the fun is the build so I am going to take a look into getting rid of the yellow design and respraying the craft with some arts paints etc.

The way I look at it, If I enjoy building it and subsequently crashing it on the first run, but I still enjoy it. I will then invest in another cheap plane and learn with that before taking on another possibly different hydro.

I have also been thinking that if I do stack it massively on the first run it would be rude not to have some kind of video evidence, how possible do you think it would be to strip down and build one of these mini cams into the hydro?

I guess if I strip the plastic down on the camera and build the electrics into the planes (will need to call on the expertise of a mate of mine here), as long as I keep the thing balanced what could possibly go wrong?
Click to expand...


Fair enough, you will crash it, so when you do, send the vid in trust! there are some integrated mini cams made for rc planes (fly-cam-one is one i have seen) no reason why you would not be able to integrate another one but any change to weight distribution will impact centre of gravity. if too far forward will be easyish to fly but will need constant up elevator, too far back and will be very aerobatic to the point of having no control. If your camera were placed on the COG it would not impact it either way. Your kit should tell you where the COG should be for your model and you will have to test it camera or not.

With slow sticks people attach normal compact cameras and operate them with servos as they have such a large wing area they can take the weight.

One other option to avoid crashing (although you don't seem to want to;) ) is to use a sim on your PC. You could download a free flight sim i think called EMS or something which is a bit rubbish but would give you a chance to control a plane and is a better introduction than nothing. If you wanted to buy a good one phoenix is great but would cost more than a slow stick fully kitted out. A bit of sim time might save you from a catastrophic maiden but might cost us the chance of a good video! Good luck either way.
 
Right so thats a plan then, the kit arrived at the Mrs mums house today so I may go and pick it up this evening to have a look.

I must admit I have had several goes on a sim at a friends a few years ago using radio gear and have also had several flying lessons in a real plane out of good old southend airport, so I am not a complete noob when it comes to having a little fly just 90% noob.

by the way how does this motor sound?

Size : 36.5mm (L) x 28mm (Diameter)
Rpm(Kv) : 1780Rpm/V
Max Currect: 10A
Shaft Diameter : 3mm
Weight: 33gram (Motor) / 67.5 (Full Set)
Recommended Input Voltage: 6 - 18 Volt
No. of Cells : 2 x LiPo.

It is 6 grammes lighter and produces slightly more power than the recommended unit - Those 6g will go some way to making up the weight difference added by the camera :)
 
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