2015 Project #1- Electric "Weston UK Velocity 50" THE BUILD

[Derek]

...it's time to begin...

....oooohhhhhhhhhhhh, I am excited about this!!! I love it when a new build comes. I have another thread on this project and we've had some discussions about this and shared some thoughts. This thread will be about the build progress. Normally, I am quite terrible about documenting a build but I am going to do my best to document the progress on this one.

This is the plane that inspired me:

Weston UK Velocity 50.jpg (22.48 KiB) Viewed 7708 times

Please check out this video to see "why" I love this plane and "why" I want to build one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouSaCRg5XC4

Here are some pictures to get the blood pumping and to start the documentation of this build

V50 First Drawing.jpg (61.63 KiB) Viewed 7708 times

This just shows my first lines of layout

V50 First Cut.jpg (41.28 KiB) Viewed 7708 times

This just shows the first cutout

V50 Layout Lines.jpg (44.77 KiB) Viewed 7708 times

Some more lines laid out

V50 Made Two.jpg (55.06 KiB) Viewed 7708 times

Because the actual "airframe" is going to cost me, in it's entirety, will cost me less than $20, I decided to make two airframes, simultaneously. I want a second airframe to be onhand, just in case "something bad happens", lol. If "something bad happens", then I would have another airframe already built and ready.

I have all the electronics bought and in my own possession. I will take a picture, soon, to show what electronics that I have and some details on them.

....more to come...

[Derek]

I've got some more done and I took two more pictures.

V50e Grooves Cut.jpg (67.24 KiB) Viewed 7704 times

This picture shows that I have cut the grooves into the foam for the 3/8"x3/8" Poplar spar framing.

V50f Spars Glued.jpg (42.88 KiB) Viewed 7704 times

After putting some Gorilla Glue into the grooves, I added the Poplar spar framing. I have covered the spar framing with Scotch brand masking tape and then placed the airframes on my kitchen hardwood floors. Then, I placed 12 Mountain Dew cans on top of the framing of each airframe. There is no shortage of Mountain Dew in this house, lol. I'm using the Mountain Dew cans as "dead weight" to help keep the airframes flat on the floor as the Gorilla Glue expands and hardens. I did add a very light amount of water to the grooves because, as I understand it, the water helps the Gorilla Glue "activate" better than with no water.

It's nearly 3am right now, so I imagine by 4am-ish, the airframes should be able to come off the floor. I may just leave them alone for several hours....just to be sure that the Gorilla Glue is all set up and very solid.

The next step will probably be adding the balsa wood ribs that I have cut. These ribs are of different lengths and heights to create the air foil on the top side of the body.

...more to come...

[Tony]

Wow, that's mint Derek.... What's Mountain Dew....lol

[Derek]

Wow, that's mint Derek.... What's Mountain Dew....lol

Thanks Tony!

"What's Mountain Dew?" Are you being serious? lol If you are being serious....it's a soft drink...my favorite.

[Tony]

of course i was serious.....hahaha, we have IRON BRU here man.... haha.. never heard of Mountain Dew, what does it taste of, sounds like a water drink...

[Derek]

Mountain Dew is a carbonated citrus soft drink with caffeine. It really does have a lot of sugar in it so it's really NOT good for you, lol, but I drink it religiously, lol.

[Tony]

should you REALLY be saying that then.....lmao.... drink something healthy man...

[Graham Lawrie]

Build looks way cool Derek:) keep it coming:)

[Vipertech13]

Looking good, can't wait to see it up and running!

[murankar]

Tony look for Derek on YouTube. Mountain due is made by Pepsi co. Its very sweet and has a rumor that it makes you sterile. It also has a nice neon green tint to it unless you get one of the new flavors like code red.

[Derek]

I'm disappointed with the small amount of progress from tonight but "some" progress is still "forward" progress. I have some of the bulk heads cut to size and put into place with sewing pins. I also sacrificed one of my old 12" rulers because it was the perfect width to be used as the motor mount. I cut it to length, bent it by hand in my bench vise, marked out were the holes go, made some other measurement marks for the bends so that the motor mount matches the nose, and I added a bit of aluminum angle to the inside of the motor mount that be used to hold the motor mount to the sides and the bottom of the cockpit.

I'm planning on using some 1/8" light ply for the bottom and the sides of the cockpit/fuselage. I was originally going to use balsa for the bottom and the sides of the cockpit/fuselage but I started to doubt the strength of the balsa. I began to think that the balsa just won't hold up to the stress when the 6S power is unleashed....so....light ply will be used.

Plane with motor mount.jpg (41.83 KiB) Viewed 7671 times

[Tony]

It's looking good Derek, like you say, little progress is progress... Very resourceful with the ruler idea...

[Vipertech13]

Hey use what ya got! That motor looks like a beast!

[Derek]

Hey use what ya got! That motor looks like a beast!

Here is a link to the HK "Dr. Mad Thrust" motor that I'm using:

http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/stor ... duct=72048

[DOG]

Hey Derek. With all the projects that you have started, we all should start calling you "Dr. MAD Thrust" LOL. Great videos and good luck on your build. Looks like that could be a awesome plane to play with. PS, AR working great!

[Derek]

Thanks buddy! I can see the finished plane in my head. It's just a matter of getting there.

[Tony]

You will get there, you always do

[Derek]

I was able to get the sides cut and shaped so that they can run from the motor mount and then meet at the tail. I got a few clamps out so that I could dry fit the sides. I bought a block of foam that can be sanded down to shape the canopy.

Fuselage Fitting1.jpg (1.83 MiB) Viewed 7637 times

[DOG]

You go Derek. Before you know it, that bird will be up and air borne in no time. Keep the pics coming my friend.

[Tony]

Wow, that's looking fantastic D. Nice one mate