SAI Mini Bat
This is among the plans I printed off over the winter and I'm just getting around to gathering parts for the project. I've read through the instructions and have found mention of using 1/16" balsa for the wings, but I've found no mention of what material is used for the fuselage. Does anyone have experience with this kit or would anyone care to hazard a guess? I've got my wings ready, but the somewhat muddy instructions are not much help when it comes to progressing.
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Based on the instructions, looks like 1/4" balsa for the fuselage to me. My $0.02. |
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That's the same response I got on Facebook. Looks like I might need to taper the rear of the fuselage based on that pic. |
My latest eRockets order had the nose cones for this build, so I finished it earlier this week. After being flooded out of work Sunday night, the last two days were beautiful, and today I actually dragged my most recent glider builds out for some glide tests. I tested two more Jet Freaks, one Mini Jet Freak and the Mini Bat. All flew well, with the Mini Bat being the most interesting. The Jet Freaks were all pretty straightforward gliders when tossed. All three will be trimmed for a circular glide path before they fly for real. The Mini Bat looped back at me when I tossed it. Might make for an interesting flight if B6-4 Field ever resurfaces.
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Obviously no flight pics yet, but I like the way this turned out.
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Looks really cool.
Hopefully it flies well. |
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Let's keep in mind who built it. :rolleyes: I'm going to fly it unpainted the first time, but that big tail fin has me thinking about a decal already. |
As a kit designer this is a very simplistic and materials optimised kit.
I say keep the dog and trash the glider. |
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Andy Kecskes (e-mail: twitt@pobox.com ), the President of TWITT and the editor of the "TWITT Newsletter," would probably find your pictures and experiences with the Mini Bat boost-glider interesting. TWITT ("The Wing Is The Thing," see: http://www.twitt.org/ ) is an organization of aircraft designers, RC and full-scale aircraft pilots, historians, and other people who are interested in tailless and flying wing aircraft. I'm a TWITT member, and I have contributed material (including about tailless- and flying wing-type boost-gliders) that has appeared in the organization's (printed and online) newsletter. In addition, speaking of boost-gliders: I'm sure you remember the 1970s-vintage Estes Scissor Wing Transport boost-glider, which has been re-issued (see: http://www.estesrockets.com/media/i...G_TRANSPORT.pdf ). There is a tailless variant of this basic design that, to my knowledge, no one has tried, but which should work (the Estes kit could even be modified to incorporate this concept). There is a type of tailless glider (and powered airplane) called a "plank" (see: http://www.google.com/search?source...0.O4MsG0954 NI ) because the simplest, rectangular-wing ones *do* look like a plank when viewed from above or below, and: Al Backstrom (see: http://www.google.com/search?ei=9XG...1.0.O6WHxbox868 ), Jim Marske (see: www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/472596554622099190 and http://www.google.com/search?ei=WnO...1.0.NjGrMF00Sck ), and Charles Fauvel (see: http://www.google.com/search?ei=nnO...1.0.3Jxs-G1H6EY ) all designed plank sailplanes. A Scissor Wing Transport-type boost glider could "carry such a plank glider as its wing," with the 'slewed for launch' plank glider separating at ejection and gliding back, while the rocket body would descend under a parachute or streamer. |
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It's gone to the field with me twice the last two weekends, but I can't seem to get a reliable ignition from the Estes "starters". Fresh batteries and clean clips, but more often than not, no joy. If and when it flies, I'll be sure to write a little something about it, I'm sure. ;) |
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