Lookin' forward to it!
48 inch electric Katana
The Edge 540 used to be my favorite design, but the Katana has pushed it out recently. The tapered wing really makes for a better flying plane in my opinion. Plus, the plane just looks cool, and is a little different. The world has enough Edge's right now.
After getting my 36 electric Katana going I decided I HAD to have a "40 size" electric plane, but I can't afford the power setup for a conversion. I needed a purpose built profile for electric power. I PM'd BH, then spent some time on the phone with him and we talked about this a little bit and decided a target weight of 3.25 to 3.5 pounds could be realistic on a 48 inch span, purpose built plane.
I'll get pics of the power setup I got from Hobby Lobby, but the basics are:
Motor: AXI 4120/14
ESC: Jeti 70
Batteries: 4s2p Thunder Power 4200 mAh made of 2 2s2p 4200 mAh packes wired in series.
I also don't want to have to buy special servos. I want to be able to use my stash of standard servos and standard receiver. Of course, later if I want I can shave some ounces by going with lighter gear, but I want to make this thing a practical solution to my "E" obsession that is growing. I do have a limited budget you know. 2 kids, a wife and fertility drugs suck a lot of money from the family :lol:
I'll start construction of the fuse tonight and these are the figures I'm trying to stay under:
airframe: 18 ounces
motor: 11.25 ounces
ESC: 2 ounces
batteries: 18.5 ounces
servos: 6 ounces
RX: .75 ounces
total: 56.5 ounces, or 3.53 pounds
After getting my 36 electric Katana going I decided I HAD to have a "40 size" electric plane, but I can't afford the power setup for a conversion. I needed a purpose built profile for electric power. I PM'd BH, then spent some time on the phone with him and we talked about this a little bit and decided a target weight of 3.25 to 3.5 pounds could be realistic on a 48 inch span, purpose built plane.
I'll get pics of the power setup I got from Hobby Lobby, but the basics are:
Motor: AXI 4120/14
ESC: Jeti 70
Batteries: 4s2p Thunder Power 4200 mAh made of 2 2s2p 4200 mAh packes wired in series.
I also don't want to have to buy special servos. I want to be able to use my stash of standard servos and standard receiver. Of course, later if I want I can shave some ounces by going with lighter gear, but I want to make this thing a practical solution to my "E" obsession that is growing. I do have a limited budget you know. 2 kids, a wife and fertility drugs suck a lot of money from the family :lol:
I'll start construction of the fuse tonight and these are the figures I'm trying to stay under:
airframe: 18 ounces
motor: 11.25 ounces
ESC: 2 ounces
batteries: 18.5 ounces
servos: 6 ounces
RX: .75 ounces
total: 56.5 ounces, or 3.53 pounds
1 - 20 of 95 Posts
Now this sounds like a project! A respectable size, and if that light would be awsome. I too will be following this thread! The more guys like you that experiment, the easier it is for people like me just to copy what you did! 
Don't make me do this........
Just got back from the LHS picking up some wood I didn't have :wink:Don't make me do this........
Actually, I went to the LHS after I finished flying my 36 inch electric Katana. Finished flying, and threw it in my car. No mess, no fuel on the back seat. Perfect lunch break 8)
I would love to try something similar but just the price of 2 sets of battery sets equals an entire 40 size glow plane.
It will get cheaper. The technology is turning over so fast. Just last year I would not have done my 36 inch Katana.I would love to try something similar but just the price of 2 sets of battery sets equals an entire 40 size glow plane.
These birds will become my daily rides. I already know that. Figure the cost amount of fuel I'd be burning and I can easily pay for the packs. Am I giving up on glow?...Nope, but the amount of time I fly glow is going down.
Just think of how much money you're saving by doing electric profiles instead of crack! :wink:
And the price of a 40 sized glow plane will buy my groceries for a month..what's your point??smallfly said:I would love to try something similar but just the price of 2 sets of battery sets equals an entire 40 size glow plane.
Jeeze, we spend that much a week :shock: We go through milk and bread like water.And the price of a 40 sized glow plane will buy my groceries for a month..what's your point??
Ah, the solution is obvious. No more bread and water.Jeeze, we spend that much a week We go through milk and bread like water.
Sounds great Quicker.....build me one while your at it. For myself Im planning to wait while guys like you get things figured out an get the price down in a year or so. I just dont have the $ to put into it to do it justice right now.....along with the other things I have going. :wink:
Point is we all get to live vivaciously through you.
Point is we all get to live vivaciously through you.
Sounds great Q-man......but I just don't get where you get the time!!!
Yeah...we've talked about that, haven't we. It's called "Get the family happy, do the chores, get them to bed and power build for 2 hours."Sounds great Q-man......but I just don't get where you get the time!!!
lookin good!
juicy hardware...drool...
juicy hardware...drool...
My point is everyone seems to think once you buy electric it's free. I would like to see a comparison between the cost of replacing lipos every few hundred flights over the price of buying gallons of glow fuel. It cost a buttload of moola to go 40 size electric and the bang for the buck just doesnt seem to be there to me. I know different strokes etc but I would argue that flying a 3.5 pound electric profile (while tons of fun) is not going to make you a better pilot at flying the big stuff. (if that's your goal like me) Just my opinion.ChuckAuger said:And the price of a 40 sized glow plane will buy my groceries for a month..what's your point??smallfly said:I would love to try something similar but just the price of 2 sets of battery sets equals an entire 40 size glow plane.
I really am curious, what distinct advantage does electric hold when you go to 40 size? (short of the mess) assuming your a good enough pilot that a lighter wing loading has minimal effect
My goal is the ton of fun part, that's all the validation I need. I have no desire to fly big planes.smallfly said:I would argue that flying a 3.5 pound electric profile (while tons of fun) is not going to make you a better pilot at flying the big stuff. (if that's your goal like me).
Kinda trying to hit a moving target, the "lighter wing loading" statement wasn't there when I went to reply. I have never heard that lighter wing loading only favors better pilots, that is a new one on me.I really am curious, what distinct advantage does electric hold when you go to 40 size? (short of the mess) assuming your a good enough pilot that a lighter wing loading has minimal effect
I suppose the lighter airframe, reliability, minimal field support equipment, reduced wear on electronics due to reduced vibration, ton of fun, no mess, power to weight, all of those are contributing factors.
But the bottom line is:
I like it. And that, above any other reason I might have to dredge up, is all the reason I need.
smallfly:
You make a valid arguement. It might not be for everyone right now, but it is close enough that I wanted it. Here's the list on why I want a 40 size electric:
1) My flying time is limited to lunch hours and maybe 30-40 minutes a few times a week during the evening. I only make it to the club field about 1 time a month. I have a nice bean/corn field behind my house that is large enough to fly in, but not big enough for glow power. Too many houses around it.
2) I love my foamies, but if the wind is above 5mph, it's not as much fun.
3) I love my 36 inch eKatana (25 size electric), but it doesn't handle wind much better.
4) Cycle counts for Lipo packs are someplace between 600-700 times. That's 2 or 3 years IF you fly and charge every, and I mean EVERY day of the year. I probably fly 4-5 days a week, so I should get at least 3 years out of a pack. I will probably get more since winter gets pretty bad in Omaha, Nebraska. If the pack cost me $100, that's about $33/year flying that pack. Since this plane needs 2 packs, that's $66/year to fly. I don't count the electricity it takes to recharge them. I can easily drain a gallon of glow in a single flying day with my Saito .91. Now, granted, I rarely get a day where I can fly sunup to sundown, so I would realistically drain that gallon in a week. Thats $15/week. Thats roughly $150/year.
The big drawback to e power is the cost is upfront. I do feel that once the setup is flying it is basically free. Between my smaller electrics and this 40 size I'm building, I will not be flying this plane every day, so the life span of the packs gets even longer. I have no idea what the shelf life of a LiPo is. I don't know if a 4 or 5 year old pack is still good, or if they "go bad".
I know my flying time is going to increase, since it already has with my smaller electrics. ANY stick time is going to make you a better pilot. It is well documented that foamies make you a better pilot.
You make a valid arguement. It might not be for everyone right now, but it is close enough that I wanted it. Here's the list on why I want a 40 size electric:
1) My flying time is limited to lunch hours and maybe 30-40 minutes a few times a week during the evening. I only make it to the club field about 1 time a month. I have a nice bean/corn field behind my house that is large enough to fly in, but not big enough for glow power. Too many houses around it.
2) I love my foamies, but if the wind is above 5mph, it's not as much fun.
3) I love my 36 inch eKatana (25 size electric), but it doesn't handle wind much better.
4) Cycle counts for Lipo packs are someplace between 600-700 times. That's 2 or 3 years IF you fly and charge every, and I mean EVERY day of the year. I probably fly 4-5 days a week, so I should get at least 3 years out of a pack. I will probably get more since winter gets pretty bad in Omaha, Nebraska. If the pack cost me $100, that's about $33/year flying that pack. Since this plane needs 2 packs, that's $66/year to fly. I don't count the electricity it takes to recharge them. I can easily drain a gallon of glow in a single flying day with my Saito .91. Now, granted, I rarely get a day where I can fly sunup to sundown, so I would realistically drain that gallon in a week. Thats $15/week. Thats roughly $150/year.
The big drawback to e power is the cost is upfront. I do feel that once the setup is flying it is basically free. Between my smaller electrics and this 40 size I'm building, I will not be flying this plane every day, so the life span of the packs gets even longer. I have no idea what the shelf life of a LiPo is. I don't know if a 4 or 5 year old pack is still good, or if they "go bad".
I know my flying time is going to increase, since it already has with my smaller electrics. ANY stick time is going to make you a better pilot. It is well documented that foamies make you a better pilot.
I'm building an E-taco with a lehner setup which is pretty pricey. After pricing all this stuff...it's really not any more expensive than the OMP .40 size yak I was thinking about.
Lehner 1020/15+ph35....$200
Cobri GB....$35
E-taco kit....$56
Tanic 3s 2500 mah $87
Berg 5 rx $50.00
Servos $100
That's less than 500 bucks minus a few minor finnishing items...and another battery if you want (Polyquest is 10 buck cheaper)
YS 63...$230
Yak kit $100
Rx $70 or so
servos $150-$320
RX battery $40
By my math....even with cheap servos you're right up there if not more. You could sway the numbers either way on either setup. It's all relative.
Lehner 1020/15+ph35....$200
Cobri GB....$35
E-taco kit....$56
Tanic 3s 2500 mah $87
Berg 5 rx $50.00
Servos $100
That's less than 500 bucks minus a few minor finnishing items...and another battery if you want (Polyquest is 10 buck cheaper)
YS 63...$230
Yak kit $100
Rx $70 or so
servos $150-$320
RX battery $40
By my math....even with cheap servos you're right up there if not more. You could sway the numbers either way on either setup. It's all relative.
1 - 20 of 95 Posts
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