Stryker Maiden

[radralph]

Gave up trying to fly the Commander2 today (POS, you people were right again!) and took out the Stryker. Flew almost a battery's worth before I decided to land (dumb!). found out it flies pretty much like the FMS sim but is somewhat under powered. Had no trouble in flight at all. Over corrected during my landing attempt and bit the dust. Going to get a little practice with CA glue tomorrow lol. Had fun but could feel the tension building as the flight got longer. Got antsy and impatient to get it down and relax. Pretty exhilarating!!!

Me and my flying buddy have decided to go ahead and fly the Stryker and glue it back together as needed :p . We'll build new ones with Std. electronics after we're competent.

Do they make a kit minus electronics and motor or do we have to buy it piece by piece? i've only seen it RTF so far.

Thanks,
Ralph

[DetroitHawk]

Well for $20 i bought an airframe and nose combo. I made the fins and the elevons myself. That is the way to go IMO. However for about $70 you get all the parts with no radio or motor.

[jcblough]

There is a $79 "arf" version that is everything you need sans the electronics.

Use some epoxy to reglue the foam and some strapping tape to help hold it. I buried mine once good learning to fly it. It was a mess and some epoxy and extreme strapping tape got it back in the air. Been flying it like that for over a month.

An 8 cell pack will get rid of some of the underpowered problems. I think they fly fine on the 7 cell, but I do like the 8 cell better for climb out and inverted, etc. My next project is to go std electronics in mine too - then brushless w/ a lipo.

Great plane. I don't ever see me retiring it.

[Crash Test Dummy]

radralph,

3 years ago I learned how to fly on a Stryker. It's a wild ride for a newby, however my 1st [real] RC plane was a GWS Slow Stick. They are one of the top planes that people suggest as a 1st trainer. I flew the SS for about 2 or 3 weeks and got bored real fast. I wanted that poor little SS to do things I or it weren't capable of doing, LOL! I longed to do more than just loop, turn and putter around.

When the Stryker came out a guy brought one to the field and just knew I had to have one. Now I could do it all [In my head! LOL!!] rolls, loops, inverted!! When inverted always remember, your sticks are reversed.......Down is up and up is expensive!!

It is one of the most easily repaired planes out there. I still have my orignal Stryker fuse even though it has had meetings with terra firma many many times.:D If you EVER think your your Stryker isn't repairable after a crash, STOP thinking that. Just pick up every piece you can find and it will go back together. I nosed mine [the orignal fuse] in at about 50 MPH and it split the fuse 95% in half and it went back together. Like I said I still have it today. Granted it is a bit beat up, but I just cant seen to part with it.

I went brushless to cure my need for speed and the process I have built 7 Strykers. Many people will say it isn't a good trainer, and probably isn't the best choice for most newby's. However it worked for me. It is a plane that will slow down pretty well too. I have since moved on from the Stryker due to it's speed limitations. It is very hard to get a Stryker past the 100 MPH mark and thats where I like to live. However there will always be a Stryker in my hanger. Here are some videos of my brushless Stryker. Hope you like them.;)

http://media.putfile.com/Stryker-fly-by

http://media.putfile.com/Stryker-stop

I also started a thread here on wattflyer. It contains all the extensive mods on the Stryker in the videos above. Heres a link.
http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=507

If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

CTD:cool:

[radralph]

Thanks for the replies people. I'll look for that ARF. I'll do the rod thing on the motor mount. Prob 8 inches. I'm not sure where you're putting them in the wingtips though. i've seen some people embed Cf in the LE. That may happen for me too. If I slot the foam and and cram a rod in there what would i use to refinish the outside of the foam?

CTD- that is a very crappie way to end that stop vid. It looked like your Stryker was going to become re-aqquainted with mother earth in an extremely intimate manner. I believe we are entitled to see that reunion LOL.

Jcb- I'm going to pick up some lipos soon and run them. I've got a DX6 and am currently shopping for a decent ESC.

PS Is epoxy better than CA glue w/activator? This CA is fast setting.

Thanks,
Ralph

[Neocold]

On the Stryker use epoxy, either 5 or 15 minute depending on what you are doing. When putting CF rods in I recommend 15 minute because I have 5 and often have problems with it drying too fast. Then 5 min for repairs. Just my opinion though.

[Crash Test Dummy]

Thanks for the replies people. I'll look for that ARF. I'll do the rod thing on the motor mount. Prob 8 inches. I'm not sure where you're putting them in the wingtips though. i've seen some people embed Cf in the LE. That may happen for me too. If I slot the foam and and cram a rod in there what would i use to refinish the outside of the foam?

CTD- that is a very crappie way to end that stop vid. It looked like your Stryker was going to become re-aqquainted with mother earth in an extremely intimate manner. I believe we are entitled to see that reunion LOL.

Jcb- I'm going to pick up some lipos soon and run them. I've got a DX6 and am currently shopping for a decent ESC.

PS Is epoxy better than CA glue w/activator? This CA is fast setting.

Thanks,
Ralph

Forget about the rods in the wing tips. A CF from wingtip to wingtip at the TL will work much better. I'm looking for a link to a flat CF rod install I did on my last Stryker. It was the strongest to date. It made the Std. Fuse as stiff as my Stryker in the video and that one was 100% glassed with heavy 2oz. Fiber Glass!!

I assure you my buddy just stopped shooting cause the sun was in that direction. She didn't crash. Let me find that link......

CTD

[radralph]

I think it's in here somewhere......

http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=507

Will a good LHS carry the CF flat(?) stock or should I look somewhere else?

What's TL? I saw the pics of the imbed job. Looks pretty nice.

Ralph

[Crash Test Dummy]

TL stands for trailing edge of a wing surface. I did the Stryker in the picture in a arch going wing tip to wing tip, however I think you could just put it straight across the TL wing tip to wing tip. It would b easer than the arch, and it will give the same result.

Most LHS's should carry CF in all sizes, or if it isn't in stock they can order it for you. I'm sure you can find it on line too. You could also go into the builders threads and ask for some places where they buy their CF. This site can unfold a wealth of information.

CTD

[radralph]

OK Thanks man.

BTW, I've got a very good dremel. Anybody used one to cut/groove this kind of foam material?

Ralph

[Crash Test Dummy]

The dremmel might just melt it and make a mess. I heated an Exacto blade and made the cut with the hot blade. It makes a nice clean cut and you need to make it deep enough to fully recess the CF so the bottom of the plane is still smooth.

CTD

[redgiki]

I chop the tip off of a pencil-style soldering iron, and burn a crevice for the CF rod. Works great, as long as I periodically fit the CF rod to make sure I'm going deep enough.

[radralph]

I've got a pointy soldering iron. Hmmm... might try that too. Thanks.

[jcblough]

Lucky you on the dx6 - still pinching pennies here.

[radralph]

Lucky you on the dx6 - still pinching pennies here.

Lol. not lucky man. I have the bank take out $40 every week and put into savings for my rc surface (and now flight) habit.

The DX6 is Very nice. Interfaced with the $40 (should be $10) cable to my computer, it makes the FMS sim a much better tool.The plane flew almost exactly like the sim on my first flight on Sunday. using the sim with a keyboard helps a lot but the radio gives you a much better experience.

Save up man. It'll be worth it. Keep in mind you'll have to buy a new ESC to go with the radio when you get it. I'm working on that and a lipo charger and batteries right now. Man, those batts are expensive!

Have fun,
Ralph

[jcblough]

I put back like $25/week towards my habits. Books chew into that though. I always have to have something to read. I can't stand tv. If you check the forums, I have a post out about a good esc to stay brushed.

[DetroitHawk]

I just took the stock stryker and went with a li-po setup and WOW, i can do vertical figure 8s. So much faster and so much more climb. Spend the $$ because it is worth it!

[radralph]

I put back like $25/week towards my habits. Books chew into that though. I always have to have something to read. I can't stand tv. If you check the forums, I have a post out about a good esc to stay brushed.

Yeah, I read too. Paperbacks. I go to a used book store that sells them for half price and then gives you trade in at 2 for 1. Get a whole bag of books for about $25 trading in that way.

Is this off topic?????? lol

[radralph]

I just took the stock stryker and went with a li-po setup and WOW, i can do vertical figure 8s. So much faster and so much more climb. Spend the $$ because it is worth it!

My stock stryker wouldn't do a loop @ 8.4V. Just wanted to stall at roll off to one side.:( I didn't think a guy should have to dive to pick up speed for that simple manuever....So, like any sane man, I just know more Power is the way to go lol.

what batts did you buy and what are your flight times? The ones I last looked at were 3s 2150's 15C(?) @ $84 each. Ouch x 3! ($252) i'm trying to find out if I can buy good batts that will work now with the stock motor and later when I go brushless. Hate to buy 3 now and find out they aren't good enough for an upgraded motor. Already going to have to buy a new ESC for that. that's after I buy a new brushed ESC for my DX6 to work on this plane first. Oh well. It's only money I guess. This'll prob give me an excuse to buy an new ARF to put the extra stuff in as I upgrade my way into poverty, get my house repossessed. etc.

Ralph

[Neocold]

The apex I run worked great for my stock motor and work great for my brushless setup, they only cost me 50 dollars at my LHS. You looking to buy at your LHS or online?

Here is a link... prolly not the cheapest online but it is the first I found...

http://www.redrockethobbies.com/product_p/apex2200.htm

[radralph]

The apex I run worked great for my stock motor and work great for my brushless setup, they only cost me 50 dollars at my LHS. You looking to buy at your LHS or online?

Here is a link... prolly not the cheapest online but it is the first I found...

http://www.redrockethobbies.com/product_p/apex2200.htm

will buy at either or both. not too picky on that.

Would I have to buy power and charging leads for those? Going to get the FMA 4(S?) charger and universal charging board with auto balance.

Thanks,
Ralph

[Neocold]

That depends, what leads do you plan on using? I would recommend deans as would most others, if this is what you use then you simply sauder on a female to the battery. Then either buy a premade deans lead to your charger or go the cheaper route and make your own with some banana(or bullet) male ends, 14 or 16 guage wire at whatever length you want, then a male deans on the end.

[radralph]

Yeah, deans ultra i believe. The ad for those batts says the neg and pos leads are not included. They show them pictured in a box. hard to tell where the leads solder on at.

[Neocold]

Product Note: This battery does not include leads on the negative and positive wires.

It comes with the wires, what it doesnt come with is the plug, all you have to do is strip the wires on the bat and put the deans plug in it.

[radralph]

Great. Thanks man.