DynaFlite "Skeeter" Bites The Dust?

[Sky Sharkster]

Apparently the DynaFlite "Skeeter" HLG is no more. Tower lists it as "Discontinued" and the DynaFlite home site doesn't show it under "Sailplanes" anymore.
http://www.dynaflite.com/airplanes/index.html
While it was never a World-beater as a pure (overhand launch) HLG and the DLG's made it nearly extinct, it was a decent intro HLG and for $30.00 or so, was a perfect "Builders" kit conversion to E-Powered Sailplanes.
Regular readers may remember my E-Conversion from 3 years ago;
http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9367
And any 125-150 Watt geared inrunner or similar-output direct drive outrunner would put the model into near orbit in a few seconds.
Even at 20 ounces the model had a great glide and thermaled well. All it needed for conversion was a slightly wider + taller fuselage to house the battery and a bit of beefing up under the wing and nose. I built 2 additional fuselages as I tried different power systems and doubt whether I spent $5.00 on balsa.
Sure, you can buy a $100.00 to $150.00 ARF small EP glider from several sources and use the same power system and radio gear. But if you're up for building a kit and making a couple of modifications, the Skeeter was just the ticket. I've seen a few online (maybe leftover stock) at shops and am tempted to buy another before they're gone.
But not forgotten!
Ron

[ama51668]

got a skeeter kit stockpiled and will be building it over the coming months - great little 1.5m. heck, i even have a daydream 2m kit stockpiled as well. before building, i'll trace out the wing rib on the plan and then take it over to kinko's or staples and make a few backup copies. as you've done, ron, this should make a perfect e-convert - will use a direct outrunner and folding prop.

[Sky Sharkster]

Hello AMA51668.
Glad to hear you've got a kit, this will make a fine E-Glider. Your idea about tracing the parts is great, particularly since they're out of production. You might check your battery packs against the plan side and top views, mine wouldn't fit into the stock fuselage.
Good Luck!
Ron

[ama51668]

yeah, the stock fuse is a tad too small for e-flite gear - just need to enlarge the formers a tad. i like 1.5m sail birds a lot, and it's a natural transition over to e-power.

[Sky Sharkster]

Well, i've been checking E-Bay regularly, one of my saved searches is for "Skeeter"!
And last week, I won one. $42.00 bid, plus shipping. They used to cost about $30.00 new, if I remember correctly. Got it today.
Kit is brand-new, all parts accounted for, plans, hardware package, everything.
Now I just need some time to build it!
Ron

[ama51668]

good score, ron!!!

before building, trace out the wing ribs on the plan and get a few copies made!

i hear ya on finding time to build ...

[Sky Sharkster]

Hi AMA51668,
Thanks! I'm glad I won the bid, after a kit is discontinued the prices usually go up pretty fast.
I do plan to trace out the ribs and other parts so I can build another if needed. I have 2 inrunners with high-Kv, and one planetary gearbox.
Should be a good winter project!
Ron

[ama51668]

i hear ya, ron - another build to add to the winter project list.

i had 2 copies of the plans made at staples - one to work off and the other stockpiled. i also traced out all the ribs on an 8x10 paper and made a buncha scanned copies with the pc to save. yeah, i really think i'll be building more than a few skeeters, i love the 1.5m type birds!

how would you vent the fuse to cool off the inrunner? i'm thinking to just square off the nose and stick on an outrunner (arrowind 2215-10, from devaun @ blackdogrc) w/3c lipo. maybe a folder prop?

i've got a mess of carbon fiber rods that i use for fighter kites and wanna try using 'em for pushrods, for the first time - have always used balsa stick pushrods. only recently used nyrods in the 1m hlg (which crashed big time yesterday morning - dummy me had the tx backwards and i was scrambling to orient it when the bird did the nose-javelin-in-the-ground trick ). oh well, more excuses for building ....

cheers,
rob.

[Sky Sharkster]

Hi Rob,
I guess I'll use the "NACA" style triangular openings near the motor (on each side of fuselage) for cooling. I did this last time and the motor and ESC stayed cool. I had a fair-sized square exit opening behind the wing on top.
But the battery is a different story. It was such a tight squeeze under the wing it didn't get much air and occasionally was warm to the touch. I'll have to figure something else out. It wasn't a big problem since the motor runs were so short. The battery was a 1350 3S LiPo.
The pushrod tubes (snakes) are inside the rolled-up plans, I used these last time, with music-wire pushrods. I forget the size, it's pretty thin. Worked OK. I've used carbon tubes on other models, that's a good lightweight method also.
The 1-1/2 meter wing is a great size glider, small enough to build one-piece, big enough to see in lift!
Ron

[dheaton]

I realize this is a very old thread but I am looking for the plans for the Dynaflite Skeeter. Anyone still reading this thread? Please let me know.

Thanks in advance

[Wildflyer]

Check your other post.

[dheaton]

Originally Posted by Wildflyer

Check your other post.

Ummm what other post?

[ama51668]

anyone wishing a set of skeeter plans, please email me direct: rfd@rfd.cc