Any MM SmoothE flyers?

I am building my 3rd SmoothE and wondered if there are any other SmoothE fans on this site?
Wes

[Stagger_Wing]

I’ve been teaching my dad how to fly on one for a wile now and love it. It has the slow flyer wing on it so it floats forever but since I took much of the dihedral out it can also do nice rolls. It has the stock 350c motor on C gearing with a 9X7 prop, which provides plenty of power for a trainer.

My first I started out with the eps350. My current SmoothE has a 20t GBX single in it with 3s lipoy packs.
It is the Sport wing.
It will be done today and waiting on decent weather for the maiden flight.
Wes

[Stagger_Wing]

Sounds like a nice setup. Hope the weather clears up for your maiden.

Me too!

[MountainFlyer]

doesn't everyone have a MM SmoothE?

and if not they should .. they don't know what there missing

No argument there.

Well I got brave enough to attemp the maiden flight. I was a little nervious not because I was worried that it wouldn't fly (it is a MM kit after all!) but that it was too windy and if the mottor would be enough.

I need not have worried. The SmoothE cut through the wind with ease! I would guesstimate the wind at between 8-10 mph and a little gusty.

The motor has tons of power for this plane. Loops from level at 1/3 throttle and steep climbs at around half. fairly fast at full throttle even heading into the wind.
I got 3 flights in at around 5-6 minutes each. Landing to make fine tunning adjustments.

My set up is:
GBX 20t single from Lensrc.
GWS 8040hd prop.
CC phx 10 esc
Apogee 850 3s lipolys
GWS Naro std servos
GWS 6ch rx.
Motor fits inside cowling area and has tons of power.

[Stagger_Wing]

Congratulations. Sounds like you found a great power system. Do you know amps, watts, or rpm? How about AUW sounds like it’s pretty light.

Ok enough questions for now.

Here is some info from Lensrc website.
At 11 Volts
16 Ounces Thrust
6.5 amps
http://lensrc.com/catalog/product_in...roducts_id=108

I have not weighed it. But I tend to build light.

Here are a couple of pics.

[Stagger_Wing]

I checked out the motor, it looks like it will be a candidate for my SA micro Cap 232. I already have a Lens 17t that will probably work but I like getting new motors.:o


Now if I just had some money.

I have been super happy with every motor I have bought from Len.
And I get them really fast too.
This motor in my SmoothE really flys the plane well. Better then what I expected from the numbers.

I know what you mean about $$ It is in short supply for me too!

[j.t.]

I started my 1st smoothE about 2 month ago got about half built and now it is waiting on me to get back at it. Health problems and other things needing to get done and places to go have all caused the delay, but I'M ready to start again. I got the park 370-4100kv motor and the GWS-C gearbox, Phoenix-25 esc and Kokam-3 cell 1500 lipo battery. I'M open to any help I can get in building this plane this is the first brushless set up. I don't know how to program the esc or anything at all about brushless other than I want to get into it. I'M not new to the hobby though I have been flying the Slow Stick, Beaver, E-starter and some glow planes for about 2 years now. Nothing fancy, a few loops and a roll or 2 now and then. Any help welcome. J.T.

[MountainFlyer]

I just finished SmoothE number 2.
now i need to finish the GWS Zero thats been sitting on the work bench waiting its turn. since its too beastly cold outside to fly..

[Stagger_Wing]

Nice color scheme MountainFlyer what covering did you use?

Weather permitting mine should be back up this weekend with its new 400xt motor, which I’m hoping will be an improvement over the stock system.

[MountainFlyer]

Stagger Wing, I just used the colored tap from Mountain Models just sanded the fuse and wing smooth before applying
the dark line on the top of the wing is the carbon fiber spar i installed, had a bit of wing flexing on SmoothE #1 that resulted in breaking the balsa spar.. this one has zero flex even under the most violent maneuvers.

[Stagger_Wing]

MountainFlyer it looks great for being a tape job mine didn’t come out nearly as nice as yours.

I know what you mean about wing flex. I folded my slow flyer wing during an abrupt maneuver last summer; it looked like an injured butterfly as it spun into the ground.

[jmtdmt]

Just ran accross this thread I have two MM Smooth E's. The first has a GWS 350 covered with Solite. On 122nd flight coming out of what I would consider a shallow dive the wing snapped on the left side near the fuse. After 122 flights I can't complain I figure the stresses over time just fatigued the foam. Ordered a replacement wing which I plan to reenforce with two carbon rods and use it on my second Smooth E which is also covered in Solite and has a Hacker A20-20L. I am also considering adding a second servo for the ailerons.
All in all one of the best all around fun flyers I have ever flown. Always throw it in the car when I go flying just in case.

[j.t.]

It has been some time but I got mine built and 1 flight in just Monday afternoon. It is as all have said a great flying plane, I know that after only the first flight, I'M looking forward to many more. This is my 1st brushless setup. Park 370-4100 KV, GWS-C gearbox with 9070 prop, and a Phoenix-25 ecs. Used a Kokan 3 cell 1500 pack but I'M going for the Thunder power 3 cell 1320 or 2100 today. Haven't tried any other props but I want to, I will take all the suggestions anyone has. thanks J.T.

[MountainFlyer]

j.t.,
ive been running the E-Flite Park 370 5400Kv in my SmoothE for about a month now .. great motor for a 2 Cell Lipo good power .. 20 minute flight time on the TP1900mAh 2 cell lipo and a bit longer on the TP2100 2s will climb at a 45 degree angle until its out of site , no unlimited vertical but hey if i wanted a rocket i would have added a rocket motor and left the wing off and added a parachute

jmtdmt
heres a better picture of the carbon fiber wing spar in mine

[j.t.]

MountainFlyer; I don't know much about the electric and or brushless stuff yet. What is the difference between the 5400 Kv and the 4100 KV? I got it because the guy at the hobby shop ask did I want, speed or did I want it to be more aerobatic. I said I was just learning aerobatics like rolls, inverted and such nothing 3D as of yet so this is what he sold me. Yesterday he sold me an Electric Power 3 cell 2200 lipo pack for it and told me to go from the 9070 prop to a 1047 or 1080, I didn't get a chance to try it out yet as the wind was blowing to much and it is getting cloder and rain is on the way. J.T.

[jmtdmt]

MountainFlyer,

Nice looking Smooth E ! Any particular reason you put the caron tube/rod on the top of the wing instead of the bottom ? I'm also thinling of adding a second carbon tube at the TE for some additional stiffening. With the Hacker A20-20L I get some heavy loads on the wing even during mild aerobatics.


J.T.

Bigger prop will give you more thrust for aerobatics but the plane will also fly a little slower. You will also draw more amps with the bigger prop but the 2100 should have no problem. I fly my Hacker powered Smooth E with an APC 1047 and a TP 2100 or a Tanic 2220. More performance than I need I usually fly 1/2 throttle.

[MountainFlyer]

j.t.
the main difference between the two motors is the Kv rating.
The Kv rating is basicly how many rpm's the motor will spin with no load. For example yours is a 4200Kv motor that = 4200 rpm's per volt so if you're using a 3 Cell Lipo which is 11.1v on the motor with no load on it ( eg no prop ) it would spin at 46620 rpm's. Under load it will spin roughly 10000 rpm's less so about 36000 rpm's or so. and also the 3 cell lipo full charged is around 12.4v but under a load and the natural resistance in the cells cause the voltage drops down around 11v when you draw power from it .. now..the load is controlled by the size and pitch of the prop .. the bigger the prop and/or the more pitch the prop has the more load on the motor. making it spin slower and draw more amps)

So now for the 5400Kv motor since its has a higher rating its going to spin more rpm's per volt so the 5400Kv motor is better suited for lower voltage eg. i use a 2 cell lipo instead of the 3 cell since the 3 cell would make the 5400Kv spin at close to 60000 rpm's with no load.. a bit to much rpm for getting long life out of the motor. with a 2 cell lipo on the motor its rpms are around 40000 rpm's ( no load ) similar to but not quite as fast you're 4200Kv with a 3 cell lipo
basicly its for guys like me that had a bunch of 2 cell lipos laying around and didn't want to have to buy a "new" bunch of 3 cell Lipo's

the 4200kv is best for the 3 cell lipo's btw