solentlife

As some know - I have just been given a Skymaster biplane. I was hoping to E-power this but the modifications to be honest are too much in my mind and it has been decided to do a swap.

I have an EF Extra 58 with 91FS motor up front ... the original design is of course E-powered. So having a model that can readily take E-system ... I will take out all the fuel side gear and put her to E.

Here she is in fuel mode :



Some may remember that she suffered a catastrophic crash and was rebuilt ...

The 91FS will come out and be fitted to my Skymaster and she will 'burble' her way across the field in true 4str style.

For the Extra ... I have the following gear already for her ... the 5055A 450KV is from my crashed Zlin as is the 80A ESC. There is a new cowl as well - so I can retire the crashed / repaired fuel cutout one. With 6S pack - she should carve up the sky fine.





nigel

solentlife

I have the standoffs and they appear to be about right length ... but no ****** bolts to fit them .. so it will be of to the 'bolt shop' on Monday ...

I'm hoping that converting her to E-Power will rekindle the interest in her ...

Nigel

solentlife

Searching the gear littering my floors / benches / tables ... I found the bolts !!

All bolted up ...



Seems so empty in there after all the gear for fuel power !!



This is where it gets strange ... the old cowl fits fine ... OK - its battered and stitched together .. but basically same saize as the new ... but the new one refuses to go on without having a section cut away underneath ...



Ready to go ...



That's :

TGY Airdrive 5055 450KV
6S 3300 30C LiPo
60A ESC with 5A uBEC
13x8 wood prop (heavier Composite on standby)

She has Hobby Eagle A3 Super II fitted but will be only as a back-up assistant.

Balance is spot on the spar ... excellent.

Weighing the whole (I may have an error on the scales - must change battery) ... gives me 2900gr incl the 450gr battery.
This compares with 2970gr without fuel as a wet flyer ... add in approx 200gr for fuel .. that's basically 3170gr.
A saving of approx 300gr.

Nigel

solentlife

I think most people have a model that just seems to defy logic .. seems to have a death wish.

This Extra definitely falls into that category. Unfortunately the Soloshot 3 recorded a corrupt maiden flight that ended after a very short event with a spectacular smash.

She took off fine - but then just seemed to not want to steady or answer commands. I know CoG was spot on ... surface movements were all as before when she flew with the 91FS ... so there is no logical reason for a crash.

The damage is extensive... fuselage disintegrated back to rear of cockpit on one side ... same side wing is a complete mess for at least 50% ... and given I have had a difficult relationship with this model since day one - I am not inclined to rebuild. I will put her to the back along with my Zlin and think about what to do later once my workshop is finished.

Nigel

solentlife

I knew I should not have looked at the bag of bits ........... as many know - on the field when collecting the bits - you think the worst. You get home and separate the bits and you find not as bad as first imagined.

The fuselage from rear of cockpit back is fine.

Canopy is shattered but perspex is in 3 pieces and can be taped back. The frame can be easily spliced.

Forward fuselage is shattered but surprisingly can be re-assembled like a jigsaw puzzle ...

The cowl itself is remarkably light on damage ... CA and thin nylon backing will sort and then repaint.

Wing has split and sheered of a section which again pieces back and only a new root rib needed.

Seems she will live on ....

Nigel

solentlife

Sorry the Soloshot failed to capture the actual moment ... but you can at least hear the engine shut off before the 'whack' ....



waiting now for Workshop to be ready to get working on my models etc.

Nigel