Mystique...

It's done!!!!!

I'll retest the motor in the Spring and hopefully get this in the air where it belongs...

Mystique update - again

The wing is done!  Servos installed and centered, ailerons hinged and linked.  On to covering the rest of the fuselage and tail....

Since I made myself stop any other hobby projects (other than repairs) until the Mystique is finished, I have nothing else going on in the workshed, other than 2 Estes Wizards waiting for paint that were built 3 years ago with the Cub Scouts.

Upcoming projects will be:

Estes Mega Der Red Max (built stock)
Estes (sorta) Scion - using a Leviathan kit with extra body tube and 4 flipped fins.
Great Planes Big Stik .40
Sig Hummer (converted to electric)

Mystique update

No pictures, but the ailerons have been installed. I ended up using Great Planes CA hinges. Then I realized since I didn't use the single servo/torque rod setup, that i needed to acquire control rods and horns...  Off to Field's!

And I need to stop dinging the covering while I work... Too many patches on a new wing...

Mystique update

Wing is covered!!!  Not the neatest job, but not bad for the first time in a long while. I may add some yellow trim as well. 

Mystique

Not bad for the first time covering in over 20 years...  Bottom half of the wing is basically done. Next time, better wingtip construction. I had to add balsa blocks to the top half of the wingtip. 

Aileron servos and wires are also installed. Hoping to complete the wing on Monday. 

Mystique

The mystique has been sitting unfinished for about 2 years now. I pulled it out today and actually started covering it

The goal is to have it ready to fly in the spring. 

Launch 9/5

Low power only for me at the September MARS launch. Flew the Super Big Bertha twice - once on 2 C6-3, once on an Aerotech E15-4w. 

Orbital Transport had its first flight on a B6-4 (glider needs nose weight).  

Augie II flew on a B6-0/A8-5 combo. 

The pool noodle flew on a C11-3. Parachute didn't fully deploy and the thing bounced about 10 feet up. The internal body tube didn't survive...  Replacement has been ordered. 

R2-D2 flew on a C6-3. Skywriter flew on an A8-3. 

It was very hot and humid, but it was a good time. 

Launch 8/22/15

I certified High Power Level 1 at the MARS August 22 launch. The rocket was a LOC Caliber ISP on an Aerotech H115DM-8. And there was video from onboard the rocket. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=chiAuNgnHCA

Also flown were the Super Big Bertha on 2-C6-3 motors, Stormcaster on C11-3, Blue Ninja on C11-3, Code Red on B6-4, Astron Spaceman on A8-3, Star dart on 1/2A6-2, Up Cup on B6-2, and a crazy looping flight from the Astron Invader on a B4-2. 

808 Camera video

Finally got some video from my 808 keychain camera.  Strapped to the wing of the Blue Baby 33" at Gratwick Park, North Tonawanda NY.

Niagara Falls Airshow

I took a break from building a bunch of easy kits to go the Niagara Falls Airshow with the family. Great show by the Thunderbirds as usual. 

Next projects...

I'm going to take a break from big and/or complex kits for a while. I'll build a few easy kits and try to get that airplane covered. 

Winter projects are done!!!!

Winter 2014-2015 builds are complete. Saturn V, LOC Caliber ISP, Asteroid Hunter, Ventris.  I also built a quest Novia and a dozen Estes Up Aerospace kits for siblings at scout launches. 

2 rockets completed...

Astron Elliptic II and Estes Jetliner. Still in paint shop: Estes Saturn V (in base coat of white), Estes Pro Series II Ventris (in base coat of black and white), Estes Asteroid Hunter (primer), LOC Caliber ISP (primer)

Servo issues

This week, I pulled out the Blu Baby 33 to get my fingers ready to fly. When I checked the control surfaces, the rudder would react uncontrollably when the stick was held hard right. The servo would push hard right, go to center, go hard right, center, etc.

I had seen this behavior on a different receiver but not with this one. I had the suspect receiver still in a box, with a note that it had been pulled from the BB33 with a suspect rudder channel.  Receiver replaced with a brand new Futaba 617 which then showed the same issue. 

Servo changed, problem solved. 

Project status...

Shed expansion: on hold. Washing machine replacement took priority (and cash)

Rockets:

Estes Ventris - in primer, ready for paint

Estes Saturn V- in white base coat. Need to mask and paint black

Estes Jetliner- in white paint. Need to sand and repaint

Estes Astron Elliptic II - bad black paint, booster sanded to primer and resprayed.

Estes Asteroid Hunter-  under construction. 

LOC caliber ISP - reworking fin fillets, priming. 

Crayon rocket - lexan fins cut, coupler on order

Corn rocket- need to think about this one...

Airplanes

Mystique - ready for covering

Blu Baby 42 - reworking motor angle...

More side project...

Child #2 is in his last year of elementary school. The 5th graders have a contest for Valentine's Day boxes. Here is what I put together. 

If you look closely, you can see the mail slot in the front plexiglass. 

Boy plays hockey, so this was perfect for him. The hockey schedule is killer though - doesn't leave much time for anything else these days. Season ends in March...

Another completed project

Estes R2-D2 kit...  I'll try to fly this on a C5-3

Side project...

Child #1 is obsessed with carnivorous plants. About 18 months ago, she shrieked in delight when she saw tropical pitcher plants at Wegmans. She got one. A couple weeks ago, she was given another one. Now I needed a place to keep two plants in the house during cold weather, where the cat won't eat them. She used some of her birthday gift cards to purchase a grow light from Amazon. $10 in pvc from me + a $4 timer gave use this... I will make some adjustments to make it fit a bit better on the shelf. 

Saturn V progress

Slowly but surely...  Also working on Estes R2-D2 and Ventris rockets.