Decided I wanted a biplane to build and fit FPV gear into, and it's got an undercarriage so will keep my friendly farmer happy.... 'Have you got any planes with wheels on !"
Fair chance it will be a slow build cos I've just ordered the motor and I want some slightly bigger wheels
(http://s4.postimage.org/aisoragx5/IMG_0475.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/aisoragx5/)
The box
(http://s3.postimage.org/xckpxsffz/IMG_0474.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/xckpxsffz/)
bits out of the box
(http://s18.postimage.org/85fps6vyt/IMG_0476.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/85fps6vyt/)
takes a minute to clip the bits together !
(http://s7.postimage.org/60wdak8hz/IMG_0477.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/60wdak8hz/)
Side view
(http://s11.postimage.org/t1mrmbd0v/IMG_0478.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/t1mrmbd0v/)
view into the cockpit
(http://s4.postimage.org/8h1unwend/IMG_0479.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/8h1unwend/)
was thinking of fitting the flight camera on a pan servo in the cockpit but I think the views going to be too restricted.
(http://s3.postimage.org/8w75h2433/IMG_0480.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/8w75h2433/)
(http://s8.postimage.org/9cizvg0sh/IMG_0481.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/9cizvg0sh/)
front hatch removed
(http://s9.postimage.org/vzy91y3ln/IMG_0482.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/vzy91y3ln/)
straight down the front (no motor)
(http://s3.postimage.org/hcsvmr4mn/IMG_0483.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/hcsvmr4mn/)
top wing removed, bet it would build into a decent model without the top wing :)
(http://s7.postimage.org/skrgbbe9z/IMG_0484.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/skrgbbe9z/)
underneath view with bottom wing removed
(http://s4.postimage.org/oblcbisrt/IMG_0485.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/oblcbisrt/)
fuselage halves
(http://s8.postimage.org/lv46prn5t/IMG_0495.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/lv46prn5t/)
top wing upside down on bench
(http://s8.postimage.org/5f4wxisqp/IMG_0496.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/5f4wxisqp/)
some views of my cave out in the garage
(http://s7.postimage.org/3ufk2q32f/IMG_0497.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/3ufk2q32f/)
Raptor 30 and 50, with my 2 year old Skywalker hung on the wall and a Wot4
(http://s4.postimage.org/61dtfa0q1/IMG_0498.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/61dtfa0q1/)
Roo, quads, small helis, X4 FPV with yellow earplugs as u/c (can just about see it on the top shelf) etc
(http://s7.postimage.org/gk1vg7yfb/IMG_0499.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/gk1vg7yfb/)
Hercules, Tri, Fox plus others
I really want a carbon fibre u/c rather than the piano wire one in the kit but can only find one the right size (and cost !) at HK and I don't want to order just now cos of the Chinese New Year.
More to come as the build proceeds
PK
That`s going to be fun to fly :)
Now I've got the kit and started looking at it I can't decide where best to put the FPV camera, I was hoping the view from the cockpit position would have been less blocked.
Think I'll try sitting the FPV cam in there to see what the view looks like with a 2.8 lens, the photo I took was just by holding my iphone in there.
You could always do a pan camera from the cockpit, then a video switcher to use a secondary cam say back at the tail looking forward ?
That's a thought, I got a switcher ages ago from Simons shop I think but haven't used it yet.
Now that is something I would love to have, I love flying my little parkzone beast.
that will be a blast bud.
:) G
Kevin Elder flying the Multiplex Gemini (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQ1MWFh41Uo#)
Ordered a carbon fibre undercarriage from HK today but don't know if it will get out of China before their New Year holiday starts... we will see.
I mentioned this to one of my flying buddies in Darlington..... when I got back in from walking the dog there was a set of CF undercarriage legs through my letter box..... he'd taken them off his Acromaster just so I could get on with the build, just proves what good mates we all have :)
CLICK ON THE SMALL PHOTOS TO SEE THEM FULL SIZE
(http://s4.postimage.org/9tx6wdc61/IMG_0506.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/9tx6wdc61/)
I'm going to fit a flight cam (on pan servo) in the cockpit at the rear to get the view the pilot would have, as well as a 1gram cam right up at the front low down set into the thick foam at the air intake just below the prop, and fit a video switcher so I can flick between the 2 views as I reckon the cockpit cam will be restricted for landings.
(http://s7.postimage.org/ijlnhuq2f/IMG_0507.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/ijlnhuq2f/)
I'm going to rough fit a cam in the cockpit first just to see what sort of view it gives, also I reckon I'm going to have to spray paint most of the white foam a dark colour at least in view of the flight cam other wise the exposure is going to be overwhelmed by the bright white all around it.
(http://s7.postimage.org/5n3q1o8zb/IMG_0508.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/5n3q1o8zb/)
Video transmitter will be an ImmersionRC and fitted on the belly just behind the undercarriage, with a short skew planar pointing downwards so a perfect position, I reckon the U/C legs are thin enough not to mess with the transmission too much.
PK
I think the dual camera option is a really good plan, looking forward to seeing this flying.
Great choice, ive flown a few of these and they are real nice :), you also have same solder station as mine! great mancave!
Jim.
Not far of finished now so will be adding more photos I've taken, here's some of the camera I've mounted on a 180 degree pan servo in the cockpit.
I'll post up some pics of the HK carbon fibre undercarriage and the internal electrics of the fuselage before I glued it together.
(http://s4.postimage.org/xz9fhznk9/cam_1.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/xz9fhznk9/)
(http://s17.postimage.org/7axv0sh23/cam_2.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/7axv0sh23/)
camera lead is inside a braided sleeve and glued with a bit of flexible UHU POR to the back of the camera so that the actual connection isn't flexing at all.
the braid is supported back to the camera base with a thin wire clip and everything works freely for the full 180 degree swivel.
(http://s16.postimage.org/w0r8luswx/cam_3.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/w0r8luswx/)
Underneath the camera lead has a servo extension connector so the complete canopy can be taken off the plane.
Nice, good idea with protecting the camera wire like that :)
It's all ready for it's first flight, hopefully this weekend if I can find a flat bit of ground to take off and more importantly land it (so used to hand launching all my fpv planes).
Got in from work today just as the sun was going down but had a chance to test the pan cockpit camera and the video switching between the small camera tucked in the nose and the cockpit cam, this video really shows the difference in handling exposure between the KX171 (my very first fpv cam from 2 years ago) in the nose and the Sony HAD in the cockpit.
Gemini cam test in garden on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/60677431)
Also noticed a slight bit of ghosting (from the cockpit cam) when the front camera is live, need to free off the aileron link rods a bit as the rod looks to be flexing more than I like :)
Might need to extend the GPS module out oto the top of the cockpit, it's inside under the foam at the moment but this video shows it's not picking satellites up during the test.
Some photos from today.....
(http://s22.postimage.org/ferg7gbu5/IMG_0545.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/ferg7gbu5/)
(http://s10.postimage.org/y0mrv4xqt/IMG_0546.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/y0mrv4xqt/)
(http://s24.postimage.org/7x9ik4oht/IMG_0547.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/7x9ik4oht/)
(http://s11.postimage.org/duv528ixb/IMG_0548.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/duv528ixb/)
(http://s14.postimage.org/einus45il/IMG_0549.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/einus45il/)
(http://s11.postimage.org/9zrqznzrj/IMG_0550.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/9zrqznzrj/)
PK
Looks cool, like the two cameras
Nice, liking the video switching :)
Really nice work mate, looking forward to seeing it fly! Something different, I like it.
C'mon you slacker get some flight vid up or sell it to me :)
Hehe Simon.....
I managed to sneak in a LOS trimming flight a few of weeks back between all the wind and rain which showed it tail heavy so landed and stuck a spare 3S 1000mah lipo in with the main lipo as some dead weight.
It flew nice the next flight so I popped the goggles on, the WDR 600 cam in the cockpit gave a great viewpoint just like in the real thing (i.e not good view for landing !) and the pan worked fine.
The nose cam was my old first fpv cam from 2 years ago, a KX 171, a dire cam on what was a dull day.... the ground was just black with no detail could hardly see hedges from the fields, and the sky was just an even gray so no chance of trying to land with that so I ended the flight with a LOS landing.
Then the weather messed up for a couple of weeks but yesterday (Sat) was glorious up here with blue sky 5mph breeze and sunny so I took the biplane, couple of quads and a powered glider to the field.
The bipe was great to fly, the cam switching worked fine and I had swapped the KX171 for a SN555 so much better nose cam view, I have it on 4S 2200mah now as I needed extra nose weight and I put 2 lipos through it fpv, loops and inverted all good.
I've got a load of video recorded onto my BEVRC DVR and just need to get enthusiastic to edit it up and post it up.
Main problem with the bipe is it needs a flat bit of short grass or tarmac to take off and land so it means going to the flying club field, I tend to go there once for every three times at the farm so not going to get much air time with it just yet.
Ben at the farm says he will sort out a runway in the back field so that will be good..... been there today with Coyote flying his Hex.
I'll post yesterday video once edited up :)
PK
Nice one Paul
Can't wait for the vid, why didn't you stick a bigger 3 cell in there to counteract the c of g issue instead of a 2200 4 cell, 4000 3 cell maybe same weight and a lot more flying time, don't really need the speed of a 4 cell I would have imagined, what time do you get anyway mate
Your not selling then lol
Video as promised, flies nice just a pity I need a bit of flat ground for take off and landing as it limits my flying venues.
I'll take some photos of the finished plane and post them up.
http://youtu.be/p_pmDoQzARA (http://youtu.be/p_pmDoQzARA)
PK
Loving the cockpit views.
:) G
Quote from: pk-surfing on April 08, 2013, 07:26:38 AM
Video as promised, flies nice just a pity I need a bit of flat ground for take off and landing as it limits my flying venues.
I'll take some photos of the finished plane and post them up.
http://youtu.be/p_pmDoQzARA (http://youtu.be/p_pmDoQzARA)
PK
2 Cameras works brilliantly!
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines LYRICS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK74kZoyEXw#) :D
regards
Andy
wow that looks great!
Quote from: skyscraper on April 08, 2013, 06:09:12 PM
Quote from: pk-surfing on April 08, 2013, 07:26:38 AM
Video as promised, flies nice just a pity I need a bit of flat ground for take off and landing as it limits my flying venues.
I'll take some photos of the finished plane and post them up.
http://youtu.be/p_pmDoQzARA (http://youtu.be/p_pmDoQzARA)
PK
2 Cameras works brilliantly!
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines LYRICS (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK74kZoyEXw#) :D
regards
Andy
Lol, that music was on my first YouTube video.
:) G
Mustang Tony RC test pilot.wmv (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOWsd4FjdWc#)
That looks cool as Paul
Works pretty well Paul :)