Edge 540 on Rubber

[stx44]

So the local hobby shop has limited options for me to choose for the next build.... 500 series spitfire (not a fan of spitfires), hurricane (mmmm maybe..) and the Edge 540. And I could order off the net, but I have limited patience.....

Now everything I can find regarding the Edge is for people doing static or electric rc.

Has anyone built it for rubber and how did it perform, given the apparent minimal dihedral and wing area?

[Sai1704]

Building it on rubber power would be a considerable risk as-1. It has a less wing area, 2. It is a midwing aircraft so trimming it would be tough as hell. I have not actually built and flown this kit, but it is what I infer.

[Mitch]

Stx,

I would suggest you go for the Edge. I have not built it yet, but I have the kit. My reasons are because: 1. It is a newly designed kit and laser cut 2.There was an article in the last Model Aviation that gave very nice reviews about the Porter (not the Edge, but also a NEW kit)built and flown for rubber FF 3. There is a competition going on for the Edge 540, that ends in October on the Guillow Challenge.

Mitch

UPDATE: I just took a look at my 540. I like the rib spacing on this new kit. Since it is laser cut it should go together easily. Comes with a 4 inch (scale prop) and a 7 inch. I would think the model can handle an 8 inch. I like the way the cowling gets lined up with B1. I believe you can make it so you pull off the cowling to wind a larger motor. Probably should add a little dihedral for FF. Mitch

[stx44]

So I bit the bullet and picked up an Edge kit today.

I must admit to being very impressed after unboxing- its a very comprehensive kit, well presented, and the laser cutting is a thing of beauty....

However, I must also admit to being a little intimidated.... I have never built a symetrical profile wing before. And this will be my first keel-and-former build in 30+ years -Ive been doing 900 kits , and one Javelin since returning to the hobby.

[Mitch]

Stx,

I have this kit also and when you build it, maybe I can build mine with you. The Guillow's contest this year is for this kit! I may be shipping out soon, but I can take this kit with me to build. I also just finished making a dedicated work space for my models!

I like the looks of this kit also, It is one of there NEW releases. I think it would do better for FF with a bit of dihedral added.

Mitch

[Bill Gaylord]

So I bit the bullet and picked up an Edge kit today.

I must admit to being very impressed after unboxing- its a very comprehensive kit, well presented, and the laser cutting is a thing of beauty....

However, I must also admit to being a little intimidated.... I have never built a symmetrical profile wing before. And this will be my first keel-and-former build in 30+ years -Ive been doing 900 kits , and one Javelin since returning to the hobby.

I think you'll find it easier than what you've been used to. The only area where I made errors had to recut and reglue a few parts was with the base wing formers on the fuse. There are no enlarged balloon details of the areas, so you have to look VERY carefully at the fine lines on the CAD drawing to see exactly how the wing base formers and stringers sit on the fuse keels and mate against each other.

I managed to get mine flying as an rc conversion to the point where it flys okay if flown carefully, but is difficult to regain control (tall grass was a good thing there in still having it ) if whipped around at all. Probably a lot of it has to do with weight. No small models like weight, but some have been more controllable than others with a bit of weight. If done again, I would have foregone the scale appearance of the 1/32" sheeted fuse and painted over Microlite covering, and just built it stock without painting the pre-colored covering. Probably would fly a lot better if 1/2oz lighter, which I could have easily managed. I'm sure you can get it flying decently as a lighter, rubber powered plane.

As you said, it would be nice if there was more info from people flying this plane on rubber power. The plane has a large positive wing incidence angle in relation to the horizontal stabilizer. The cowl face also sets the prop at a similar high incidence angle, pretty much matching the wing setting. I found that the plane needed this high upthrust angle, in relation to the stab. This all seemed to make the plane speed sensitive to trim. The other issue was that the forward CG setting caused the plane to nose drop when power was removed. Of course mine is a heavier rc version with a motor in the nose. I would imagine that a lighter rubber powered plane could be trimmed reasonably well, as the speed should not vary drastically. The lighter models also seem to tolerate a more aft CG and still be stable. I know that mine would have had a better landing glide if the CG was more AFT, since I had to pull up hard on the elevator during landing when the power was reduced.

[stx44]

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/843/cvfr.jpg/

So I have the basics of the fuselage together. I did my normal and glued strip across the grain of each of the formers to prevent breakage. It worked ok, bar that I stuck them to the wrong side of one of F3 (would have blocked the landing gear wire) and F6 (will be visible through the cockpit). In the future I will lay them all out in pairs and glue them that way.

Whilst its not that much longer than the 900 series kits, it sure is wider!

[stx44]

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[Mitch]

Good idea to add 1/16 horizontal supports. Are you using all kit wood or some contest balsa? I think it is good to have a wide body as you will have room for several strands of rubber if you choose. I am looking at the plans and I see they suggest installing W2 at an angle to get the proper dihedral.

Mitch

PS: I am going back aboard my ship today (Containership, Horizon Tacoma: route is Tacoma,WA to Alaska). If you are interested you can go to marinetraffic.com. Then you click on "live map" zoom into the area of the NW USA around Puget Sound. You can see all the ships moving in real time. If you click on my ship you can see a picture of it. They have more pictures to look at also. I am checking out that site now and the ship is up in Admiralty Inlet, passing Port Townsend making 17 knots. She should be at the dock in Tacoma about 10 o'clock this morning.

[stx44]

Im just using the kit wood- I dont know if/where contest wood is available here.

I used the little dihedral former on all the wing ribs- I figured it would be best to have them all parrallel...

And yes, in theory a wide body should be more ridged for the same weight of wood..

[stx44]

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[stx44]

The above was a shot of the wing frames assembled. They were surprisingly easy to go together- I did have concerns over doing a symetrical wing, but no biggy...

The weekend was fairly productive. I will post a picture of where I got up too soon....

[Mitch]

Stx, et al,

I have been looking over my kit and this looks like a very nice easy kit to build... I just wonder how well it will fly. I am home for a day and will bring my tools and start my assembly next trip.

Stx... I hope you don't mind a little friendly competition, and I want to get my plane flight ready by the end of the month... I think I will diverge a little from the kit colors as I plan to make my plane look something like this:



I don't expect to duplicate, but rather use this plane as a theme for my color... Blue topsides and silver on bottom:

Mitch

[stx44]

Well, this is were I am up to with mine....



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[stx44]