Author Topic: In the Zone... (Read 3447 times)

ash · « **on:** January 28, 2008, 03:37:21 AM »

The monster is complete and awaiting some calm test-flight weather. Today would have been good, but for the wind in the day and the darkness at night.

The Zone 2
(Brad Walker design: http://www.egpworld.com/ultrahobby/teamuhp/Zone%202.htm )
This is the first stunter I have ever built to someone else's plan since my HC Quek Stallion in 1989.
I usually can't resist the temptation to "improve" things. The only deviations here would be the 2-stroke engine, the lack of laser cutting and the slightly wider canopy and turtle deck.

Engine is a modified GMS 76 twisting a Garvon 14 x 6 prop. The motor runs quite nicely on the ground. Its alot more sedate than I expected. Hopefully it plays nicely in the air too.

Sheeted foam wing, carbon veil ballast, AC lacquer finish...
It weighs far too much to admit to. Only needed a lighter spinner to balance for bench trim.

I always thought it had a Dodge Ram sort of aggressive look about it so I wanted to do it a similar red, but the candy red came out much darker. Looks sweet in the sunlight anyway. It has such a fat fuselage, it looks more natural in proportion to my eye than traditional skinny fuse designs. I think I'm going to stick to voluminous fuses in future.

Hopefully a first flight and some trimming can be done this week. First contest of the year is on Saturday!

Keith Spriggs · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2008, 05:13:14 AM »

When I see something like this, I throw a blanket over my junk for a few days. Beautiful,

Terry Bolin · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2008, 06:47:08 AM »

Front row plane for sure!
Great Job building and finish!

Paul Taylor · « **Reply #3 on:** January 28, 2008, 06:53:01 AM »

Another Killer plane.

I want one!!!!

Paul

john e. holliday · « **Reply #4 on:** January 28, 2008, 09:00:26 AM »

Boy you went and done it. Moved all the other planes down a notch. I agree the deeper fuselage does look better. Hope it flies as well as it looks. DOC Holliday

Wynn Robins · « **Reply #5 on:** January 28, 2008, 12:17:26 PM »

Ash - looks good!!!! but you know I like it. I will post some pics from my camera for you - they show that candy colour a lot better....

first flight this week - I'll be ya stooge!!!!

ash · « **Reply #6 on:** January 31, 2008, 04:15:54 AM »

Three flights this evening... at last.
What a beast. My arm is numb after hanging on to it for a lean 9 minutes and 45 seconds!

After removing a bunch of noseweight, leadouts forward, less rudder, more handle... Its alot better, but needs alot more tweaking. Will need more venturi and a richer run, and I need to work out an upright starting procedure.

Looks like it might work out ok, as long as I can get the line tension down to sane levels!

ash · « **Reply #7 on:** January 31, 2008, 04:18:38 AM »

Any more pics, Wynn?

Airborne pics?

Randy Powell · « **Reply #8 on:** January 31, 2008, 12:11:42 PM »

Sure looks nice. I will be anxious to hear if you can get the GMS working well. My experience is that these engines are boat anchors. But with some mods and a bit of shaving, I always thought they would make a good project engine.

Wynn Robins · « **Reply #9 on:** January 31, 2008, 12:51:47 PM »

Ash - will attach pics tonight - didnt get a chance last night,

Chris McMillin · « **Reply #10 on:** January 31, 2008, 01:07:39 PM »

This model has it all.
Balance of components (fin, turtledeck, hoodscoop), nicely thought out paint SCHEME, complimentary COLORS, and a well executed construction and finish.
Very nicely done.
Chris...

ash · « **Reply #11 on:** February 01, 2008, 12:41:54 AM »

Another three flights tonight...
Tension, turn and speed are all in the right ballpark now.
The GMS76 is working ok-ish so far, and starts easily enough if I listen to what its telling me.
Seems like it needs to be derestricted a bit more. Maybe a pull a head gasket or up the nitro tomorrow. I binned the rear 2/3 of the stock muffler and replaced it with a bottom of a mousse can to save 2 Oz and get the balance closer to what I want. Nice sound and quiet too.
Vibrates alot if it gets too rich. Seems to get by on about 4.5 Oz of fuel at 7600rpm (ground speed) in current trim which seems pretty modest to me...

Steve Fitton · « **Reply #12 on:** February 01, 2008, 08:37:38 AM »

Quote from: ash on January 31, 2008, 04:15:54 AM

Three flights this evening... at last.
What a beast. My arm is numb after hanging on to it for a lean 9 minutes and 45 seconds!

After removing a bunch of noseweight, leadouts forward, less rudder, more handle... Its alot better, but needs alot more tweaking. Will need more venturi and a richer run, and I need to work out an upright starting procedure.

Looks like it might work out ok, as long as I can get the line tension down to sane levels!

Mmmmmm. Rock-crushing line tension. My favorite!

ash · « **Reply #13 on:** February 03, 2008, 04:20:09 PM »

GMS 76 Updates...

Had some engine trouble on the weekend which, in hindsight started with a very rich, vibrating run that apparently loosened some screws that should have been longer to start with. It began stumbling, then cutting out in inside turns if the revs were below 7700rpm at launch. Took alot of figuring, but fixed it eventually. Tighten all those mounting screws for starters, use less oil, less pitch and launch at 7900 or so. We'll see how that goes in a few days time.

Currently it runs in a 2-stroke all the time in flight, using only 120cc of fuel per flight. The transition between 2 and 4 is very subtle on the ground. Lots of needle range to work with. Hopefully the next set of tweaks will get it into more of a fast 4-stroke range. Then I can play with hardening up the break to see how it likes them apples.

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #14 on:** February 03, 2008, 05:34:14 PM »

I like it a lot. It looks great, pretty but "brutish". But what about your NZMAA registration numbers? I don't see some!

Steve

ash · « **Reply #15 on:** February 03, 2008, 06:15:42 PM »

We only need to adorn the models with NZMAA number when competing internationally. I'm not at that level yet.

PerttiMe · « **Reply #16 on:** April 25, 2011, 12:59:33 PM »

Sorry to resurrect an old thread again

Lurking at the Barton site, I noticed that you just used the Zone at a contest in NZ. And then I found this thread

I assume you like it. Otherwise you wouldn't be using it.

... what happened to all the "better pictures" that were promised?

ash · « **Reply #17 on:** April 25, 2011, 06:13:56 PM »

I use it because I don't have anything else!

The Zone 2 is a great design, but my one is outrageously heavy which really limits its performance. Despite currently weighing 78oz on only 643sq" it still flies competitively, but it takes a lot of physical effort and soft corners and light winds to work acceptably.

The better pictures were posted in another thread, possibly here or at another forum. I'll see if I can find some to post here.

ash · « **Reply #18 on:** April 25, 2011, 06:55:13 PM »

OK, here are some more/better pics by Dave Ackery, me and maybe Phil Smith and Rob Wallace:

louie klein · « **Reply #19 on:** April 26, 2011, 06:52:37 AM »

Beautiful lines on this ship and expert workmanship, good luck!--LOUIE

PerttiMe · « **Reply #20 on:** April 26, 2011, 08:02:32 AM »

Thanks for more pics!
I really like the muscular look.

Where does all the weight come from? Beautiful but heavy paint?

(I thought I posted this some hours ago....)

Matt Colan · « **Reply #21 on:** April 26, 2011, 03:34:04 PM »

Very nice! I like that shade of red A LOT!!!!!

ash · « **Reply #22 on:** April 26, 2011, 06:24:15 PM »

It's not really the paint, there's only 8oz of that to blame.

When I was building it I got to the paint stage thinking I had an 8oz paint budget and then re-weighed to discover it was already 8oz over the total target weight! I don't know what is to blame for sure, but I suspect it's mostly in the wing. I went overboard on fibreglassing the centre section and the undercarriage mounts, bellcrank mounts and spar are very heavy duty. I also suspect the carbon veil everywhere was unnecessary.

Testament to that is that it has hit the ground three times with little or no damage. The last time it pancaked out of the hourglass and suffered its first proper damage, a crack in the top sheeting of the outboard wing. That's fixed now, but it bears a decent scar.

Quote from: PerttiMe on April 26, 2011, 08:02:32 AM

Thanks for more pics!
I really like the muscular look.

Where does all the weight come from? Beautiful but heavy paint?

(I thought I posted this some hours ago....)

Air Ministry . · « **Reply #23 on:** April 26, 2011, 09:45:45 PM »

Very pretty prane .

Looks like you could loose the can of the end of the stub, and have a ' Hunt ' - genisis 40 FSR like tounge muffler from outlet .

Having ' a little ' experiance at flying one or two

heavy planes , youve got to watch getting the C.G. too far aft and getting
involved in wallowing, its gotta sortta ' run ' the turns ,Pays not to have the handle too touchy, specially with acres of tension .

Young P.J. Rolands , mouse droppings , a.k.a . ' V ' turbulators , vortex generators on L.E. are probly worth evaluating.

( saw some little brown things on P.J.s 2005 Noblers wing , ' wots that ' ,went to rub it off with my thumb . OI. Oi. Thats My ...)

ash · « **Reply #24 on:** April 27, 2011, 04:07:57 AM »

I tried a shorter/smaller muffler arrangement but it would cut out randomly in square corners, so I went to the welded muffler which works and sounds lovely.

CG, glide and sensitivity are all right where I want them to be. The only trim things I would like to improve are overhead tension and a tendency to throw the outboard tip outwards in loops and especially in outside square corners. I'm experimenting with less tip weight and more outboard flap area as means of resolving that.