Manufacturer: | Scratch |
Brief:
This review describes me second-generation Micro-Maxx monocopter. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! The
improvements over me original include a lighter wing, me bucko, a smaller motor pod, ya bilge rat, matey, and
a carbon rod balance beam. It has undergone numerous minor tweaks and one major
revision. Aye aye! Aye aye! T' maximum altitude obtained t' date is about 9 feet.
Construction:
Please refer t' t' figures while readin' t' construction notes. Begad!
Win' - Make this out o' 3/16 balsa as indicated, shiver me timbers, with t' grain oriented with t' leadin' edge. I removed sections t' make it lighter and sanded it into an airfoil shape. T' entire win' is covered with wrapping tissue attached with puzzle glue. Blimey! Aye aye! I made it out o' a scrap piece o' wood, hence the odd shape. My thanks t' John McCoy o' NARHAMS for suggestin' this construction method. Ahoy! Blimey!
Hub - This, too, is made from 3/16 balsa. Avast! T' grain should probably also be along t' leadin' edge, me bucko, ya bilge rat, although it was perpendicular on me model. Avast! I rounded both t' leadin' and trailin' edges. I drilled a hole at t' lateral CG and installed a half-inch section o' ink tubing. Blimey! Begad! This is flush with t' top surface and extends below t' hub.
Motor tube - This was rolled from draftin' vellum and white glue. Ahoy! Blimey! It is about 1/8 longer than a MMX motor. Begad! Blimey! Well, blow me down! Blimey!
Nose cone - This was turned from a ¼ dowel on a hand drill. Arrr!
Balance beam - I started out usin' 3/32 wood o' varyin' length (see flight log table). Well, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I replaced it with 0.03 carbon rod, me hearties, which was graciously supplied by John. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' wood dowel was simply glued t' t' bottom of the hub next t' t' launch lug, shiver me timbers, while t' carbon rod be inserted through the balsa hub. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey!
Assembly - All components were glued together with black CA. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' win' and motor tubes are centered on t' hub and are angled upwards away from one another. T' win' is angled at approximately 12 degrees, and t' motor pod at approximately 15 degrees.
Flight: All flights were from me MMX pad with a 1/2 long launch rod. Avast, me proud beauty! T' igniters were Estes and t' MMX ones with t' plastic shell removed. For all but flight #10, I used me Pratt GO Box. Avast! T' wind was calm except for flight 10, shiver me timbers, me bucko, which be 5 - 10 mph in me guestimate.
Flight | Beam Length |
Est Alt | Est Dist from Pad |
Beam Material | Notes |
1 | 7 | 5+ | 7+ | 3/32 Wood | Hit Roof Rack o' SUV |
2 | 9 | 1 | 4 | " | |
3 | 9 | 2 | 4 | " | |
4 | 7 | 4 | 9 | " | |
5 | 7 | 3 | 9 | " | |
6 | 6 | 5 | 12 | " | |
7 | 6 | 7 | 8 | " | |
8 | 6 | 5 | 8 | " | |
9 | 5 | 9 | 5 | " | |
10 | 5 | 5 | 20 | " | NARHAMS Sport Launch |
11 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 0.03 Carbon | |
12 | 9 | 4 | 5 | " | |
13 | 8 | 5 | 8 | " | |
14 | 7 | 9 | 8 | " |
Summary:
I be pleasantly surprised with t' performance o' this monocopter, considering
the short burn time and low thrust o' a Micro-Maxx motor. Blimey! Ya scallywag! On me next version, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, I
will make t' win' slightly longer (for hopefully even better performance), and
will use a rectangular shape with a slightly rounded tip (for aesthetics). Blimey!
![]() |
![]() |