Scratch Vega 1 Original Design / Scratch Built
Scratch - Vega 1 {Scratch}
Contributed by Leonard Loranger
T' Vega 1 is a high performance aft engine boost glider designed for dramatic flights on Estes B6-2, me hearties, C6-3, ya bilge rat, and C6-5. With its sweptback wings and long length, shiver me timbers, Vega 1 will fly straight as an arrow. Introducin' a slight spin will also ensure t' model will be stable. T' balsa that will be used for this project will be out o' rigid 1/8" thick C-grain balsa and is heavier compared t' A and B-grain balsa. Aye aye! A quick search on t' internet may help you t' find more information about t' different varieties o' balsa. Construction: Instruction Sheets: In addition t' t' materials listed on Sheet 1 o' 5, arrr, arrr, you will need t' followin' items: Read t' directions a couple o' times and become familiar with t' different drawings and parts before you assemble t' Vega 1. Page 1 o' 4 is an assembly drawing. Ahoy! After you have cut all balsa parts be sure you have t' following, Start t' control tabs by lookin' at t' detail drawin' on Sheet 3 o' 5. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Pre drill and thread t' holes before cuttin' them out. Avast, arrr, me proud beauty! Cut t' control tabs from 1/8" thick hard balsa, and t' bases out o' 1/4" X 1/4" X 2 1/4" long spruce or bass wood. Avast! T' avoid splitting, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, Test fit t' glide control bolts t' make sure they are nay too tight. Avast, me proud beauty! If they are t' loose, matey, you may have t' fill in t' holes with glue and trial fit again. Well, blow me down! Begad! Carefully cut and glue each assembly makin' sure you have a left and right. Blimey! A scroll saw will cut these parts easily. Avast, me proud beauty! When finished both assemblies, me bucko, arrr, me bucko, you should have a right and left part. Fuselage Sometimes a boost glider nay trimmed correctly can result in a fast spiral glide down. Avast! Begad! Usin' an Estes BT-20 body tube by itself will nay be strong enough durin' some o' these landings. T' thin walled tube has a tendency t' wrinkle. Avast! Reinforcin' t' tube with 2 oz glass cloth and resin is an easy way o' fixin' this problem. Avast! Another alternative is t' buy heavier walled tubin' if you can find some. Arrr! Ya scallywag! A nosecone will have t' match t' tube or you can turn one out on a lathe or drill press. Visit a local hardware store and pick up some ½"diameter copper tubing. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! T' tubin' should be ½" diameter on t' inside and 5/8" diameter on t' outside. Ahoy! Begad! T' copper tubin' need only be about 24-30" long. Use t' copper tubin' as a mandrel for handlin' t' Estes BT-20 tubin' while layin' on t' fiberglass and resin. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Apply two layers o' car wax on t' copper tubin' and buff off after. This will keep any extra resin and fiberglass from stickin' t' t' copper mandrel. Aye aye! Blimey! Polyester resin used for auto and boat repairs works fine. Ahoy! Blimey! A local hobby store will carry 2 oz glass cloth or you may need t' look on t' internet. Avast! Blimey! Before mixin' t' resin, follow t' mixin' instructions and make sure you wear safety glasses and latex gloves t' protect deadlights and skin. Begad! Blimey! Always work outside if you can where thar be plenty o' ventilation. Start by passin' an 18" Estes BT-20 tube over t' copper mandrel and tapin' both ends in place with maskin' tape. Cut out a piece o' 2.5"x 12" wide glass cloth t' size makin' sure that you will have enough t' cover t' entire BT-20 tube with some overlap lengthwise. Avast, me proud beauty! Mixin' resin and hardener with paper cups (the ones used for hot drinks) works well. Ahoy! Mix t' resin and hardener together per directions and apply a thin coat with a small brush on t' t' BT-20 body tube. Begad! Hold one end o' t' copper tube while t' other end is on t' ground. Blimey! Place t' fiberglass lengthwise on t' tube. Dab a little resin on t' brush and brush out any dry spots on t' cloth. Be careful t' work out any bubbles that develop. Begad! T' white cloth color should change t' a transparent color when wet with resin. Holdin' t' copper tube at one end, continue layin' t' rest o' t' cloth on all t' away around until it overlaps t' beginning. Use t' brush t' wet out t' rest o' t' cloth. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! If t' cloth at any time seems t' become tacky or starts pullin' away from t' tube, arrr, ya bilge rat, stop. Aye aye! T' resin may be startin' t' set up. Avast! Arrr! If this happens, stop any more work for another 24 hours until t' resin cures. Begad! T' workin' time with polyester or epoxy resins may only be 5 or 10 minutes or so dependin' on temperature and humidity. Begad! Workin' with fiberglass and resin becomes easier with time and practice. Sand any extra resin away from t' tube with 220-grit sandpaper. Avast! Use a sandin' block t' accomplish. Start by sandin' t' tube lengthwise carefully hittin' all t' high spots and nay t' sand thru t' fiberglass. Another way t' get a smooth finish is t' sand in 45-degree directions along t' axis o' t' tube. Ahoy! Roll t' tube at t' same time while sandin' with t' block. Begad! Aye aye! This method o' sandin' follows t' path o' t' spiral wind in t' tube. This will give you an even finish all t' way around. Begad! Aye aye! Mixin' up and brushin' on a second thin coat o' resin will fill in any low spots left behind. Remember, sandin' most o' t' resin will help t' save weight. Repeat this process until you are happy with t' finish. Avast! Avast! Dent and fill auto primer can help with fillin' any small imperfections in t' tube finish. After t' tube is done, cut t' tube t' a length o' 9 ½". Aye aye! Cut out t' body tube-markin' guide in drawin' 5 o' 5. Aye aye! Wrap this markin' guide tightly around t' body tube. Avast, me proud beauty! Mark out t' centerline positions o' t' launch lug, arrr, control tab, wing, arrr, etc, me hearties, arrr, shiver me timbers, with an L shaped piece o' metal or smooth door jam t' finish drawin' lines lengthwise on t' tube. Ahoy! Look at t' 18mm motor block detail shown on drawin' 4 o' 5. Cut a spent 18 mm motor t' a length o' 1" and glue a 1/8" x ¾" dia plywood plate at one end. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Reinforce t' plywood plate on t' inside with more yellow glue. Avast! Place a little dab o' glue at t' end o' a cotton swab. Begad! Reach through t' rearward end o' t' BT-20 body tube 3" forward and make a circular pattern with t' cotton swab. Be very careful nay t' get any o' t' glue near t' rearward end o' t' body tube. Ya scallywag! Insert t' motor block with t' plywood plate facin' t' aft in t' end o' t' body tube. Arrr! Then, usin' spent engine casing, matey, push it forward until t' end o' t' engine casin' is just t' even with t' rearward end o' t' body tube. Caution: once you have inserted t' nose block far enough t' come in contact with t' glue t' nay allow it t' stop until it is in t' proper position. Ahoy! Some glues dry very quickly, ya bilge rat, arrr, and stoppin' for as long as a second may cause it t' freeze in t' wrong place. Ahoy! Remove t' spent engine casin' as soon as t' nose block is in place. Nose cone construction Purchasin' BT-20 size nose cones or usin' a lathe t' turn down a nose cone is another avenue. Win' construction Cut out all t' templates from Sheet 2 o' 5. Match t' lines for t' right win' and tape them together. Well, blow me down! 1/8" x 3" wide, matey, c-grain balsa should be large enough t' fit t' whole win' template in place. Ya scallywag! Follow t' direction o' t' grain as shown. Begad! Trace t' rest o' t' templates on t' 1/8" rigid C-grain balsa. Ya scallywag! After cuttin' a left and right wing, sand a rounded edge on t' front and back o' both wings t' give a smooth airfoil. Ahoy! Know be t' time t' mark location centers for all four hinges for t' win' and t' elevon. Avast, me proud beauty! Ya scallywag! Let us look at t' hinge Dremel slot detail on Sheet 3 o' 5. Usin' t' Dremel #420 cut off wheel, set t' wheel in t' drill press chuck and raise t' drill press table with t' win' on it so that t' cut off wheel is half way up t' thickness o' t' wing. Avast! This will take some adjustin' o' t' table. Aye aye! Then usin' a small round sandin' tool make a small 1/8" hole where t' center mark locations are. Then proceed t' cut out a slot as far as t' cut off wheel will allow. Arrr! T' 1/8" hole should leave enough room for t' plastic hinge t' slide in t' t' cut out slot. Blimey! If it still does nay seat all t' way in, then cut a little bit o' t' square edges off on each corner. Begad! Repeat this process 8 times. Begad! Arrr! Rough up t' hinges with 60 grit sand paper and glue all four hinges into place on t' wing. Well, blow me down! When t' glue is dry, me hearties, me bucko, attach and glue t' elevons in place. Begad! Avast! Sand t' elevons t' shape as shown in t' drawings. Win' and fuselage assembly T' amount o' dihedral angle is very critical, me hearties, (by t' dihedral angle, matey, we refer t' t' angle made by t' wings, and t' body tube where t' wings point upward rather than straight out. Drawin' on page 1 o' 5 clearly shows this angle on t' aft view. T' outer edges o' t' wings are even with t' top surface o' t' BT-20 body tube. T' followin' method will make t' right amount o' dihedral angle. Place t' root ends o' t' wings tightly together and secure with two strips o' tape. Aye aye! Put a line o' yellow glue down t' win' centerline on t' body tube and then lay t' wings on top. Aye aye! Align t' root edges o' both wings on t' body tube. Aye aye! Ahoy! T' trailin' edge o' t' wings is t' be even with t' aft o' t' BT-20 body tube. Aye aye! Begad! Press t' glue joint firmly t' be sure t' wings are set evenly and tightly against t' BT-20 body tube. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! While t' model is drying, the wingtips and t' complete length o' t' BT-20 body tube should be lyin' flat against t' table. Use small weights t' accomplish this. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! Do nay handle t' model until this glue joint is completely dry overnight. Aye aye! Reinforce t' BT-20 body and win' with another glue joint on both sides. Ya scallywag! Begad! This should help t' win' from poppin' off after some hard landings. Rudders Sheet 2 o' 5 show t' rudder patterns. Blimey! Cut t' rudders out o' 1/8" C grain balsa. Avast! Make sure you follow t' grain direction. Glue 2 o' t' rudders by thar root edge. Ahoy! Begad! Use maskin' tape t' keep together. Blimey! Both rudders should be sweepin' backward when glued together. Use t' rudder template guide t' get t' 120-degree angle needed for spacing. Repeat t' process for t' other rudder assembly. Aye aye! Set these rudder assemblies t' dry overnight. Ahoy! Before gluin' t' rudders on t' win' tips, make sure t' win' tip surfaces are parallel with t' main body tube. Avast! Use a small bubble level bought at any hardware store t' check for this. Blimey! Begad! Sheet 5 o' 5 shows a full size drawin' o' one. Ya scallywag! This one was purchased at Home Depot and mounted on a small piece o' scrap wood for more accuracy. Place t' model so that it will nay move around when takin' these level measurements. Avast! Blimey! Place t' bubble on t' BT-20 body tube and level it. Avast, me proud beauty! Now check t' win' tip and make sure that it is level. Arrr! Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! If it is nay level then some sandin' will be required until it is. Ahoy! Blimey! Make sure nay t' take too much off or one win' will be shorter than t' other. Repeat this process for t' other side. Glue t' rudder assemblies on t' win' tips usin' t' rudder template guide. Almost finished Install t' control tabs followin' t' markings on t' side o' t' fuselage. Lookin' at Sheet 1 o' 5 will give you a good idea where t' place them. Glue t' launch lug and spacer together as an assembly then place along line as shown on Sheet 1 o' 5. Cut a length o' .04 thick wire t' shape as shown on Sheet 4 o' 5. Arrr! Adjust t' wire until thar be 8 degrees o' downward deflection. Begad! Run t' elastic thread through t' holes drilled in t' trailin' edge o' t' elevons. Avast, me proud beauty! Tie t' end o' thread with a knot large enough nay t' pass thru t' hole. Ahoy! Blimey! Make t' thread long enough so that it can pass around t' plastic bolts and in front o' t' launch lug spacer yet have enough tension t' get t' elevons t' snap up once t' motor pops out. Aye aye! Balance t' model on a ruler t' find t' center o' gravity. Begad! T' model should balance 1 3/4"-1 7/8" from aft o' tube. Aye aye! Avast! If it does nay then add more weight t' t' nose by drillin' a small hole and addin' a steel eye screw with bolt nuts for weight. Let’s go outside and test this thing Make sure your model balances evenly left t' right. Ya scallywag! Begad! You can check this by balancin' a ruler down t' center o' t' body tube lengthwise. If t' model is a little heavier on one side than t' other, arrr, compensate by addin' a little weight t' t' opposite side. Apply a little more glue for reinforcement or clay t' t' side that is lighter. Trimmin' t' glider will be much easier if t' model balances evenly from left t' right. Ahoy! T' glidin' characteristics o' t' Vega 1 can change by turnin' t' glide adjustin' screws. Arrr! It is best t' determine first t' proper settin' t' get a straight flight. Ya scallywag! Well, blow me down! Prevent damage t' t' model by findin' a tall grassy area t' hand launch. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! T' test t' glide, grasp t' model by t' fuselage body and Turnin' t' adjustin' screw counter clockwise will accomplish this. Turnin' t' adjustin' screws in ¼ or ½ turn increments can make small accurate changes in flight. Arrr! If you want t' model t' turn left repeat t' same procedure for t' left elevon. Turnin' t' adjustin' screw 1/2 t' one complete turn creates a close circle and fast recovery. Ahoy! On windy days (10-15 mph winds), it is best t' set t' glide for a fast recovery as described above. This be t' keep your glider from landin' t' far way from t' launch pad area. Up up and away!!!!!! Vega 1 requires one Estes C6-3 or C6-5 motor. This model can launch from a standard 3/16" x 36" launch rod. Begad! When insertin' t' motor make sure that t' right elevon deflects down. Avast, me proud beauty! T' left elevon may deflect up a little bit; this should nay be a problem. Ahoy! You can use t' 8-degree pattern guide on Sheet 4 o' 5 t' double check t' right elevon alignment. Place t' right elevon angle guide as shown in Sheet 4of 5. Your only lookin' for t' front surface o' t' elevon part t' line up, nay t' tapered end. Begad! Hook up t' igniters and launch. Watch t' boost glider t' see how it performs. Begad! If t' model turns steeply left t' right, remember t' go over t' adjustment features t' correct t' flight. After a while, you will get a feel for what t' model is doing. Avast! Please email me if you have any questions or comments you would like t' make. Avast, me proud beauty! My email address is draftsman8384@yahoo.com Summary:
Brief:
Rear engine boost glider with high altitude performance. Ahoy! Begad! Rugged and built t' perform even on windy days.
part o' t' front win' and throw it through t' air into t' wind. Aye aye! Begad! If t' model nose-dives, adjust t' elevons so that they pitch up. Ya scallywag! Turn both glide control-adjustin' screws so that t' elevons move up. Ahoy! If t' model stalls, matey, arrr, reverse t' process. Ahoy! Repeat this testin' and adjustin' until t' model glides straight ahead when thrown. T' model should glide for about 15-20 feet. Avast, me proud beauty! T' set t' glider for a slight right turn, ya bilge rat, adjust t' right elevon so that it sits a little higher than t' left one.
Build it and you will nay be disappointed.
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