The Ghost-Ender

[Tobe]

Tobe has had a little too much time to spare, after my youngest son told me a 2 hours lunch is not considered holiday or vacation I have taken a few days off under X-mas!
As my neighbor kids, 10 & 12 have showed interest in models and they have come to the shop from time to time since no when and already when my late father was still active, but now as they are coming to age for model airplanes, it's time to introduce them to the real world, so we have started a little project together...

Some of you but not all might know that I'm behind a few designs concerning models so can't say I'm a beginner but this project offers interesting challenges.

What I have done is to design a sturdy model, extremely simple so they can basically build it with a little guidance, easy said but not that easy in real life.
The basic concept is based on the use of Aliphatic glue, 2 mm balsa sheets, a bunch of pins. The idea is that when one section is drying to work on some other parts/detail to always stay busy and not get bored.
The reason I choose 2 mm for this model is that it's not sensitive or delicate but still easy to cut and can be sanded w/o any major risk to thin it out too much.

You will see in the design that it will never be a floater but probably survive almost any uncontrolled contact with mother earth.

Size wise the wing span will be 80 cm and a CD-rom motor of some kind will do. If I get the time I will have them to wind their own motors! I was considering also 2 Cox BabyBee .049 with spring start but that would require some more considerations on the finish as at now almost anything would do like a can of hairspray.

Now to the question of radio...

I have built 2 "MiniPelle" 3 channels that will work well for them as the size is appropriate for small hands/fingers. Not sure if they will go with the Brick "ProPo" or GG but as I know the maker of the equipment they can choose at their convenience and leisure!

I have included a few random pictures around the "concept" model but I promise that when I get everything finalized I will publish the drawings.

The The Ghost-Ender is not supposed to win any "concourse d'elegance" but to survive two boys of 10 & 12 first attempts...

A first view on how it will look like one day

The construction of the wing, if but only if the bottom can be covered but I don't feel it necessary!

A detail on how the wing is built up

...my little jig do get the ribs straight and in the right position!

Sturdy...just to be sure the sheeting gets attached properly to the ribs-

PS:
I would imagine that it would take a builder with some experience no more than a weekend to get this model built and airborne w/o cheating with CA.

[Pchristy]

Hi Tobe,

Well, it certainly looks right, and if they look right, they usually fly right!

My only reservation would be not sheeting in the bottom of the wing. Experience tells me that novice pilots can be a bit ham-fisted on the controls, suddenly using very sharp control inputs which can over-stress weak wing structures. I manage to fold the wings on my first RC model (a mini-Robot) due to this!

Sheeting in the bottom of the wing will provide a much stronger structure, and also reduce the effects of a heavily under-cambered wing. Of course, it will also add a bit of weight, but it doesn't need to be thick wood. For a lightweight model, 1/32" (0.75mm?) ought to be more than adequate. The strength comes from the resistance to compression or stretching along the length, not the puncture resistance.

Just my 2p worth!

My "Ghost Rider" is coming along nicely, and I'll try and get some pictures up soon. The wing structure is complete and the fuselage ready to have the sides joined. After that, there are only the tail-feathers to complete, covering and installing the motor / radio.

I still have to make some decisions on battery installation (it was designed for i/c and I'm building it for electric). I don't normally employ a switch on electric models, but since the only way I can see to install the battery is to remove the wings, I may need to fit a switch this time!

It has taken longer than I expected, but I've had a few other (non-modelling related!) issues to deal with which keep interrupting the build. Still, I can now see light at the end of the tunnel, and it should be ready to go by the time the weather improves!

Cheers,

--
Pete

[Tobe]

Good to hear the Ghost is coming together.
You can almost sit on this wing as it's extremely sturdy, 3/32" sheeting with curvature that gives a form factor stability with leading and trailing edge but if they brake it we just build a new one and also this is part of the hobby! If....Remember that this has to be built by a 10 & 12 old boys so anything thinner than 3/32" will call for help. My first R/C model that my dad built to me 1968 was built in this way and believe it or not it's still in one piece! The span is 65 cm

The trick is to stay under 25" (75 - 80 cm) and a weight of 300 - 350 gr

[Stew]

Hi Tobe.

That's a good looking model. Looks quite 'Boddo' I'll be interested to see the plans when you publish.
Those transmitters are great, I love the style and even the font!

[Tobe]

Stew, what you see on my desk is not the Ghost-Ender but a model that my dad built for 1968 to learn to fly which I also try to revive in an other project. The engine is a Cox Tee Dee .020 and the radio is a ACE Pulse Commander, still used but on 2.4 Ghz.
Dad built it from scratch but was peeking around to get inspirations.

[Tobe]

The Ghost-Ender has gone thru some plastic surgery mainly to easy more the building and also to be laser-cut friendly but the vital numbers are kept the same.
What is missing is the firewall that I will fit when I have the right motor available.
Time to get the laser cutter up and running and make some smoke!...have to have 3 kits fully cut out till the weekend
To those that wonder about the wing, it is a blend of Jedelsky and Kline-Fogelman profile
All balsa is 3/32" and when thicker is needed it's just doubled except for the bottom sheet which i 3/16.
The drawings will be updated as I go along and the .pdf file is a vector .pdf.

Ghost-Ender Ver.2.PDF

The .pdf is in scale 1:1 size A1

(30.17 KiB) Downloaded 165 times

Ghost-Ender Ver.2.3.PDF

(37.66 KiB) Downloaded 197 times

[Tobe]

Here comes bits and pieces!

[Tobe]

Getting there, the first one...

Let me also introduce you to my "squaring tools" which are quite helpful as they can be anchored with a few Pons if necessary. I print a few every time I'm coming to the end of a filament roll in different sizes.

I will include the relevant. stl files shortly if there's an interest.

[drigotti]

Please post the STL's.
Thank you!

[Tobe]

Here are the files!
I normally print 2 of the same kind but mirrored. I use them everywhere and not least when I assemble a fuselage and here the possibility to pin them down of big help. The upper notch I use it to held in place a rubber band between to opposite squares so the 2 squares stay straight also if the fuselage sides tend to push them aside i.e on the bottom pinned to the building board and on top a rubber band.
I have printed them in all kind of materials like PETG-PLA-ABS as I'm using filament remains to short to print anything serious, my printer setting are with a 0.4 mm nozzle no support, an infill of 25%, layer height of 0.14/0.2 and a print speed between 40 mm/s to 60 mm/s

Cheers

Tobe