Gentle Lady 2.5 metre scratch build. Maiden Flight.

First flight of my Gentle Lady.
AUW 815g C/W 1300mah 3s.
8 * 4 folding prop
Propdrive 1350Kv 2826 motor
40A HobbyWing ESC.
Much of the balsa construction replaced with 2mm foam, skinned in glass and filled using micro-balloons in some areas. CF reinforced spars 3/5th span
The aim was to build a model I owned many years ago, but with the benefit of today's power to get the model airborne and keep the wing loading within the original model's range, and be able to land easily in the local field (in this video). This was achieved by extending the wingspan from 2 metres to 2.5 metres and adding spoilerons.
I'll add another video with some construction photos...

[@wizard_techie]

Thanks! Some wing ribs - most outboard ribs in this version, I created shorter outboard panels with balsa ribs which I normally fly her with now, fuselage sides (but not doublers), wing sheeting apart from centre section and spoilers are 2mm foam sheet, not sure if it's actually Depron though. Fuselage foam sheet is skimmed with glass bubbles, some with woven glass cloth!

[@davidbeem184]

When i was a kid i won a glider competition with a gentle lady. Spoilers are needed lol

[@wizard_techie]

My first one didn't have spoilers which is why this one does! I won't be entering any competitions, mind...

[@davidbeem184]

@@wizard_techie they are a thermal loving bird, I pushed a flight to 45 min and got worried about the rx battery and brought her down. Fun bird

[@wizard_techie]

It's been too windy this year to fly her much, and sadly no strong thermals caught either. But I have my doubts whether the spoilers would be effective enough to bring her out of a strong one, but they do assist landing in limited spaces very well, which was the main brief when spec'ing her out.

[@IanCaine4728]

Beautiful!

[@Sandokans]

Nice work sir.
What pieces is changing from balsa to depron?

[@ulpilotrmh]

Great maiden flight. I have the same GL on my building board now. Can you share the specks of the servos you used on the rudder, elevator and spoilers? How about the motor, prop and battery? Did you shorten or lengthen the nose? Did you post a build log on one of the RC sites? Again, nice flight and good videos and camera work.

[@wizard_techie]

Thanks! I think cheap 9g servos for rudder and elevator, and probably 3-4g digital servos on the spoiler(on)s - just what I had lying about... PROPDRIVE V2 2826 1350KV Brushless Outrunner Motor with a 8 * 4 folding prop / spinner unit, 1300 3s battery about 40c I think. I redrew the plan so that the tip of the spinner is where the tip of the nose block would have been. The fuselage sides were the original length and I added a ventilated balsa block spacer and ply motor mount. I did make the front of the fuselage sides deeper so that the spinner profile blended into the fuselage better. Thrust line was mid-way up the fuselage (at the nose) and perpendicular to the plan bottom (no down thrust or side thrust added). I have done some build videos for the original build and when I created shortened wing panels:
th-cam.com/video/ATfz8PoYytA/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/6xaUcXySZGI/w-d-xo.html
th-cam.com/video/vnHLftgXrb8/w-d-xo.html
I have passed on you kind comments regarding the video to my good lady wife!

[@cobaltace62]

I built one of those many years ago, but it wasn’t that beautiful

[@Aussiem8e]

Range test.. lmao

[@redisgonenowitsgray]

Sad, you don't have the skills to get it up that high without a motor, what a waste !

[@wizard_techie]

Yes, I cry all night...

[@redisgonenowitsgray]

@@wizard_techie yes you should.