This is my favorite type of modeling. I build everything from giant scale to pistachios for indoor free flight, but the rubber to electric R/C conversion of planes in the 18-25” range is still my favorite. Just love the Prairie Bird conversion. You did an amazing job. Try some of the Easybuilt kits, they work great and are very simple scale. Keep up the good content!
Nice job, and a project that resonates with some thoughts of mine. I have a couple of forlorn scale rubber crates that need a new lease of life, and I’ve been tinkering with the idea of converting them. I bought a bunch of different electronics, and need to get them set up and tested for power and weight. It’s a bit frustrating because I’m forever in need of a different connector, prop or micro esc! Like your Prairie Bird, it will be worth it if I can pull it off… Very much looking forward to seeing your new creations, this year.
Thanks for the kind words. I’m sure you’d do a great job with S&T RC, but the components learning curve is annoying... I was spoiled with this one as I just ripped the electronic guts from a foam plane. Still need to try building one with separately ordered components myself. It’s a lot of fun - doesn’t replace free flight but adds another side to the hobby
@@sandfac3427 Exactly. I’m hoping to find a set up that will allow me to build ultralight scale models which I can drift lazily around the fields, but steer away from the thorny perils of hedgerows and trees. I will keep you in the loop if I succeed…👍
A wee update, I just bought one of these: Rx, esc, motor & prop weighing just 11g. Claimed thrust is 100g! When I receive it I will decide in which crate to install it. Would love to get my Dave Rees Buzzard up in the blue… I will keep you updated. uk-m.banggood.com/Oversky-MP05-1304-KV4000-Brushless-Motor-With-Receiver-Built-in-2S-7A-ESC-GWS5030-Propeller-Combo-Compatible-Futaba-SFHSS-FlySky-AFHDS-2A-DSM2-DSMX-Frsky-D8-D16-for-RC-Airplane-p-1743362.html?rmmds=search&act_poa=POA7323070&cur_warehouse=CN
Time for that update! I finally installed the rx/esc and motor combo mentioned above, in a 27" Kawasaki Tony built for rubber power. The original finished model, (less prop and motor) weighed 31g before conversion. After conversion, it had risen to 72g dry, and 88g ready to fly with a Wiltoys 16g 2s 300mah battery. The result.... astonishing! I logged seven hours in its first week. I love it! The battery gives flights of 15 minutes and the set-up is easily powerful enough to effect a steep climb. It is so relaxing to fly. I just get it up about thirty feet, turn the power right down so it's just enough to keep altitude, then go hunting for lift. It will quickly disappear to a dot if you catch some and you're not careful! Alternatively, I waft it low around the fields at scale speed just enjoying the sight of it cruising silently by. (To hear how quietly it flies, you'll have to put your speakers on full volume!) It looks so real because it flies so slowly. My Rx version doesn't have a stabilizer, so it can't handle much wind, but they also sell a 3-axis stabilized version which I am yet to try. I've now also converted a 28" Wildcat. This one weighed 50g before conversion and now weighs 122g ready to fly. (Don't ask me where all that extra weight comes from!) I would say that this is as heavy as you'd want to go with this set-up, it flies but it lacks the response of the lighter Tony. Also, the big blunt radial-engined nose of the Wildcat doesn't help. I swapped out the stock prop for one with more pitch at the ends, and this has helped, though I'll have to watch that I'm not overheating anything. So, choose your favourite pointy-nosed scale model, keep the finished flying weight under 110g, (keep tail incidence at 0 degrees.) and you'll have an aeroplane you won't want to stop flying! I'll be putting together a proper build and conversion video when I can find someone to take some decent footage of the planes flying. Meantime, I've got a Hurricane, a Lockheed Vega, the Buzzard and a Mig15 to convert... All the best, hope you enjoy the short clip of footage. th-cam.com/video/fatD8Xi59gQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Dskyezc0HAlIfo3T
Real model building as I love it.
Thanks! 🙂
Great flyer!
This is my favorite type of modeling. I build everything from giant scale to pistachios for indoor free flight, but the rubber to electric R/C conversion of planes in the 18-25” range is still my favorite. Just love the Prairie Bird conversion. You did an amazing job. Try some of the Easybuilt kits, they work great and are very simple scale. Keep up the good content!
Nice job, and a project that resonates with some thoughts of mine.
I have a couple of forlorn scale rubber crates that need a new lease of life, and I’ve been tinkering with the idea of converting them. I bought a bunch of different electronics, and need to get them set up and tested for power and weight. It’s a bit frustrating because I’m forever in need of a different connector, prop or micro esc!
Like your Prairie Bird, it will be worth it if I can pull it off…
Very much looking forward to seeing your new creations, this year.
Thanks for the kind words. I’m sure you’d do a great job with S&T RC, but the components learning curve is annoying... I was spoiled with this one as I just ripped the electronic guts from a foam plane. Still need to try building one with separately ordered components myself. It’s a lot of fun - doesn’t replace free flight but adds another side to the hobby
@@sandfac3427 Exactly. I’m hoping to find a set up that will allow me to build ultralight scale models which I can drift lazily around the fields, but steer away from the thorny perils of hedgerows and trees.
I will keep you in the loop if I succeed…👍
A wee update, I just bought one of these: Rx, esc, motor & prop weighing just 11g. Claimed thrust is 100g! When I receive it I will decide in which crate to install it. Would love to get my Dave Rees Buzzard up in the blue…
I will keep you updated.
uk-m.banggood.com/Oversky-MP05-1304-KV4000-Brushless-Motor-With-Receiver-Built-in-2S-7A-ESC-GWS5030-Propeller-Combo-Compatible-Futaba-SFHSS-FlySky-AFHDS-2A-DSM2-DSMX-Frsky-D8-D16-for-RC-Airplane-p-1743362.html?rmmds=search&act_poa=POA7323070&cur_warehouse=CN
Time for that update!
I finally installed the rx/esc and motor combo mentioned above, in a 27" Kawasaki Tony built for rubber power. The original finished model, (less prop and motor) weighed 31g before conversion. After conversion, it had risen to 72g dry, and 88g ready to fly with a Wiltoys 16g 2s 300mah battery. The result.... astonishing! I logged seven hours in its first week. I love it!
The battery gives flights of 15 minutes and the set-up is easily powerful enough to effect a steep climb. It is so relaxing to fly. I just get it up about thirty feet, turn the power right down so it's just enough to keep altitude, then go hunting for lift. It will quickly disappear to a dot if you catch some and you're not careful! Alternatively, I waft it low around the fields at scale speed just enjoying the sight of it cruising silently by. (To hear how quietly it flies, you'll have to put your speakers on full volume!) It looks so real because it flies so slowly. My Rx version doesn't have a stabilizer, so it can't handle much wind, but they also sell a 3-axis stabilized version which I am yet to try.
I've now also converted a 28" Wildcat. This one weighed 50g before conversion and now weighs 122g ready to fly. (Don't ask me where all that extra weight comes from!) I would say that this is as heavy as you'd want to go with this set-up, it flies but it lacks the response of the lighter Tony. Also, the big blunt radial-engined nose of the Wildcat doesn't help. I swapped out the stock prop for one with more pitch at the ends, and this has helped, though I'll have to watch that I'm not overheating anything.
So, choose your favourite pointy-nosed scale model, keep the finished flying weight under 110g, (keep tail incidence at 0 degrees.) and you'll have an aeroplane you won't want to stop flying! I'll be putting together a proper build and conversion video when I can find someone to take some decent footage of the planes flying. Meantime, I've got a Hurricane, a Lockheed Vega, the Buzzard and a Mig15 to convert...
All the best, hope you enjoy the short clip of footage.
th-cam.com/video/fatD8Xi59gQ/w-d-xo.htmlsi=Dskyezc0HAlIfo3T
Sweet. I was thinking of doing a foam version, about the same size.