Bill Hempel 100cc Yak-55M?????

[bodywerks]

Just maybe!
Mr. Hempel has decided to see if there is a market for smaller versions of the Yak-55M. He has prototypes for both the 50cc and 100cc. I was lucky enough to be asked to give one a try and I chose the 100cc. To me, it is the perfect size for all types of flying.
A few quick specs:
101" wingspan
approx. 1850 squares
92" length, back of rudder to front of cowl
15 pounds as you see it below - basically less radio gear, powerplant, tank, and wheels.
I've built a few 100cc planes and all the equipment added to the airframe usually comes out to about 10-12 pounds. So it looks like this will be a 25-27 pound plane

[louu]

WOW, i always wondered if a plane like this did good knife edge and inverted harriers like a regular yak. the lack of fuse behind the bubble worries me.

[bodywerks]

A little more info.
This is true, "no glue required" from what I can see - all control surfaces are the pocket-hinge type, which means no glue and, more importantly, no hinge gap sealing!
Oh, and check out the throw! I didn't get a pic of the aileron but it's about 90 degrees

[bodywerks]

	Quote: Originally Posted by louu
	WOW, i always wondered if a plane like this did good knife edge and inverted harriers like a regular yak. the lack of fuse behind the bubble worries me.

I understand your concern, but at the European XFC(EXFC), 21 out of some 30 planes were Yak55 designs, so I would think that it is of little concern.
Also, the roundness of the entire fuselage and lack of a tall rear deck can actually improve the way the plane rolls and the effectiveness of the rudder response.

[bodywerks]

The cowl has a ring in it, with a tongue-and-groove setup to hold the bottom in and three screws(that will be hidden by the hatch) to hold the top in. Pretty sleek. Also worth noting, all the cooling louvers are already cut out - talk about saving a few hours of my time!

[bodywerks]

The wings are recessed in the fuse of course, and it came with carbon wing and stab tubes

[3dAndrew]

Keep it coming! Looks good so far! Build thread please........... good luck!

[bodywerks]

Last pics for now:
The inside of the fuse is plenty roomy and the fuse seems very well constructed - and light. There are no provisions for a tail-mounted rudder servo but there is plenty of meat back there that I just might do it if the CG allows. This is a pretty long tail moment so it may not be an option.

[bodywerks]

	Quote: Originally Posted by 3dAndrew
	Keep it coming! Looks good so far! Build thread please........... good luck!

I do plan to keep up with the build, but this opportunity came as a bit of a surprise to me but the Yak-55M design has grown on me and I never had the means to acquire the larger designs. This 100cc is the perfect size for me so I couldn't resist.
Money is obviously tight and I have the Tucson Shootout just around the corner to focus on so it may be a slow process but I will do my best. Maybe I will do well enough to win the engine I need(DA-100L is the plan)!

[ericb]

Are the wings built up, or sheeted foam?

[storklappe]

I like it! I already have two 100cc planes completed that I have not flown yet (long story). Bodywerks, if you like how it flies I will have a third.

[Show871]

Dang the quality of the tail section hinging, and covering looks awesome!

[mbacosa]

That thing looks sweet. That 55 design is growing on me big time. It looks like a high quality kit.

	Quote: Originally Posted by bodywerks
	I do plan to keep up with the build, but this opportunity came as a bit of a surprise to me but the Yak-55M design has grown on me and I never had the means to acquire the larger designs. This 100cc is the perfect size for me so I couldn't resist. Money is obviously tight and I have the Tucson Shootout just around the corner to focus on so it may be a slow process but I will do my best. Maybe I will do well enough to win the engine I need(DA-100L is the plan)!

[bodywerks]

	Quote: Originally Posted by ericb
	Are the wings built up, or sheeted foam?

Good question - they are built-up, and light!

[bodywerks]

	Quote: Originally Posted by storklappe
	I like it! I already have two 100cc planes completed that I have not flown yet (long story). Bodywerks, if you like how it flies I will have a third.

This is a pre-production prototype so some things might change if he does decide to market them, but I would think very little. It is just a smaller version of his 44% Yak and I can tell you that it flies awesome.