H9 35% 260 - lighter, stronger

[gmorales83]

Hangar 9's 35%er is a very popular, great flying airplane, and in my opinion has among the nicest lines of the 260s on the market.

My goal is to lighten this model from 26# 12 ounces to about 24 pounds...while keeping the DA-100L. It will utilize the Durant Direct Drive system and run all high voltage servos. Of course, it will be recovered and painted in a new scheme as well.

...and here we go

GM

[sensei]

Looks like your off to a great start.

Bob

[STLAV8R]

Subscribed. Should fly like a foamie at that weight!

Sensei, what did the AUW end up at on yours?

[sensei]

It came in at 22 lbs. 14 ozs. or very close to that.

Bob

[gmorales83]

Thanks guys

Yeah, Bob's build was definitely the motivating force for this project ! After having met with him and seen his work I have better understanding of what true construction can do for strength and weight. Ive developed some methods for quantitatively testing materials to get a feel of what they can handle.

I dare say: I have just as much fun with my foamies as I do the gassers, now it's time to blur the line !

Additionally, I want this build to incorporate a lot of new things that I haven't done yet.

unregulated LiPos on the servos
single aileron servos
Durant Drive
Carbon gear (Graph tec's new G2 version)
water bottle fuel tank

and whatever surprises come up along the way.

GM

[danielph]

I'll be watching this one closely! What servos are you using? I'd watch everything closely if you're going to eliminate the regulators.

[cap231jim]

Subscribed.....

[gmorales83]

Durant Drive tends to work best with fully sheeted surfaces, but can made to work with anything. I ran out of material into which the servo can extend into the aileron. The box needs to go in further so that the pin hinges will be in line with the servo output shaft....this is part of the advantage to using DD.

So, I cut the aileron's leading edge all the way through and formed a box to encase the Durant drive and provide even greater strength to area than before. This would be difficult to do if it weren't for the covering having been removed.

The ailerons will be stiffened extensively by adding a super light carbon tube and more ribs with sheeting. The sheets will be hollowed out soon. The weight of the modified ailerons will be about the same as before, but much stronger and rigid.

[gmorales83]

Daniel, I'll be using 7950's for ailerons and elevators....and an 8711HV for the rudder. Single servos for all surfaces.

I would try pushing 7955's and regular 8711 to 7.4v, but the new ones are not that much more expensive when bought in quantity from Chief Aircraft.

[danielph]

Sounds good! With those servos, you'll be fine. Your work is looking very good! I know that you will be rewarded with an amaizing plane!

[gmorales83]

Good news everyone: Looks like Horizon has majorly slashed prices on the entire kit AND spare parts...this project suddenly became MUCH more affordable !

I already had spare wings and wheel pants....just need fuse, stabs, cowl, and canopy, the rest of the stuff will come from other manufacturers.

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...prodDetailTabs

GM

[STLAV8R]

That is a good deal. I can remember not too long ago when the plane was $1200!

[STLFLYER]

Looks good

[ben_beyer]

Man, that covering must have come off really easily considering you were flying the plane on Sunday. Do you glue in the servo boxes for the DD or do they slide in and out of the wing as necessary?

[gmorales83]

Hiya Ben,

Lol, Ultracote applied at the factory is about the easiest thing to remove ! I just placed an order for the parts so, thankfully, I can leave my current plane alone and flying while I work on this other one in the bones.

The DD system fixes the servo box into the wing and the control horn into the control surface. What slides in and out is the servo into its box, yes, its a floating servo ! John Durant laser cuts the boxes to fit your specific servo so the servo can move about in the x and z axis, not up and down. Once the servo is bolted to its control horn and slides into place, the servo no longer moves in any direction.

GM