Kalteisen Katana foamy

[Quicker]

I just wanted to start a thread about the 42" Katana we released about a week ago.

http://kalteisen.com/katana_40_foamy.html

Span: 42"
Length: 43"
RTF Weight: 28-32oz
Motor: Torque 2830-1095
Hacker A30-28S
EFlight Park 480
Reaper GR-25
Omega 72g 1100KV
Servos: 4 HS-65, 81 or 85
Battery: 3s 1800-2000

The fuse and wing are cut from solid EPS and then skinned with 1.7mil mylar. This makes it light, yet strong. The foam is still flexible enough the in a crash is will bend and not snap, but it's strong enough to handle 3D. The tail, Katana fairings and ailerons are 9mil depron.

I wanted something different. I wanted a full fuse, not profile, but I wanted the flight capabilities of a profile. I did not want it to be all depron, which can break easily but EPP is both too flexy, and the thicker stuff is too expensive.

Video of me last night:

Click the play button to start. Right click here to save the video " title="You Tube" target="_blank">You Tube

://kalteisen.com/video/Katana_42_foamy.wmv
Q

[Quicker]

Getting started on the build process.

The build is very easy. The 1st step is to join the wings. I use poly glue on this, but epoxy is fine, too. You join the wings then use 2 inch packing tape on the seem, all the way around the wing. Then run a length of packing tape on the top and bottom to act as spar reinforcement.

Q

[Quicker]

Now that the wing is glued together, glue it to the lower fuse half. The fuse is in 2 pieces, upper and lower. Once the wing is set in you glue in the 9mil depron fairing.

To glue all this in place you can use about any foam safe glue except CA. They just does not work well here.

Glue the top of the fuse on, then trim the 9mil depron fairing piece at the trailing edge of the fuse to get the bevel for the elevator.

Q

[Quicker]

Now cut the elevator free from the HStab and bevel the hing point. This is all 9mil depron.

Hinge the elevator with tape before gluing it into the fuse.

Slide it in and glue it in place.

Q

[Quicker]

The rudder is next.

Look at the drawing. You cut the rudder free of the front part, bevel the hinge point and then tape it back to the part you just cut off. That part is what is glued to the fuse. This is the easiest way I found to make a solid hinge and provide an easy way to glue the rudder/VStab on.

I used hot glue here for a fast assembly.

Q

[Quicker]

Oops. forgot the pics

Q

[Quicker]

The motor mount is 1/4" ply with 4 dowels. Before gluing the dowels into the plywood plate hold the plate in the nose and mark where the dowels will go into the fuse. Use a drill, pen, pencil or whatever to make the holes for the dowels to slide into.

Glue the dowels into the ply plate. I used regular CA here. Using epoxy or poly glue mount the motor mount in the fuse, pushing it all the way in and holding it tight.

Q

[Quicker]

The landing gear plate is just like the motor mount: ply and dowels.

On mine I then cut a hole in the bottom for the receiver, ESC and excess tail servo leads. I also cut a small slit for the servo leads fro the tail. Using a drill I made a tunnel for the motor leads and kept that all nice and clean up front. When the leads were all attached I covered the stuff with packing tape.

On the tail servos I cut then in where I wanted and then drilled up from the bottom for the servo leads. Again, nice and tidy.

I got lazy on the aileron servos. I should have cut out little pockets, but I just hot glued them to the surface.

Q

[Quicker]

That's it for the majority of the build.

Q

[rcpilot82]

Looks good. how do you go about skinning the wings with the mylar??

[Quicker]

Heat, adhesive and pressure. It really makes the foam resiliant.

Q

[Cory19]

Hi,

A friend of mine has just ordered one of your new Katanas and has asked me to build/set-up it for him.

Couple of questions,

Is there enough ground clearance for a 12" or bigger prop?

Also is there any additional hardware (wheels, horns, etc) needed to finish the kit?

Thanks

[Quicker]

Yep. 12" will work fine.

All you need is glue and hinge tape.

Q

[birdie]

Here ya go suckas..!!!

Birdie tryin to imitate you real "huckers" 'round these parts..!!!

400 watts on 25 ounces of foam..Truly "Over Huckpowered!"

Omega 72g motor
APC 13x4"E" prop
Hyperion 35X 3S 1600's
phx-45
HC MG-14 servos
AR500

Kalteisen Katana 40 Foamie Maiden by... " title="Kalteisen Katana 40 Foamie Maiden by..." target="_blank">Kalteisen Katana 40 Foamie Maiden by...

://www.vimeo.com/8045060

[birdie]

On sale now for XMAS..!!!

http://kalteisen.com