DIY RC MICRO INDOOR PLANE MADE OUT OF FOAM PLATES

 

DIY RC MICRO INDOOR PLANE MADE OUT OF FOAM PLATES l Mini Scout with F939 brick mounted downward F939 inside taken from RC Groups

Many remote controlled planes that ready to fly sold by toys industries.

Although there's limited model or the price is too expensive .

Here , we try to recreate , by using their parts into any model planes you like.

We're using parts from micro heli's or planes such as WLToys V911 parts

or WLToys F929 / F939 parts for the engine ( motor, lipo battery and Tx/Rx ) The main idea is , we could revive the broken heli or planes by harvesting its electrical parts or we can make any model , customize as we like ..and that's just a bit cheaper than buying RTF model plane such as Pole cat or V911 heli . For DIYers , I think it's just more fun... V911 Heli F929 Plane

The new fuselage or body , wings , rudder and stabilizer are made out of foam plates.

Linkages such as pushrods , clevis , hinges etc  are made from bamboo skewer

with skin of bamboo still on it for strenght , thin wire , earbuds sticks and plastic cards.

All foam parts are joined by double tapes or styrofoam glue.

Cyanoacrylate ( CA ) glue applied for plastic and wooden parts.

We can search on internet for the plans . any plans with 38 - 40 cm wingspan is good.

Except for the electronics , almost those parts are around us for free.

List of Parts :

1

WLToys V911 or WLToys F939 bricks

It's Receiver (Rx) unit for the planes                                                                     F929/F939 Receiver unit V911 Receiver unit

2

WLToys V911 or WLToys F939 transmitter

It's Transceiver (Tx) unit for the planes.

Any Transmitter that using Flysky protocols can be used

( ie. Flysky FS-T6 , Turnigy 9x etc )

but you must re binding Tx and Rx after changing battery. FlySky FS-T6 transmitter WLToys mini transmitter

3

WLToys F939 brushed motor ( 8.5 mm ) and pinion ( 9 teeth ).

4

WLToys F939 propeller ( 5 inch ) and gearbox units.

5

Lithium polymer battery 1s/3.7v , 160 - 240 maH.

1s battery cable and plug extension.

1s Lipo battery charger Lipo battery charger Gear & propeller

6

Foam plates ( 2mm - 3mm thin polyfoam )  cut using sharp knife or scissors Put your plan on flat area

7

Double tapes

clear Cellotapes

8

Styrofoam glue ( ie. UHU Por , Herbond )

9

CA glue ( Cyanoacrylate )

Hot glue

10

Thin Bamboo skewer or 1mm carbon rods.

11

Plastic cards or any thin plastic sheets .

12

Cotton threads

13

Cotton buds sticks or small heat shrink

14

small wire ( ie. piano wire or small pin wire )

15

Paint ( polyfoam has thin plastic cover  so we can use

spray paint but take about 40 cm far or more from it. )

List of tools

1

Sharp Cutter , hobby knife or surgery knife

2

Scissor

3

Glue applicator ( DIY using tooth picks )

4

Marker pen

5

Ruler

6

Small Philip Screwdriver

7

Matches

8

Rubber mat

9

Mini weight scale

Battery indicator or multimeter Double tapes is lighter than hot glue

Caution

Be careful when using sharp object such as surgery knife .

Charging Lipo batteries on proper charger for safety.

Use enough ventilation and light for work.

Step to Do      First I want to say thank you for Defy Wingzero who willing share photo

on Facebook Group Pesawat imut2 including step by step how to do it.

Let's get your foam plates and cut its edges , leaving a flat sheets.

Print your plan on paper , cut it then fit to the foam sheet.

Cut the foam according the plan then press all foam parts for more flat.. Stabilo and rudder wing pattern wings Ready for glued

Gather all foam parts into complete plane by double tape or

styrofoam glue.Bent the foam gently and use cylindrical object like blunt table edges , glass or pipe for curved shape.Just don't push too hard , the thin layer of plastic on the foam will keep them from breaking apart.

Wings joined Curved wing Bent using curved edges of a table

using hair straightening in low temperature may help , but it's little tricky because

if overheat , this tool will melt the foam or they loosing flexibility and more fragile. Hair straightener

Install V911/F939 Receiver in the fuselage using little drops

of hot glue. Remove servo horn temporary and fit to pushrod first then screw on servo. Connect 8.5 mm brushed motor with F939 gear pinion to main motor terminals. Pinout V911boards Or we can run it without gearbox using direct drive propeller , 2 - 4 inch prop will suffice. We can also using tail motor and main motor terminals for differential thrust . It means that we 're using 2 motors side by side , turning left or right by controlling speed of each motor. But we must disable the tail gyro first by opening lid of gyro parts and then removing little metal bar inside it , and put the lid back by gluing it. V911 gyro parts Twin motors direct drive props with differential thrust Another way for disable gyro is easier , by put V911 receiver on vertical.  V911 boards vertical placement

Receiver on board Synchronizing linkage with radio sticks Spar made of thin bamboo skewer Bamboo skin left on pushrod for strength Left for aileron ,  right for elevator Linkage made of thin wire and plastic card

Put motors gearbox and propeller , use hot glue.

Give it right thrust about 2 - 3 degrees and down thrust about

5 - 15 degrees. Yes it's needs more down thrust than big planes. Top nose block Bottom nose block

Join with hot glue 5 - 15 degree downthrust Right thrust 2 -3 degrees Right thrust Almost dig the ground

Give the wings about 3 degrees for Angle of  Incident  . Angle of incident is the angle of the wings relative to the main fuselage line. When the planes start on runway , it wings through the wind with angle of attack , and then Newton & Bernoulli law will creating lift that makes the planes flying.  Highwing or wing on top like Cessna plane would suit for beginner flyer , slow characters. Low wing or wing under fuselage wings like P-51 Mustang , Pole Cat best for speed and experienced flyer. wing looks from side

Give a little dihedral angle on the mid of the wings. Make sure horizontal stabilizer fins is straight parallel with plane chord lines. so they won't act as elevators.

Make aileron by scoring the foam and use cellotapes for hinges. Glue them all to the fuselage after electrical and linkages are ready. make a dihedral angle for stable flying Main wings joint Aileron Bamboo skewer as spar Cellotapes for hinges Add foam for strengthen the corner Score at downside and make 45 degree Stabilizer

Put decal or use marker and spray paint for coloring.

Remember spray paint can make foam melt if too close.

Using foam paint is recommended.

Make little wheels made out of foam or take it from scavenged toys. I use tiny wire from fireworks stick , thin but stiff enough for supports. Put 1 mm heat shrinks or a drop of hot glue on both side of wheels for stability . Heated earbud sticks also can used. Wheel base Thin wire on plastic sheet ,CA glued Small beads for tail wheel Wheel hub Wheel taken from a toy car

Make pushrods by attaching small wire on each tip of bamboo

skewer and secure it by inserting cotton buds sticks .

burn the cotton buds sticks a little by matches so its act like

heat shrinks . You can use small heat shrinks if you have one.

Put Servo horn into small wire that's attached on pushrod.

then install servo horn on the servo by screwdriver.

Adjust the length of pushrod wires until you have proper

distance. Plastic card is used for making control horns.

It's important to make servo horns on normal position ( 90 deg )

By binding the Receiver bricks with Transmitter it will set servos

automatically on normal position , you just put/screw the horn on

90 degree position.

Plug lipo battery , make sure it's on right polarity.

Balance the plane by sliding the battery according to its CG.

( Center of Gravity ).

Use stopwatch when flying so you won't make your lipo battery

undervoltages.

Check all wire connection and plugs

Find best battery positions by sliding it , refer to plane CG's

Make all things as light as possible for better flying experience.

If we make it light then it will fly like a feather or if it heavy then

it will fly like a brick.

This micro planes needs downthrust , AoA , dihedral wings rather

more than bigger or normal size RC planes.

Give it colours for better looking

Find an open field with high grass for gliding test ,

choose time in the morning for flying when the air still calm .

Throw your plane gently against the wind , put the elevator upward a little

If your plane glide well , you can switch on and start flying. Point the plane against the wind for landing and take off. CoG test Glide Center of Gravity is 25% - 35% from leading edge , insert your battery and put both your fore fingers on left and right wings CoG 's. CoG position Slides battery forward/backwards until plane nose and tails was balanced. If your plane is nose heavy it will dive easily to the ground. If your plane is little nose heavy it will fly but rather hard to control. If your plane is little tail heavy it will fly just like a Dolphin. Just slide battery forward a little then your problem is solved. If your plane is tail heavy it won't fly at all. Put fore fingers on CG and slide battery Hanging threads balancing left-right

Always brings tool box with every little bits that we need inside.

Keep away from crowded place , kids , dogs and private property. Beware of running propeller , may causing injury High grass will prevent damages on first flying