Page electric
I've been flying electrics since about 1993, first with a Balsa Cabin Sonata-E (it was cheap!). It was a success right from the start, using 7 cells, direct drive, Graupner 600 motor and 8 x 4.5 prop. More followed, including vintage, pylon race and small sports models, all successfully flown on e-power.
Right, get some pictures in:
The little model is a Graupner MiniViper, electric pylon racer and a fast, lively beastie with good manners, great fun, 6 to 8 minute flights.
The bigger one is the Balsa Cabin Sonata-E, electric launch glider and my oldest e-power model, this one climbs steadily for a couple of minutes, then we go hunting for thermal lift with the motor off. If there is none* then the motor is switched back on, and up she goes again. Even with no thermal assistance, Sonata flies for at least 20 minutes, more like 30 with my latest 2200 battery on board. Stop press! Not tried yet with my new Panasonic3000, expecting serious neck ache!
* Since I suffer from otisopia (lift-blindness) then it usually makes no difference if there is actually lift there.. ;-)
Here is one of the latest and greatest from Multiplex, the Twinstar. Click the pictures for a larger view. After the Butterfly (see the Leicester pictures), everybody should have a Twinstar. Mine has had LOTS of flying in the last few months.
What is it? Moulded polystyrene electric twin, comes with 2 x 400 (6v Multiplex) motors and props, and a pre-made motor wiring loom. No covering or painting required, just some of your glue. Radio required 3-4 channel receiver, plenty of room for a normal size one. Servos up to 1 or 2 standard plus 2 "minis" in the wing, mine uses 4 Union 9g "micros" for extra lightness. Speed controller should be AT LEAST 20amps rated and capable of supporting your choice of servos. Note, anyone fairly new to electrics; the BEC circuit in a speed controller is subject to heat limits which may mean only 2 micro servos can be operated, depending on specification. Check! Why 20+ amps rating? Well the motors in my Twinnie take 20.5A static even with the meter in circuit! Unless you want to carve out some of the fuselage, a compact modern speed control is best.
Battery is supposed to be 7 x sub-c pack, such as RC2000, 1700SCRC or similar. I weighed my Twinstar just before test flying and it was 2lb 11oz with a 1700 pack aboard.
How does it fly? Great! Well-mannered, manoevrable and aerobatic, not really fast. Hand launches are easy because of the light wing loading (10.5oz/sqft or 31.5g/dm2) and ample power. Low and slow flight it does very well. Climb can be steep though nowhere near vertical! Loops are easy, and mine is frequently looped from 10ft altitude, use the throttle to conserve power and avoid needless stress to the wing. Rolls not quite axial, quite a lot of differential is used in the ailerons. Given plenty of throttle, both inverted and rolling circuits are possible, despite the near-flat bottomed wing section. Touch and goes are a delight. Yes I know it has no wheels :-) Given any water on the grass, the smooth belly makes little drag, we haven't had enough snow here yet to try a snow takeoff. I have landed on tarmac runway with little noticeable scuffing of the fuselage, wouldn't like to do it all the time though.
Everybody asks: How long does it fly? Or more often: Hey, how long was that up, seemed like hours! Well I fly on a variety of batteries, but spend much of the flight on low throttle settings. Using 1700 to 2200 cells, 10 to 20 minutes is usual. I now have had 2 full flights with a Panasonic 3000 NiMH pack, and flying fairly economically (not too many loops!) both were just over 30 minutes. It got too dark to fly out the other charge :-(
Last couple of things. I also fly on 8 cells, gives a bit of extra zip, but watch the current, 26A measured! I have been known to chase thermals now and again, and with some unlikely planes. Twinstar thermals nicely, but somehow seeing a "business turboprop twin" circling away downwind looks very odd. And lastly the sound; Twinstars have a muted hum with a distinct and pleasant twin beat, great to listen to on either a slow fly-by or a full throttle beat up.
Buy one!
ADDENDUM: Twinnie has now 1) Aerotowed! 2) Flown from snow (great touch -and -snows). 3) Flown off water! The field was flooded. Worked great, but got water in through the front, and needed drying out.
More:
Leicester indoor fly Warning! Lots of photos, may take a
couple of minutes to load.