If any of you have been following my podcast, then you no doubt have heard me talk about my scratch-built, smaller scale, version of the Mud Duck.

Normally, if I want to fly a larger aircraft, I step up to gas or glow powerplants, but I decided to take on the project as electric all the way. The wingspan should be around 60" and the weight right now (sans covering) is 2 lbs 14 oz. I am expecting the final AUW to be about 3.5 pounds. This will be my largest electric model to date! This is going to be my big "see what I can do with a PhlatPrinter" show and tell project at SEFF this year.

Here is a quick shot of where I am now (ready for final sanding and then I'll start wrapping her in Oracal yellow vinyl)... Attached files

 

COOL... I've always liked the Ducks.....

60" large? Naaa... :-D My largest electrics to 12date are both 8 foot. My 8' C123 is 98% foam, and even with 2 motors, and 2, 3 cell 4200mah packs, it's still under 10#s.

Actually 60" is a nice size. My 8 footers don't get out too much. Even with a trailer, they are just too darned big to lug around.

 

Man that plane is screaming for a high mounted motor and a camera where the motor is suppose to go for some fpv.

 

I've admired mud ducks for a long time! Always a head turner at the field, and I'm sure this one is going to be awesome!

 

Nice looking build Mike! It looks huge too, got any pics with something we can use for comparison?
BTW Is this one going to have the LED strips for night flights at SEFF? "
Thanks
Mark and Trish

 

Rcav8r, you're right. This is not at all a large plane. Most of the planes I used to fly were at least 2 meter. Anything less than that is certainly considered small. LoL It's just the largest electric I've ever built.

Cmelton11, no plans were available, so everything is proportioned and designed almost soley from pictures on the web. I can normally bang out a project in only an hour, or two, but I must say, I've got about 20 hours design time in this one!

Shaun, from what I've read on this plane, it flies a bit "funky" so I don't know if it would make for a comfortable FPV platform. Time will tell, though.

The plane actually came in at 61" after measurement, too. I have run into a bit of a snag, though. You see, in order to bury the control rods all inside the fuse, I had to make the decision where to locate the servos and I elected to put them right at the CG point. After all is said and done, it looks like I am going to be too nose heavy (Arrrgggh!). Also, by covering the whole plane in Oracal (which works out pretty good, btw) I ended up adding about 6 ounces of weight that I wasn't planning for. The motor I have mounted is a 3542-10 from HeadsUpRC and on 3s, it is good for about 54 ounces of thrust, which is about 10 ounces less than the plane's AUW. If I go 4s, then I can eek out about 73 ounces of thrust, but I have no 2S or 4S packs (another Arrrggh!!). It may fly nicely on less than 1:1 thrust/weight ratio, but I am afraid that I am pushing things.

All I need to do is slap a windshield decal on it, fashion some tail support rods, cut out some control horns, and hook everything up and she'll be all ready to go. I am planning to take her to SEFF with me next week and give it a try on two 3S2200 packs wired in parallel. If it doesn't feel right, I'll land it and bring it home to install something with a little more oomph (power 46, maybe?).

I am very pleased with how it turned out, all things considered. I think this little gem speaks volumes for what a fellow can do with tons of internet research, a bundle of FFF, and his trusty PhlatPrinterIII. If I were to do it over again (and I might), I would cover the thing in a low-temp iron-on covering to save weight. Also, I would locate the servos to the tail to optimize CG.

I am planning to take some nice pictures before I leave out on my 900 mile journey to Georgia and I'll post them then. Mark, I'll put the Tx in the pic for perspective.

EDIT: Oh wait, I do have one photo that I took. It's more "done" now than it is in this pic. And for some perspective, those wheels are 4" diameter! Attached files