Some Vanguard P-18 observations

From: <mkirda_at_sbcglobal.net>
Date: 02 Mar 2017 15:30:38 +0000

Am writing this for the benefit of others who might be coaching SO kids with this design.

 

 So I spent most of last night helping out a group of SO kids in Racine.
Nearly all of them were flying the Laser Cut Planes Vanguard P-18 kit.
 This is a great introductory kit overall. With just a bit of help, most of the kids were doing 2 minutes plus in a 42' ceiling with the stock kit.

 

 Some slight modifications I'd recommend to the kit:
 1) face the top/bottom of the fuselage stick where the Sig Prop hanger will go on with some 1/64" plywood. The wood tends to get mashed here and downthrust creeps in over time, making the plane not want to climb. This should solve the issue.
 

 2) Because the wing is symmetrical and jigged to build flat, it does not handle higher torque well at all. On all eight? planes I helped trim last night, I ended up cracking and gluing the rear wing post in order to get enough wash-in into the left wing panel. Afterwards they all flew flatter and climbed up to the ceiling easily and started flying 20 seconds longer.

 

 3) Double up on the dental bands. One band looped twice helps keep the wing tight.
 

 Many of the kids seemed to have rather excessive stab tilt. The design does not need very much.

 

 The design does not seem to handle ceiling bumps well. I suspect a longer tail moment would help here, maybe with a bit less camber in the stab? There is room for experimentation here.
 

 

 Regards.
 Mike Kirda

 

 

Received on Thu Mar 02 2017 - 15:30:38 CET