Scrappee Liaison by chadwijm6 - Microaces - RADIO

[chadwijm6]

As part of my ever growing interest in modelling I'm going to build a radio controlled micro plane from Microaces, the Scrappee Liaison. Jon at Microaces has been extremely helpful, as this is my first radio controlled anything, so he gave me advice on all the bits I'll need including a transmitter & receiver.

It's arrived very quickly and the boxing is impressive. Looking forward to this.

 

Edited April 20 by chadwijm6
Restarted

[Old Collingwood]

Very interesting  project.

 

OC.

[Rik Thistle]

James,

 

As OC says, that looks very interesting.

 

Am I right in thinking the fuselage etc is plastic card rather than paper?

 

I do have an RC Tx/Rx stashed away from when I had a go at flying RC helicopters (...not terribly well), so Scrappee could be one for the future 🙂 

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Richard

[Canute]

Neat looking kit. Have fun with the RC. 😁

[chadwijm6]

6 hours ago, Rik Thistle said:

James,

 

As OC says, that looks very interesting.

 

Am I right in thinking the fuselage etc is plastic card rather than paper?

 

I do have an RC Tx/Rx stashed away from when I had a go at flying RC helicopters (...not terribly well), so Scrappee could be one for the future 🙂 

 

Thanks for sharing.

 

Richard

Hi Richard

 

It's made from Depron which is an extruded polystyrene foam.

 

They make lots of different kits but this is any easier one to fly apparently, for beginners like me.

 

Here's the website - https://microaces.myshopify.com/

 

 

[Rik Thistle]

It's made from Depron which is an extruded polystyrene foam.

 

Thanks James....will have a read up on the products.  I'll follow your build with interest.

 

Richard

[chadwijm6]

Well this is a very different build experience. But enjoyable.

Here's the list of parts, the quality looks to be very good.

 

 

Started with the airframe

 

 

essentially the styrene is reinforced with thin plastic parts.

 

And then you start to build up the nose of the plane

 

I made a mistake here and put the large support on the wrong way around 🙄, fortunately I realised in time...

 

 

Here it is corrected

 

 

 

Next is to add more supports and magnets

 

 

And then I got to put part of the body on

 

 

and that's where I got up today.

 

There's a guide to score and bevel the exterior body parts and the instructions are fairly straightforward, unless you're like me and can't read them and put his in the back to front!

 

 

[Rik Thistle]

James,

 

That's a really good insight in to the product.

 

I'm also looking forward to how you wire in the electrics, battery choice etc. Any RC stuff I've done in the past was off-the-shelf, so need to learn the construction side.

 

Richard

[chadwijm6]

12 hours ago, Rik Thistle said:

James,

 

That's a really good insight in to the product.

 

I'm also looking forward to how you wire in the electrics, battery choice etc. Any RC stuff I've done in the past was off-the-shelf, so need to learn the construction side.

 

Richard

Hi Richard

 

I emailed Jon at Microaces to see what I should buy. The kit comes with the motor and prop and then you can order the receiver from them which I did. It's the Microaces All In One (AIO) 5CH Micro Receiver. And he recommended a couple of transmitters, I went for the cheaper one because I'm not sure how much I'll actually use it, but of course I want to try it, so I bought a Flysky FS-i6X 10CH Radio Transmitter from Amazon. 

Regarding the battery and charger he recommended the E-Flite EFLB1501S25 as the one to get with a little USB charger EFLC1008 that charges one battery at a time. 

 

Well be interesting to see how it all comes together

[chadwijm6]

I was up early so a bit more work has taken place.

 

I've glued the body onto the airframe now and then started to build up the tail.

 

Looking at the model it's ever so slightly not straight. I think I might have glued the plastic to the airframe 'keel'? too tight on one side. I'm hoping it didn't affect the flight too much but it's done so I'll have to live with it.

 

Otherwise coming together well.

[Rik Thistle]

"I emailed Jon at Microaces to see what I should buy.

The kit comes with the motor and prop and then you can order the receiver from them which I did. It's the Microaces All In One (AIO) 5CH Micro Receiver. And he recommended a couple of transmitters, I went for the cheaper one because I'm not sure how much I'll actually use it, but of course I want to try it, so I bought a Flysky FS-i6X 10CH Radio Transmitter from Amazon.
Regarding the battery and charger he recommended the E-Flite EFLB1501S25 as the one to get with a little USB charger EFLC1008 that charges one battery at a time."

 

Great info, thanks.

 

I already have a Spektrum DX6i 6 channel radio....it's about 10 yrs old.... it did come with a Receiver, which is still in it's box safely tucked away in the attic somewhere.... IIRC, it was maybe a bit too large/heavy for the Scrappee.  I recognise the battery you mention, and I do have a charger.

 

But if/when I get round to building a Scrappee, the route of least pain may be to follow your Build of Materials.

 

I have watched a few YT videos of Microaces planes flying and they look good.

 

Anyway, all good stuff 🙂

 

Richard

 

[chadwijm6]

The body, tail, wings and nose are done.

 

I feel like it's not my best work, it's very different to working on an airfix model.

But it seems to be ok, a little out of line though so it was be interesting to see if it actually flies in a straight line 🤞🏻

Next is adding power!

 

[liteflight]

On 3/23/2024 at 5:55 AM, Rik Thistle said:

do have an RC Tx/Rx stashed away from when I had a go at flying RC helicopters (...not terribly well), so Scrappee could be one for the future 🙂 

Mmmmm.  Scrappee requires very light radio gear and servos and flies on a single lithium polymer battery ( 1S, or a nominal 3.7volts).  Your Heli gear may well be “standard” radio, where the servo plugs alone weigh more than a micro-servo ( about 1.5 gms)

Unless you are seeking the ultimate in lightness, the equipment does all plug together, and probably requires no soldering at all.

For anyone interested, all the equipment to fit out Scrappee is available on the Microaces website as well as the rest of their model range

 

I’m an indoor flyer, but have no relationship with Microaces, other than as a future customer ( I fancy their DH Dragon Rapide)

andrew

[Rik Thistle]

Andrew,

 

Yes, the electronic fittings need to be lightweight. My DX6i Transmitter was used with micro-helicopters and slightly larger (...Blade Nano CPX etc) , and drones.  The Receiver I have somewhere in my attic will probably weigh more than the Scrappee so is unlikely to ever be used with a Microaces a/c.

 

If/when I get round to making a Microaces a/c, I'll follow James path and the advice/parts on the Microaces website.

 

Richard

 

PS: I still have dozens of the E-Flite LiPo batteries stored away, but they are probably now well past their use-by date. The Dragon Rapide looks like a classic, but may need more parts replacing should it ever crash 😉 

Edited March 27 by Rik Thistle

[chadwijm6]

Well, I've managed to burn out the rudder motor by fitting the wire on the wrong way round so it was catching on the servo.

 

Talk about rookie mistakes.

Jon at Microaces has offered to repair it which is very nice of him and also sent a helpful photo to stop me making the same mistake again.

 

 

I've ordered another one as well because I'd like to get it finished.

 

Other than that it is built now but the test flight will have to wait for a bit.

 

 

[Rik Thistle]

James,

 

That's a useful last pic in your post above showing the electrics.

 

I recall getting about 3-5mins flight out of my Nano RC helos using one of those batteries. But a helo battery has to power the large diameter main rotor and tail rotor, whereas a fixed wing prop a/c only has the prop to be driven...so I imagine you will get longer flights out of the battery.

 

And of course battery technology also will have improved over the past 10 yrs.

 

Richard

[Ian_Grant]

Don't worry too much about it being not quite straight - the trim on the radio Tx can be used to trim the rudder to fly straight with centre-stick.

 

I see they also have an SE-5A, my favourite WWI plane.

Edited April 2 by Ian_Grant

[chadwijm6]

He's ready! 

 

Just need to find somewhere to fly him! And for it to stop raining!!

 

 

[Canute]

Good luck with your maiden flight. The twist in the airframe is there to counter the torque of the motor and prop.

[chadwijm6]

3 hours ago, Canute said:

Good luck with your maiden flight. The twist in the airframe is there to counter the torque of the motor and prop.

 

You're right Ken. I did it on purpose! 😀🙄

[chadwijm6]

Multiple errors means this bird will not fly. Microaces very generously looked through the build and have pointed out where I went wrong, mostly the twisted airframe. They have also let me have a discount on a replacement. So a second go will be coming soon.