For the last few months, I have been working on my first balsa build; a 2.9M Hollein "Introduction F5J" e-sailplane. It is a laser-cut it, with four servos (two for flaps, elevator, rudder). I have been documenting the build process on RCGroups, but I figured the local crew might find some of this to be interesting as well!
The "Introduction" is meant to be a low-cost foray into the very competitive F5J glider class, wherein primarily carbon-fibre moulded high-performance sailplanes with powerful geared motors compete to fulfil the task of staying airbourne for ~10 minutes and then landing on a spot. The carbon F5J planes are some of the most beautiful engineering out there for model planes; they have expertly designed wings, many with six servos to allow for very precise control of the aerofoil. Competitors are effectively rewarded for using their motor to climb to a low altitude as points are deducted for launching to higher altitudes.
In general, these ships cost thousands of dollars and most competitors have multiple planes with different masses to handle different flying conditions. While there are none of these competitions out our way, the envelop-pushing designs of this class benefit all modellers eventually. The Introduction F5J is basically a really affordable wooden version of these planes, with a simplified wing. There is a 6-servo wing version available as well, called the "Inside F5J".
Anyway, I have been building this for a while now, with lots of advice from local building expert John O and from Whacker as well.
I hope you enjoy the photos showing my progress so far. I have finished the fuselage, tailfeathers, and wing centre panel; now I am working on the outer panels (the wing breaks down into three pieces) and then comes covering! This will be covered in translucent white in the centre and outer panels, transparent violet in the mid panels, and with black wingtips for visibility.
I hope you will get to see this big model tearing up the skies at a solid 5kph this spring at a Shannon Park near you.
