Dynaflite Butterfly Bash/Conversion.

[lownslo]

Hello All,  I had a Butterfly that was powered by a .15 OS LA.  I flew it in one of your Fun Flys in 04 and Al Tucker took the photo below of the stick break.  Since that time I have enjoyed many hours searching for thermals after removing LG, putting in smaller servos and other little things.  I had the RTF weight down to 3 lbs, 6 oz.  I had....let's say a "mishap" last fall and in this rebuild I am shaping it to look more like a glider and putting in electric power.   If I could, I would like to share the re-build/conversion with you all in a series of photos starting with several below.  I altered the plans and built new, rounded, tail feather parts. ..
More to come........lownslo
Bob

[ColonelG]

Looks pretty good!!  I picked up a partially completed Butterfly from Chuck B. last year with the hopes of getting it in the air with a few ENYA 15's I have.  The wing was being modified for flaps.  With the way this aircraft floats, I am not sure that it would really need flaps.  A thought I had would be to use the flaps as spoilers/speed breaks to get it to land in a shorter distance.  If you are thinking of converting to electric, have you thought of a power system to put into it yet?

ColonelG

[lownslo]

Yes I have ColonelG,
I hope I have made the correct decision as I can't afford to "experiment".  Chuck threw in some numbers into his program for electrics and I used MotoCalc.  (I just purchased the progam.  My trial issue ran out).
I have ordered an AXI 2820/10, Jeti 40 amp controller, 7 cell 1900 mAp SCR battery pack, and an Aeronaut folder, 13X6.5.  My empty plane should weigh about 40 oz. and 42 with servos.  Wing loading should come in about 10 or less!!!  I could use an 8 cell but looking at the figures it seems real close as the 8 cell would need about a 12X6 prop.
I know this is not going to put the Butterfly vertical,  but flying it as a sailplane I am hoping it should do OK.
*****I also have an XL Big Bird sailplane kit from SkyBench in Fort Wayne.  It will weigh almost the exact same weight!!  It will have a wing span of 110" with a wing area/wing loading almost the same too. I am hoping to use the set up in the Big Bird when it is done. I have to wait building this thing as we have our house for sale and I don't want to be in the middle of it if our house is sold soon. ..... lownslo
Bob