F-22 (Prodeign) PDF Manual and build thread

Bleh, looks I am totally hijacking Lolzer's build thread...


     Yes, I actually had credits with hobby king and used them to purchase the Turnigy HV Dlux 120A x 2. It's probably total overkill but when I read the specs on the 2950kv motors I ordered at edfhobbies.com I noticed they have a continuos current of 100 amps and burst at 110 amps. This raptor will have a combined 4000 watts with what I have ordered today, but just because I have the power it doesn't mean I have to use it. I will probably have to dial back my throttle on my tx just to prevent ripping the wings off. I also begun looking at the wing loading equations and the thrust tube ratio and it mostly went over my head. I am getting a real education with this build which is nice cause playing with foamies was getting boring.
   I do have have a watt meter and will be bench testing everything before the install. I also measured my F18 90mm and was producing 2250 watts at 88 amps. What I don't have yet is a scale big enough for an official weigh in or way to measure my thrust produced. I am looking into that once my head stops spinning.

   Ok so the next order of business is my servo selection and landing gear options. I recently went to my LHS and purchased a pair of Hitec HS 645mg ultra high torque servos. The prodesign manual had stated use of standard size servos for the elevators due to the amount surface to control but these ones I purchased seem awfully large. Maybe I'm so used to using micros I have lost sense of what a standard servo looks like. I have yet to determine what size servo to use on the ailerons and by looking through the manual I am thinking micros ARE used for these. Ok, but what size? Surely these will need to be beefy too.

http://www.hitecrcd.com/products/analog/premium-sport/hs-645mg.html

   Once the raptor is rtf I intend to use fixed gear with oversize wheels at first. I will try grass runway takeoffs just until I have learned the characteristics of this heavy plane. When I feel adept at landing I really would like to use electric retracts with the mains rotating 90 degrees for complete cover behind gear doors. Check RCL 90d ELE retracts at edf hobbies) The steering nose gear should be ok without rotating. I will have to consider how to build the gear doors. Hopefully the extracted fiberglass fuse sections that have been cut away for the retracts can be saved to construct the doors.

http://edfhobbies.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=68&product_id=153

   The sample video connected to the product illustrates someone flying the same plane but it appears to have rudders installed. This is great because I had wondered if this mod would be possible to cut into the stabs. Recently I had fitted my F18 90mm with a HH gyro on the rudder channel. I initially had great issues with runway takeoffs cause the tracking was so squirrely even on low rates with huge expo. The wheelbase so narrow and the stance so high any crosswind would wreck havoc on my takeoffs. But now this gyro keeps it bone straight and I'm really surprised on how well this worked. It even remains very steady and stable when landing into a cross wind. I will definitely install another into the raptor nose gear/rudder channel to spare myself some rashings.
   The struts are something that should look semi scale. They should also have a degree of cushioning on landings so something with some suspension would be best. I had found a pretty set at park rc models, hobby topgun deluxe TG1107. These have a swept castor style with suspension and they look pretty sexy.

http://parkrcmodels.com/product_info.php?products_id=1087

   Thrust vectoring is always cool especially when it is scale. I have never had TV before I dont really know if it is all that. However I did find something that looked like it could be fitted into place and maybe shaped a bit to appear scale.

http://rc-castle.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=1557

   I noticed all the Raptor stock from Hobby King is now all gone so this implies that there will be alot of raptor builds going on soon. I would like to try and connect with those people and others who have already built and been flying this plane and try and compare results and share the info. C`mon people I know your out there.

I really like how your heat sinks worked out too. How long are the battery lead extensions and is this ok to do? For some unknown reason I had been advised not to extend the battery leads.