Projects Polaris Sea Plane

[Tasajara]

Well have not done a scratch build plane in a while so got to looking for something different.
I have never flew off of water so I found the plans to a Polaris Sea Plane thought I would give it a try.

Using Blue FanFold I have laying around.
Balsa for all control surfaces.
Epoxy and Foam Safe CA for my glues.
Use Mirco Ballones mixed into the epoxy to fill
gaps , makes the epoxy lighter and easier to sand.
That is why the glue joints may seem white.
Ultra Coat covering, it is low temp covering.
use it with care and you can cover foam pretty easy.

Here are a few of my build pics so far..

















Little Dry Fit to get an idea what it may look like






The rounded edges will be what hits the water, Fuse is the float for this plane.

Trying to make it smooth as possible.

 

[trainrider06]

Pretty cool stuff! One of these days I might try a scratch built plane of some sort.
Is there some sort of coating you'll use for the fuse to protect it and make it slick in the water?

 

[Stambo]

Looks good, I thought about a sea plane but I decided on the arrow and I love it, as insane as it is.

Pretty cool stuff! One of these days I might try a scratch built plane of some sort.

Just do it.
The Flite test pushers are easy.
They must be, I managed.
Sparrow was my first.

 

[Tasajara]

Pretty cool stuff! One of these days I might try a scratch built plane of some sort.
Is there some sort of coating you'll use for the fuse to protect it and make it slick in the water?

Yep I use Water Base Minwax Polycrylic, It will seal and make the foam stiffer. BlueCore is soft once you remove the plastic skin.

I brush all the foam and balsa up to 3 times doing a light sanding between coats. Also use drywall Spackle to fill in any low or dinged spots before the coat of minwax.
Once all that is done I have a pretty smooth surface. Then I use UltraCote low temp iron on covering to protect and strengthen the plane.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh Yeah got a good bit done this weekend...




























You can see where I filled in the low spots on the bottom of the fuze
FanFold BlueCor has a slight waviness to it when made.





- - - Updated - - -

well out to the garage to build...

 

[trainrider06]

Looks good, I thought about a sea plane but I decided on the arrow and I love it, as insane as it is.



Just do it.
The Flite test pushers are easy.
They must be, I managed.
Sparrow was my first.

Shoot I have other things in the fire I gotta take care of before I start expanding out, but hopefully I'll get round to some winged things!

 

[Tasajara]

I started with planes over 14 years ago 72mHz and all... LOL Slow stick with a Brushed motor and 2s 1500mAh battery that cost $59.95 no balance plugs either...

LOL things in the fire.... I got 2 planes NIB and another quad along with a few other planes not finished but started....

- - - Updated - - -

A little test fit to see how she is looking...

 

[trainrider06]

She's looking great!
Thanks so much for the info and posting pix of the build!

 

[Tasajara]

Thanks ... got a few more pics of my progress.

Added the servos linkages, push rods. And lower cover to finish the bottom.
Covered all the rudder/motor pod. Also cut and fitted the top of the fuze.
Shaped the nose cone , did a little fill on the gaps with Spackle.
Also added a few extra coats of polycrylic. As you can see I used a little hot glue to keep my wires in place.

If you notice I run long motor wires over running long battery leads. This will help the system run better
and put less stress on your esc. Long battery leads introduces more inductance to the battery circuit, shorter battery leads
means a happy Speed Control....

Too long battery wires will kill your ESC over time!
Voltage spikes higher than battery voltage will destroy components and/or the standard input capacitors (large cylindrical thingies in thin colorfull shrink wrap)
will be destroyed over time because they get warmer/hot. Using thicker wire will not help, it's a wire inductance problem, not a resistance problem.

Given all that, when I mean long I was talking more than 12" anything less should be fine... I did it on this model to be on the safe side, they were just about 14.5" long.

Now I can't make up my mind if I will paint the fuze or cover it.
Since the Fuze is my float on this plane I was thinking it would be a little smoother painted.
Found some Krylon Rich Plum colored paint I had sitting around, that would make a big contrast with the Green Apple and Plum....

 

[trainrider06]

it looks like that coating leaves a very tough protective cover to the foam! How in the world do you know where and when to place those bell cranks and servo rods?

 

[Tasajara]

It is Ultra Cote a low temp covering, and yes it gives it strenght, also you will get less dings in the foam. Also known as hanger rash....

The rods are threaded.... So get them close to where you want them with a little threads on each end from center of where you want them . Then solder in place on one end the other can be your adjustment.

Got the bottom covered this evening.... Just cut my battery hatch door out and hinge it cover the top then go fly... Well after I figure which prop I want to go with.
I have a 6x4e apc , 6x4.5, a 6x5 and a 5x5x3... Just hook up the watt meter and see who wins LOL

The spots that are not covered is where the wing pontoons go for the wing tips

 

[Stambo]

Lol, I lack the patience to do things like this properly.
My builds always fly with little unfinished cosmetic things or temporary fittings that eventually might get done if I don't wreck them first.

 

[trainrider06]

She's looking good! Thanks for the info too on the rods!

 

[Tasajara]

Got it finished.... Did my maiden today and it went pretty good. Just had to tone down my controls a good bit.
Went from 75% end points to 50% and dial in a little more expo.
I can say it was a little hairy for a bit till I got it dialed in. Took my GoPro and was going to record the maiden, BUT someone didn't charge the battery.
So I will try to get a little video Sunday when I put it into the water. Maybe things will go well tomorrow, it will be my first time to fly off of water.

Still got to add some graphics to it and give it a little character.
I will not be doing any rolls till I get a little color on it being far out the top looks just like the bottom LOL

I did cover the bottom with 3M Storage tape for skid protection when I take off on grass. I did a sliding take off from the grass today.
That type tape is the best of all the packing tape I have ever tried. It is real tough and sticks very good.

Anyway here are the finished pics.

 

[D.O.G.]

Excellent job their Tasajara. Hope all goes well on Sunday flight. You diffidently need to take videos of this bad boy in action.

 

[Tasajara]

Lol, I lack the patience to do things like this properly.
My builds always fly with little unfinished cosmetic things or temporary fittings that eventually might get done if I don't wreck them first.

I guess that was why I was so nervous on my maiden, Because I put so much time into the build


Thanks for the kind words Guys... Yep I will try to get some kind of video....

 

[trainrider06]

The Green hornet! Looking good!

 

[Tasajara]

Got my plane wet today.... Little touche on the first flight, took my end points down a little lower on the ailerons and all was good.
I did notice that I needed to let it build up a little water speed before hitting up on the elevator. Being my first time flying on water
I didn't think about that till my third flight.

I will Try to get the video posted this evening.... all in all had a great day on the river. We also flew beside the boat as we went down the river.
Didn't get to do that with my plane I think my slow flight was just a bit to fast for the pontoon. So we flew a few slow planes.
Even had a friend try to land on the canopy of the pontoon as we were going 17mph. Yep you guessed it, it was a crash... But no damage at all.

Did add a air scoop to the plane, esc needed some air, Even with the scoop I never got any water into the compartment where the battery and esc are located.

Here she is after 5 flights today even still has a little water on her..

 

[Tasajara]

Here it is.... My Polaris Seaplane on the river....

 

[D.O.G.]

Here it is.... My Polaris Seaplane on the river....

Excellent job on the sea plane and the video. Thanks for sharing Tasajara. Where are you flying at? The wife thinks is somewhere in New England.

 

[Tasajara]

Alabama... @ the Warror River