Winter build project: Wolfgang Matt’s ATLAS

Hi Mike,

Great to have you on board, and I'd very much like to take you up on the offer, I fancy learning how to cut my own foam wings under your guidance.

I've ordered a plan from www.myhobbystore.co.uk/product/22052/rc1283-atlas , so we'll be able to see how the pdf plan compares.

There are also two or three places in the US that sell the canopies.


In the article I linked to in the first post there is a Q& A, and I'm a little confused about this:

Question: 'You obviously like strip ailerons. Do you feel they are easier to build?'

Answer: "The mechanical part (linkage) of the conventional ailerons is more difficult to build in order to get precise movements. In addition, in my experience, the strip ailerons do not have any aerodynamic disadvantages"

Can anyone tell me what strip ailerons are and how they compare to conventional ailerons, in the plans they look just like what I would expect an aileron to look like!

'Conventional' ailerons are just the outer panel moving, a la full size. In the days before mixing radios a single servo in the wing drove both ailerons via bell cranks...lots of trouble and potential slop. Strip ailerons were the whole trailing edge and driven by torque rods...much simpler and less slop.

For those who might be interested, the electric setup I have in my Blue Angel is as follows:

Turnigy SK3 5045-660 motor
EMax Simon Series ESC
Zippy 40C 4000 mAh battery for 8-minute flights
Turnigy 20C 3000 mAh battery for 6-minute flights

As you can see, it is not expensive and this is probably the setup I'll put in this model.

And here's a few better images of the Atlas.

I'd like it to be able to take both the Turnigy 20C 3000mAh batteries that Mike has mentioned, as I've already got 4 of them, as well as the ZIPPY Compact 5000mAh 6S 25C , which I intend to get for my MythoS 50.

The single biggest outlay will probably be the retracts: www.sussex-model-centre.co.uk/shopexd.asp?id=45901 Although I might look at putting in fixed undercarriage for the first few flights until I learn to land softly. I assume it would be easy enough to fashion some sort of block to fix the undercharge to that will substitute for the retract hardware.

The plans arrived today, and I had an opportunity to spread them out in the club hut and have a good look at them with Steve P and Mike S. Thankfully the fuselage is all in one piece rather than split as in the PDF plans I linked to at the beginning of the thread.

Mike also tested out a different motor and few props on his Blue Angel with a view to a possible alternative power setup for the Atlas, the results looked quite hopeful, and may suite the 'slower' flight characteristics of the Atlas over the Blue Angel.

If my memory is correct, it became known as the "Matlas". Chris - I assume I may leave the Touche at home.

Stuart

I think you are right Stuart, the Matlas is the MK kit of the Atlas, alas I've not found a plan of it because it would have been nice to see what, if any, changes they made in developing the kit version.

With regards to you Touche, that project has unfortunately been temporarily shelved, but once I've built the Atlas I would like to revisit it and see what adaptations would be needed to make an Aurora/Touche, I still think they are one of the most attractive planes of that era. So I hope I might be able to have a look at your plane then if that's okay.

Best wishes, Chris

I am up for the winter build project count me in. I think it will be a lovely plane to own

Also a good project to see how Jesse copper wires and magnets work

Great Steve, so that's three of us so far.

Steve wrote: I am up for the winter build project count me in. I think it will be a lovely plane to own

Also a good project to see how these copper wires and magnets work