Binary has weak tail feathers

What a load of potatoes! The fin on my binary is made of the softest balsa I've ever seen, it snapped of as clean as you like around the slot in the boom and that was on a test glide on grass! Not a happy chappie!
Maybe the balsa was intentionally ultra light grade for weight but I expeded a little strenth!

Told ya not to buy one
Tell me, was the "test glide" done in bike mode - like yer Disco

Har, har, har!

Mine seemed fine to be fair, Ive droped it on the tail a couple of times, go a small crack in it on a particualy hard drop but hasnt fell off yet

M

When you assembled it, did you slot the boom or thefin? And when you removed the covering on the fin to bond it in place, what tool did you use?

Andy

I slotted the boom and cut the film with my stencel cutter (like a solder iron bit finer).
Just got back from test two and I think the tail will be fine now, I cyno'd it together and added a thin strip of surface tissue.
My early thoughts are that it has a higher sink rate than I was expecting and it flys faster than I thought it would.
Launches are vertical needing a stab of down just before the stall to level out and at the moment I'm getting about 20 - 25m which I expect to increase as I perfect the throw.
With the flaps down the aileron control is twichy but the model still penetrates, I might dial in a little more flap .... dunno....
All things considered it's a nice toy to play with.

Good building then! The film covered balsa is never going to be uber strong, but it is rather light. If you cut a new fin, you could embed a couple of carbon rods vertically, that should strengthen it a fair bit.

Oh, and to slow it up a bit, try playing with a few mm camber on the flaps. Also don't forget the small Dlgs are never going to be really really floaty, there just isn't enough wing area! On the plus side though, it will be brilliant in a 5mph breeze on th orme

Andy

Thanks for that Andy and yes I was thinking light air "Slermaling".
You gonna be at the field tomorrow afternoon?

Not sure yet, going out with Daisy around lunchtime, I might try and pop over for and hour or so though!

Oh, and when you discus launch, don't try and throwthe plane upwards. Aim to throw it about 5degrees above the horizon, Amd keep your arm straight.....

Andy