Dave McD's    Butterfly
Original Design
Type:  Foamboard, foam, & Plexiglass
Span:  47"
Wing Area:  550(?) sq. in.
Weight:  28 ounces
Channels:  3 (elevons, rudder)
Engine:  OS .10
Radio:  ACE Silver Seven
Finish:  EconoKote and paint
 
 
 
 
 
 

Once, in an old magazine, I saw a photo of a slope soaring scale model of a Monarch Butterfly.  I love flying wings, so I decided to build one, but with a Tee Dee .049 up front.  The glide tests proved that the Butterfly was so tail heavy, it was uncontrollable.  So to balance it.....I put an OS .10 in the nose.  I thought that should do it!  Throttle control???  Who needs it!!!   So I fixed the carb to wide open...

BIG

MISTAKE!

From the very instant that the Butterfly was launched on it's maiden voyage, I was in big trouble!

It was flying just EXACTLY like a REAL butterfly.........you know.........flittering..........and darting aimlessly all over the sky..........only at about 500 miles per hour!  (well, it SEEMED that fast!!!!!)

From the initial launch, until it ran out of fuel, was the longest minute and a half of my entire life!!!
When the engine finally died, I was the happiest man on Earth!!!!!
:-)
 
 

(But only for a few nano-seconds!)
 
 
 

Then.....
 
 

Oh, $#!+!
:-0
 
 
 

It doesn't GLIDE worth a @#$%& either!!!!!!
:-(
 
 

That 12 second glide wasn't any better than the first minute and a half of snarling OS .10 powered torture that I had just barely lived through!!    It's a miracle that the Butterfly is still in one piece!
 

Overall, I'd have to admit that this was probably my biggest R/C failure.   :-(

But someday, when I'm feeling brave (stupid?), I'm going to dig it out of the attic, and try it again!
 
 

Comments?
E-Mail me at:
dmcdnld@yhti.net

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