New Scale Model Build-Navaho

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I received my order from Hobby King today. There is a US quarter in the image to show you just how small these fans unit all. Each fan unit is rated at 2.33 ounces of thrust. Since my intake area is small and there will be NO ducting inside I expect to get at best 1.5 ounces each. So that gives me a whopping 3 ounces of combined thrust. If this model was to be hand launched 3 ounces of thrust wouldn’t do much but since my Navaho will already be at altitude the 3 ounces should be plenty to give just a little extra forward momentum to make a couple of extra turns before landing the model.

The two brushless motor fan units, two speed controls and 2-Cell Lipo battery come in at 2.27 ounces. I’ll save a little more weight once I get rid of that massive yellow battery connector and install something more suitable to the 10 Amp current draw..

John Boren

N104.JPG
 
I made it over a major hurdle with the Navaho Today. I finally finished installing the two vertical fins and making the sensors that go on the tips of the fins. I didn't have good enough images of these areas to make the parts until I recieved photos from after the NARCON event. I've virtually done nothing on the model because of this portion of the build plus I've been getting ready for a regional contest as well. I most likely won't glue the sensors in place until after the first test fight but at least they are done.


John Boren

N105.JPG

N106.JPG
 
Last edited:
JumpJet said:
I made it over a major hurdle with the Navaho Today. I finally finished installing the two vertical fins and making the sensors that go on the tips of the fins. I didn't have good enough images of these areas to make the parts until I recieved photos from after the NARCON event. I've virtually done nothing on the model because of this portion of the build plus I've been getting ready for a regional contest as well. I most likely won't glue the sensors in place until after the first test fight but at least they are done.


John Boren
Click to expand...

:gavel: yeah the build is back on!
 
Assuming you’re not sick to death of this build, I’ve started up full steam since NARAM is only three weeks away. I am doing my final primer coats and added just a few more details to the model. The top of the air intakes got two additional bypass openings added to each side. The top of the elevons got the little covers that hide the actuation rods. I still need to do more sanding and primer coats in this area, since I’ve got some scratches on the surface that I need to get ride of.

I completed the last construction project on this whole model just now. I cut the opening in the booster for the location of the parachute compartment. This area is right under the bottom of the wing. I plan on rigging this so that when I release the winged portion which I should do before the ejection charges go off the Mylar chute will be allowed to simple fall out of this opening. I will most likely add something in this area so the chute can’t fall down into the body. I might even add a piece of thread to the chute and tape it to the bottom of the wing so the parachute gets pulled out of the booster. This is my fall safe in case the whole thing starts to head toward the ground.

Also shown is a BT-5 body tube on the right side of the image. This tube leads to the very nose of the booster. And is where I intend to load the buck shot for the needed nose weight. If all goes well I should be able to shoot white primer on this model in just a couple more days.


John Boren

N107.jpg

N108.JPG

N109.JPG
 
JumpJet said:
Assuming you’re not sick to death of this build, I’ve started up full steam since NARAM is only three weeks away. I am doing my final primer coats and added just a few more details to the model. The top of the air intakes got two additional bypass openings added to each side. The top of the elevons got the little covers that hide the actuation rods. I still need to do more sanding and primer coats in this area, since I’ve got some scratches on the surface that I need to get ride of.

I completed the last construction project on this whole model just now. I cut the opening in the booster for the location of the parachute compartment. This area is right under the bottom of the wing. I plan on rigging this so that when I release the winged portion which I should do before the ejection charges go off the Mylar chute will be allowed to simple fall out of this opening. I will most likely add something in this area so the chute can’t fall down into the body. I might even add a piece of thread to the chute and tape it to the bottom of the wing so the parachute gets pulled out of the booster. This is my fall safe in case the whole thing starts to head toward the ground.

Also shown is a BT-5 body tube on the right side of the image. This tube leads to the very nose of the booster. And is where I intend to load the buck shot for the needed nose weight. If all goes well I should be able to shoot white primer on this model in just a couple more days.


John Boren
Click to expand...

Not sick but most definitely look forward to any updates. Glad to see another post, fantastic detail work on the bypass openings for the intakes.
 
The next hardest thing is getting the correct color to paint this thing with. If I paint it the correct color I will get dinged on points since it won't match my colore image in my documentation package. If I paint it to match my documention I know it won't be the correct color, and if it actually survives NARAM I would like to have a display model that is correct in color.

John Boren
 
If you have documentation of the correct color, then use that in your data packet and paint it that way, don't use a photo of a different color as your color documentation.

One of the options for Sport Scale color and marking data is:
"A detailed written description, from a reliable source, of the color scheme and markings, accompanied by a drawing of the prototype on which the color scheme and markings described have been included. This drawing may be neatly made by the modeler."

kj
 
Yes, this would be a good option to use.

I'm still thinking about it.
 
I started painting both my X-34 and Navaho today. I'm using Wicked Water Based Paints by Createx. I'm shooting everything with White First then the color. I bought 4 bottels of White but the way it's covering even over Grey primver 2 bottles should be more then enought to cover both models.

Man does white show up EVERYTHING. Since I've got time I may hit a few areas with primer again and then recoat with white paint. It's not bad looking, a few scratches here and there but I wanted it perfect.

John Boren
 
I finally got most of the paint on my Navaho applied. I still have to spray the intake cones silver and then do some white touch ups where the orange red paint got under the tape. From a 1 to 10 I’d give it maybe a 6.5 in quality. It’s fine for a flight model but not a show model.

Yesterday was almost a disaster. I originally mixed up a batch of Day Glow Orange and Red Paint to get my desired color. I saw it happening but I kept spraying. I got hundreds of small bumps on the surface of the model that where more Day Glow color then the final color I mixed. Luckily the paint dried within an hour so I started to use a scotch bright pad over the surface. Each of the little bumps would sand out leaving a trail of Day Glow like Powder Paint. Kind of hard to describe! I gave the model another sanding today and then shot it with another mixed batch of different colors. Luckily the surface covered just fine. Out of my two scale models the X-34 is looking much better after paint.

I’m sure I’m going to loose some points for it’s finish but hopefully I’ll get some extra points for the degree of difficulty of my subject.

John Boren

N110.jpg
 
I’ll get some better uncluttered images of the Navaho in the future but for now this is what it looks like. The Navaho is 95% done now. I just need to add a shock cord and parachute to the booster section. I was unable to install the ducted fan units since I already had to add over 3 ounces of nose weight to balance the model where I think I needs to balance and the ducted fans would have made it much worse raising the glide weight to much. The booster also needed several ounces of nose weight to get the completed stack to again balance where I think it needs to balance. The model is complete with RC gear plus a 3-axis auto pilot system installed. I believe right not the entire model weighs in at 39 ounces.

John Boren

N111.jpg
 
Photos of both models look great. Sorry I'm missing out on NARAM this year and won't have a chance to see them in person.

kj
 
Here are images I took of the model sitting in the judging room. Hopefully I'll remember to take some close up images of it before I fly her since she most likely might not make it through the first flight in one piece.


John Boren

N112.jpg

N113.jpg

N114.jpg

N115.jpg
 
JumpJet said:
Here are images I took of the model sitting in the judging room. Hopefully I'll remember to take some close up images of it before I fly her since she most likely might not make it through the first flight in one piece.


John Boren
Click to expand...

UNBELIEVABLE
 
Two flight attempts were made with the Navaho. Both of them started boosting straight, then went unstable. The glider portion was released and did glide, albeit a short distance and quickly to the ground. After the first one John added some ballast to the nose of the booster and it did get higher the second time before it went "off nominal". I don't know how badly damaged it was after the second attempt but he was muttering about it not flying again immediately after the second attempt.

One can hope that after some time he'll reconsider shelving it.

I only saw one attempt at the X-34 though I was told he did try it twice as well. Those flights were DQ'd for safety as well.

There is a sequence of pictures from one of the attempts on the Navaho here: https://naramlive.com/naramlive-2014/naramlive/08friday/pics016.html
 

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