Since my last post discussing my high alpha testing of my Mig29 V4M3e3, I have been doing quite a bit more flying, evaluating and reviewing further the difference in rudder performance between my stock RCP Mig29 V4, my Mig29 V4M3e3 and my FRC Su35 MK2.
As I have mentioned several times in previous posts, the more vertical rudder style on the FRC Su35 MK2 and the Mig29 V4M3e3 is definitely my preference for pure, smooth direct rudder response in maneuvers that require a lot of rudder input (other than high alpha which I will discuss in a bit). Both planes respond very well to rudder input without any adverse roll characteristics. The stock Mig29 V4 still has rudder induced roll in most maneuvers which must be countered with more opposite aileron input to prevent the plane from rolling over when large amounts of rudder are being used in stall turns, wingovers, even just coordinated turns.
This practice has been very good for me to hone my flying skills as I am finding now in windy conditions especially I am doing more coordinated turns with both elevon and aileron with a tiny bit of rudder working with it. I find just the tiniest bit of rudder helps bring the nose around a little smoother, then once I am through about the halfway point of the turn, I ease off on the rudder and just continue with aileron and elevon and my turns are turning out much smoother in windy conditions.
On the day I flew the stock Mig V4 and the V4M3e3, I was able to get a little bit of a high alpha comparison done. It was a tiny bit windy, so I couldn't manage sustained high alpha, but high alpha for 30 seconds at a time or so. I noticed that the stock V4 had good rudder authority both left and right, but when the rudder did "bite" in high alpha turns, it also caused roll, causing at times the low wing to drop quickly. Since I fly with spoilerons, I could give a little opposite aileron to correct or just let off on the rudder a bit and the roll lessened until I could get the nose around to where I wanted it.
The V4M3e3 was still at times challenging to get through a right turn, especially if I was turning in crosswind or trying to get the nose back into the wind, it would slow down considerably, requiring me to input some pretty significant rudder to keep it coming around and normally a shot of power so that more prop wash was going over the rudder surfaces. So although I have no wind tunnel proof, from what I saw, I think in my haste to redesign the vert stabs and rudders, bringing that leading edge of the vert stab forward for aesthetics is causing some airflow blockage problems... :/ (sorry Stephan... :( ) More on that in my previous post here http://migsrus.blogspot.ca/2014/08/mig29-v4m3e3-hi-alpha-testing.html
Again, perhaps I am wrong and something else is going on, but it is worth trying something else to prove or disprove my theory. So although I had just started another FRC Su35 build, I am putting that on hold and will work on another Mig29 V4M3e3/Mig35 NAMC to further research and evaluate another vert stab/rudder setup. The "M" in NAMC is Mig after all, so if I have the excuse/opportunity to build another Mig, I'm going for it!
I am going to go outside the box a bit and research Option C that I wrote about in the link above, a narrower but taller rudder surface similar to the Su35 which will have more total moving surface and almost vertical (angled back only 3 degrees) hinge and trailing edge. Also this allows me to eliminate almost all of the addition I made to the leading edge of the vert stab on the V4M3e3 that my gut tells me is causing blockage to the prop wash. Maybe I am grasping at straws and have evaluated this whole thing incorrectly, but sometimes I just have to follow my gut instincts and see where it goes. I should have flown my Mig29 V3M3e3 as well, but my memory serves it didn't seem to have such a challenge turning right in high alpha as we left the vert stab leading edge more stock than I did on the V4M3e3.
I already have Mig29 plans back from the print shop, and will leave everything else on the V4M3e3/Mig35 NAMC the same (unless Stephan thinks there is something else we need to try... :) ) other than a new vert stab/rudder setup, so back to the North American Mig Consortium work shop (Canadian division... :)). The FRC Su35 will still get built, just a bit later than originally scheduled... :/
Stay tuned for more updates... :)
Cheers,
Scott
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