RCP Mig29 V4 NAMCV2 Build complete... :)

Hi everyone -

My RCP Mig29 V4 NAMCV2 build is complete... :)  Amazing what a few days of rain does to motivate you to build when you can't fly... :/

Bottom view, the black is actually just magic marker, does the trick to help with contrast and orientation, but adds no weight.

A couple of front and rear angle shots -

On the spine or electronics bay hatch, I put our NAMC patch that Stephan so skillfully designed as well as the logo from this website that has inspired so many of my Mig paint schemes http://www.mars.slupsk.pl/fort/mig/  Mariusz Wojciechowski does an absolutely amazing job at keeping this website as up to date as possible, so I thought it appropriate to show his logo on planes where I have found the inspiration from his website.

My build -

• 6mm depron primarily with paperless dollar store foam for the KF4 airfoils.  Construction almost completely with Foam Tac glue for lightness except a tiny dab of hot glue where needed and epoxy for the motor mount and control horns;
• control surfaces are elevons, ailerons and rudders, six servo setup using 6 nylon gear servos from RC Timer.  Rudders are tied together with a Y harness, all other servos have their own channel.  Spoilerons are available on a switch for high alpha.  Elevator travel is 2 inches or 4 inches total, with 55% expo.  Aileron travel is 5/8" or 1 and 1/4" total, expo is 70%.  Expo is higher in the aileron input to reduce over rolling with elevons and ailerons working together.  Rudder travel is full with 60% expo since they are quite big I want to be able to have a little more finesse with the rudder inputs, especially in high alpha.  Spoileron travel is 5/8" with slow up and slow down settings to prevent sudden pitch up when they are deployed.  These will be my starting setups, adjustment will more than likely take place as the plane gets dialed in;
• power setup is the Focal Price 2700 motor, 6x3 EMP prop, Turnigy Plush 40A ESC.  I'm running a 6 channel Rx compatible with my Turnigy er9x Tx setup.  Batteries will be either 1600 Mah or 2200 Mah depending on wind conditions; and
• total weight with a 2200 Mah battery is 590 gr/20.8 oz.

My modifications from stock (where applicable I will mention how the mods on this plane differ from the Mig29 V4 NAMCV1 that I have already flown and tested through 130 flights.

• trailing edge of the KF4 is extended back 1/4", gives the plane a bit more stability in all realms of flight and really locks in the stability at high speed;
• back of the prop slot is moved back 1" over stock to reduce the surface in the back and help prevent elevon polar pitch effect or tail washout in crosswind turns;
• elevons are downsized and reshaped over stock, I would estimate a total reduction in moving surface of between 10-15%.  This makes for less drag and turbulence when the surfaces are moving and also gives me much better feel and precision when flying; 
• ailerons are also downsized, probably to about 60% of stock.  On this plane I moved the hinge line back about 3/8" from stock and then extended the span about an inch from the NAMC V1.  Total moving surface is about the same, I am interested in experimenting with seeing if slightly larger span (the aileron is now almost 50% of stock) and thinner chord (from front to back) has much impact on how the plane handles;
• rudders are almost vertical, the trailing edge and hinge are tilted back about 3 degrees from vertical, and the hinge line extended right up to the top of the vertical stab.  This is a big increase over stock as well as the rudder on the NAMCV1 Mig.  I'm interested to see how this style of rudders work on the Mig as they have been working very well for me on the FRC Su35 MK2 that I modified.

Overall I am very happy with how the build turned out, I guess the "rubber will hit the road" tomorrow when I get a chance to maiden (weather permitting).

I was hoping to be right around 20 oz, that was the weight where my Mig29 V3 was with a 2200 battery and that was an awesome weight for stability, speed and handling.  Of course that is a different airplane, I think in foam alone it is 1 oz lighter than the V4 Mig if memory serves me correctly (without KF4 airfoils).  

It makes me continue to think further about an idea Stephan and I have bounced around off and on since the V4s were released by RC Powers and that is building a hybrid combining the best of the V3 and V4 into a V3.5 for lack of a better name.  I think it has the potential to be a really amazing performer and what the heck, it is fun to try...that might be the next new Mig that gets built...after a couple other planes that are currently in the build queue at NAMC (Canadian division).

A walkaround and flight video will follow after the maiden flight... :)

Cheers,

Scott