Cheetah

Although I do not have the specific battery but as it is coming from HK they do quote weights reasonably accurately.
With the motor, ESC in place and ballast confirmed that the elevator servo will not be required to provide a nose weight component so it could be installed under the wing and just far back enough that the pull/pull cables would not interfere with a hand launch.

This also allowed an accurate estimate of its final all up weight at 190 g.
Given that about 10 g of that is due to the aileron servo installation out towards the wing tip the actual bending load on the foam wing panels is very little more than in its chuck glider form.
It does bend a bit when picked up by the wing tips (4g bending) but still acceptable and with some reserve strength still available.

There is always something!
The 370 mAh 3 s battery arrived this morning from HK (UK warehouse).

Suitably small and light but then it only has to provide 4.9 A maximum (13C).
So I put it on a balance charge at 1C (actually 300 mAh or 0.81 C) and oh! dear one cell showed a higher voltage.

When the other cells had reached 4.10 V I put in on a 300 mAh discharge.
Surprise, surprise the same cell showed a low voltage.

Heaven only knows how low it would be at a 4.9 A!

So a claim goes into HobbyKing.
There is a question in the claim form "What action to take if your claim is rejected" with 3 options. As you cannot return a LiPo to HK you have to select the "other" option and fill in a blank box to explain.
I just couldn't resist putting "I doubt I will order any more batteries from HK".

We shall see. Just as well there is no rush.
At least I can now position the battery for the CofG.

I would rather take up stamp collecting than buy anything from HK, I'm a firm believer in supporting "our" model shops especially in these difficult times...
Not having a pop Simon just my personal opinion...models looking good btw.

Eric wrote: With respect, Paul, if you check where things are actually manufactured, even though you purchase it 'locally', you will find it is Taiwan/Korea/China made - right down to component level!

It's not that Eric, it's the company ethics I don't support along with there attitude towards customers.
There's a very interesting thread on "the other forum" about which model shops are still trading in these tough times and while I think it was originally started by a certain model shop proprietor in order to raise awareness of his business I do agree with 99% of it.
The people behind HK will shut it down and move on the second it stops being profitable.
I a firm believer in supporting local businesses.
Any way enough of my ranting....

The last bit of time wasting nonsense - printed battery clips.

I have had to excavate a bit more out of the cockpit to give room for the micro rx, which still has not arrived although claimed posted.
The 'excavation spoil' contents now totals 4.8 g. Certainly the weight of the elevator servo.

Only modest progress.
The motor and the ESC fitted and wired up.

Went to the trouble to fit 2 mm bullets on the motor wires so it would be easy to change rotation in the very restricted space but of course it was right first time. Never is when you solder them!
Note the terrifying small JST ZH plug needed for the micro rx.
Planked around the motor and fitted the 'broken' folding prop to check the fit against the spinner.

It would look better with a shorter more rounded one.

A bit of real progress. It actually all works!
A bit cramped in the cockpit.

It is not the final rx. That is a park flyer only with a single very small aerial. Its similar replacement has 'diversity' aerials.
With a 5x3 folding prop added it weighs exactly 189 g ready to fly.
The first control test.

Sorry for the shaky video couldn't set up the tripod.

Its finished - so now I have got nothing to do.

Well not quite as the proper rx still needs to be fitted and a folding blade needs to be 'borrowed' from the Lidl foamy, unless HK eventually get some more in stock.
I did not like the rather 'pointed' spinner of the original HK folding prop so I printed another that better matches the more rounded nose of the Cheetah but still fits over the same folding unit.

Of course not as smooth a surface as the injected moulded one but 0.6 g it is 30% lighter.


Listening to the Daily Corona Virus Update it looks like there is little chance of a maiden any time soon.
Until then the jury is out on whether it has all been worth it but all I can say is it had better fly astonishingly well!

Turned out nice that, don't know how big your garden is but you could try a few gentle test glides.

Paul
Given the NW is right in the middle of a high pressure zone at the moment with 'wall to wall' sun and no wind but blank cold, I took the opportunity to do a test glide on my available flat grass area of about 40' (it used to be rather longer and open but my wife is a keen plant and shrub person.
From about the lowest shoulder height I could execute a launch it glided straight and true the full 40' and into a bush still 2' off the ground with no RC input at all!
No damage but it does suggest there can't be too much wrong with the CofG so it should be able to get away safely when under power.
Thanks for the suggestion.

Superb Simon!! That's not far off what my keil Kraft invader will do ( 150 grams according to our kitchen scales) and that's got a lifting tail and a undercambered wing, given a nice calm evening that's not going to need much power and should float about for ages, nice work.


Edit: Being bord I just took it out back and it done 80 feet from a gentle shoulder high launch, no point in giving it a proper shove as it just porpoises ...

Ignore the above.... it was 60 foot, shoulder to ground!

I don't know whether I am surprised or not but HobbyKing have approved my claim for a replacement battery and are sending one from the UK warehouse.
They even sent me an email thanking me for the 'replacement' order which is a bit bizarre!
The only problem is it will be sent by Parcel Force and Royal Mail deliveries are pretty erratic at the moment.
Still mustn't grumble as I can't actually use it at the moment.