2002_07_30_Red_Herring

These are shots of my "scratch-built" Red Herring/Chinook-style plane. It is discus launched from the tip and right now has an AUW of 5.8 oz which could be reduced by not using lead balsa for the elevons. The radio gear is GWS 4RP rx, 2x GWS Pico servos, and a 2CR5 lithium camera battery. I started with airfoil coordinates and had some handholding from the folks on the RedHerring yahoo group, but I plan to purchase the actual kit for this plane when they start producing it again. Thanks to Mark Roberts for cutting the cores to my specs.

This is a sweet flying plane; these pictures were taken just after I caught a nice thermal in the field next to my apartment and rode it all the way down the field until I was 30' over and 30' behind the treeline. She made it back upwind almost 125 yards with no trouble at all and I ended the flight with a hand catch.

Red Herring and old fin Red Herring and old fin
Red Herring and old fin Red Herring and old fin
upside down profile view of the new fin upside down profile view of the new fin
Red Herring Red Herring
Red Herring and old fin Red Herring and old fin
right side up profile view of the new fin right side up profile view of the new fin
straight-on shot (with quarter for balance). This is what you see before it hits you. straight-on shot (with quarter for balance). This is what you see before it hits you.
new and old fins, upside down new and old fins, upside down
the carbon rod stiffening the sanded 1/8 the carbon rod stiffening the sanded 1/8" contest balsa fin
my hinging (non-optimal in the gapped areas, but otherwise simple and light) my hinging (non-optimal in the gapped areas, but otherwise simple and light)