Firefly EPP

[Trevor 25]

Ok, I give in, after seeing the fun had with the Fireflys last Sunday, I have caved in and ordered one from Avicraft.

However, there is a dearth of information regarding installation so can someone tell me the best motor/prop/esc combination in their opinion? I would like a more powerful setup if possible more like Andre's one.

[Gerard 10]

Yaay Trevor!

 

Great news. Look forward to an increasing participation in Firefly madness at the field.

 

I think Andre or Dave are your best bet for high power setup advice.

[Her Klunk 0]

Fire Fly setup

 

Cheap and chearful mine.

 

BRC hobbies do a powwer set up that works great can also be ordred from robot birds separately.

 

Combo Deal - BRC A2212-6T 2200 Kv (200W) Brushless Outrunner Motor & BRC 25A ESC. brchm061

BRC A2212-6T 200W 2200Kv Brushless Motor & BRC 25A Brushless ESC Combo Deal. For its size, a powerful brushless outrunner motor, the A2212-6T is supplied with a motor mount and domed-type prop adaptor. We supply a fu... Read more

Item available for purchase £23.00 Add to Basket

 

I run this with a 6 by four prop and a 3S1P 1000 mah longmax triple Lipo can go up to a 1200, but lighter is better and a get 10 to 20 minutes on my setup.

 

Servos I use el chepo like these from BRC.

 

BRC-9 9g Micro Servo (1.5Kg S/Torque). - 4 PACK. brchm538

BRC-9 9g Micro Servo 4 PACK (1.5Kg S/Torque) 4 PACK VALUE!! BRC HOBBIES 9g Micro servo features a powerful 1.5Kg of stall torque. This servo has a distinctive translucent blue casing with strong nylon gears. 16CM l... Read more

Item temporarily out of stock £10.00

[Bravedan 106]

Since you ask for Opinion.................

 

The Firefly was designed by "Leadfeather" as a flat plate KF section very lightweight ultra manoeuvrable "Superfly with a rudder". Parkfly and Indoor.

 

There is a massive thread and following on RCG so I'm surprised about the dearth of info bit Trevor, did Google not work for you?

I know lots of them are American, but sometimes they still manage to make English understandable!!

 

It's only 155 pages long currently.

 

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=943610

 

If you don't want to experience what it was designed for, any size motor will do, inc a 2212-6 with a 6x4, but that's strictly outdoors only, and then it isn't a Firefly any longer, but just one of many power deltas. A Dr David Halko designed Hyperfly is the best available in that field. Bar none.

 

My Firefly setup is a GC sourced SP 2204, 8x4.3 cut down to 7.5x4.3 paddle ended, 12A ESC, 500mAh 3S Indoors, up to a MAX of a 1000 mAh 3S Outdoors, same prop.

 

It's what floats your boat....................what gets to me is when people THEN complain it doesn't do what they thought it could, read all the RCG thread if you have the time and you'll see people trying to change it's design envelope, only to revert to the original concept!!!

 

A simile is the GWS Formosa (1)..........some fit huge motors and glass the foam. Still flies, of course, but is no longer what the designer intended, a lightweight parkfly pattern ship capable of accurate aerobatics at slow speed. A mate of mine did this.........it looked superb........was twice the weight of mine and despite 250 watts more was only faster for the first minute of a battery and had no ability at any battery state to fly accurate pattern esp any downlines at pattern regulated speeds.

 

 

Good Luck with whatever you choose.

[Trevor 25]

Wow, thanks for the link and the information; I am sure there is a lot of information in the RCGroups thread somewhere but it is well buried. I have settled for a medium option, 2208/12 1850kv motor with 18A esc, 130W on a 7x4 prop from Robotbirds for £12:95. If that is too tame I can always change it later.

 

Another question, there are some nice paint schemes around, any idea what paint they use and how they get those nice flashy patterns?

[Bravedan 106]

Wow, thanks for the link and the information; I am sure there is a lot of information in the RCGroups thread somewhere but it is well buried. I have settled for a medium option, 2208/12 1850kv motor with 18A esc, 130W on a 7x4 prop from Robotbirds for £12:95. If that is too tame I can always change it later.

 

Another question, there are some nice paint schemes around, any idea what paint they use and how they get those nice flashy patterns?

 

If that is too tame then you built the wrong plane.................

 

On those motors I use a 8x3.8 APC. Not in my case on a Firefly of course, as I'd not use that size motor, but roughly the same weight. Don't go too small diameter on a Fire Fly, as again you'll lose it's design brief manoeuvrability with insufficient prop wash available instantly when flying slowly. You'll end up as the Argie's Super Entendard against the Harriers.

 

Somewhere down that thread is a link to a very good video on painting EPP and FireFlies in particular, you really do need to find it!!

 

EPP takes most paint, it's not at all choosy. Spray it fairly dry and it'll cover white well without getting round the bubbles/rough bits and spoiling lines, if you have black foam then give up now, you bought from the wrong place to paint it much!! (unless you want a brick, and that's again going miles from the FireFly purpose and design)

 

Tamiya model colours are bright, and since you are not after gloss, polycarbonate versions are OK too. Halford do a good bright acrylic in a blue can non-car range, and some of the car ones are OK (the ones that are brightest like Fiat Broom Yellow, Citroen Wicked Red, Peugeot Seville Orange, etc.

 

My combat ones are all built from FlyingWings EPP. It's lighter and bends more when hit. After two initial trial combat ones, I took some foam to Avi and they cut it to save time. I applied simple geometric striped by applying masking tape, then spraying florescent as I didn't think they would last long. More than two full seasons of contact combat, being last man standing quite a bit, the first one is STILL flying.

 

I do them VERY differently each side. Helps when you are at full thrust attack after "hovering" less than 6" from a wall or inverted on the ceiling.

 

My "Sunday Best" is much more involved, with the topside mostly stars in white and fluorescent orange done by either using the white foam or spraying one colour (the star's body), then masking with cardboard stars pinned on, then spraying the contrasting area coat, then when dry using Zip Posterman pens (Micronradiocontrols) to 3D shade the star like it's above the surface. The underside is a fade from yellow to green base with a dark blue pattern over. LIGHT coats.....Fireflies are all about lightness.

[Bravedan 106]

After first paint..............This only took about an hour not including drying time.

 

 

 

And the first combat one with it's little brother............

 

[Bravedan 106]

BTW............throws..............absolute maxed out, rudder is near 90 degrees.

[Trevor 25]

For Gerard's benefit, here is the link to the Robotbirds motor/esc deal that I used in my Firefly

[Trevor 25]

Some pictures. Not an original colour scheme but highly visible. Paint is acrylic enamel from B&Q, brushed on.

 

It flew well, the motor can pull it vertically at quite a good rate and I could easily get 15 minutes on my 3S 1500mah Flightmax 20C LiPos.

 

After the first flight I noticed that a fly had got stuck under the corner of a piece of tape. So, with the flame pattern and the dead fly it really lives up to the name FireFly

Edited August 15, 2011 by Guest

[Gerard 10]

thanks very much Trevor. Will have a look.

 

i like the on board fly as copilot!

[Bravedan 106]

I want to see that fly's proof of BMFA membership......................................

 

 

[Trevor 25]

Just adding up the cost of this plane:

 

Kit - £20

Motor & ESC - £13

Prop - £2.50

Rx - £7 (Hobbyking Orange DSM2 4ch)

Servos - 3 @ £2 (Hobbyking 9g cheapies)

Links/Horns - £3

Servo extension - £1.50

Paint (4 colours) - £6

Glue (UHU Por) - £2.50

 

Total - £61.50

 

also Lipos - 2 @ £7 each

 

Not bad considering the fun to be had, assuming you already have all the charging gear etc. needed for electric flying

Edited August 16, 2011 by Guest

[Jimbo 0]

That is good isnt it...

[Gerard 10]

Got what I'm calling the "Trevor motor" from Robotbirds today.

 

Have ordered a couple of 7 x 4 and one 6 x 5.5 APC props for experimentation.

 

Speed, speed............ more speed.

 

Now Jim, when are you going to join the Firefly clan and add to the mayhem in the sky?

[hotrod 0]

What's all this speed Gerard? People who go too fast have been known to disappear up their own

Rod (coolrod)

[Jimbo 0]

Well I was actually looking at the profile Yak that Leon has... I like the lights he has on it

But, a firefly might be fun too. I should get paid and then think about it perhaps.

[Gerard 10]

What's all this speed Gerard? People who go too fast have been known to disappear up their own :oops

 

Speed in Firefly terms means faster than a quick walking pace!

 

The deluded belief that the firefly could disappear anywhere in a straightish line would be a nice luxury.

 

Onwards Scotty to warp factor 0.00000000000000000000000000000001

[Her Klunk 0]

More mayhem and chaos I like it.

 

Andre

[Bravedan 106]

Small Delta + Speed =

 

http://superflyrc.3dcartstores.com/HyperFlea_p_17.html

 

or

 

http://superflyrc.3dcartstores.com/SuperFly_p_12.html

[Trevor 25]

I want to see that fly's proof of BMFA membership......................................

 

 

Im pretty sure it has a "Bee" certificate

Edited August 17, 2011 by Guest

[Gerard 10]

Small Delta + Speed =

 

 

Thanks for the links Dave. I will have a browse.

[Her Klunk 0]

I am designing a twin version of my bit of flying foam.

 

Hope to use mixing to control dual throttle ie gives me rudder effect.

 

Andre

[Gerard 10]

Now that could be very interesting -a powered rudder!

 

Look forward to seeing developments on this one Andre.

 

The programming of the TX alone will be challenging.

 

That's what keeps this hobby endlessly entertaining.

[Bravedan 106]

Now that could be very interesting -a powered rudder!

 

Look forward to seeing developments on this one Andre.

 

The programming of the TX alone will be challenging.

 

That's what keeps this hobby endlessly entertaining.

 

 

Like my now more than two years old design Delta "Spin"? (Which I have flown at Fickleshole a few times now, is also capable of vertical Take Off, flies quite happily in a lot of wind and has a range from very quick down to a near hover)

 

The programming of the Tx isn't at all hard, for Futaba:-

 

PMix1 is Master Rudder, Slave Throttle, and a Positive percentage

PMix2 is Master Throttle, Slave Rudder, and a Negative percentage

 

Then set up the motors to rotate opposite ways (so need matching normal and pusher props, which was about the hardest bit), then adjust the mix percentages to give equal reaction from the motors. It's surprising how asymmetric these ended up on mine, +90% for one but -50% for the other.

 

APC do same style "matching" opposing rotation props, but no one importer imports them all, had to get one from Perkins and the other from Ripmax!!

 

A year plus before "Spin" I'd fitted power yaw control "rudder" to a FreeAir Mitchell bomber. Still have it. That does not have opposing rotation. Can fly perfectly controlled smooth circuits using only the left hand stick (Throttle/Rudder on Mode 2), yet has no rudders......THAT has freaked a few people, flying with the right arm dangling !!