RCCOMBAT Forum

Is anybody flying competitively with some dihedral - no ailerons - elevator & rudder only [?]

If it can be done - without sacrificing much manuverability - it'd make for a super-simple wing build. And I like the sound of that.

Most of the rudder guys have switched to ailerons, I don't know why.

Tater,
If you ever try a rudder only plane, just make sure you have a hot motor. You'll drive the guy's NUT'S trying to catch you! Lots of power really helps plus a lite plane. When you get a Rudder only plane tuned in right (Which is not that hard to do) You'll love the manuverability!! It takes some getting used to, but they can be a MONSTER and tons of fun to fly in combat. Good luck and keep us posted on what happens. When I started flying Rudder only planes it just took some testing and they will really turn on a DIME and give ya 9 cents change![:D] Give it a try, you'll like it. Used to be all I flew in combat, but being a kit manufactor at the time, folks didn't really understand them and didn't take time to get used to them. I went to ailerons pretty much because that's what folks wanted to buy. You CAN compete in any combat and do well if you just spend the time to get the hang of them! Again GOOD LUCK, and keep us posted.

Tater,
One more thing I'd like to add here on the rudder only deal. The more the dihedrel the faster the turn. In combat I use 8" and for sport 5". But 8" will for sure get you in the game and VERY hard to catch! Lay one core flat and raise the other core up 8" and HANG ON![;)]

just a couple more comments from a former rudder guy.

a little sweep imitates dihedral, so put 1 or 2 " of sweep.

the big problem i had with rudder was the lack of wing. i tryed all sorts of things to get a longer wing but never was happy. had to go to ailerons to get the wingspan.

ben's right about the speed. rudder planes for ssc are not much fun. the rudders like speed, the more the better.

slam

Well - I can only do so much with the dihedral & stay true to 2548 "scale". I e-mailed a PDF of my design in progress - to me at home, from me at work - but my Outlook Express stripped the attachment for me. I got no secrets here - so I'll post my progress in a build thread over at www.wildwingscombat.com - as soon as I can. BTW - I'm doing a P-40 Warhawk. I assume I should do a flat-bottom foil - to take more advantahe of the dihedral?

Hey SLAM - Why would you need ailerons to get more wingspan? I don't get that.

Tater,
Yes, for me a Mod. Clark Y. is pretty much a good flat bottom wing and works well. Scale planes are another story, as you said about only being able to have "So much" dihedral. HI SLAM!!!! Can you comment on the scale "Rudder Plane"[:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D] See ya in a week!

Tater,

i run a 60" wingspan now for more streamer cutting wing. i tried to get a long wing on a rudder plane but couldn't get the long wing to perform like the 48" wing.

NOW....you didn't mention you wanted to put it on a scale plane, that changes ALOT.

as far as i know, i'm the only one crazy enough to try that. i have built boeings, thunderbolt, and for the nats i had fairey fireflys that were rudder planes.

the fireflys flew the best as the wing was just about the same wing i was using for open. it has really thick cord wings.

i got FLAMED after showing up at nats with a rudder scale plane. it was pretty acurately scaled but flew like nothing else out there. not to say it flew well. aparently rudder planes like to have a top wing to get the pendulum effect, a bottom wing rudder plane kinda wallows in the turns.[:(]

the plane was very difficult to follow for pursuit but was equally difficult to fly.[:D]

i also don't think a rudder plane will be able to be competitive in ssc, limited b, or 2548, because of the slow speeds, they really like the speed.

if you want to continue on this project, i would suggest making a mockup plane with a bottom wing and see how she flies (before spending alot of time on scale looks etc.) also if i can help in any way let me know. again i have some unique perspectives on this subject.[}:)]

slam

As a side note, at the 2002 NENATS Slam took first place in 2610 flying a P-47 rudder bird. His evasion moves were all rudder bug style zig zag turn inside itself sorta of stuff, but he had adapted to rudder flying so well he could pursue the aileron planes with real subtly. He demonstrated rudder planes are not just for the furball. His scores showed it.

You might want to think about going 4 chanel to take advantage of the dihedral of scale planes.