Scratchbuild JF-17 Thunder

Hi everybody!

Don´t you sometimes have in mind a plane that no one else have?  Sure many guys could build or buy typical RC Planes, Mustangs, Messerschmitts, Bae Hawks, etc. But if you want something different you must build it yourself. This is the case of this scratchbuild, a plane who isn´t so popular.

So, that´s why i choose to make this one:  

                                           JF-17 Thunder

Also i wanted to try some new things in this plane:

• Full size elevator controls, like real planes have nowdays.
• No ailerons/flaps.
• Smooth fuselage-wing roots.
• Fences to reduce the typical "Dutch roll" behavior of sweep wings. 

Specs:

EDF 64mm with a Brushless 4200kv Hercules motor.

2-  9grs Servos

30A Turnigy ESC

3s 1300 mAh battery 25C Dualsky (This discharge rate is not the best for an EDF unit, i know)

Lenght: 840mm

Wingspan: 640 mm

The building process started as i ussually does: Many draws, until i feel right about one of them, trying to keep the dimensions of the original plane but introducing some modifications to get the plane more "airwhortly", then cut the main parts as the pictures show.

A disponsable coffee cup fits perfect for the motor nozzle! and the rest of the plane is DEPRON (5mm  and 3 mm) and the tail surfaces are made it in a single piece using the servo arms glued straight into the main rib of the empennage. 

I have to use a pinewood bar like that for a strong wing then i was afraid about the air inlet turbulence but in the end that wasn´t an issue.

Here is when the things come harder, the fuselage start like a square, then a polygon, and ends as a circle. so i have to make some parts as i was building it up.

The canopy is made using a soda bottle and hot pistol.

In this point i have the chance to make the maiden flight to check how the plane fly and correct any flaw on the design. (You can see the unfinished cockpit here)

After the maiden i try to make a decent cockpit and include the wing fences, missle guides on the wing tips, and of course the paint job.

This simulated GSH 23 cannon helps to the landing, so the belly don´t get the worst part on the grass.

This is the second flight, allready painted:

The details add 83 grs to the plane, now it weight is 482grs, sadly that make it less agile, and it feels very comfortable in high alpha attitude what makes the landings smooth and easy.

On the otherside, this kind of control surfaces make the plane very sensible on the sticks!, so if you are trying to make something similar be extra carefull with the ending points and the Dual Rate/Expo. 

I hope you guys like this project and this article be useful to your next scratchbuilds! See you soon. Bye!

This is my channel on Youtube for more scratchbuild videos and stuff:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSTijUDuloNGazUlW_WSbJQ