It's that time of year again when we look at some of the best community projects out there from the previous year. So hold onto your seats as we are in for some cracking builds ladies and gentlemen. Take it away Stefan and Josh!
Sled Racer
This RC sled build was actually, rather embarrassingly, made by myself (the author of this article James Whomsley). Helpfully though, this does mean I can tell you more about it!
Using a quad motor and Flite Test water resistant foam board, this model was designed with a hull and two sponsons that were connected with dowel rods. This made the machine stable enough to zip across the smooth snow without much friction at all. Unfortunately, however, it was quite bumpy where we first tested it. Free plans and more info can be found in the full article.
Visit the creator's YouTube channel here
XB-70 Valkyrie
Ben Harber's Valkyrie project is one of the first of our new excitng Flite Test sponsored builds.
As of now, Ben has installed his six beasty EDF engines and is working on the 3D printed retractable landing gear. This monster will be debuted at one of the Flite Fest events of 2018 so watch out for more content on the Valkyrie.
This aircraft project is based on a prototype for a supersonic bomber that never made it into full production. You can read more about this 9ft long scale model in both articles that we have done on Ben's progress along with the forum thread to stay on top of every update.
Visit the creator's YouTube channel here
Dave Matthew's Giant TBM 700 Models
This chap makes huge scale models of civilian aircraft like the TBM 700. It's quite amazing how realistic you can make a model aircraft. It's pretty much on the way to being the real thing with the types of construction methods used. This one (seen below) has a wingspan of over 11ft and a length of over 10ft. To find out more about Dave Matthew and his models that you can commission, just follow the site link.
Bloody WWII Babies
One of our first community releases, the Bloody Baron designed by Dan Sponholz, was the inspiration for a whole collection of new planes to be created by the FT community in a similar minimalist style.
They're tough, easy to build and manoeuvrable which makes these aircraft perfect for combat! I'm sure there will be hundreds of these seen at the various Flite Fest events in 2018!
Here's a list of just some of the models in this series that you can build:
- Bloody Vought
- Bloody Lightning
- Bloody Fortress
- Bloody Spitfire
- Bloody Stuka
- Bloody Zero
- Bloody Mustang
- Bloody Corsaire
- Bloody Mosquito
There are many more than this. To find one that you'd like to put together, check out the forum thread for a complete collection of plans.
XF5U Flying Flapjack
The XF5U Flying Flapjack is a rather unusual machine, to say the least. I think it's safe to say that there are not many planes that look quite like a tortilla. Moving on from the food jokes, however, LocalFiend on our Forums has absolutely nailed the appearance of this forgotten warbird with a skillful use of Flite Test waterproof foam board.
If you'd like to find out more about this project, follow the links below.
Link to the creators YouTube channel
First Order Tie Fighter
This RC Quad Star Wars Tie Fighter was made by Tim MK and shared to Facebook. It has some sweet foam wings and a very detailed cockpit/fuselage pod which was probably 3D printed. It also has lights which make it great for night flying. I hope Tim makes more content on this project and shares an article soon so that we can all build our own Tie Fighters!
Video (without wings in the dark)
Mini Quad LED Race Track
Radej Rembowski shared this great indoor circuit for racing micro quads around. It would be perfect for our Gremlins. In the cold winter months, outdoor flying somewhat loses its appeal. Check out all the great features like the safety nets, direction arrows, LED strips and viewing areas which must have taken considerable effort to set up!
3D LabPrints Spitfire
Here is the 67" (1.7m) wingspan Supermarine Spitfire MKIX from 3D LabPrints. We reviewed it back in early December 2017. Check out the video if you missed it! It's performance, scale and construction quality marks a step forward for 3D printed airplanes which makes it a must-have on this list of DIY builds!
Koopa Quad! (FT Gremlin Frame)
This awesome micro quad is actually an FT Gremlin in discuise! It was designed by Hotbrass and released on Thingiverse as a downloadable STL file - so you can print one at home on your 3D Printer!
Pick up 3D printing supplies from us here
12-Foot German Bombers
At Flite Fest South we got to see two huge scratch builds. These were the JU88 and the JU188, both German bombers from the Second World War. Horizon Hobby was responsible for this amazing project. Take a look at the video if you missed it (or want to enjoy it again) and check out the article for a full build log complete with lots of pictures.
RC Airboat Sled!
Inspired again by dipping temperatures and a downfall of snow, David Jacob put together this funky looking sled for powering it about! As you can see, it's not exactly built from aerospace grade materials, but it does the job and we love that. Already we know of one individual inspired by this project to go out there and make something with what they can find - it's Stefan!
Mitch Pieper's Sea 'Chick'
This thing is almost unbelievable. Mitch Pieper made this tiny Sea Duck, based on our own FT Sea Duck designed by Josh Bixler, which is scaled down to fit in your hand. This takes some serious paper folding skill. I wonder what other designs Mitch could turn into miniature scale - it's not like the sea duck is our simplest build either! It's an outstanding job that made us all take a step back and say 'wait, what?'
We hope you're feeling inspired to get out you build materials and start creating something of your own that could appear in next years video! As always, to see more of our awesome community builds out there. check out the links below.
Flite Test Fans Facebook Group
Article written by James Whomsley
FliteTest.com Editor
No Comments Yet
Be the first to leave one!