As an ex harrier fitter, a few points to consider, the front nozzles blows cold compressed air from the first half of the engine turbines, then the rear nozzles blows the combusted air out of the second engine stage. the harrier had a 50 gallon distilled water tank to divert in to the hot nozzles for added lift when heavy on arms and fuel. the harrier also flew with a auto stabilise computer to control the wing tip ducts. my thoughts: piggy back two edfs for each set of nozzles, and deliver the air separately, also stagger nozzle transition slightly to hold more lift, also a small gated edf to blow through tubes facing up and down at the wingtips and nose and tail to stabilise the aircraft , can you use gyro and gated direction box to provide the stabilising force, the later harriers used HOTAS system to stabilize in hover, this system is only required i hover as normal flight controls take over in forward flight. I'm happy if these ideas don't apply to your model but maybe something is useful.
Your explanations are interesting not boring. I love that you stick to authenticity of the real design rather than taking an 'easy' way out by changing things. Imagine how hard the original plane was to design while having to be combat ready and carry humans.
A few years back such an RC model would have been science fiction. It's amazing what a focused modeler can achieve, with today' technology. Well done, sir.
so awesome! Getting a stable hover with this setup is a big achievement! Someday back to bleed puffers for roll and pitch, but for now this is awesome. You are reaching your goal by iterative design and it's paying off! Soon there will only be one goal remaining and that is decreasing mass! Can't wait for the first transition flight!
Great explanation Joel. Even the actual harrier would struggle to vtol with a full load of fuel and ammo, hence the short take offs and vertical landings. Even then the landings were with a much lighter aircraft with less fuel and armament load. With an electric motor and battery system the model does not lose any weight during the flight.!!! Keep going, you will get there.
Have you thought of, like a previous poster suggested, using two edfs? Essentially copy your forward edf and nozzle assembly and place them in tandem. The forward edf will be feeding the aft edf. Might have to down-tune the rpm of the aft edf because the tandem arrangement might produce too much thrust for the aft lift nozzles. You might utilize the extra aft edf thrust by diverting it to the wingtips for the roll jets. That means printing small ducts to each wingtip. Your current Harrier design looks and functions beautifully!
Love your work. Congratulations so far. I would love to see this model hover over some coloured smoke. It would be very useful to verify for certain that none of the exhaust stream is being re-ingested through the Pegasus. hopefully this might result in improved efficiency / thrust for little / no extra weight gain.
Very impressive engineering young man! Looks like you've had to learn a lot and applying that knowledge. I really hope you are doing this for/with school! The world not only needs more aviation engineers but passionate ones! Keep it up! Would be cool to be able to sell the design to an RC plane company. Looking at possible price points.... suspect it'll be a bit much for like a Horizon or Motion RC. I could see this bird coming in at least over a grand ($1,000 US). But, some of the more custom outfits may be interested. I know a lot of hobbyists that would love to have the Jump Jet in their hanger....lol. Electric really creates a lot of challenges. Not like you can join up with a tanker in air and top off the tanks. Also, most people don't realize....when it comes to Lipos...you can hit a weight/kWh break point. The more weight you carry, the more kWh you suck up. Add to it hovering.....forget about it! That's a power suck! Many people don't realize either....the Harrier was NOT a supersonic fighter. I believe it topped out around .97 mach. It wasn't designed to be an interceptor. It was designed to kill tanks in Europe, provide CAS and BVR air to air engagements. Short range but....able to operate out of forward op bases in fields and parking lots when the Soviet hoard was rolling through Poland on its way to Berlin.....lol. It was a special use fighter and...the Brits used it well beyond it's design and flawlessly in the Falklands. It was taking down Mirage jets....with combat tactics! It was never....ever....intended to take on the Mirage or any supersonic fighter! It's been fun watching your journey and always looking forward to your next update. Keep it up, kid. Doing a hell of a job!!!! Cheers!
First very well done! - I think you need to re-do the heavy printed Air supplying system, only the front and the moving parts need to be printed, the Air ducting zone could be done designed with rolled up film tube or done with milled balsa. (2 halfes glued together). That way you might save 4-600 gramm. Good luck!
That ducting is a work of art... you are clever man Sir. On the question of thrust, have you thght about polishing the ducts and fluting them in order to focus the power?
I’ll try my very best thankyou, but I’m just halfway there. The next step is to remove the roll edf, just like het deel Harrier I need continues bleed air running for roll during normal flight. It would roll over during slow speeds if I wouldn’t have that
Outstanding information, presented in concise form. I am continually astonished at the results of your designs and commitment. The aircraft alone are an accomplishment, but also creating content for UA-cam is amazing. I saw a somewhat critical comment to one of your videos a while back, it was petty and showed the ignorance of the writer. The real Harriers have an absolute beast of a turbofan, it makes outbound transition look easy. The EDF can only move so much air. I wish people would watch/listen or read more and post less. Thank you for all you do.
My only thoughts are maybe moving smaller EDF's into Nozzles, depending on thrust without current EDF, forcing more air thru, but that requires more work more batteries & Weight & Size, so NOT a solution, but a redesign of Engine body seems like a good idea, Been watching your Harrier build for a while, still great content, living vicariously through your work, as a disable retiree, THANK YOU Joel & Melanie ....
ps. under the airframe there two large strakes to help hold air under the fuselage and these were book ended by the nose and main undercarriage doors, to create a pocket of trapped air.
Thank you but I cant find where it is flying forward, the nosels are always down holding the plane up. Can it fly forward fast and generate lift with its wings like a normal plane and take off on a runway like a normal plane, thanks.
My thought would be small edf fans in each nozzle path as near to the exit as possible to the exhaust velocity you lost due to the convoluted plumbing. If you still have the gas pressure from the velocity loss at the small edf it should be pretty efficient I would think.
Could be a Nice idea but the exhaust nozzles are 55mm in diameter, where to find a 55mm fan with 2,5kg of preasure? I need 10Kg of static thrust to escape ground effects
I’m suggesting adding small low power, light weight edfs to your current setup to help recover the 30% of thrust you’re losing to back pressure. You could possibly use them to give you some pitch control in a hover too. If you make them more powerful then you might get some roll authority out of them but they would have very little moment so I doubt it’s worth the weight. I have some ideas for making working puffers, valved off the control surface servos if you’re interested. Might save some weight when you get enough “T” to work on that. I hope my ideas help, or spark ideas that help. I want to see that beauty do the full hover takeoff, transition to horizontal, and vertical landing one day.
Rolling take off like they do on the British Aircraft Carriers jump jet style? Distributing the weight more evenly across the airframe? Carbon fiber fuselage? I’m just trying to think of what my dad would do…
Iam sure you have been asked this question before, if you are looking for "SCALE" would you not achieve that with a turbine? Or is your main goal, electric?
I guess the transition is the holy grail for this project but you have already conquered so much of what others couldn't with your harrier . Maybe a solution to the transition conundrum with some kind of development of automation hardware 🤔🤷♂️
Hey cool, but when a project is not finished I can’t sell you the files, i would have alot of service work afterwards. That cost time i dont have. Together with my friends from Rc-jetprint we decided to build a 105mm version for you to build, goal is 2025 after this demonstrator model is finished. I will make a videos this sunday
Hypothetically- Your competing against others who have the exact model... the competition has many categories, one of which is efficiency, or how long can, from stand still on ground get up to a specific height, then reverse in hover to a point A, continuing in hover a distance forward to point B, returning to take off point where endurance is the name of the game- where the objection is to hover for as long as possible. Finally landing within a safe parameter within battery capabilities- everyone has the same materials(as currently available)- there is also the services of PCB way available to all... What could be done for you to be the ultimate champion in the efficiency category? Would doing so compromise any other areas, being, fight characteristics, 360 capabilities/ aerobatics/ maneuverability, speed, realism... Can "stock" components be modified to provide you with positive performance? Example- in competitive slot car races, racers set their gear mesh to incredible spec... where the minimal friction is incurred- also area is reduced to the minimal effective amounts, making the gears as wide or thin as function permits...same with wheels- barely anything at front and wide grippy rubber in the rear- where the pros leave behind the average Joes is they take that llil extra to get to the next level of performance and squeeze out all they can- speaking of can, again slot car racing(very competitive) the motors are fully customized...some unwind the copper wire and wind up their own with a higher quality copper wire- depending on requirements possibly adding or subtracting winding count. Replacing other materials with exotic variants- think carbon fiber, magnesium, titanium, aluminum lighter, stronger, more conductive, less resistant, more heat dissipate. Your central power unit- could the stock materials be replaced with carbon fiber? The EDC, can the barrel be made out of carbon? Keeep in mind carbon can be conductive causing "electrical gremlins" or if creative...more weight savings removing wiring(resistance and heat having to be a serious consideration). The ducting structure, could efficiencies be found in other applications? How is HVAC done on airplanes? I am sure some light weight materials are utilized for the ducting- could you replace the heavier plastics for something like the aluminum foil accordion style? Power? Utilize capacitors? When it comes down to projects like this, having a mind set of a competitive type- were all your competitors are all on the same level of excellence, where that small change can make the largest difference- here's another real world example (though considered cheating at a latter point)- In Trans Am racing Penske utilized 'acid dipping' to lower their racing weight all the while a secondary car was swapped out for an weight checks- difficult to notice, this gave them a big advantage in competition. Does the whole fuselage need to be made by 3d print? Can basal wood ..or a balsawood/ carbon rod tube with a skin be used to lighten the weight? Lighter weight, longer hoover times...
The reason you don’t have models that can transition is because you spend zero effort on developing a smooth and gradual transition. Over four years ago you have an F35 Concept Frame for Transition. The first video Sept 20, 2020 shows one very clumsy outbound transition and the inbound looks ok. The second video Sept 21, 2020 the outbound transitions are better but it still looks too quick with some instability. More recently you have the “Kestrel-X” test airframe and it has another clumsy outbound transition with a severe nose-up pitch. A smooth gradual outbound transition is going to require probably 2 or 3 intermediate nozzle positions like starting 90 degrees (vertical) to 80 to 60 to 30 to 0 (horizontal). Each position will require sufficient time to allow the model to accelerate and the entire affair may take 15 - 20 seconds or more. Also you may have to program different PID values into the controller as the wings and tail start to become effective at higher speed. All of this is true for both Harrier and F35B. The footage at the start of this video looks like the nozzles are about 70 degrees so you already have the first step at least for this model! Inbound transition already look reasonable what you are doing. I don’t see that you need any more power than what you have in many of your Harrier and F-35B models, and thrust/weight of 1.5 is not necessary if you can develop a SMOOTH transition technique. Here are some numbers on the full size AV-8B for vertical takeoff T/W = 23,500 lb/20,755 lb = 1.13. There will be some efficiency for the full size aircraft compared to the model, but T/W 1.13 is pretty far from T/W 1.5 that you are trying to achieve. The footage at the start of this video demonstrates this Harrier can already build some initial speed with no loss in height so I think that proves my point. With a smooth transition I believe this model and many other Harrier/F35B you already built can do the inbound AND outbound transitions. You will almost certainly crash some models as you develop this capability but that is the cost of progress and you will be forgiven! I believe you now have TWO test airframes so use them for the research effort then you can apply the lessons learned to both Harrier and F35B. Also you’re going build another Harrier so why not sacrifice this one for some testing? Personally I’m more excited to see a model that is the exact scale outline with 90% details but it operates like the real jet compared to 99% scale details that can only hover or CTOL. From so many comments I see asking about transition I think other viewers would agree. Sorry for my aggressive tone in previous comments, but for ten years there is so little progress on this.
Thanks for being honest, respect that. Just a simple question, is there someone else in the world this far? The truth during these years beside my fulltime dayjob and full time daddy for 2 kids, is just hobby for me with a million % passion. During these years i’ve met wonderfull minds like you to help and to get involved in this hobby and to make it work. Now Finally ive teamed up with scale-jets to build a strong Composite airframe professionally, that is the power of Social media🤩 The 1.5 is very important for this compare to your 1.13 i have an electro edf not a real live turbine. Its better to have an relaxing electro hover setup without an overheating edf motor with 1.5 than running it continuesly 100% on 1.13…the lipo will dead emtpy in a minute..and like i told in the video, i do need 1.5 atleast to escape ground effects, what I’m Trying to tell you, it all needs to be in balance. I’m not a Aerospace engineer but I just do know after alot of attempt for many years. Test after test. I’m on the right way with this setup. Back in 2021 i couldn’t take off with the exact same setup design with 5,5kg model, now this model is 7Kg include all servo’s and I have 1,5 minute hover with an 12S 4500 setup. Amazing! just because the lipo are keeping the voltage these days. But too much more details to discuss . I like to do it my way with input from you and many others. and i am not selling this demonstrator 1:7 size 3D printed model. Its my private hobby project But comments like yours are sharp please keep doing that! 😃
It's probably a stupid idea and would definitely raise the overall weight, but is it possible to use two fans in series. A big fan up front forcing air into a conical section that feeds a second fan? The second fan is now working on a slightly compressed air feed? You'd be attempting to mimic an actual jet engine. If nothing else, it'd be fun to set it up and see what sort of thrust it would generate.
My most Epic Test sofar complete with Servo’s and landing gear, and before Some are going to Complain another “hover” video please Watch the video first where i do alot of explanation and a Forward flight video🎉😊❤❤
For who are wondering for the flying test video>>>> ua-cam.com/video/6hRdkY2aDlU/v-deo.htmlsi=BsfsAJCnUNJDBpTI
As an ex harrier fitter, a few points to consider, the front nozzles blows cold compressed air from the first half of the engine turbines, then the rear nozzles blows the combusted air out of the second engine stage. the harrier had a 50 gallon distilled water tank to divert in to the hot nozzles for added lift when heavy on arms and fuel. the harrier also flew with a auto stabilise computer to control the wing tip ducts. my thoughts: piggy back two edfs for each set of nozzles, and deliver the air separately, also stagger nozzle transition slightly to hold more lift, also a small gated edf to blow through tubes facing up and down at the wingtips and nose and tail to stabilise the aircraft , can you use gyro and gated direction box to provide the stabilising force, the later harriers used HOTAS system to stabilize in hover, this system is only required i hover as normal flight controls take over in forward flight. I'm happy if these ideas don't apply to your model but maybe something is useful.
Your explanations are interesting not boring. I love that you stick to authenticity of the real design rather than taking an 'easy' way out by changing things. Imagine how hard the original plane was to design while having to be combat ready and carry humans.
You are Awesome and gave me boost! De spot on my friend!
Not boring at all Joel! People need to understand what a huge feat this is to conquer. Love you work and talent!!!
Take notes Motion RC. This is badazz!!
Very cool, Harrier flight! Thanks again for sharing this!
I don't fly radio controlled models myself, but I found this absolutely fascinating
Man that jet sound is just super awesome! Great job sir!
if I'm not mistaken, then you've been working on this kind of project for years, you finally did it! Good Job!
Its super difficult, and these days the lipos batteries are way better
The earlier projects were F-35 based. There are plenty of those flight vids posted. His main problems have been flight transition.
I love the Harrier jump jet and I am very happy for your perseverance and good will in this very complex RC project. Congratulations and good luck!
Thank you very much!
A few years back such an RC model would have been science fiction. It's amazing what a focused modeler can achieve, with today' technology.
Well done, sir.
Thankyou so much, it means the world to me, many many years into this😃
I for one am extremely impressed at what you have accomplished with these VTOL projects and I very much look forward to seeing where you take this 😊
I for two!
so awesome! Getting a stable hover with this setup is a big achievement! Someday back to bleed puffers for roll and pitch, but for now this is awesome. You are reaching your goal by iterative design and it's paying off! Soon there will only be one goal remaining and that is decreasing mass! Can't wait for the first transition flight!
You are a GENIUS.
Great job on the Pegasus engine module. !
very good explanation of your problems, the numbers are impressive... you'll get it done , good luck!!
Excellent Work!
Awesome 😎👍🏾 Jet Av-8B Harrier 👍🏾👍🏾😎😎
Great explanation Joel. Even the actual harrier would struggle to vtol with a full load of fuel and ammo, hence the short take offs and vertical landings. Even then the landings were with a much lighter aircraft with less fuel and armament load. With an electric motor and battery system the model does not lose any weight during the flight.!!! Keep going, you will get there.
I promise you never to give up on this project🤟
Keep at it Joel. Hawker Siddley first flew the P1127 in 1960, and the AV8B followed several years and intermediate models later.
Have you thought of, like a previous poster suggested, using two edfs? Essentially copy your forward edf and nozzle assembly and place them in tandem. The forward edf will be feeding the aft edf. Might have to down-tune the rpm of the aft edf because the tandem arrangement might produce too much thrust for the aft lift nozzles.
You might utilize the extra aft edf thrust by diverting it to the wingtips for the roll jets. That means printing small ducts to each wingtip.
Your current Harrier design looks and functions beautifully!
Very cool Joel. You're doing the hardwork for the rest of us
You’re welcome😃
Love your work. Congratulations so far. I would love to see this model hover over some coloured smoke. It would be very useful to verify for certain that none of the exhaust stream is being re-ingested through the Pegasus. hopefully this might result in improved efficiency / thrust for little / no extra weight gain.
Very impressive engineering young man! Looks like you've had to learn a lot and applying that knowledge. I really hope you are doing this for/with school! The world not only needs more aviation engineers but passionate ones! Keep it up!
Would be cool to be able to sell the design to an RC plane company. Looking at possible price points.... suspect it'll be a bit much for like a Horizon or Motion RC. I could see this bird coming in at least over a grand ($1,000 US). But, some of the more custom outfits may be interested. I know a lot of hobbyists that would love to have the Jump Jet in their hanger....lol.
Electric really creates a lot of challenges. Not like you can join up with a tanker in air and top off the tanks. Also, most people don't realize....when it comes to Lipos...you can hit a weight/kWh break point. The more weight you carry, the more kWh you suck up. Add to it hovering.....forget about it! That's a power suck!
Many people don't realize either....the Harrier was NOT a supersonic fighter. I believe it topped out around .97 mach. It wasn't designed to be an interceptor. It was designed to kill tanks in Europe, provide CAS and BVR air to air engagements. Short range but....able to operate out of forward op bases in fields and parking lots when the Soviet hoard was rolling through Poland on its way to Berlin.....lol.
It was a special use fighter and...the Brits used it well beyond it's design and flawlessly in the Falklands. It was taking down Mirage jets....with combat tactics! It was never....ever....intended to take on the Mirage or any supersonic fighter!
It's been fun watching your journey and always looking forward to your next update. Keep it up, kid. Doing a hell of a job!!!! Cheers!
First very well done! - I think you need to re-do the heavy printed Air supplying system, only the front and the moving parts need to be printed, the Air ducting zone could be done designed with rolled up film tube or done with milled balsa. (2 halfes glued together). That way you might save 4-600 gramm. Good luck!
Fully Agreed!!
Vacuum formed poly might work well for the areas you mentioned
Now you MUST paint it as the real, original AV-8 “Harrier”, possibly as the GB Harrier
That ducting is a work of art... you are clever man Sir. On the question of thrust, have you thght about polishing the ducts and fluting them in order to focus the power?
I love this idea, im planning to go back to Composite to save weight and get the ducting more clean and smooth!
Your work is so impressive, I am always left inspired.
Genius! Congratulations.
Thankyou
If you sell, I will buy one!!
Yeah, definitely a big challenge. Good show! You probably have the only RC Harrier in he world. Now I heard that the US Marines are hiring... Cheers!
I’ll try my very best thankyou, but I’m just halfway there. The next step is to remove the roll edf, just like het deel Harrier I need continues bleed air running for roll during normal flight. It would roll over during slow speeds if I wouldn’t have that
With this technology you could make a model like the one imagined by the Andersons for Space 1999 of Eagle One
Stunning. Well done.
Very impressive 👍
AWESOMENESS!!!! EXCELLENT JOB...!!!🙏🙏👍👍💖💖😉😉🥂🥂🔥🔥HAPPY NEW YEARS...!!! 😎😎
Outstanding information, presented in concise form. I am continually astonished at the results of your designs and commitment. The aircraft alone are an accomplishment, but also creating content for UA-cam is amazing. I saw a somewhat critical comment to one of your videos a while back, it was petty and showed the ignorance of the writer. The real Harriers have an absolute beast of a turbofan, it makes outbound transition look easy. The EDF can only move so much air. I wish people would watch/listen or read more and post less.
Thank you for all you do.
Would a little hybrid gas powered generator help to extend the flight time?
Or would we just be entering the "diminishing returns" territory?
AV-8B Harrier hoving ✈✈✈✈❤❤❤
My only thoughts are maybe moving smaller EDF's into Nozzles, depending on thrust without current EDF, forcing more air thru, but that requires more work more batteries & Weight & Size, so NOT a solution, but a redesign of Engine body seems like a good idea, Been watching your Harrier build for a while, still great content, living vicariously through your work, as a disable retiree, THANK YOU Joel & Melanie ....
You’re welcome
ps. under the airframe there two large strakes to help hold air under the fuselage and these were book ended by the nose and main undercarriage doors, to create a pocket of trapped air.
Cool
Made my day!🎉❤
Me 2 I’m so super happy now, reading your comments is amazing
GREAT
Keep up the great content, would it be possible to increase the scale size so a large EDF can be used? I know weight is a big factor.
Is there a video of it going from hover to full speed forward flight as so far ive only seen hover mode videos no fast jet videos
The fast flying video is in this video’s of you watched it in the flying section
Thank you but I cant find where it is flying forward, the nosels are always down holding the plane up. Can it fly forward fast and generate lift with its wings like a normal plane and take off on a runway like a normal plane, thanks.
My thought would be small edf fans in each nozzle path as near to the exit as possible to the exhaust velocity you lost due to the convoluted plumbing. If you still have the gas pressure from the velocity loss at the small edf it should be pretty efficient I would think.
Could be a Nice idea but the exhaust nozzles are 55mm in diameter, where to find a 55mm fan with 2,5kg of preasure? I need 10Kg of static thrust to escape ground effects
I’m suggesting adding small low power, light weight edfs to your current setup to help recover the 30% of thrust you’re losing to back pressure. You could possibly use them to give you some pitch control in a hover too. If you make them more powerful then you might get some roll authority out of them but they would have very little moment so I doubt it’s worth the weight. I have some ideas for making working puffers, valved off the control surface servos if you’re interested. Might save some weight when you get enough “T” to work on that. I hope my ideas help, or spark ideas that help. I want to see that beauty do the full hover takeoff, transition to horizontal, and vertical landing one day.
Do you pre warm your Li-Po packs to 20-25 degrees?
Yes, more voltage
Where/when is the high speed flight in this video?
Video on this channel
@@Joelmelanie So, basically a clickbait title.
two batteries,... one used to take off one used for forward flight.
can it fly like a normal jet? I didnt see any.
Than you didn’t see the entire video my friend, the flying prototype is in this video
JATO rockets for vertical takeoff assist, it’s a cheat, but you just need a 2kg solid Rocket motor buried in the fuselage somewhere.
Awesome!!!!!
Rolling take off like they do on the British Aircraft Carriers jump jet style?
Distributing the weight more evenly across the airframe?
Carbon fiber fuselage?
I’m just trying to think of what my dad would do…
Exactly 100% spot on! I Found a compagny who is willing to invest and build moulds 😃
Iam sure you have been asked this question before, if you are looking for "SCALE" would you not achieve that with a turbine? Or is your main goal, electric?
I guess the transition is the holy grail for this project but you have already conquered so much of what others couldn't with your harrier . Maybe a solution to the transition conundrum with some kind of development of automation hardware 🤔🤷♂️
Going to find a solution in INAV?!😅
Questions 😅and then 5
Can you sell these stl files for us to build..
Hey cool, but when a project is not finished I can’t sell you the files, i would have alot of service work afterwards. That cost time i dont have. Together with my friends from Rc-jetprint we decided to build a 105mm version for you to build, goal is 2025 after this demonstrator model is finished. I will make a videos this sunday
Why not try a ramp as the Sea Harrier does?
Like the idea!!!
Harrier is pretty cool but i still waiting for F-35 1:8 or 1:6 so hurry up please :)
Climb vertical, then nose down, transition and fly away!
I need to make a Composite wing for that
Doesn’t the real Harrier normally do a rollling takeoff, with a ramp, then land vertically when on ships?
Yes indeed
5:11 Yea, dealing with EDF.... Electric...is a lot different than say a GM turbofan jet engine....lol.
I love that turbofan
I love this plane I want to buy it from you can you build one for me? I have the money for it
I know but for now is development, Lets fly her first with inbound flight
Hypothetically- Your competing against others who have the exact model... the competition has many categories, one of which is efficiency, or how long can, from stand still on ground get up to a specific height, then reverse in hover to a point A, continuing in hover a distance forward to point B, returning to take off point where endurance is the name of the game- where the objection is to hover for as long as possible. Finally landing within a safe parameter within battery capabilities- everyone has the same materials(as currently available)- there is also the services of PCB way available to all...
What could be done for you to be the ultimate champion in the efficiency category? Would doing so compromise any other areas, being, fight characteristics, 360 capabilities/ aerobatics/ maneuverability, speed, realism...
Can "stock" components be modified to provide you with positive performance? Example- in competitive slot car races, racers set their gear mesh to incredible spec... where the minimal friction is incurred- also area is reduced to the minimal effective amounts, making the gears as wide or thin as function permits...same with wheels- barely anything at front and wide grippy rubber in the rear- where the pros leave behind the average Joes is they take that llil extra to get to the next level of performance and squeeze out all they can- speaking of can, again slot car racing(very competitive) the motors are fully customized...some unwind the copper wire and wind up their own with a higher quality copper wire- depending on requirements possibly adding or subtracting winding count. Replacing other materials with exotic variants- think carbon fiber, magnesium, titanium, aluminum lighter, stronger, more conductive, less resistant, more heat dissipate.
Your central power unit- could the stock materials be replaced with carbon fiber? The EDC, can the barrel be made out of carbon? Keeep in mind carbon can be conductive causing "electrical gremlins" or if creative...more weight savings removing wiring(resistance and heat having to be a serious consideration).
The ducting structure, could efficiencies be found in other applications? How is HVAC done on airplanes? I am sure some light weight materials are utilized for the ducting- could you replace the heavier plastics for something like the aluminum foil accordion style?
Power? Utilize capacitors?
When it comes down to projects like this, having a mind set of a competitive type- were all your competitors are all on the same level of excellence, where that small change can make the largest difference- here's another real world example (though considered cheating at a latter point)- In Trans Am racing Penske utilized 'acid dipping' to lower their racing weight all the while a secondary car was swapped out for an weight checks- difficult to notice, this gave them a big advantage in competition. Does the whole fuselage need to be made by 3d print? Can basal wood ..or a balsawood/ carbon rod tube with a skin be used to lighten the weight? Lighter weight, longer hoover times...
Love to read your thoughts, thankyou 🤘🥂let me build number 2 first and updrade from this model
The reason you don’t have models that can transition is because you spend zero effort on developing a smooth and gradual transition. Over four years ago you have an F35 Concept Frame for Transition. The first video Sept 20, 2020 shows one very clumsy outbound transition and the inbound looks ok. The second video Sept 21, 2020 the outbound transitions are better but it still looks too quick with some instability. More recently you have the “Kestrel-X” test airframe and it has another clumsy outbound transition with a severe nose-up pitch. A smooth gradual outbound transition is going to require probably 2 or 3 intermediate nozzle positions like starting 90 degrees (vertical) to 80 to 60 to 30 to 0 (horizontal). Each position will require sufficient time to allow the model to accelerate and the entire affair may take 15 - 20 seconds or more. Also you may have to program different PID values into the controller as the wings and tail start to become effective at higher speed. All of this is true for both Harrier and F35B. The footage at the start of this video looks like the nozzles are about 70 degrees so you already have the first step at least for this model! Inbound transition already look reasonable what you are doing.
I don’t see that you need any more power than what you have in many of your Harrier and F-35B models, and thrust/weight of 1.5 is not necessary if you can develop a SMOOTH transition technique. Here are some numbers on the full size AV-8B for vertical takeoff T/W = 23,500 lb/20,755 lb = 1.13. There will be some efficiency for the full size aircraft compared to the model, but T/W 1.13 is pretty far from T/W 1.5 that you are trying to achieve. The footage at the start of this video demonstrates this Harrier can already build some initial speed with no loss in height so I think that proves my point. With a smooth transition I believe this model and many other Harrier/F35B you already built can do the inbound AND outbound transitions. You will almost certainly crash some models as you develop this capability but that is the cost of progress and you will be forgiven! I believe you now have TWO test airframes so use them for the research effort then you can apply the lessons learned to both Harrier and F35B. Also you’re going build another Harrier so why not sacrifice this one for some testing?
Personally I’m more excited to see a model that is the exact scale outline with 90% details but it operates like the real jet compared to 99% scale details that can only hover or CTOL. From so many comments I see asking about transition I think other viewers would agree. Sorry for my aggressive tone in previous comments, but for ten years there is so little progress on this.
Thanks for being honest, respect that. Just a simple question, is there someone else in the world this far? The truth during these years beside my fulltime dayjob and full time daddy for 2 kids, is just hobby for me with a million % passion. During these years i’ve met wonderfull minds like you to help and to get involved in this hobby and to make it work. Now Finally ive teamed up with scale-jets to build a strong Composite airframe professionally, that is the power of Social media🤩 The 1.5 is very important for this compare to your 1.13 i have an electro edf not a real live turbine. Its better to have an relaxing electro hover setup without an overheating edf motor with 1.5 than running it continuesly 100% on 1.13…the lipo will dead emtpy in a minute..and like i told in the video, i do need 1.5 atleast to escape ground effects, what I’m Trying to tell you, it all needs to be in balance. I’m not a Aerospace engineer but I just do know after alot of attempt for many years. Test after test. I’m on the right way with this setup. Back in 2021 i couldn’t take off with the exact same setup design with 5,5kg model, now this model is 7Kg include all servo’s and I have 1,5 minute hover with an 12S 4500 setup. Amazing! just because the lipo are keeping the voltage these days. But too much more details to discuss . I like to do it my way with input from you and many others. and i am not selling this demonstrator 1:7 size 3D printed model. Its my private hobby project But comments like yours are sharp please keep doing that! 😃
It's probably a stupid idea and would definitely raise the overall weight, but is it possible to use two fans in series. A big fan up front forcing air into a conical section that feeds a second fan? The second fan is now working on a slightly compressed air feed? You'd be attempting to mimic an actual jet engine. If nothing else, it'd be fun to set it up and see what sort of thrust it would generate.
Your hovering is successful, but transistional flight is many people's question
I have explained in this video why is that difficult and what i need to perform that part
@Joelmelanie but all are want to see your successful S/VTOL off both take off transitional foward flight & vertical landing
Maybe this year, got alot of help from professionals this time🍻
Boring? Certainly not, I could watch you all day. Please don't laugh, but don't they make miniature jet engines for models these days?
very amazing but way to expensive
I know, the schubeler alone is 3K
Drop the electric motor and use a genuine liquid fuel turbine.
Doesn’t material selection/heat management add a whole other level of complexity, then?
Sell your plans and STL files and get other people helping you and get this to offset your cost of this thing. GOOD LUCK!
Now, transitional flight.
Use a gas turbine
Dont forget to subscribe to help me to reach 100K subscribers ❤
My most Epic Test sofar complete with Servo’s and landing gear, and before Some are going to Complain another “hover” video please Watch the video first where i do alot of explanation and a Forward flight video🎉😊❤❤
Надо лететь как самолёт то