Winston Eagle Canard.

[olwarbirds]

Paul, yup good stuff. I have designed and built prototype rc planes including some hot edf jets for years. That hinge tape will do the trick for sure. Its what we used to increase the performance of our race planes, it was amazing the speed and handling increase just by sealing up that gap. Later in this life, to late my friend Are you going to have the wings controlled by a servo or manually adjusted ? I really like the looks of this hull now...looks like something batman would be running... DJ

[785boats]

Just manual adjustment for now. I'll start at neutral while I work on strut depth & angle & cog first, & then see if adjusting the flaps makes any difference.

I started playing with the hardware yesterday. Made the motor mount from some aluminium angle by straightening out the angle a bit & drilling a few holes in it. Including a couple in the face for a water line & a servo lead.
The mount was epoxied into the hull & a couple of ply blocks added to each side of the tub to brace it a bit at the top. I'll add some glass over the base & up the walls the next time I mix up some resin.
Here's a few pics.

Then the rudder mount & servo were fitted. Because there is a big chance that the rear compartment will be full of battery, I had to make sure that the linkage was under the lip down the side of the hull. I used an old aircraft cable & tube I had lying around for that. Simply epoxied in a piece of 1/4" bass wood & epoxied the tube to that.
It had to take a bit of a curve to miss the batteries as it passed through the transom to the rudder arm. But it all runs & slides as smooth as silk.

[Fella1340]

I had to laugh when you used the phrase "lacking the imagination" when this build is full of and nothing but imagination on a grand scale. The shot of it from the back corner really shows off how bad ass it really looks. Can't wait to see what you make it do on Water. Awesome build.

[785boats]

Thanks Fella.
I sketched & doodled a few different cowlings but none of them looked right. So I just went on a slight variation on what I built before. I just couldn't think of anything else.
But it does look as if it's meant to be there, I think.

[jcald2000]

I like the apparent "Wheele Bars" built into the back of the hull.

[KillerDave]

What a great build, I love it and can't wait to see what it does on the water....

[785boats]

Thanks Dave. It will be interesting.

I'm back at work full time again so I haven't had a chance to do much lately.
Stuffing tube is installed & the hardware all drilled for, on the transom.
I got a coat of primer on the bottom & the cowl yesterday. But that's all.
Once I get a couple of coats of primer on it all over I'm going to fit it out & give it some test runs before I bother with a full paint job. No sense wasting time & paint if it needs some major structural changes.

[785boats]

I know it's been a while. But we've been busy at work & the weather wasn't good for painting.
But I shot a couple of coats of primer on last week, & had a test float Saturday.
The photos are with the batteries in the forward position.
Then I fitted all the gear on Saturday night & we had a test run on Sunday. Only an M445 to start with, but she got up on the plane quickly & was flying stable & level.

Unfortunately after only three laps the flex shaft blew apart at the coupler and at the weld on the stub. i don't know which happened first & caused the other, but I suspect the one at the weld let go first. But it ruined the stuffing tube up near the collet too, so that was it for the day. It certainly wasn't over powered just a failure I feel. It was a second hand shaft from another boat.

I had no turn fin on it, so it turned like a three legged dog. But I was pleased with the way she went in a straight line.
She's got a new tube & shaft fitted & this Sunday will be the next test day.

A merry Christmas to all.
Paul.

[Doug Smock]

A strangely sweet looking ride Paul. Well done sir.
I'm really glad the stuffing tube didn't come through the bottom of the boat when the cable let go.

[flraptor07]

That thing sits in the water nice and I really like the way the cowl came out. Kinda looks like you ran a X-Wing fighter into the back of a ML Boatworks Hydro. Can't wait to see running video! Very unique, you may have started a whole new style of boat.

[Pitts]

Awesome build Paul; shame about the failure, but promising results by the sound of things. Cant wait to see a vid of it in action.
Well done...

[785boats]

Doug.
It did loosen up the tube but she hung in there. I didn't have any of the epoxy putty around it like I normally do. But I have on the new one.

Chris.
I think it looks rather menacing sitting on the water. It reminds me of a Vikings' two headed battle axe.

Pitts.
Promising indeed.

There will definitely be video on Sunday, guys.

[RayR]

You are going to need to change that avatar. Looks fantastic!

[785boats]

Thanks Ray.
Good idea. I'll wait until there's some colour & decals on it though.
I must say, that version of the Winston Eagle you have in your avatar is one sweet looking Hydro. What are the stats on that one?

[RayR]

Can't take the credit for that one Paul. Although I plan to make that my next build in 1/10th scale. The avatar boat was built in 2007 in 1/8th scale by a gentleman in Seattle. It is the 1989 'White" Winston that ran only twice in Houston and Tri-Cities before assuming it's well known Day-Glo Orange livery. I am partial to the "obscure" boats. My other favorite is the 1993 Circus Circus backup that has the turbine cowl and exhaust from the twin wing boat.