The Bug Micro HLG

[P4cm4n2000]

Swee Bro!

[Sunstorm]

Crashed the bug.

Weak glueing means fuselage split.

Answer, go back, glue again.

I'll never use UHU HART again... I think just stick to alteco superglue. Cheap and good.

[BigKid]

bro u shold try white glue, cure time is slow but use on balsa quite good!

[Sunstorm]

After some crashes during the test period, the bug now weighs 115 gms and is powered by 3 AAA batteries.

Sadly, the nose cone is dented and the fuselage is now composed of a good proportion of CA.

However, one thing encouraging, during one of the test glides the bug managed to fly a good distance - about 3/4 length of basketball court consistently with control inputs.

Completed the bug, and thus learnt basics of doing balsa wings, fuselage and covering.

I think I can do another bug at lighter weight later on.

[renold]

After some crashes during the test period, the bug now weighs 115 gms and is powered by 3 AAA batteries.

Sadly, the nose cone is dented and the fuselage is now composed of a good proportion of CA.

However, one thing encouraging, during one of the test glides the bug managed to fly a good distance - about 3/4 length of basketball court consistently with control inputs.

Completed the bug, and thus learnt basics of doing balsa wings, fuselage and covering.

I think I can do another bug at lighter weight later on.

Hi Sunstorm, since you are going to modify your Bug, why not consider to add in a small motor? For my 1 m span Bug, only needs 39g 1700kV motor with 10 A ESC. Runs on 3 Cells 1000mAh battery.

[Sunstorm]

I am not modifying my bug yet;

but later on, I might build a 0.9 - 1 m span anyway.

I prefer to build ridiculously light so that static thrust from motor is just slightly over weight.

Build light.... you might see the bug float away on a thermal!

[Sunstorm]

Hi Sunstorm, since you are going to modify your Bug, why not consider to add in a small motor? For my 1 m span Bug, only needs 39g 1700kV motor with 10 A ESC. Runs on 3 Cells 1000mAh battery.

I was thinking of using my 360 mah - 2 cell and a 15 gm UH motor on a 8 x 4 folder.

It's about 28 (battery) + 15(motor) + 15 (prop) + 9 (ESC)

total only 60 gms plus! Good for 0.9 m bug. Light too.

But I got not enough receivers....

[Sunstorm]

It has been 4 months since the last bug update.

In this 4 months, I have crashed and rebuilt the fuselage and managed a few short duration flights in the hillside park beside Republic Poly (don't go there, too many trees.) and East Coast Park at low tide.

Bug weights 105 gms. (10 gms overweight).

It uses an almost dying AR6000 receiver;

2 cell - 185mah lipo battery (Mr. Moh soldered for me from JH! excellent service as usual) and home made BEC. (parts from simlim tower - click here to find out where I got plans from)

2 Towerpro 5 gm servos gotten from....*censored*.com

Here are some photos of how the electronics are squeezed inside.

I use a coroplast hatch as it's more bendy and doesn't spring open like with balsa hatches...

See even with 185 mah 2 cell - the thing is a tight fit with the BEC and receiver.

Never use covering for new fuse....

[Kantankerous]

Late to the Bug Party!

Hello folks, after seeing how MSC's lovely little red bug handled the at the Pierce Slope Recce a week ago, I'm a tad infatuated.

I'm wondering if anyone can spare me a softcopy of plans and a quick shopping list of ingredients. (original links are now dead, pity). PS. @Joe Yap, you're plane incredible! Love these build threads. Way to go!

[Sunstorm]

I've got 2 bug fuse skeletons and 1 unskinned wing parts, you can have them if you want. Some nice fellow gave it to me a few seasons ago and after I had my fun, I unskinned the wing after it tore.

You'll need to learn how to put on skins on em.

pm me.

[Rekoj]

Would love to have one of them if you can spare it, or the build plans, those Bugs are just the coolest little birds!

Thanks

[Kantankerous]

All covered!

I only just saw your reply Sunstorm... thank you kindly (I've been busy building!). I'm good though - after a week of evenings, I'm almost done with build. I spent two evenings just figuring out how to print plans in A4 (shame on me).

Decided to lightly glass the fuse, reinforce the main wing former and put some tow on the left wingtip just in case I decide to DL it later. I reckon these have added about 10-15gms to the build. Build's been smooth thanks largely to both MSC & Joe, and I should have a few pics of my own up shortly.

[msc]

Well done Terence! See, I told you that it wasn't tough building the simple Bug, right?
One more thing I forgot to tell you, when you first fly the Bug, which have build on your own, the experience is tremendous and reward is priceless!
Have you got the small Ni-cad batteries for the Rx yet?

MS

I only just saw your reply Sunstorm... thank you kindly (I've been busy building!). I'm good though - after a week of evenings, I'm almost done with build. I spent two evenings just figuring out how to print plans in A4 (shame on me).

Decided to lightly glass the fuse, reinforce the main wing former and put some tow on the left wingtip just in case I decide to DL it later. I reckon these have added about 10-15gms to the build. Build's been smooth thanks largely to both MSC & Joe, and I should have a few pics of my own up shortly.

[Kantankerous]

Couldn't have put it better MS, the bug's just a pleasure to build! It didn't take much on my part to keep everything true, it just formed up nice. I sure hope mine will glide as well as yours did at Pierce, MS. Now that was an impressive flat glide.

No, I haven't got the right rx battery. Bought a tiny 150mah
2S lipo from jet, but I dont have a lightweight BEC option. Silly me. Would love to use a 3v lithium like Joe does, but the spektrum rx's I'm using won't work below 4v & servos fry above 6. Rats.

I've still to hook up the control rods too. That & electronics are the next chapter. Meantimes am having fun tinkering, wot!

[Kantankerous]

Managed to pick up all the electronics & rods today. Using a tiny BEC with a 2S lipo. Happy to report that the bug's flying weight is 90.5 grams, all in... how's that?