kuki

Dave, did they arrive now to UK?
...just curious because I did not get any notification about my Diablo delivery to Europe...
And it should be in the container now...
BR

Dave Wilshere

Yes, but these were ordered June 2023.

anupamd

Greetings Dave Wilshere . Appreciate all the info you are posting here as usual. Planning to get a diablo but I am concerned that you mentioned the fuselage is very light and that care must be taken. Just how light are we talking as compared to a J10 or Rebel Max? (I have the Max myself and it is built very minimally as well, with a 210 I can still yank it around the sky pretty good). I wonder if its even thinner than the max... I worry that this jet may be a bit too fragile and must be flown very carefully (that concern might be unfounded). What would you say a straight line "safe" top speed is on average with a 210? The 2M rebels i believe have similar construction but is a little smaller and can be flown quite fast and more agressively. I enjoy precision/pattern flying, Im not really into 3D but I think it might be something new and fun. I do like to get a little agressive as well and fly inside a tighter box. Always loved the looks of the Mephisto/Diablo, and 3D might be something new and fun, but just unsure if this airframe is suitable for my flying style.

Dave Wilshere

It is NOT a speed machine, I know there is a thrill of flying fast, but that is not what the Diablo is about. It’s super strong like all CARF aeroplanes, but the J-10 and Rebel series have curved round fuselages, the Diablo has lots of flat areas, if you fly it fast it will resonate.
It is designed for smooth constant speed aerobatics, or 3-D where airspeed is low. The layup is light on the fuselage to achieve a flying dry weight 28-29lb with a 210-220 turbine and vector, with a 140-160N turbine and no vector around 26lb.

There are plenty of videos already, watch how they are flown…

Dave

Dave Wilshere

berthoud

My Feedback: (35)

Any videos of a super light NON VT setup?

Dave Wilshere

I think the first ones are being built now…

Dave Wilshere

More Diablo flying in perfect Boxing Day conditions
Also tested my canopy stand. Only some phone camera shots

camss69

My Feedback: (46)

I like that canopy stand, might have to copy that, do you have any pics without the canopy on it?

Got my first flight on a Diablo this past weekend, it was a non-VT with a KT 142, good power, SUPER light, landing was really easy, tracked really nice even without the gyro turned on. Looking forward to getting mine!

Dave Wilshere

I’m in the middle of painting it to match the model, but here.

So the holes are tight enough that it pushes in place and stays while you put it down.

Dave Wilshere

Two more flights today in freezing conditions, but it allowed some freedom to further refine the set up.
I also tried out a cheap foam stand rather than taking my usual Byron stand, works perfectly

camss69

My Feedback: (46)

A friend of mine makes these stands and they are sold through Pacific RC Jets. (Actually the same friend that let me fly his Diablo) He did a lot of RnD on the type of foam, shape, size etc. They are great for building and transport as the plane won’t slide on the foam. Each of my planes get their own. I’m sure they will work great for the Diablo.

https://pacificrcjets.com/collection...42578448318636

Dave Wilshere

Yes, I have made complete stands, but this one was off the shelf, cut the top off and the Diablo fuselage sits nicely. It’s high enough to extend and retract the gear, $30

anupamd

Any more diablo flight reports from customers? Im hearing a bit of rumors regarding being too tail heavy and trouble getting the CG more forward with the Kingtech 210. Im not sure if this is fluff or a legitimate challenge. I know with the heavy engine and the LG designed the way it is I can see how keeping the CG more forward might be a challenge.

Dave Wilshere

My JetCat P-220 is heavier than a KT and I have no ballast. Seeing the pump is outside the engine with the KT that must help too.
There is no reason to need weight if the installation is logical.

anupamd

Thanks Dave, sounds good. I have a k140 laying around collecting dust and it sure would be intersting to see if I could get it to work with this aircraft with sufficient power for it to be fun and take off from a mowed grass field. What do you think the final weight would come out to with the K140?

Your Diablo came in at about 30lbs with a jetcat 220.

So
Weight without engine would be
:
Weight without engine = 30lbs (your weight dry) - 4lbs (jetcat 220) - 1.1lbs( straight pipe) = 24.9lbs
Add the K140 (2.2lbs)
Final weight dry with K140 = 27.1 lbs

In comparison, My TopRC Oddsey comes in at around 27lbs dry and has unlimited verticle perfornance with the K140 and feels very light and floaty.
If my math is correct, then this jet would perform similar or better with the same power setup with the added advantage that if in the future id like to try thrust vectoring i could always "upgrade".

Do my calculations seem reasonable to you? If so, this may be an incredible value and could appeal to a wide range of people,

Here im assuming use of standard size servos and batteries, I could probably save a little more weight by going with lighter servos and batteries and keeping my radio install to a minimum.

Dave Wilshere

Mine was 29.5lb, but yes I’m expecting non vector 130-160 turbine Diablo models to come out around 27lb. The first of my non vectored customers using a JetCat P-130RxB should finish his this weekend and give me a number. The second one starts it’s build today with a JetCat P-160Rxi-B.
The question is how we achieve balance without any weight used, I’m expecting smaller batteries to be needed with the weight saved from no vector unit and two servos, but I have not done the moments calculation to see how the different weights influence the balance.

The Diablo with huge inlet openings is draggy, but since it is not a speed machine, I expect it to fly well with anything over 120N. My CARF Hawk which is similar in ‘bulk’ has a JetCat P-120SX and plenty of power.

I wouldn’t go with ‘light’ servos, use the right servos, especially on the tailplane halves. By the time you make adapters for smaller servo cases you add most of the saving back.

Diablo customers need to understand the control power available, only the ‘kids’ will be flying with full movement and low Expo figures, the elevator is sharp and powerful around the centre point, I’m over 50% expo on all three axis which is very high.

Dave

camss69

My Feedback: (46)

It just happens I have two flights on a non-VT Diablo with a 140 that was built as light as possible.

It flys ok and there is plenty of power if built this way. As Dave mentioned, it’s a draggy airframe, and the intakes are huge. The drag and the light weight means it does not carry momentum at all. As soon as you come off the power it’s slowing down very quickly. You have to carry power over the top of loops more than you would with a “normal” sport jet. You have to carry power on final. If you dead stick you absolutely have to keep the nose pointed at the ground or it will stop flying very quickly. Personally I think the plane would fly much better if it weighed a bit more than the setup I flew. I had a 91” Extreme Flight Laser that flew almost identical to this.

He didn’t have any issues getting the plane to balance. In fact his initial flights were tail heavy. He also had the throws on the initial flights setup at the recommended amounts and found the elevator was WAY too much as well as the rudder. Dave just mentioned the throws in his previous post. I did not fly it on the initial flights.

Mine is getting the VT with a 200-220 engine so it will weigh more. We’ll see how they compare as far as traditional IMAC type flying with the additional weight.

Just got his weight for you, 28.5lbs with a small UAT full main tank empty.

Dave Wilshere

As long as people buy it as a constant speed aerobatic model it’s perfect, people buy this and the Mephisto and talk about speed…completely missing the point.
Flying it as slowly as you can and aerobatics…that’s a skill.

First pictures of Lewis’s P-130RxB (154N) installation and battery positions to get balance.

leventx

Hello to everyone, if possible in your convenient time can you help me to check the diameter of front and main wheels? and if also possible length of the struts too? i want to compare if my standard electron 40's can be use in this plane too ?
Thanks a lot.

Dave Wilshere

Wheels are stock, but legs are super long…actually nose Oleo could be longer still!

leventx

thanks for reply, mines are 90mm dia ,correct?

LewisE1

So just weighed mine (the one above in Dave's photos) and its 12.6kg or 27.7 pounds with a Jetcat 130, that's uat full and tiny bit of fuel in the sump of the main tank, I have now put my retract battery (850ma) in the front tray, turbine battery on main tank and needed 75g of lead at the front to balance at 400mm, once test flown will teak as needed.

RC_MAN

My Feedback: (11)

Is anyone experiencing heat build up issues with the single wall thrust vectoring pipe?

Dave Wilshere

Not if it set correctly, my fuselage top is no more than warm. Are you just enquiring?
The model has been flown in warm ambient temps with no issues.