Ace High MkII - in foam

[KevinC]

MANY years ago, I bought an Ace High MkII kit and mostly completed it. Then my son was born and my hobby money evaporated... Now that he's an adult and on his own and I'm back in the hobby again, I'm revisiting old projects - especially those started but not yet finished. When Doug came out with the WN version of the Gentle Lady, I brought up the Ace High. Doug mentioned that it was too heavy and would immediately begin descending once the .049 engine cut out. Holding my finished-but-no-tail-feathers fuselage, I completely agree. Therefore, I decided to recreate it in foam. The wing is already foam with a balsa trailing edge. The plans that came in the box are 3/4 scale so useless for patterning the fuselage parts. However, I was able to find a version on line where someone had added a second page that showed the main fuselage parts actual size. I've included that here if anyone wants to try it. The full size wing plan isn't included but I think there's enough info to make one if you are so inclined. Office Depot will print this plan actual size for less about $10 (because it's two pages). Construction is well underway and this will hopefully debut at Fall S.M.A.L.L. 2024.

[KevinC]

Tail feathers cut and shaped. Fuselage shaping up nicely.

[KevinC]

Fuselage nearly complete and ready for paint. All it needs is the rear upper decking and reinforcing around the dowels for wing rubber bands. The wing is from the kit I bought decades ago and never finished. The outer panels had been covered with a peel-n-stick version of monokote, which I removed due to weight.

[KevinC]

Before electronics, the weight difference between the original balsa/ply fuselage with tail feathers and the same thing in foam (with 1/16 ply reinforcing is a whopping 100 grams (3.5oz) so hopefully this version of the Ace High will be able to soar at least somewhat, with power off.

[KevinC]

Final AUW is 16.44 ounces (466 grams). Original specs are "25-30 ounces" so, HOPEFULLY it should be able to soar power off - unlike the original.
Now I just have to maiden it.

[KevinC]

Maiden went flawlessly. With summer heating and a bit of wind, soaring power off should be no problem at all. Stayed in the air cruising along at 15% power on a cool and windless early morning.
2204/2200kv motor with a Gemfan 6x3 prop, 20A ESC, 3s/850mah power.