Simviation Forums

Hi Guys

I used to be into R/C planes in a big way but I have sold most of my R/C to pay for my NPPL training. But I kept one that i have just finished building, its a small electric with a V-tail but im confused about how the control surfaces move when you turn. (it has no other control surfaces)

So if you looking at the plane from the back (tail first) when you turn left does the left control surface go up or down?

theory 1. if when you turn left the, left "rudervator" goes up and the right one down the plane in theory would bank left. But then when the plane is banked over the right flap is then vertical (like a rudder) but it is faceing the wrong way and would try to make the plane turn right even when its banked left.

theory 2. if when you turn left the left "rudervator" goes down this would act like an elavator and would turn that side of the plane down and the other "rudervater" would turn its side of the plane up so the plane would bank over.


Thanks MAtt

To turn left both v-tail control surfaces move to the left as viewed from the rear. It's easier to visualise the rudder function if you rotate the model so each surface is upright.

Give this a try for a start...>>>

http://www.fatlion.com/sailplanes/glossary.html

Scroll down to V-tails at the bottom of the page... ...!

Cheers...

Paul.

Hi Littleport...........
................... For rudder , both surfaces move opposite (using right rudder moves the left surface of the V-Tail up and the right surface down) ..........commoner

I wonder why the use of V-tails never really caught on...?
I am only familiar with the system used by the Beechcraft Bonanza Vee-Tail.
..too complicated...?
...prone to fail...?
...problems with maneuvering...?

Cheers all...!

Paul.

...Fozzer mentioned the Beechcraft Bonanza Vee-Tail......if you don't have one there is one on SimV which is only a small download and a drop in install....you could then see for yourself littleport just how it works............commoner

I noticed you added this after my reply.

theory 1. if when you turn left the, left "rudervator" goes up and the right one down the plane in theory would bank left. But then when the plane is banked over the right flap is then vertical (like a rudder) but it is faceing the wrong way and would try to make the plane turn right even when its banked left.

theory 2. if when you turn left the left "rudervator" goes down this would act like an elavator and would turn that side of the plane down and the other "rudervater" would turn its side of the plane up so the plane would bank over.

You seem to be a tad confused about this Matt but that's not uncommon. Assuming it's a rudder/elevator model without ailerons the same principles apply as for a conventional rudder & elevator model. The rudder controls yaw & the elevators control pitch. The fact it's a V-tail makes no difference. The bank (roll) is induced by the yaw & has nothing to do with the ruddervators themselves. (This is the reason most rudder/elevator models have a greater wing dihedral than those with ailerons. If you're an experienced modeller you should know the theory.)

As I said before, turning left involves left rudder - yawing the nose to the left (or the tail to the right). Looking forward from the rear of the model, to yaw the nose left (left rudder) the left ruddervator goes "down" & the right ruddervator goes "up". In fact they're both moving left on the rudder axis. Moving in "opposite" directions on the elevator axis cancels out any change in pitch. If you rotate the model as I suggested you will be able to see this more clearly.

Hi Guys

Hager was right when you want to go left the "rudervators" both go left. The first flight was a great sucess, there are a few mods i need to do, and the left wheel colapsed on landing, but other than that it was great.

Heres a pic of her (I call her the "electric blue) i will try and post some in flight pics later.

[img]http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/electric%blue1[/img] [img]http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/electric%blue3[/img]

MAtt

So what do you guys think of the plane?

MAtt

Can't see your pics Matt. I found them after a little search. Can't think why they didn't show up for you.




It's a cute little plane. Well done.

ummm.... strange about the pics they show on my comp, but when i tried to look at them at school they didn't show but when i got home i sent thea link to this thread and they showed up for him.

MAtt

Try adding .JPG to the image file names in the thread like this:  http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/electric%25blue1.JPG

i thought i did put .JGP

It's .JPG not .JGP
Click on the Quote or Modify option on your post to check. You put http://www.simviation.com/yabbuploads/electric%blue1 without the file extension.