Star Wars X-wing winter built

[deltawing]

After seeing the Star Wars episode 7, I reborn my interest in a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. I like to scratch built an X-wing this winter. If you are interested as well, here is some information to share.

I plan to use the presentation board available from Dollar-Rama as building material, cover with fiber cloth from HobbyKing, using 4 EDF as engines, four ailerons/servos (one on each wing), and a KK2-mini flight controller to help to level the flight and during takeoff and landing.  The size of battery will depends on the wattages of EDF.

Initial thought is to have the X-wing stand on the four engine exhausts and launch vertically as a rocket, once air bond to over 30 feet, nose down, transit to flying with wings.  To land, it has to transit from horizontal flying mode to high alpha then go vertical and land as a helicopter. If I want to have takeoff or landing on runway, I have to add wheels and retracts.

I plan to use either one of these two EDF from HobbyKing.
EDF55- 55mm EDF, 3-4 cells, max 18A,  470g thrust @200W (2.35g/W)
EDF64- 64mm EDF, 3-4 cells, max 25A, 540g thrust @252W (2.14g/W)
If I can get close to 2g of thrust per 1watt of consumption from any EDF, it is very ideal.

My battery should rated to provide enough current for 4 EDF. I might use a 4000mA-3 cells-30C battery (max 120A), that will give me more than enough power for 4 EDF running no more than 80A, 950W @11.8V.
Target flying weight to be less than 1200g and total thrust from 4xEDF to be well over 1:1.1 ratio. Going vertical should not be any issue.

Here is a relatively high resolution of an X-wing diagram that i use. (2023x2532 resolutions) 1.7MB size.
http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/e/e1/X-wing_schematics.png/revision/latest?cb=20150802004823

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/starwars/images/8/80/X-wing_Fathead.png/revision/latest?cb=20131012080921

If you found some even higher resolution X-wing diagram or picture, please share.

I have no access to a super big printer, so I crop varies parts from the diagram to get the wings, fuselage, front and back views. I also plan to have the wings a bit longer by 15%-20%.
Using regular letter size laser printer, I print with scaling to get to the right size I want as a template or 1:1 tracing on the boards. In my case the scaling is between 200-300% depends which part I print.

There are many X-wing building forums in rcgroups.com, but no X-wing built for VTOL. 
On the other hand there are many built forums and YouTube video on VTOL that are very excited and spark my interest.  Here are a few;

XC-142  - by Ran D St. Clair
https://youtu.be/VQRr-hHbA7c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOtVyxwNHQg

Quad Tilt Rotor - by Peter Sripol, a teenager
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWQiaYLgIaI

Actually if you like VTOL aircraft and don't want to built one yourself, HobbyKing has one now selling for US$245.  Not bad considering it is almost ready to fly. (add Rx n battery)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAbS515-Egk
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/__85123__Canadair_CL_84_Dynavert_Tilt_Wing_VTOL_PNF.html

[Andy Hoffer]

Looks like a great project Philip.  Looking forward to watching it fly.  (You might want to move this to the Building/Construction section of the web site.)

Good luck on your build.

Andy

[sihinch]

This is a fabulous project Philip.  Go for it!  And please do keep us posted.

[Frank v B]

That video- any MAAC representative or Insurer would $hit in their pants watching this video.  Let's count the number of rules that were broken.
I count at least 4 rules* broken.  Dangerous flying!  but a neat model and neat video .


Frank

*1) no flight line 2) flying near power wires 3) closer than 100 feet from a car 4) flying not at a sanctioned field.

[Oscar]

Great project. 
The closest VTOL X-Wing I can found is mod from a QuadCopter.

https://youtu.be/B3xcSv_CT5o

[deltawing]

Oscar, 
I seen that video, I only like how it take off like a heli, but not the flying kind of slow and nose down.
Waiting for my 4 EDF coming in...