The Goblin- opening the box and assembly

[Frank v B]

Oscar has been ordering these for club members and he needed one more to make a shipping minimum.  Sure I will help you Oscar.
Picked it up today.  Price was $130 Canadian.  All it needs is a receiver and battery.

These photos are of the box.  Not a single assembly instruction sheet.  This is one of these kits where the assembly instruction booklet reads "Take all the pieces, put them together and enjoy flying". One sheet explains the throws and CG point.  At first blush it should be at least half as much and farther forward.

Will describe the assembly process and comments on fit.  It supplies a lot of stickers with numbers.  The biggest problem is deciding which race number to use.

Details
- 32" span
- 3 channel (no rudder!!)
- motor is a 3536 1400 kv with a 7x6 APC-ish prop
- 4 cell.  Note: I will fly it on 3 cell until it is trimmed out and I know its quirks.
- 45 amp ESC.
- Poor man's retracts (Hand launch)


Frank

Guy- try this on your next purchase "Oscar needed a hand getting to a shipping minimum.  How can I not help a good friend?"

[Oscar]

Thank you Frank.

Moving forward, HobbyKing no longer ship the manual.  They only provide the 1 sheet Quick Start guide.
You can download the full manual from their website. 
https://cdn-global-hk.hobbyking.com/media/file/g/o/goblin_racer_manual-final-version-2_1.pdf

[Frank v B]

Loi with his Goblin tonight at Rogo Field.  Brown stripe visible on the back of his pants.
Does that rubber band come with the kit?

Frank

[Frank v B]

The instructions said assembly would take 20 minutes... and it did!

It is well built and easy to assemble.

Belt and suspenders: I added a little bit of insurance:
1) put some epoxy around the elevator servo.  I have had servos pull out because of poor gluing.  This one looks fine but....
2) put some epoxy on the two pushrods into the elevator horn so it cannot slip if the screw loosens.
3) pushed two round toothpicks into the epoxy in the servo mounting holes.  Visible in photo.  Once the glue is sets, I will cut off the excess wood.
4) locked the aileron "Y" connector in place with dental floss.

Ready for maiden flight.  It will be done on 3 cells.  It is a 4 cell plane.  No sense planting foam in the corn in Stouffville and in China in the same flight!. 

Frank

[Frank v B]

Set up the throws and CG.

elevator- guideline was 6 degrees to 10 degrees.  Set it at 5 degrees
aileron- guideline was 6-10 degrees.  Set it at 5 degrees
CG- guideline was 45-50 mm.  I set it at 40 mm.

No dual rates, no expo.

That's my guess.  Maiden flight on Sunday.  Stand Back!

Frank

ps: notice the conservative throws and CG- see my post from 9 years ago- "How I maiden airplanes".  https://temac.ca/smf/index.php?topic=3826.0

[Frank v B]

The maiden went really well.  Great hand-launches for both flights from Andy.  Launch at about 60% throttle on 3 cells at a 30 degree up angle.  The first flight I ran out of "down" trim.  Corrected it on the second flight.  Did two high speed (full throttle) passes and it was very controllable.  Throws are fine, CG is fine, landing glide path is fine.

Eventually I will switch to the 4 cell packs but not until all the throws are set and I get used to the plane.  No rush.

Much easier than the V-900 maiden flight.  Hey, Vadim.......   
Frank

[Oscar]

Congratulations Frank !

[VadimKirillov]

Judging by that flower behind the prop, it is exactly like v900. Mine used to collect wild flowers all over the field.   

[Frank v B]

Vadim,

re: "Mine used to collect wild flowers all over the field.   "

My flower came from the edge of the field which I used as an arrestor net.  Your V-900 collected flowers from the middle of the field.  Free range flower collection.

Frank