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Vinco F5J


simon_t

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Another excellent looking F5J model coming soon - maiden today at Vitoria, Spain.  Designer Jorge Medina (Tecnoepoxy).  RTF weight 1300g, 4m span:

Simon

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  • 2 weeks later...
Richard Swindells

Essentially the models have changed from being lightweight F3J designs, to scaled up DLG's. Which is why you see similar features on the latest models.

It is no coincidence that two of the new "ultralight" models are manufactured by DLG specialists. The requirements of an F5J model lend themselves to the same solid-core construction used in F3K models which allows significant weight saving and much thinner wings (which are not so easily achieved with designs that are also optimised for F3J launches)

I would expect the AUW of the Vinco to come down a little.. this was the first model out of the molds.

I've done a bit of work for Jorge over the last few years and been lucky enough to spend some time flying together (I designed and manufactured the tail surfaces used on his DLG's until recently), so I am familiar with how good his work is. 

I have wasted no time on getting myself on the list for one of these :) 

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  • 7 months later...
On 19/07/2016 at 15:55, Richard Swindells said:

I have wasted no time on getting myself on the list for one of these :) 

Did you get one yet? @Richard Swindells

I see Jorge has been doing well in local comps

Simon

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Richard Swindells

The fuselage is just in the molds rest of the model is complete, I asked them to delay building as I was not ready for the model (lots of F3K stuff for me to prepare first.)

weight of my model out of the molds -

  • 140gram each tip
  • 380 gram centre panel
  • 24 gram fin/rudder
  • 36 gram elevator
  • target 100gram fuzelage

The flying weight may be near to 1200grams.

The model is no longer sold through a UK distributer, so a good saving is being passed onto pilots. Price is now 1400euro +VAT + p&p.

Jorge is a VERY good F5J pilot, just like every other European he speaks perfect English. He is always excited to talk about the models, so the ordering process is really smooth :)

PM me if anyone needs his contact details.

 

 

 

17311591_10212975884740171_1037191089_o.jpg

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I have just purchased a Vinco from Jorge and Mercedes at Tecnoepoxy, they have been really great to deal with they could not have been more helpful.

just one word of warning, I used TNT for the delivery from Spain, I cannot recommend them as they missed the delivery date by 5 days, their online tracking is next to useless and the phone support none existent. But at least the model turned up undamaged which is more than UPS managed with the delivery to Hyperflight.

Richard

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Richard Swindells

I've had issues with a few carriers.. the worst has always been when the box is handled by Parcel-farce or UKmail. The PF handling charge ransom they add on top of import duty really irritates me.

Usually, going with a single carrrier is more reliable, but I've also had some similar experiences to RichardJB, where a worldwide carrier does not seem to have any communication between its centers in each region.

By far the most reliable I have used is DPD, but again that might just be luck or having one of the better sorting offices nearby.

I don't use insurance when sending anything under £1k, as it takes so long to chase up and argue terms and conditions that its cheaper just to suffer the loss. I've recouped more money than I have lost by not insuring.

The first few DLG parts I sent to the USA were in pizza size boxes (but much sturdier). I got a photo back from a customer of the box folded in half to fit in their mailbox!

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John Wighton

Jorge told me that they have some stock for immediate delivery (4 weeks ago), VAT is 21% in Spain.  Euro1700 plus P&P

 

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
Richard Swindells

Model arrived via TNT, due for delivery on tuesday, but I took a chance that the depot would be open for collections today and managed to pick it up early. Box was in good condition, parts were well packed.

Considering I've not bought or flown anything other than DLG's for about 10 years, and the largest model I've owned back then was 3.2M, the Vinco feels huge! I'm sure regular "J" pilots will feel used to this kind of size.

The level of prefabrication is impressive. All linkages, pushrods come pre fabricated. pull-pull lines are pre-installed, wiring looms supplied & cut to size. Bulkhead precut to size, servo trays etc etc. I absolutely love the fit&finish of the tail surfaces, with the rudder a perfect slot onto the joiner and the re-installed pushrod a perfect fit as you slide the fin/rudder into place. The elevator linkage is similarly well thought out, with a carbon rod glued into the elevator, which slides into an aluminium housing when you attach it to the fuselage.

For any experienced builder, there should be less than a days work to put the model together. Hopefully mine should be done within a week with a couple of hours each evening.

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  • 1 month later...
Richard Swindells

With a big thanks to both T9 and EsoaringGadgets for helping out with a technical problem that would have held up my maiden flight... I finally managed to get the model in the air.

Given that I've not flown any model over 1.5M for the best part of 10 years, and never flown an electric powered glider, I was expecting a bit of drama on the first flight..... but it really could not have gone any smoother.

The model flew perfectly, right off the building board, not even any need for a change of trim, cg, or throws. I had 5 runs of the motor, each time just to 90-100M which gave a fairly consistent 6-7 min's flight time with no real indication of any lift.

I'm familiar with this series of air-foils, with the GT sections having been popular in F3K for a few years. The iteration of Gerald's wing sections used on the Vinco gave the same wide range of flap deflections and speed that I am used to, although the elevator trim change needed through this range is slightly more obvious than with my DLG's

With nothing else to compare it to, it is difficult to draw comparisons, although I'd be fairly confident of a 10 min flight from about 150M in calm conditions and launches to DLG heights (50-60m) should not see any problem catching lift for the 10mins on more thermic days.

I guess I need to start practicing some landings now!

 

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Good news that you have Maidened your Vinco Richard.

the Vinco is my first DLG build style model and the first with a GT wing.

could you say what flap settings you are using please, I have mine setup with -2, -1, 0, +2, +4 and +8 degrees but haven't decided yet if this is the right range or if to try increasing the flap throws a bit more, early days with the model so not sorted yet. But the small amount of flying I have done so far has been very encouraging, it even beats my Euphoria for scratching weak lift low down.

 

richard.

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Richard Swindells

I've only tried 0, 3.5 , 5   so far.   I also use a bit of a strange mix (slowed down "snapflap") which gradually increases camber as it detects a turn is being maintained. Kind of like an automatic thermal mode that comes in when you begin to use up-elevator for extended amounts of time to maintain a turn.

I tend also to only use 3 main flight modes - with flaps completely fixed for speed and cruise, but with adjustable deflection on thermal mode.

Remember I'm a complete novice with electric models, I have no understanding of what flap would usually be used in climb (I'm settling on the 4mm at the moment). It is also taking a bit of time to the much slower reactions and increased stability of larger models.

I'm also fairly sure I have a mismatch of prop/motor for this model. (I've got the 12 turn of this, I should have got the 14 turn version https://www.reisenauer.de/artikelauswahl.php5?kid=166 )

I'm using a 10x6  with 3cells

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Thanks for that Richard

i am using a Powerline 1015 rated at 380 watts with a 1000mah 3s battery, this is driving a 16x8 prop, seems to have enough power to get to 200 metres in about 22-25 seconds.

 

i will have to try your slow snap flap idea it sounds interesting.

 

Richard.

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  • 1 year later...
Richard Swindells

Managed to complete my first  electric competition today (finally).

I did compete in the first day of the F5J team selects last year, but family commitments meant we had to head home early on day2. Moving house and jobs has meant that the vinco was packed in storage since that event, so I've only had stick time on DLGS since then. 

I put the model together last night and programmed up my new transmitter... managing to get to my local field for 8:30PM. I had one quick flight with the model and it felt good so went straight home to see if there were any events on this weekend... and saw an esoaring event was scheduled for today. I wrote a quick email to Mike Proctor asking for a late entry, popped the model in the motor-home and drove up to wetlands, arriving at about 1am and grabbing a few hours sleep.

After some help programming my altis for 175m height limited, I had another quick test flight in the morning. Conditions were perfect and there was super lift all over the sky. 

I decided to approach the competition as a practice for F5J, as there is an outside chance I can make the team selects, so planned to launch low if I had any good thermal reads, even though it bought no advantage for e-soaring scores. 

The model great, and I managed a few climb outs from 50(ish) meters, however having had no practice with spot landings timed to the second, I found that I was landing a couple of seconds early on my first few flights and sliding a couple of meters past the centre of the circle on most of the landings. however round 4(?) I decided to come in a little later and account for the model sliding a meter or two... which paid of with a nice 10:00 + 50 points :)

For the last two rounds, the wind started to increase a little, and I knew I was doing OK in the event, so my competitive nature kicked in and I increased the motor run for some breathing room (which was a good decision because both rounds were really hard work.)

My final position was 2nd with 4997 points with Steve Hayley taking the win, so obviously I'm really pleased with how the Vinco performed - especially as I was launching below the rest of the pilots. 

I had done something wrong with my altis, as it was not showing my motor-off height after each flight, I did have some worries that the motor was being triggered more than once from some switch bounce, but the logs showed that there was no such issue. 

Attached are the logs, and what can I say about the Vinco...? it flies like a big DLG that does not want to come down !

One of the most enjoyable competitions I've done in years too. Looking forwards to the chance of flying some more electric events soon!

 

 

flight1.png

flight2.png

flight3.png

flight4.png

flight5.png

flight6.png

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  • 2 weeks later...
Richard Swindells

I used the Vinco again at the f5j team trials over the weekend. Again the model performed fantastically well over both days and I managed to finish the competition in 2nd place, without needing to rely on any dropped scores (unless you count my zero in the last round, where I knew I had done what was necessary so attempted a 40m launch for fun). 

I'll need another couple of models for next year, and in sure I'll be choosing another Vinco for one of them. 

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