Shortly after Part 1, I received my new servos and completed the build of this little DLG. Flying it simply got in the way of Part 2, but here it is...
Now that I've had a handful of flights, some much more exciting that others, I'll highlight the final build process and then share my impressions.
In Part 1, I mentioned issues with the recommended servos and in a separate post I detailed my experience with Hitec's HS-35HD servos. I won't belabor the issue, but there was much frustration and I decided to order Dymond D47S servos for the wing and a slightly smaller Dymond Sky Arrow 3.7 Extreme servo for the Rudder and Elevator. While this required some (minor) trimming, the effort was well worth it and provided an excellent result.
I'll note that since my purchase in mid 2014, Dream-Flight now offers a different servo package for the Libelle and it is reported to be problem free. I personally am thrilled with the speed and accuracy of the Dymond Servos and would have no problem recommending them.
Setup of servo throws, Dual Rates, and CG were done exactly as described in the manual and it required very little adjustment or trim to fly properly. I did order the steel weights offered by Dream-Flight and ~20g or 4 sections were needed to balance. These fit nicely and securly on the side of the battery.
As I stated earlier, I've now had multiple flights with the Libelle and they have been incredible. This is my first DLG so my only comparison is to various gliders and gas planes I've owned, as well as a few flights on my friends Blaster 3. Overall the Libelle handles very nicely and has been a joy to fly. Hopefully it's preparing me for a Blaster or Snipe in the very near future.
Some of the minor issues I've experienced may be more related to my launch style or lack there of. I get a significant rotation to the left on launch. I've added a touch of right rudder on my launch mode but it appears this is only partially beneficial and I think it's impacting my launch heights. I also seem to be creating some bad habits in how I launch as I try to compensate for the left rotation. I likely just need some more time and critique of my launch from someone who knows.
Early on, once I started to give my launches a little more punch, I noticed quite a bit of flex in the wing. While I didn't want add a lot of weight, I did add a layer of clear packing tape down the center on both the top and bottom of the wing. This made enough difference that I'd recommend it to others as part of the initial build process.
I have also had the rear wing bolt down (in the fuse) loosen up. It appears this is from some harder than expected landings due to missing a catch. Nothing a little CA couldn't fix. In conjunction with some of these failed catches, I knocked off the rudder as well. Again, nothing a little CA couldn't fix and I was back flying. A bit of glass or carbon fiber patch on the tail boom (like most full size DLG's) would eliminate or minimize the chance of this happening again. I just CA'd mine back into place and it hasn't been issue since.
The plane has proven to be quite durable. I had a mid-air collision with my friends Blaster and we momentarily locked up and then both descended rather rapidly, sadly without enough altitude to properly recover. Both DLG's sustained damage but were repairable. The Libelle stripped a servo gear in one aileron, but obtaining replacement parts from Dymond was quick and easy. Also, the leading edge of one wing was slightly compressed in a small area, but with some hot steam, I was able to get the foam to re-expand.
Overall, great little plane. It does exactly what they advertise, it gets me out flying.
