Microaces Albatros Dv

[Konrad]

Greetings All,

I was recently gifted a Microaces Master Series Albatros DV 450mm (1/20) kit.
These are basically foam models but engineered to be built much like the balsa kits of our youth. I'm thinking of the Comet Struct-O-Speed series. These kits provide us with real nice modern 3D printed scale components. In the past scale component, or lack there of, often is what limited my enjoyment of the smaller scale model. Microaces has addressed this issue.

I'm really liking that the kits are designed from the start as a full house RC model. I actually like what I'm seeing with the close looped aileron drive. On the RF side of things MicroAces offers a very comprehensive RC package where all the components fit and work together. This is the kind of system integration I wish all the vendors to our fine hobby would strive to reach!

Now Microaces is at the mercy of their vendors. Such was the case with my RX selection. I'm heavily entrenched FrSky environment. As such I ordered the Crossover RX listed on Micoaces web site for the the FrSky ACCST-D16 protocol. Now I don't expect Jon at Microaces to know all the intricate Firmware interaction of the various protocols now in the market place. But I do expect that the vendor/supplier of the RX Crossover to know.

Now if you know anything about FrSky you know there are 4 distinct Firmware versions of the ACCST D16 firmware. These are ACCST D16 v1.9 and ACCST D16 v2.1. And to these, there are two versions the FCC (USA and most of the world) and the LBT (EU Listen Before Talk).The Microaces web site does not go into this needed detail to make the correct purchase of the RX you need to order to work with your FrSky radio that is running on ACCST.

I've learned that Crossover does list  3 distinct ACCST firmware that they put on their RXs. For the MA-RX42E received they are listed as
MA-RX42E-F1 (ACCST D8 a very old and dated protocol)
MA-RX42E-F2 (ACCST D16 v1.9 with its very dangerous Un-commanded Servo Movement [USM])
MA-RX42E-F3 (ACCST D16 v2.1 with the fix to the USM issue)
(If you have the MA-RX42E v3 hardware you can flash what ever firmware Crossover is offering with the use of their toggle programer [windows only])

Well you guessed it I I ordered the MA-RX42E-F2 FrSky ACCST D16 listed on Microaces web site. Prior to digging into Crossover's documentation I was hoping that "F2" referred to FrSky's v2.1 firmware. It does not! As a result of having a dead toy I decided to downgrade one of my XJT lite modules to run ACCST v1.9 FCC firmware. This module only cost me $22, so it was an economical solution. Much to my surprise the FCC firmware work just fine with the MA-RX42E-F2 FrSky D16 I got from the UK Microaces web site.

So if running ACCST protocols ask Jon for the correct RX to fit your radio. (Note I think Radiomaster is still using ACCST v1.9 firmware). But if you are using the much safer ACCST v2.1 firmware you will want to order the "F3" variant of these.  I hope Microaces will have this detail on their web site. (Again this is an issue with the documentation form Crossover)

I'm happy to say that now all my electronics for the little Albatros DV are working well together.

The kit itself is a wonder in plastics engineering. (I keep thinking of the advice the character received, played by Dustin Hoffma  in the Graduate, the future is in plastics).

This is getting a bit long, but now you have the needed information to get what you need from Microaces if you are in the FrSky radio environment.

Wow, there are sheets and sheets of routered and printed plastic! And for us Ludite's there is even some wood!

[dputt7]

  Nice Gift.  This gives an idea of the Kit. https://youtu.be/yR2fi6nrls4?si=RgtNQsFYRoedHQb5

[Konrad]

Nice Gift.  This gives an idea of the Kit. https://youtu.be/yR2fi6nrls4?si=RgtNQsFYRoedHQb5

That's a very good point. Microaces has a very nice set of videos detailing the build. Their manual is fantastic in that it too is very detailed and has a QR code linking to the videos. I can't stress enough how important a detailed set of instructions are to an enjoyable build!

I'll be using this forum to note any build issues I have and to show how I solve them. Such as the receiver odering problem I stated earlier. I'll also be showing any modification to the kit I may perform.

I should have called out what to order if using ACCST D-16 v2.1. And that would be MA-RX42E-F3 FrSky ACCST D16.

I'm showing what to expect to see on the transmiter's screen. The upper part of the screen is showing the Firmware on the internal ISRM-S module as 2.1.0 FCC, (this will not work with the "F2" RX). And the  bottom of the screen is showing the external module  with a FrSky XJT lite running on 1.1.0 FCC. This is what is talking to the Crossover receiver MA-RX42E-F2 FrSky ACCST D16.

P.S. the v1.9 in the first post is a typo. The  callout should be v1.1.0

[9600baud]

Hi Konrad,

very interesting!
I ordered the MicroAces Scrappee as kit with receiver and I guess I had one with the version MA-RX42E-F2.
I tried to bind it to my Radiomaster Pocket with edgetx and at one point the one servo just ran into the max position without coming back. Probably too late I cut off power and afterwards the motor was no longer working smoothly.
I ordered another 408 motor and replaced it but the replacement had a 0.7 mm shaft instead of 0.6 mm. Trying to drill the spur gear I unbalanced it and now the gears are binding.
Maybe I'll can still use it with a micro servo connected to one of the sockets.

Alex

[Konrad]

Sorry to learn of your issue.

I assume you have the AIO RX brick.
https://microaces.myshopify.com/products/all-in-one-aio-5ch-micro-receiver?variant=39820917112941

Generally I don't have any servos attached to the RX until I'm finished binding. As these bricks have the servo hard mounted to the rx this isn't practical.

I don't know what revision is on the RX. But some ACCST firmware for the RX will send a data stream down one of the servo pins checking to see if the pins have a jumper added. These jumper tell the RX how the user wants to configure the RX. (This some of the flexibility we get using ACCST). This can cause a PWM servo on these pins to jitter at start up. I don't think these simple RX are using this feature of the firmware. But I think the firmware does send the data stream looking to see if there are jumpers. This will NOT drive the servo to its end points.

I don't know what the Radiomaster TX is sending down the pulse train at initial start up.

I'm sure you tested the motor with no load (pulled the pinion)and determined that the brushes had failed (warped/overheated).

As a machinist I can tell you I can't drill a round hole nor can I keep the bore on center using a drill free hand. This kind of work needs a proper sized reamer. Preferably using a lathe or mill to keep everything in alignment. (We both know that the driven gear is likely not running true after it was pressed onto the shaft. Such is the case with most hobby grade components)

[9600baud]

Thanks Konrad, yes that's the one.
I'm still learning RC stuff or maybe re-learning. Used to use 27 MHz in the 90s.
And yes, drilling the gear was probably not the best idea

Love the MicroAces models, they are so well engineered. At least I think so, I have not much to compare it to.

Cheers
Alex

[Konrad]

2.4 gHz and data packets is a whole different animal compared to what we had in the past.

I too love what I'm seeing in the Microaces kits. In fact that Ripide is pulling on my wallet   
https://microaces.myshopify.com/en-us/products/microaces-dehavilland-dh-89-dragon-rapide

[OZPAF]

Lucky man Konrad - your Albatross is a neat looking model. The Rapide is a beautiful looking model - Microaces have well and truly mastered  the construction and finish on these models.

Printing the finish makes a big difference. Have you noticed the quality of the printed tissue finished being used on indoor FF models particularly?

https://hpa.aeromodelling.gr/index.php?topic=5.msg2343#msg2343

Looking forward to your progress on the Albatross and thanks for the RC info - so many options.

John

[Konrad]

Thank you John,

Yes, I'm impressed by the inks and processes being used on printing tissue. I really need to get my covering skills up to snuff.

While I think Deluxe Foam to Foam is the same stuff as Foam Tac. I do have an order placed for Foam2Foam. I really don't want to use this kit as a test bed for adhesive. So I'm willing to spend $10 on some glue I'm almost positive I already have in my glue caddy.

[Konrad]

My order of Deluxe Foam 2 Foam adhesive just landed at my door step. Short of a full chemical analysis, I'm positive that Foam 2 Foam and Foam Tac are the same adhesive just under different marketing schemes (Branding).

[Nigel_M]

Hi Konrad, good to see you busy in this genre of aeromodelling. (I still haven't finished my miniQ  )

John Bristow at Deluxe is known to be a chemical engineer by profession and the very brief conversations I've had with him make me believe he is capable of creating the Foam 2 Foam glue from knowledge. That's not to say a tube of Foam Tac wasn't investigated as part of the process... He also has some tame modellers who test the products for him before modifying where necessary prior to launch, including Andy Sephton who you may have read in Aeromodeller writing about using them. I'll be interested to read your thoughts when you use them as a comparison.

Regardless, I was a UHU POR user for Depron and other foams and was fairly sceptical about Foam 2 Foam until I tried it. Just brilliant and nothing like UHU POR (thankfully). Sort of like white glue but without the wateriness, maybe like toothpaste in consistency      (only teeth I coud find).

I can also recommend the small nozzles MicroAces sells for using with these tubes. They don't look like much but make the nozzle much finer and more accurate to use both in quantity dispensed and where it goes! They even have a thread to re-use the original cap. Something similar wouldn't be too difficult to reproduce for yourself if postage to USA is a bit OTT for such a thing. https://microaces.myshopify.com/collections/building-tools/products/super-noz

HTH
Nigel

[Konrad]

That little nozzle is in my wish list for my next MicroAces order. There is nothing wrong with a firm (Deluxe) finding a product and rebranding it to make one's product line complete. No need to reinvent the wheel, when I'm sure an industry adhesive has the advantage of manufacturing scale.

I will say that the two glues gave the same consistency (viscosity), same tact time, same peal strength, same odor, and clean up the same. What I can't say is if they have the same shelf life (opened container or sealed tube).

Really liking my mini-Q with the mods to top driven IDS linkages and servo output shaft support. But that is a bit beyond the scope of this forum.

I will get into servo resolution and set up preferences when I get there with this model.

[Konrad]

Well, She Who Must Be Obeyed has informed me that we need a new house. As a result of this edict this project will be going slower than ussual.

Again I'm impressed with the manual. They state to start by stretching the rigging thread by letting a weight pull on the thread for a few days. In the mean time they expect you to be building the rest of the model. The thread needs to be prestretch as it is a twisted product and stetching it will tighten the twist making the thread a bit more stable.

Now I'd like to again point out just how nice the 3D prinder parts are.

[OZPAF]

The precision is truly amazing. I could imagine there would be a market for these components alone!

Good luck with the move Konrad.

By the way - off topic - what happened to your Aeroic Alpenbrise?

John

[Konrad]

Wow, what a contrast in quality between the two brands. When it comes to engineering and the customer experiance with the manual, the two brands couldn't be further apart.

Yes, I think Microaces could make a side line business supporting us with exquisite 3D detailed part for many of our older kits. I also love that Microaces has addressed the short coming of using thread as rigging by tell us to prep the rigging thread ahead of time, long before we would need the thread during assembly. This is a sign of a quality organization, here John is trying to direct the customer away from known traps, that is a mark of a well thought out manual and product.

Aeroic is sorely lacking on the quality side of things! The quality is on par with the brand Fly Fly! The fuselage seam was again not done with the use of a bladder. As a result the tail boom suffered massive voids in the layup and across the seam.  (As a result of input from some of Aeroic's vendors {refusing to take orders} there has been a change in the fiber lay up from that of my fuselage. Still don't see the use of a badder so I'm not confident in the integrity of the boom.)

I was also shocked to learn that there was inadequate support (stiffening) of the vertical fin to support the mounting of a servo high in the fin. Yikes, the Aeroic manual wanted the elevator servo mounted there! This is again a sure fire way to loose your ship early. But more important it is dangerious as the fin's flexing skin is likely to allow the servo mount to seperate from the fin! 

Please heed my warning "If it say Aeroic on the label you don't want it in your stable!"

If one can get past the myriad of quality escapes with the brand. I have to say I did enjoy the 6 surface roll rate, particularly after the 3rd consecutive roll! Oh, and the added flap area (from 4 flap surfaces) was much appreciated when landing such a large bird in the often small landing zones I fly from. Again too bad about the Aeroic quality!