Custom canopy with Pan n Tilt servos

Building of a TwinStar II for FPV.

I will be installing the following equipment:

2 2100mha 3 cell1p Lipo Battery.
2 APC 9x4e Props
2 Castle Creations 25 amp ESC
2 E-Flite Park 480 Brushless out-runners
4 HS-81 servos
1 HS-81 modified for 180o and HS-65HB for Pan n Tilt
1 Spectrum 2.4 GHz AR7000 RX
1 .9ghz wireless TX (Range Video)
1 KX-151 High resolution camera for FPV
1 Garmin Geko 201 GPS
1 ICircuits  On Screen Display (OSD)
1 900mAh 3cell Lipo for camera gear

The first thing I did was remove some of the inner foam from the TwinStar II. This will allow me to move the radio equipment further to the tail helping balance the plane when the camera equipment is placed up on the nose for the best possible view. Instead of mounting the rudder and elevator servos in the stock location I made room for them at the tail. this will leave more space at the nose for the wireless camera gear.

 

 I follow the instructions that came with the Multiplex TwinStar II to glue the 2 fuselage halves together. Then I added a carbon fiber rod down the middle to help give the plane more strength. I place the rod where the FM radio antenna goes but since I will be using a Spectrum DX7 that has no long antenna wire.

These pictures show the bigger access I gained by removing some of the inner foam

For the main wing I decided to make it 8" longer. To due this I cut the wing tips off (1") each. Then I did the same on a spare set of Twin Star wings, but cutting the tips off at 5" then gluing them to the "new soon to be longer" wings. Also added a carbon fiber rod along the leading edge to take the wing flex out which will be even greater with a longer wing.

There are all kinds of great brushless motors on the market now day's that work with the Twin Star II.  For mine I will use 2 E-Flite Park 480 out-runners since I have them already, and they will have plenty of extra power with a 9x6 Prop mounted on them.

 

 

The wiring in this plane is a lot cleaner then my other TSII since this time I'm not adding or plan on changing anything. I also made the wires to there correct size so I won't have twisted bundles of extra wires in there (this should save some weight).

 

I painted this plane black so it would be easier to see for my spotter. The wireless camera equipment, OSD and GPS that will be installed

         

        The Garmin Geko GPS is mounted in a carved slot in the foam to help hold it stable

 

 Steerable Landing gear on the TwinStar II

 Balsa plywood helps support the nose wheel wire on less then perfect landings.

Nose wheel mount. I cut the foam from the air intake to the canopy, Allows for easy install and foam is easily glued back in place.

Having 2 2100mAh Lipo batteries I soldered 3 Deans connectors together to make a parallel adaptor.

 My first Twin Star got beat up on the belly from rough runway surfaces so I decided on adding landing gear to this one that can be easily removed for belly landing if needed. For the nose steering I used 1/8 harden wire. I mounted the steering mechanism to balsa plywood glued to inside of the fuselage. I also glued ply to the bottom to keep the wire supported as it exited the nose. This will offer some protection on belly landings. I ran a second push rod from my rear mounted rudder servo to work the nose wheel.    

 Push rod tube that attaches to rudder servo. Servos are relocated to rear for CG.

 Maiden flight. no landing gear yet.