Durafly Excalibur - Assembly, Power Test and Review

[@kengilly867]

Great build video Micheal...just received mine in the mail today...will help me heaps. .. also the battery test gives me a good indicator of how well my Tattu lipos are performing...Thanks Ken

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

Thanks for your comment. It really is a sensational flying plane. Very precise. Enjoy!

[@DanielCValot]

Michael this is a great video, I am buying one tonight! Very well done but next video check your volume output! We can not hear you very well. Side note: I really like how you give Andrew Newton a shout and I'm sure he will do the same for you that is so cool! All of us are learning from you both, you two are the best! Thank you!

[@daquino0021]

Great showcase! Looking to see if there’s a specific spot to place the RX. I’m planning to run a Lemon Rx 7CH DSMX diversity stabilizer / receiver and looking to see if there’s space.

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

G'day Derick, I think from memory I just connected the servos and ESC into the receiver (frSky) and pushed it back in the fuselage under the wing section. Cheers Michael

[@AndrewNewton]

Great build info Michael. So glad I was could be there for the maiden, very cool plane.

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

Thanks Andrew. I really appreciated having you and Hung there and especially you supplying that cam for the on board. That reverse angle looks excellent! I'm not sure I'd have been game enough to add my RunCam. Cheers Michael

[@davemason8656]

Great review! I've also used Andrew Newtons bullet proof push rod on my last Versa wing build and loved it. Stiff and tight, good call out. Will watch for the maiden video.

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

G'day Dave, thanks for the comment, much appreciated. Andrew definitely has great ideas. Heading off to maiden now..... Cheers Michael

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

Just got back from the maiden. Luck would have it that Andrew was there too!. I'm happy to report that it went really well. Stay tuned for the Maiden Vid!

[@AndrewNewton]

and he provided the onboard camera

[@RCWASPOVISION]

Woohoo, nice assembly and review Mike! I'm planning to put some LED's on the wings when I get mine. Looking forward to the maiden mate!!

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

Cheers Jase, LEDs should be on everything! I'll be launching in the morning and conditions are looking great. Stay tuned.

[@RCWASPOVISION]

Yeah, I figure LED's might help sighting the plane at distance. All the best mate!

[@AussieRCPlayground]

Well done on the video, bud. I really, really want one of these and will probably get one this summer, it looks insane. I had no doubt the Graphene pack would blitz the other 2, I have some Graphene packs myself and they pump out way more than any of my other batteries, including MaxAmps. You should also try the Turnigy Heavy Duty packs, really good packs and right up there with the Graphenes. Looking forward to the maiden and hope it all goes well. Best of luck. 😉

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

G'day Vas, thanks for the comment. I knew the Graphine had to have more punch, but I was a bit surprised that it was such a big difference. Although I have thrashed those other two batteries a bit, so not a completely fair test. I have looked at those Heavy Duty Turnigys a few times, but hadn't really needed any when they came up on sale but it is good to know they are worth the premium. Cheers. Stand by for the maiden.

[@mikewhite4628]

Hi, Michael. I saw on another site that the flyer wrote that the wing had slats. I haven`t been able to see any on your vid. Are there such beasts on it????

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

G'day Mike, no slats on the Excalibur. They are not even an option. So unless the other flyer was using the wrong term for something else, he must have added custom built slats? I assume by slats you are referring to leading edge slats? I can't imagine that they would be a very beneficial addition to this plane.I hope that helps. Cheers Michael

[@mikewhite4628]

Thanks for your input, Michael. One more thing if you can. What diameter are the CF wing joiners, please. I usually use tube but as this one is a bit fast I suppose rods are necessary. Happy Xmas and all the best for the New Year.

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

Hi Mark, the rods are 6mm diameter. There are two, one at 320mm and one at 380mm long. Are you building from parts, not a kit?

[@mikewhite4628]

Michael. Thank you very much for your input here, very helpful. I`m not building n Excalibur but one of my own designs using an Excalibur motor I came across. I am using foam/obeche wings and usually use either CF tube 10mm x 1mm wall or a one piece wing bolted on. Plug-in wings make for a cleaner wing/fuse join. Never have used rod before but will give this a try now. I only have 10mm rod in stock so will use that and to heck with the expense!!! Hope that you had a good Xmas Day and all the best for the New Year. Regards….Mike W

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

Cheers Mike. Sounds like a good project! I'd be keen to see your results, I you can post back that would be great. Merry Christmas to you too. Boxing day here in Australia now so all the madness has subsided. I'm looking forward to more merriment for new year's. Cheers Michael

[@jerryzito6840]

I just received mine. Love your build video. Question. There are two leads coming off the V tail. One is obviously elevator. Where does the second one go? I'm thinking rudder but not sure.

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

G'day Jerry, the two leads are one each side of the v-tail. So, you need to have v-tail mixing in your radio. I can't recall now, but I am fairly sure I did plug mine into the elevator and rudder channels of the receiver. Cheers

[@cammo3876]

Very nice looking plane Michael Take care on your maiden that it doesn't have the spiral to the right on rapid dive/decent that the Dynamic S has It catches you off guard if your not prepared but hopefully they have sorted that out and maybe we can do a sortie together 😉 Enjoy your maiden tommorow morning 👍

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

Thanks Mark. You should play hooky and come down in the morning. I have already seen a few flying vids, it does not seem to have any bad tendency, if you can believe what you see on the internet haha.

[@FlyBriProductions2531]

Hello! I have a question about that build, namely the front cowl with the motor plate. Did you notice the motor at a roughly 10 degree angle toward the right wing? I've seen a pusher foamie with an angle to the motor to cancel out torque but not in the warmliners. Can't seem to find any info on this and it was not intentional than it would had to have been a warp in the mold?! no reply from hobbyking/durafly. Totally could be intentional but if so than how would this affect slope soaring with the nose at an angle like this? I tried to look at the video close to see if this model has the same thing but can't quite see. Thanks ahead anyone who can help and counting the days until my next tip stall ;)

[@FlyBriProductions2531]

Annnnd...No plastic nose cone with the kit. If the nose cone was deformed to correspond with the angle then my question would be answered.

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

G'day Brian, I can't say I had noticed there was that much offset on the motor mount. I know on my Fun Fighters there is a lot of right and down angle. If there is a little of right offset, then I wouldn't think there is enough to make any aerodynamic difference on the slope. I was following the thread on RCGroups, the guys there may have more info on the offset - www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?2694227-Hobbyking-Durafly-Excalibur-warmliner Cheers Michael

[@dwexoticmaple]

how did you know the longer wing carbon rod is front and the short rear?

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

When you hold the wing up to the light, you can see the slots the carbon rods go into and they are longer at the front. Cheers Michael

[@sslyder180]

nice vid if you had to choose between this and a efx racer which way would you go?

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

Hard to pick a straight out winner, they are very different planes. But I think if I could only have one, then I'd get the EFX Racer, especially the v2 with the FPV option! The Excalibur is a lot of fun with big dives and fast passes, but doesn't glider very well, will only slope in quite strong wind and is not super agile. It is very precise though and makes awesome noise. Good luck if you go with either.

[@ericclancy9748]

you say a square section of carbon running the length of the wing? are you sure its carbon? sure looks like some sort of metal to me...

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

Eric Clancy you might be right. it might only be the square sections that take the wing rods

[@ericclancy9748]

I think all 3 visible rods (full length and 2 carbon sleeves) are some type of non ferrous metal. The don't magnetize, so probably thin wall stainless. Still gets me why they have 2 carbon spars thru the fuse that go into square holes..

[@xxMADxMICKxx]

Eric Clancy agree 100% and the rods are not even a tight fit in the square tube. It is quite unusual.