hello123

I'm planning on building a guillows series P-47D Thunderbolt (30.25inch wingspan) with an .049. I could build it one of 4 ways. Keep in mind I'm not that good at keeping planes light.

I could build it with only 1 channel (rudder only). I could use the instuctions for that on my guillows P-40 warhawk (28 inch wingspan). The lightest choice.

I could build it with only 2 channels (rudder and elevator)

I could build it with only 2 channels (rudder and ailerons)

I could build it with only 2 channels (elevator and ailerons)

littlecrankshaf

My Feedback: (58)

2 channels (elevator and ailerons)

hello123

Wouldn't one channel be the easiest and safest option.I built a Curtiss P-40 warhawk at 300 grams with an .049 (baby bee). Though the 2-channel radio I used was from a toy remote control car with two servos (Elevator and ailerons). It barely flied and crashed on the first flight when the glow plug died out!!! Does that change anything???[]

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Don't blame the crash on a flame out, if the plane is setup right and at a feasable weight, it should fly just fine without power. A GUILLOWS plane is not a good choice for a novice builder/flyer. The amount of time and effort to make one of those planes airworthy should be set aside for after you have a couple of easier to build and fly planes under your belt. A plane that has 240-300 sq" of wing area and RTF weight of 16 ozs or less is easy to acheive and easy to fly[ if set up right].

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

JJ:

You can build it any way you want. But if you want it to fly that's another matter.

If you build it rudder only you will need to increase the dihedral to the point of being just plain ugly, or any attempt to turn is going to just slide the plane sideways, or cause a loss of control.

Same with rudder and elevator. Needs a lot of dihedral.

So this leaves you with elevator and ailerons as the practical choice.

The radio from your toy car is probably just too heavy for the plane you're planning. I don't know how Canada is set up, but down here a car radio is either on 27 Mhz, and too many CB rigs around to be safe for a plane, or it's on 75Mhz and that's illegal for a plane.

Bill.

BMatthews

It's the same for us here frequency wise Bill. Way back when we followed suit with the US.

hello123, how much flying experience do you have? This is not a beginner's project you're talking about and that mention of the car radio makes me think you're trying to adapt something that may not be adequite for airplane flying. The radios from cheap ready to run cars do not have the radio range to work with an airplane. Some more detail on what you plan on using for a radio would help us steer you in the right direction.

The best way to do this is with aileron and elevator with throttle control being a very nice addition. Don't bother with rudder only for the reasons that Bill said and the fact that rudder only really needs some serious comfort level to fly as you need to keep ahead of the model mentally and plan the path with a bit more skill.

But to make these fly and take the structural loads there needs to be a lot of mods that can add weight if not done carefullly. And at that size wing making it heavy will mean an almost certain crash or at least a nasty model to fly.

To make this work you'll really want to have some of the very light parkflyer radio gear and a small airborne battery pack. Total weight should probably be no more than 16 oz at the absolute tops. But this assumes that you've flown models before. Otherwise I would suggest a trainer first.

PS: was that P40 at 300 gms with the radio and engine in it and ready to fly? If so then you're not that bad at keeping these models light. But that does not change the fact that you would be better off with a trainer as your first model.

hello123

I see what you're saying. The car radio was 100-120 gams. How many grams is in an ounce?

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

JJ:

There are 28.35 grams to one ounce. Your 300 gram airplane was 10.58 ounces.

The radio set that weighs 100 to 120 grams is 3.53 to 4.23 ounces. Then add the battery...
Doesn't leave much for the rest of the plane and engine.

Bill.

hello123

Not just the radio. The weight of the car radio included the battery and servos

hello123

The receiver by itself is 30 grams is it too heavy?

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

JJ:

Please describe the car this radio gear came from. What you've said of it makes me think it was a very small car using a magnetic actuator for the steering, and it is not a proportional unit.

Bill.

hello123

It was a rc truck. The radio connected to the terminals of the motor in the servos (airplane ones)

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

JJ:

Are you operating two servos with it?

Bill.

hello123

yes

William Robison

My Feedback: (3)

JJ:

At 30 grams the rx is probably light enough, but the total radio and battery weight of 3.5 ounces is not if you want a nice flying plane.

Then adding that your radio is either on 27mhz where every CB operator in the world can make you crash, or on 75mhz where it is not legal for a plane, I strongly suggest you a buy new lightweight rig. Hitec and Futaba both have three channel sets with lightweight servos around $100 that will let you add throttle control to the elevator and ailerons, making the plane easier to fly.

If money is tight, you can try the rig you have, and possibly put lightweight bits in it later. Not recommended.

Bill.