Bipe Flyer

I just received my Goldberg Chipmunk 400, which I've been waiting for since spring. At first Tower said it had a 30" span, so I though Norvel .074 conversion. Later they changed to a 38" span, so I thought .15 to .25. Unfortunately it has a tiny cowl, so it looks more like a .074 will fit, but at 38" and a suggested RTF weight of 22oz, it wont be enough power. I can't even fit the drive washer of the .15 through the opening in the front of the cowl.

It's going to take some thinking. I swear it's easier to scratch build than to convert these things.

Here's a link.
http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXKPB2&P=ML

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Looks like you need to run the whole plane through a band saw, length wise and add about a 3/4" wide section to it, throughout. Should take less than an hour, including the finish work. Then just vaccuform a new cowl, or add a section to the stock cowl. If you read the fine print in the sales ad, they warn you that you might have to do this if you expect to get any performance at all from a glow conversion .

phuffstatler

My Feedback: (20)

Hilarious!!!! BBbbzzzzzzzttt....! Don't sneeze while you're doing it....

Maybe you can split the cowl only from the front on the vertical and horizontal (like a cross, using CP's favorite bandsaw), and widen it up that way. Would take some light 'glass work and paint, but would be simpler than starting all over... Maybe...

phil in georgetown

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

I have the Tiger 400 and the stock motor wont hold it in the air,,it would take off and get about 10 ft up and that was it for both flights ,,it now has a norvel .074 mounted in it,,not sure how I'm gonna route the throttle linkage since the fuel tank is right in the way,not sure of the weight but it wont have that big honkin 8 cell battery in it....did have to chop up the front end a bit for the needle and muffler..oh I did find that testors 1114 yellow is a perfect match for the goldberg yellow....Rog

Bipe Flyer

I've been looking it over and I don't think it'll hold up to a .15 anyways. It is built very light and the the wing is almost flat bottomed, so it's obviously intended to be a slow park flyer; I may even put in my TT .07.[sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Bipe, it also said in the fine print, if you want to run a .15 on it, then you need to drill a hole through the entire length of the wing and insert a carbon kite tube......geez, this younger generation of modelers just wants everything handed to them on a silver platter. Next thing you know, BF will be a regular over at the ARF FORUM .

Bipe Flyer

There's an ARF forum! I didn't realize that there was anything other than 1/2A. I just started posting in the first forum I saw on RCU and I've been here ever since.

If you post in the ARF forum, does someone type for you?

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

GOOD LORD! Tower has that description all messed up. Bipe, you think the electric stuff is making it that heavy? Does the airframe really weigh that much?

Bipe Flyer

I put the empty box on the scale, zeroed it, put all the parts in the box and it came to 10oz even.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

[sm=lol.gif]!!!LOL!!!

In the ARF forum, those guys complain if the box was too hard to open! We could start one of those, YOU KNOW YOU'RE AN "ARFER" IF YOU................. think 80 GRIT is a brand of whiskey.........bought the entire DIY anthology videos instead of taping your own........think CHRIS CHIANELLI is a genius.............feel that cutting your own hinge slots is dangerous and should be contracted out to a cabinet maker........

Bolio

This is so true[]
Last sunday I was asked how to assemble a chinesse tank in an ARF. When I told the guy that I simply dump those tanks and change for a Dubro or Hayes for the good of the plane, he told me that the problem would be to make it fit in the same hole as the original one. Only need to open the hole just a bit with a Dremel. His answer was "Oh my God, I need to work more"
I just shut up and walk away.
Saludos.

Andrew

CP, you crack me up!!

80 GRIT's not whiskey? I could'a sworn it was 80 GRIT...hmmmm, maybe it was the wine!! Yea, it was the wine, October vintage, screw top, brown paper wrapping.... It was the wine, alright.

When I first saw Chris Chianelli, I thought he was having a bad hair day --- then, after a couple of shows, I realized he just had bad hair.

Nope, the posts are already written and listed in the ARP catalog -- you pick the one you like, color, type face, what someone else has already posted and reviewed, then press POST. It can be done in less than 15 minutes with common household tools and no prior posting experience. All you have to add is your name.

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

ANDREW, CHRIS C does his hair like that so he will look more like EINSTEIN. ARFERS claim that they have so much less time than the rest of us but I think they are wrong. Last time I checked, the 24 hour day was pretty much universal. When ARFERS go camping, do they just have ice chests full of BIG MACS and fries? I even have seen ARF SMORES all neatly wrapped in a quick open pouch. Someday ARF tooth brushes will have the tooth paste built in to the handle so a pre measured dose comes out automatically, but for now, we can only dream.........

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Bipe, that's exactly what my Lil Streak weighs in at when empty and covered, and it does nicely with a TD or Norvel .061 when finished up. I think that it came out at 17oz AUW. You can guess that it won't make people run and hide under the tables and behind cars, but who do you think I am? Combatpigg!? What's your preferred weight? You're looking for aerobatics, right?

norvelnut

They already do make an ARF toothbrush!
Norvelnut

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

http://www.raidentech.com/trainers.html

can anyone build a covered trainer with all hardware, from wheels to tank for this money...??
this is why I recommend ARF (trainers only) to newbies,,this is the one I won on the bay for $41,,course the dang box WAS hard to get into...Rog

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

JOSE, at the point when your friend lost patience with his fuel tank problem, maybe you could have offered him a couple of BIG MACS and fries to end his suffering, in exchange for the plane?

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

What a coincidence..MA comes in the mail today with a write up on the Tiger 400 parkflyer and he can only get the plane to fly 4 feet off the ground!! but he changes the set up to a brushless instead of a norvel..maybe I can finish mine over thanksgiving,bummer I have to work tonight ,get off in the morning and stay up to go eat with friends...Rog

Dukester

My Feedback: (31)

Holy cr@p that is cheap...

Duke

Bipe Flyer

Has anyone seen this thing? What's the quality like for $40?

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Rog is flying one! Personally, I've always felt the prices on the chinese manufactured ARF's was high. What's it cost them, less than fifteen bucks?

Bipe Flyer

I guess it depends what someone gets paid to put it together.

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

Bipe when your paying someone 40 cents an hour and standing over them with a whip to make sure there are no mistakes, you get a decent product,,mine took off in about 20 feet with an OS .40LA flew ok but I didnt really get it "hands off" trimmed and so I decided to land after a few minutes...the front landing gear came off during the roll and it turns out the screws (already installed) didnt go all the way through the ply front end...its all fixed now I may take it out tomorrow when everyone else is shopping.... oh and there is only 1 degree of dehidral in the wing, not much for a trainer, but it is a big ol floater wing...Rog

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Bipe, you got that right! I'm torn between buying something like that and not. (they gotta eat don't they!) I think 40 cents an hour is probably an over-estimate.

flyswatter

Personally, if I am at a party, I prefer the 120 grit... I have one question, why do the tails break (usually horisontal stab and, hence, the elevator) off of the ARFs?[X(] I am not complaining since I have inherited several planes because an ARF shed a portion of its tail. It does seem to be a frequent weak spot. Could this be a case of planned obsolescence?