Welsh3D

Any info on the Robbe CAP 21, approx 83" span.


How the hell do the wing joiners work???!!

What engine?? BME 50?


ANY info whatsoever is appreciated, I have the kit but haven't a clue how it goes together!

Already got professional builders on the scene who can't work it out!

cap10b

Hey I had one
The guys in our area nicknamed them "Sewer pipe Cap" because the fuselage looked like it was made out of plumbers pvc pipe material. Mine weighed 28 lbs with dual "sub C" batteries, A&M 2.6, dual switches, standard servos all the way around dual elevator servos. Maiden flight uneventful, flew very well. The 2.6 had a ground strap break that shot 10K volts thru the radio lost the plane to RF noise, got a video of it spreading all the parts accross the field. Should have sold the plane when I had the chance.

Bad things about this plane include.

The wing set up on the plane must have been designed by a drunk german engineer or a two year old. The wings join with plant hooks, rubber bands and two steel straps that run thru the spar box. I set rosans into the wing and used cap head bolts but even so at 1/4 throttle coming out of a dive the wings flexed baddly. If the plane did not crash when it did it very well may have come apart in the air. Also the 2.6 is the most easy gas engine there is on vibration and even at that the fuse and tail were already cracking at 4 flights. The gear is springy and cause chipped propellers even with perfect landings.
The only access to the radio gear is thru the canopy which was not easy to get off and on. I'd sell it to somebody and get a better plane but if you want to go ahead, remember to replace the spar and do away with the hooks.

Johnny

Welsh3D

thanks. you serious on 28lb? that is one heavy bird! I looked at it a few weeks ago and felt it feasible to build. Will try to sell it or build it!! Thanks.

cap10b

Welsh,
I had high hopes for it, build two of them, the first one was tail heavy and crashed with a Webra Bully, the second one had a Sachs Dolmar 2.6. 28 lbs buddy.!!!!
I used to build like I was an employee of the Krupp Iron works building Tiger Tanks.....LOL but the weight didnt bother this plane in fact the heavier it was the better it flew. I just ran out of airspeed, altitude and Ideas all at the same time. The closest thing I have seen to come to what this Cap builds like is from the Dymond web site:
http://www.rc-dymond.com/ its called a Super Star, has the same fuse material, same Obechi wood covered foam wings the whole nine yards as they say in the South.

I have thought about getting one but Robe left a bad taste in my mouth and I'm much happier with my Wild Hare Giles 202.

Good Luck.

Johnny

3DFanatic

My Feedback: (5)

Cap 21, huh? According to some "The worst flying airplane ever built"

Welsh3D

I wonder if it's anything like my Geebee 3D!!!!

3DFanatic

My Feedback: (5)

Geebee 3D? Isn't that an oxymoron?

Kurt P

Hello 3DFanatic

I don't agree that a CAP21 is a bad model. I'm flying one (I have to say not from robbe) and it flies great if don't fly it to slow when you're going to land. Mine is great for classic aerobatitics, it's not a 3D plane.
It's the one of the best models for knife-edge (scale model I mean), no Extra can hold it as good as a CAP.

cap10b

All,
To be honest with you the plane few great snaps were clean and breath taking, this is a fairly good size plane. The problem is the design and engineering of the Kit. With the overly powerful engines we have now the plane was not designed to be stressed that hard. Hence the wing attach system is really wimpy compared to planes of two or three years later. Landing even at 28 lbs was nice and smooth the only problem the gear is made out of 1/4 music wire all bent and solider together. They needed someone to re-engineer the kit and fix the problems. but Robbe probably figured out why bother just go on with the program and sell something else. As far as ALL CAPS being poor flyer's, I think it has more to do with the scale and size. Some planes do not scale down very well. I think the Cap 21 in particular does not make a good .40 size plane. The bigger a Cap 21 is the better it flys and the better it can handle the wing loading. Also every full size Cap 21 has flaps. All my other Cap 21's (GP, Model Tech, Zimpro) all use flaps. Never had a tip stall on landing never crashed on landing even with a dead stick. But I did take the time to learn to land with flaps and to learn how to make them work to my favor. Most people wont take the time to do that unless they have a second reason, I did my Cap 21 was sort of my warbird warm up plane. A P-40 with flaps is about the same as an over weight Cap 21 both are sensitive to pitch and airspeed.


I think where all the bad press came out about Cap 21 was during the Byron Originals days. There Ice Chest Cap 21. (Hey if you didn't want to fly just fill the plane full of ice, soft drinks and watch) were a little tricky to land and many people crashed or worse snapped on landing because they pulled too much elevator. Are they not doing the samething with the Giles 202 and Lasers.

Thats my story and I'm sticking to it.

JDS

aps f4u

I have a chance for one of these Cap 21' by Robbe, and I notice you are saying that the fuse looks like it's made out of pvc? Is it fiber glass or is it some type of pvc material?And is the engineering really that bad? I may opt out. Also what is one of these birds worth new? Thanks

a

ETOPS

Anyone have a canopy for the Robbe Cap 21 left over to sell? Rick