n8622t

My Feedback: (8)

Here is a shot of my 22X10 four blade going on my DA85. Part of my winter build for this year, a TF Giant P-47 ARC to be finished as Wicked Wabbit, glass and paint, should be fun and will start a thread when I begin.

smperry

My Feedback: (4)

Great looking props Jimmy! I will be checking them out. Once my DA-50 finally gets fully broken in, I'll be looking for something more realistic than a twisted board. Do thaey make 4 bladers for the DA-50?

sp

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Okay I've got a question for you more experienced modelers and I'm afraid I already know the answer since you can't do it on a full scale.

Anybody know how I might tighten up the piano hinge on one of my gear doors?

I finally got the Sierra conversion done on one side but the main gear door alignment is just driving me crazy trying to get a good alignment when it's closed. I started the other side tonight and now I know why; the hinge on the other side is substantially tighter than the one on the first wing so it doesn't wander around like the door on the first side.

Any ideas would be appreciated....[]

Zorba1

Well Zeeb, I am not 100% scale modeler I am a carpenter and I have the same problem.
I'm not at the finished stages of my build, but I was checking things over and is the same with mine, in fact both are loose.
You might have to do some surgery.LOL
Take the hinges off and replace the pins with pins that fit tighter. Find the proper diameter wire put it thru the hinge and squeeze the ends. That's what I will do with mine. In fact I might do that today to see how it works before I assemble the doors back on.
I hope this helps

Cheers
Bill

n8622t

My Feedback: (8)

Hey sp, the only problem with a 4 blade on a DA50 is the size, it will require a smaller diameter which affects the proportionality of the plane. But, you can put it on if you want to, it will still look good. They have a 19X8, 18X10 and 17.3X8, Id go with the 18X10

Jimmy

n8622t

My Feedback: (8)

Went our saturday, first flight the engine quit at midfield and low altitude[:@] belly landing in the rough left minor cosmetic damage, but what gives with the engine[&o] Here I go again, singing the same ole song, looking for someone , who will sign along

Jimmy

efly726

Jimmy - If you've set up the front end according to the AW instructions and you're using a pitts style muffler directly in front of the ingition module, then the problem is heat. My DA50 quit on every flight until I cut a hole in the engine box and put the module inside. Since making this mod the engine sings. Hope this helps.

Nick

RCFlyerDan

My Feedback: (54)

Jimmy!

Sorry to hear your frustration. In my humble opinion, you have to look at one of two items, and maybe both. First, as we discussed earlier in the forum, is your exhaust port at least a 1:2 1/2 square inches? In otherwords, for every square inch of intake air, there should be 2 1/2 square inches for exit air of the cowling? Or, Second, the fuel clunk line came off of the copper tubing inside of the tank. If this has happened, then you need to make a copper barb on the line and safety wire it. Hope it is one of these easy fixes for you. Keep us informed.

n8622t

My Feedback: (8)

Thanks Dan, I have not taken any time yet to troubleshoot the problem. There is a huge flyin this weekend and will be concentrating on that for now. I will be on the issue next week, Im going to open the scoop below the spinner to allow more intake The outlet is maxed at this time...the most frustrating part is that this airplane flys as solid as any I have flown, I absolutely love this plane. I may put another engine on it and send this one to DA for inspection for overheating. It was weird, the engine is set for a very rich mixture and it suddenly leaned out and ran for about one minute before it sagged and quit...I should have landed immediately and I suspect air getting into the line. The tank de-fueled with no problem. Oh well, it will be repaired

Jimmy

n8622t

My Feedback: (8)

Hey efly, no heat on my module The only thing under the cowl is the engine and muffler. I keep the electronics and batteries in the engine box of all my planes...this is going to be either a lack of cooling or air in the fuel lines, I just have to scratch my head, a lot, over it[&:]

Jimmy

RCFlyerDan

My Feedback: (54)

Hey Jimmy! IMHO, the intake air is sufficiant and aims right on the cylinder head. Exit air is more import or equally important. There is a venturi effect going onto the cylinder and that higher pressure air needs an escape. We enlarged SP at least 1:2.5 square inches. Since the plane defuel ok, as long as you are using a "T" between the carb and tank, then the clunk line didn't come off of the back of the stopper. I would guess it is an over heat issue.

Zorba1

Today I decided to take the plunge and send my retracts to Down and Locked.
In three weeks I should have them back and be ready for the assembly.
All surfases are primed and sanded and ready for the FliteMetal ( if it ever gets here).
I will post some pics soon.
Cheers
Bill

efly726

I may have missed it but what's D&L charging to convert the set of Sierra air to electric?

Nick

n8622t

My Feedback: (8)

It depends on what you want...you might call them for specific pricing.

http://downandlocked.com/

Jimmy

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Hey guys, making some more progress here and I was looking at the manual which talks about using a DA-50 and 2 1/2" standoffs.

I'm putting a DA-60 in mine so I looked at the manual and it says the firewall to prop hub distance is 6 13/16", since I plan on getting a guy to build me an aluminum standoff block I'm wondering if the firewall to prop hub distance listed in the manual is accurate?

Thanks!

smperry

My Feedback: (4)

I didn't pay good enough attention when I first mounted the DA-50. When the cowl wouldn't fit, I ensured the prescribed 6 13/16" distance and everything fit perfectly.

sp

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Well after finishing up the second wing Sierra install and getting the servos/linkages installed, I went back to the first wing after discovering the tighter hinge on the second wing. Now the gear door adjustment on that second side was a breeze and during the process, I found out that the hinge is only secured in the door with two little dabs of CA place in the two holes drilled on the inside of the gear door near the top since that door came off. Fixed it by pinning it on the reinstall.

The original side is another story; the factory worker obviously knew there was a problem with the hinge on the first wing but rather than get another hinge, he/she put a bunch of glue on the hinge and shoved it into the gear door, so now it won't come off the hinge without destroying the door. So I opened up the wing and it appears to be held in by a thick layer of some sort of glue with two tiny countersunk wood screws which don't screw into anything but the glue.....

I used a really small pair of Vice Grips on the hinge and crimped the sections I could get at and it seems to have tightened things up to a workable level. I guess next I'll try roughing up the hinge surface and use some medium CA along with the tiny screws, to see if I can get it to stick to what's there as I'm not sure how I'd come up with something to replace that layer let alone getting it out of the wing. If it doesn't work, guess I'll be bugging AW about a new gear door and hinge.

smperry

My Feedback: (4)

"Sally" is up on the bench and installation of the converted tail wheel unit is under way. It is a drop in install and I'll have it done later today after I whittle down the honey do list a bit.

I want to thank Zeeb for the photos and descriptions he sent me on installing Sierra mains in the wing.

There was some minor damage to the gear door hinge mounting area on the wing from the many belly landings and the last collapse of both mains on the paved runway. I'm not sure how much re-building of the structure will be needed where the hinges attach. Whatever surgery is required to make them mount securely and fit flat will be what it takes.

More as I get more done.

sp

smperry

My Feedback: (4)

I've gotten my Down & Locked converted Sierra retracts mounted in the wing. Zeeb's notes are right on the money and it turned out to be less of a pain than I thought it would be.

Mitch and Ron at D&L have been great answering my questions. Mitch even responded to an E-mail with a phone call. ( I thought Aeroworks were the only ones who do that )

I couldn't be more pleased with the Sierra gear. They are rock solid.

All that is left is minor adjustment and trimming so everything fits in and out of the wheel well without binding and attaching the main gear doors to the legs. There the fit is a bit off and I'll have to get creative, but it looks like I should be able to make it work.

I will fly it a few times before installing the new inner doors and making them work again.

While the Robart gear is a drop in and there is a lot to be said for that way, as far as I am concerned, the solid feel of the Sierras is more than worth the extra cost and the "modeling fun" involved in making them fit.

sp

Zorba1

That's god to know Steve. Keep us posted. Are you using the pneumatics for the inner doors or you gonna install a servo?
I want to use a servo on mine. I saw a photo of a servo conversion here some where but I can't find it.
Does anyone have pics and hints how to install a servo for the inner doors?
Much appreciated.

Bill

smperry

My Feedback: (4)

Bill:

Yes, I intend to operate the inner gear doors with air. The servo operating the air valve plugs into the D&L sequencer box. Right now I intend to fly it some before installing the new gear doors.

I'm about to hook it all up and run it with the radio. D&L recommended that I operate them individually by applying voltage to the plug. red to red & Blk to Blk for gear up and the opposite for gear down. Very helpful in adjusting clearance and door fit.

At the time I placed my order, I discussed the sequence options with D&L. On Mitch's recommendation, all three retracts operate simultaneously. At this point I am looking for reliable operation and really don't care about scale sequence. By my own choice, I have a bundle invested in this model and I intend to finally get some sport flying out of it, so reliable trumps scale by a country mile.

Looks like the wind will be light and right down the runway tomorrow. Better get the chargers out and connected.

sp

Zorba1

Thanks Steve, I like to keep the air system too, but too many things to go wrong. The electric gear doors are more realistic than the air. D&L will have my gear ready in three weeks. mean time I'm all set to go except |I am waiting for the Flitre |Metal to arrive.
All panel lines are drawn on the surfaces just waiting for the FM.
My Solo prop should be here the same time also..
It don't look that I will be doing any flying it this year for sure. Like you said you have invested alot into it so am I.
I'm in no hurry at this point so0 I will make sure she turns out right for the photoshot and in the air.

Cheers
Bill

smperry

My Feedback: (4)

Bill:
I looked at the cyls that operate the inner doors and decided I didn't want anything to do with servo operated doors in that cramped space. I'll just use the existing air system to operate them.

I'm all ready to go flying tomorrow. I added an Aux battery, (2000 mAh 6v NiMh ), for the retracts, since the little indicator lights on the Rx switch showed low voltage spikes when I wiggled the stick while the gear was operating. Takes 12 sec to raise or lower the gear.

Been just about a year now, we'll see how flight #15 goes...

sp

Zorba1

Good luck to you Steve and keep it in the air. Take some video will you?

Cheers

smperry

My Feedback: (4)

I rolled the thing out to the pits and the left main simply collapsed. My blood pressure went through the roof and I came a frog hair's width away from stomping the thing on the spot. Would have made a good video Bill. :-)

Seems there is a grub screw that secures the piece holding the gear leg to the main shaft. That is what failed to hold. I was so mad that it is just now dawning on me that I ought to be glad it showed up when it did and not on takeoff or landing. Anything else could have gone wrong or broken and I'd have just blown it off as "part of the hobby" but I was not prepared for more landing gear problems on this model.

RCFlyer Dan took the model into protective custody and said he'd drill and tap the grub screw hole for a bolt and that would solve the issue. Maybe I'll be done pouting by the time it is fixed ;-)

For those of you going to Sierra Giant Scale retracts, air or electric, at the very least, put some Loctite on that grub screw and really honk it down.

sp