deadstickdan

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rev,
thanks for the cowl measurement. Looks like the Saito 170r3 will fit inside the cowl. Going by all the positive posts on this plane it looks like my wallet is gonna be much lighter than it was before.

I have heard that the 170 I have is equivalent to a 150 four stroke in power so it won't be the fastest thing on earth but I hope will still motor it along okay.

I guess the other benefits are the sound the radial will produce and the extra weight up front should help the balance as well.


Dan

popeye721

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Sorry guys i was on vacation just got back monday 07/08/02 I've just started on the G.B.Y. I used the CA hinges I'm not to king on them but they are big enough used plenty of CA on them .Thier not going anywhear. I used Greatplanes large control horns.and the spring style tail wheel.On the ruder i used the threded rod with the two lock nuts on each side. They said to only use one servo but since we have to locations cut out already i'm going to use two besides from what i hear you can use a little tail wieght.On the wing i'm useing two S9202 on elevator two S9202,and on ruder two S9204 just cause i have them. Now i'm going to epoxy the stab & fin in place .Then i'm going to glue the wing together. Like i said before to much wing to leave in halfs. I just can't trust that system .I'll glue the tube ,peg,& wing roots together. So it may be a little harder to transport but i'll feal a lot better doing a loop. I'll keep you fellows up dated on my progress Andrew

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

To DeadStickDan:

I was told by Pacific Aero that the 170 radial would pull the plane just fine, but since the cowl telescopes tightly around the fuselage, there is no place for hot air to escape. There's only a "tunnel" on the bottom of the fuselage where the cylinder and muffler of a typical inverted engine would be located.

I was planning to do the same thing as you, but I couldn't figure a way to get air out around the total circumference of the cowl. Too bad, it would have looked and sounded great.

Let us know if you have any luck keeping your radial cool

AndySteere

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I’m seriously considering this plane. I’m particularly interested in Pettit’s project, as the RCS 140 would be my engine choice.

I have a bunch of questions for you guys who have your ARF’s already:

Specified distance from firewall to prop-hub?
Firewall thickness?
Engine mounting-bolt spacing?
Does anyone have a picture of fuse bottom without wing attached (showing the inside of the fuse)?
Can the control-surfaces handle Rocket City hardware (enough hardwood)?
Approximate distance between servo-horns and control-horns on tail surfaces?
How many inches between the wheels (how wide is the stance)?
Do you plan to use the stock tailwheel or something else?
How do the wing-struts attach? Wood screws or something else?
Anyone come up with a better way to hold the wing halves together during flight, but still have them removable for transport?
Does it come with a pilot bust?

Thanks in advance for your answers!

fgpierce

My Feedback: (2)

Specified distance from firewall to prop-hub? 6"- can slide forward more 1-2"

Firewall thickness? APROX. 1/4 as I recall (plane is together)

Engine mounting-bolt spacing? Make your own-Not factory drilled

Does anyone have a picture of fuse bottom without wing attached (showing the inside of the fuse)? cant help here but theres plenty of room

Can the control-surfaces handle Rocket City hardware (enough hardwood)? I believe so

Approximate distance between servo-horns and control-horns on tail surfaces? I mounted my servos at the CG and used nyrods

How many inches between the wheels (how wide is the stance)? 24"

Do you plan to use the stock tailwheel or something else? I used theirs as its pretty decent . I just faired the wheel with balsa block.


How do the wing-struts attach? Wood screws or something else?
woodpegs in the wing and screws at the fuse

Anyone come up with a better way to hold the wing halves together during flight, but still have them removable for transport?
Mine are removeable and they are solid, I just used some clear tape on seam it has an Aluminum spar joiner. It wont come apart!
you can always use landing gear straps on the top so thet dont show

Does it come with a pilot bust? No

Hope this helps.

AndySteere

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gfpierce,

Thanks for the answers! Yes, that helps.

On the engine mounting-bolt spacing, I mean the space between the blind-nuts on the firewall (assuming a person wasn't going to use the factory mount). I guess what I'm really asking is with the RCS140's rear-induction and different throttle and choke geometry (come through the firewall inside the bolt-pattern), will the mount that comes with the ARF work? I used a Dubro 688 aluminum mount on my other RCS140 install.

It has a wider stance that I thought! That's a good thing. I've seen the GP Ryan STA fly and it seems squirrelly on the ground, with a tendency to tip over and scrape a wingtip now and then. Sounds like the GeeBee should be better.

I've been thinking about the tailwheel. Not very scale... though I don't know if I want a wheelpant on the tailwheel. That would be too strange. It's just that it looks so small in the pictures and I'm worried about it holding up on our rough grass field.

Thanks for the landing-gear-strap idea for holding the wing together! I really want to keep it removable, as I don't have an easy way to transport an 82" wing in my truck.

Anybody have more pictures?

fgpierce

My Feedback: (2)

Your welcome!

Yeah the ground handling is very good. It does like fast throttle on takeoff tho! Slow advance seems to result in a ground loop!
The roll out on landing is great. You wont need any wingtip protection on this bird!

The faired tail wheel is scale. Its just a little too far back because of the spring coil. It should be just aft of the hingeline.

As far as the engine mounting goes, I stand corrected. They do provide the holes drilled with blindnuts installed. I had removed them, drilled the holes to 1/4" and inserted 1/4" dowel 1/4"long to fill them. Then I relocated my own! Sorry, I dont remember the spacing.

I used the LG strap Idea on my 80" World Models p-51 Which is basically the same. I was afraid it would separate to but the flightloads wont allow that to happen especially with the wing bolts and the keying of the LE wing location. Its on each wing half and they both go into the former as dowels! If they come apart....
Youre already in the ground

Oh I Was able to use my camcorder



This is one Bird thats definitely worth the bucks

AndySteere

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks for the pic and additional comments!

Do you think a Gyro would help the slow-throttle takeoff run? Taking off like a "stinger missle" isn't terribly scale.

Sounds like it won't be a big deal to use a dubro engine mount if I have too. Kinda hard to tell from the website pics how much access there is to the back of the firewall.

deadstickdan

My Feedback: (3)

Pettit,

Thanks for the info on the 170 cooling issue. That's one I issue guess I didn't take into consideration too well. This still hasn't distracted me from this plane even if I have to use another engine. It's just that the 170 seems so fitting for this bird. I imagine even making a larger exit hole in the bottom of the cowl wouldn't cure the problem since I'm dealing with a radial.


Dan

popeye721

My Feedback: (1)

Well fellows i flew my G.B.Y.yesterday it flew like a patato with wings . It took off pretty easy no bad habits just kicked it in the but and off it whent. Once air born i found it to be flying just above stall speed. I flew it around for about ten minutes. When it came time for a lnding it drops bad so i had to keep atleast 1/4 speed up on it . My engine is the G23 gas powered with a 18x6 it was not getting it at all. I can sure use help on prop sizes and pitch

Thanks Andrew

Jimmy Bananas

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Andrew:

You're swinging too big of a prop...try a 16-8, Zinger..that is what I've always used on my G-23's...BTW,what does it weight?

fgpierce

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Yes, I believe a 16x8 may work very well. But dont try a 16x10. I lost alot of performance!

PHILLCO

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ARE THESE MADE IN THE US? SOMEONE SAID THEY.

popeye721

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Phillco these kits are made in china prety good quality. better than any arf that i have seem other the yellow aircraft


Andrew

PHILLCO

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THANKS POPEYE. I THOUGHT SO.

AndySteere

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Popeye: Do you know how many RPM's you were turning that 18x6? Also, what brand prop is it?

I'm hoping to run a 18x6 Mejzlik on a RCS140 (after break-in with the APC 16x8) in this bird.

AndySteere

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Got mine yesterday!!! Just in the nick of time too... PAM lists them as backordered until September!

Construction quality is far above what I had expected... even after reading all the glowing reviews here. All the plywood appears to be 5-ply aircraft birch, all laser-cut. No lite-ply in this bird! Heck, that's better than the Top Flight kits I've built. The covering job is way better than I could have done myself. It needs to be shrunk in a few places (mainly the ailerons). Nothing was damaged in shipping... except my pocketbook.

Only a few minor complaints so far. The cowl is pretty thin and looks more like ABS with fiberglass reinforcement. The dummy-radial is a little cheesy, not very detailed and thin plastic. The red paint job on the wheelpants isn't the best I've seen, but not bad. As everybody knows, the hardware is not very good. The control horns are usable, but no way would I put 2mm (2-56) hardware on a bird this size! None of these are a big deal and I'm very happy with my purchase so far!

If anyone is interested in the weights of each piece, directly out of the box... here's mine (looks like it will finish out around 15 pounds):

The heavier items (fuse and wings) were weighed on a Royal RC-40 digital scale, proven accurate to 0.2 ounces. The lighter items were weighed on a friend's triple-beams, accurate to 0.1 grams. The other columns are computed. Some of the smaller items, like the hardware and tailwheel, include the little plastic bag they come in. The engine and radio gear weights are close estimates. When I finish the model, I'll post a final all-up weight (I'm going to try and keep it light).

I took a bunch of pictures of it, as delivered, and will have them up on my website in a couple days.

rev

POPEYE 721 : I used a 18x8 at 8200 rpm the plane felt like you said. I am going to try a 20x8 ,I hope with more prop out past the cowl it will pull more. It is a homelite 33cc motor . I will let you know.

fgpierce

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In case i've lost the thread or something I'd like to know what your G-23 turns and the flight performance as well!

I think a 20" prop is way too big for this engine on glow let alone gas

Jimmy Bananas

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HI Sport fans:

Well flew my Gee Bee Y for the first time yesterday..flew great,but I think a little more power is needed..Am using a G-23 with a 16-8 prop....all up weight according to my scales is 15 Ibs plus..anyway I didn't try to loop it or roll it,just flew it around for about 10 minutes...the landing apporach was great then as soon as it touch the ground (grass runway), it flipped on it's back...the wheel on the left side got stuck and on the wire and wouldn't turm..Damage mainly to the wheel pants..they are repairable,but might opt for a new set..the pants are paper thin,so watch it..no rough landings.....Really don't why the wheel got stuck on the wire...took it off and did some filing in the inside of the hub,and seems now to be ok....will repair the wheel pants to a certain degree and then re-balance....BTW,I added 5 ozs to the nose to get it balanced....Going to give them a call in regards to a new set of pants..all in all am satisfied with the first flight...like I said before.needs just a little more power......

fgpierce

My Feedback: (2)

Jimmy bananas

Try turning the offending wheel around, so it turns backwards on the same axel!
I had the same problem but thought it was so strange that it was a defect with mine I turned it around and it doesnt " tighten" the nuts! I know it sounds dumb, but try it!!

Use a 15x8 apc or zinger. My G-23 gas works great on my Taylorcraft. It dosent seem to like 16" props. 15" lets the engine rev more

good luck

Stargazer

My Feedback: (3)

I have a ZDZ 40 - would that be too much engine for this ARF? it only weighs 3.4 Lbs with ign. The northwest model kit comes in at 15-18 lbs. and they reccomend a G-38 for their Gee Bee Y. I am also reading that you guys need more power on this bird - is this too much??

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

The Pacific Aero ARF airframe weighs only 10 lbs without an engine. Granted, a G-23 will fly it, but the ZDZ40 is WAY too much for this light airframe. More like a Saito 150 or a YS 120, OS 120, Moki 180 may be too much.

Mine is going to use an RCS 140.

BTW, my NW Hobbies Gee Bee Y with a US41 weighed 20 lbs RTF dry. Their weight numbers have been (or are being) revised. They estimated quite low.

Stargazer

My Feedback: (3)

Dick, how was the NW kit? Looks like some different techniques to build it - how hard would it be to make it look as "Scale" as the Pac ARF - as in wing ribs, cowl, etc. did you have any "wrinkles" in the balsa sheeting at the wingtips? Would that ZDZ 40 do OK in their kit? ( I fly at 5200 ft )

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

It is NOT an ARF. It is all balsa sheeted foam that you have to build. My review will be in an upcoming issue of R/C REPORT.

It flies great and the ZDZ 40 will pull it just fine