Not worth fixing?
05-31-2009, 06:33 AM
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Not worth fixing?
Sooo, i spent alot of time building my Sig 1/6 Cub. Took her out to the field decent day maybe abit windy for a maiden flight but nothing i hadnt flown in before.Did my ground check and taxied out to the runway.
Got her up made a few clicks of correction for the trims, and this part baffles me.
I make about 3 passes across the field when i bank into a left turn to come back around she starts goin crazy and i couldnt pull it out of a left hand death spiral. Any idea what could have caused this?? It almost seemed i had no input at all to correct any of the ailerons, but when i got up close to the crash i had input on all control surfaces it seemed. very confusing for me.
This is my first real smash up that i dont think is worth fixing and it sucks because i spent ALOT of time building this one. =( Think il probably just rebuild a new Cub maybe the 1/5 next time.
Anyway enjoy the carnarge =P Heres some before and after shots
Got her up made a few clicks of correction for the trims, and this part baffles me.
I make about 3 passes across the field when i bank into a left turn to come back around she starts goin crazy and i couldnt pull it out of a left hand death spiral. Any idea what could have caused this?? It almost seemed i had no input at all to correct any of the ailerons, but when i got up close to the crash i had input on all control surfaces it seemed. very confusing for me.
This is my first real smash up that i dont think is worth fixing and it sucks because i spent ALOT of time building this one. =( Think il probably just rebuild a new Cub maybe the 1/5 next time.
Anyway enjoy the carnarge =P Heres some before and after shots
05-31-2009, 07:52 AM
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RE: Not worth fixing?
To rebuild or not to rebuild? I would rebuild in a heart beat. Set it aside for a few days and then take another look and you will see that it is really not as bad as it first appears to be.
05-31-2009, 08:14 AM
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RE: Not worth fixing?
It would already be 90% rebuild the only section that took no damage was the tail surfaces.
Entire nose is destroyed, cowl shattered, Landing gear mangled, I initially thought the wing had just broke at the center section but theres extensive damage to an entire half of the wing. The fuse from the Cabin to the tail has visably broken frame (Who knows how bad under the covering =P )
Cleaned up the motor and benched it, It seems to run fine. 1 servo got stripped to hell somehow 2 sections of teeth on 1 gear are gone gotta replace those. Building a 1/5 scale Pup atm, perhaps when thats off the table il rebuild the Cub.
What a sinking feeling busting up something you build. Guess i can understand why people like ARF's
BUT i love building these, nothing i can do but pick up the pieces and back to the building boards.
Entire nose is destroyed, cowl shattered, Landing gear mangled, I initially thought the wing had just broke at the center section but theres extensive damage to an entire half of the wing. The fuse from the Cabin to the tail has visably broken frame (Who knows how bad under the covering =P )
Cleaned up the motor and benched it, It seems to run fine. 1 servo got stripped to hell somehow 2 sections of teeth on 1 gear are gone gotta replace those. Building a 1/5 scale Pup atm, perhaps when thats off the table il rebuild the Cub.
What a sinking feeling busting up something you build. Guess i can understand why people like ARF's
BUT i love building these, nothing i can do but pick up the pieces and back to the building boards.
05-31-2009, 08:17 AM
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RE: Not worth fixing?
I'd do as said, put it aside for a few days, and then have a good look, the damage doesnt appear too severe, shouldnt be too big a job to have her looking gorgeous again. It would be a shame to ditch her.
06-07-2009, 11:24 PM
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RE: Not worth fixing?
It's rebuildable from the looks of it. Yes you may find couple of surprises under the covering but that shouldn't stop you from rebuilding her up again, i have rebuilt worse crashed planes compare to you cub, presently doing one at this time also. Leave it aside for sometime and then look into it again.
06-08-2009, 01:25 AM
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RE: Not worth fixing?
Trax, start with the wing and start repairing. It's not that bad.
In a few weeks it'll be as good as new, actually it'll be be better than new because it'll be stronger. Use what you've learned in building - go buy different sizes of hardwood stringers to brace the fuse and have at it, one section at a time.
It won't look the same when you're done, it will be what it is!
More importantly than repairing, you need to ascertain a good idea why this crash happened. Had the receiver ever been in a crash before? You mentioned stripped servos. Had these servos ever been in a crash? I've had to rebuild a stripped servo that had never been in a crash, maybe there was a problem with the servo before you took it up. Batteries all charged?
Bottom line, you wouldn't put the same gear into another airplane without thoroughly checking everything out. Check it out.
Regarding your comment about time building. When I crashed my first RC airplane (pile of sticks) I looked at my mentor for his reaction. He had no reaction. That's when I figured it out. Check out the fingers of a lot of the guys flying. Many don't have ten. They don't bat an eye if they lose an airplane. I'm not preaching, it's all relative and part of the process. :-)
In a few weeks it'll be as good as new, actually it'll be be better than new because it'll be stronger. Use what you've learned in building - go buy different sizes of hardwood stringers to brace the fuse and have at it, one section at a time.
It won't look the same when you're done, it will be what it is!
More importantly than repairing, you need to ascertain a good idea why this crash happened. Had the receiver ever been in a crash before? You mentioned stripped servos. Had these servos ever been in a crash? I've had to rebuild a stripped servo that had never been in a crash, maybe there was a problem with the servo before you took it up. Batteries all charged?
Bottom line, you wouldn't put the same gear into another airplane without thoroughly checking everything out. Check it out.
Regarding your comment about time building. When I crashed my first RC airplane (pile of sticks) I looked at my mentor for his reaction. He had no reaction. That's when I figured it out. Check out the fingers of a lot of the guys flying. Many don't have ten. They don't bat an eye if they lose an airplane. I'm not preaching, it's all relative and part of the process. :-)
06-08-2009, 06:32 AM
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RE: Not worth fixing?
Trax,
You build in order to repair. Most ARFs are at the least, unrepairable, without a huge financial setback for the composites. You built this bird once... she flew once... she crashed. Hopefully she will fly again to crash again. I have known many pilots, and the ones who are the most comfortable in these situations are the builders. They have built to know their bird, and wouldnever let such a stumble keep the bird grounded.
You have good advice in setting it aside for a time, but before you do, strip it naked! You will have to anyway, and that will show you exactly how much damage was done. But by all means, REBUILD!!
A wise member said once: There are two kinds of planes...those that have crashed, and those never flown. Fly her again Bubba!
Use original planned techniques. DONOT simply repair a single area, and "beef it up", this will prove counter-productive! Put her back the way she was, and thouroughly inspect your flight surfaces, control rods, hinge areas, etc., AS YOUDISMANTLE, The signs are there, as to what happened. My guess is a control issue. I had a bird succcome to gravity, because I failed to secure the RX, and when it dislodged, the antenna leads were drawn in from their intended 90 degree attitude, and no control gave gravity a fatal advantage. See what your forensics come up with.
Keep your head up on a swivel
Skratchbilt
You build in order to repair. Most ARFs are at the least, unrepairable, without a huge financial setback for the composites. You built this bird once... she flew once... she crashed. Hopefully she will fly again to crash again. I have known many pilots, and the ones who are the most comfortable in these situations are the builders. They have built to know their bird, and wouldnever let such a stumble keep the bird grounded.
You have good advice in setting it aside for a time, but before you do, strip it naked! You will have to anyway, and that will show you exactly how much damage was done. But by all means, REBUILD!!
A wise member said once: There are two kinds of planes...those that have crashed, and those never flown. Fly her again Bubba!
Use original planned techniques. DONOT simply repair a single area, and "beef it up", this will prove counter-productive! Put her back the way she was, and thouroughly inspect your flight surfaces, control rods, hinge areas, etc., AS YOUDISMANTLE, The signs are there, as to what happened. My guess is a control issue. I had a bird succcome to gravity, because I failed to secure the RX, and when it dislodged, the antenna leads were drawn in from their intended 90 degree attitude, and no control gave gravity a fatal advantage. See what your forensics come up with.
Keep your head up on a swivel
Skratchbilt
06-08-2009, 10:44 AM
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RE: Not worth fixing?
Hi Trax540
If you were flying a little on the slow side, then it is possible you stalled it. The J3-Cub is one of my favorite planes because it is so difficult to fly. It is difficult because it responds different than other models. You need to learn what these differences are. There has been a lot written about it here, so do some searching. You have to be very good with the rudder. Never go to full throttle rapidly. The J3-Cub LOVES to snap roll.
If you were flying a little on the slow side, then it is possible you stalled it. The J3-Cub is one of my favorite planes because it is so difficult to fly. It is difficult because it responds different than other models. You need to learn what these differences are. There has been a lot written about it here, so do some searching. You have to be very good with the rudder. Never go to full throttle rapidly. The J3-Cub LOVES to snap roll.
06-08-2009, 08:06 PM
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RE: Not worth fixing?
Nothing like a good RCNTSB project. Like said let it sit for a few days or more learn why it all happened and rebuilt it better. I have allways been put off after a bad crash, but after the crash blues subside I pick up the peices and rebuild and go fly again. I allways makes for good conversation at the field when I bring a rebuild bird back out. Most guys just loss the wreakage in the field trash can.
06-08-2009, 09:05 PM
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RE: Not worth fixing?
Yea its sitting at home. Im not terribly discouraged anymore, i do love to build em. And i was told when i got into this hobby "If your scared of crashing dont build em, you WILLcrash at some point" Hopefully ive gotten that out of the way for awhile 
Il more than likley start piecing it back together once im finished with my current project.
Ive already stripped it down of everything except the covering . Found 1 servo stripped out 2 sections of the gear ( brand new flight pack )
I il replace the gears inside that one and check all the others again before i use them.
I pretty convinced it was some form of malfunction with my ailerons, I really didnt like the bellcrank setup from the begining i should have listened to my gut and went with 2 wing servos.
Theres alot of things i think back on and wonder what could of happend, But in the end il probably never know
Il more than likley start piecing it back together once im finished with my current project.
Ive already stripped it down of everything except the covering . Found 1 servo stripped out 2 sections of the gear ( brand new flight pack )
I il replace the gears inside that one and check all the others again before i use them.
I pretty convinced it was some form of malfunction with my ailerons, I really didnt like the bellcrank setup from the begining i should have listened to my gut and went with 2 wing servos.
Theres alot of things i think back on and wonder what could of happend, But in the end il probably never know
06-10-2009, 05:54 AM
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RE: Not worth fixing?
Did you actually check the voltage on your receiver batteries after the crash? When batteries are low I have found that radios will still work up close, but not further away.
If all the controls still worked up close apparently nothing came loose in flight.
My guess is something went wrong with your radio system.
Sorry about your loss. That "was" a nice looking plane!
If all the controls still worked up close apparently nothing came loose in flight.
My guess is something went wrong with your radio system.
Sorry about your loss. That "was" a nice looking plane!
06-10-2009, 03:46 PM
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RE: Not worth fixing?
Wow..theres nothing to rebuild...throw that pile of sticks away and start over..it probally wouldnt ever fly the same scale way anyway after the rebuild..good luck!
06-10-2009, 11:37 PM
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RE: Not worth fixing?
Rebuild Rebuild Rebuild... The only time I would throw a good plane away and strart over is if there was nothing left to rebuild. It looks like you have 98% So REBUILD. and have FUN
06-11-2009, 11:11 AM
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RE: Not worth fixing?
Rebuiding provides many of the same enjoyments of working with a model that original building does and in some ways some added enjoyment of restoration challenge. If you don't like to build or don't have the tools or skils, then thats another story.
IMO, you are faced with a harder problem as you didn't fly the model long enough to determine its value to you. If it was a proven good flyer, the impetus to rebuild would be stronger but not knowing if it is of great worth, leaves less motivation.
Some Cubs are given to snapping. After rebuilding one last year, I mixed some up aileron to low throttle to simulate washout and reduce snap when the model was flying slower. That of course requires setting the wing up for flapperons.
IMO, you are faced with a harder problem as you didn't fly the model long enough to determine its value to you. If it was a proven good flyer, the impetus to rebuild would be stronger but not knowing if it is of great worth, leaves less motivation.
Some Cubs are given to snapping. After rebuilding one last year, I mixed some up aileron to low throttle to simulate washout and reduce snap when the model was flying slower. That of course requires setting the wing up for flapperons.
