PVenkman

I have a Great Planes ElectriCub kit that I purchased about 14 years ago. At the time it was designed for a can-type 05 motor running on 6-7 cells.

I've finally decided to build the thing, and no question electrics have come a long way in the past 14 years. So I'm looking for recommendations on a motor/prop/battery combo.

Keep in mind this is a Cub, and all I'm really looking for is Cub-like performance. I'm not interested in unlimited vertical performance, for example! I am interested in longer flight times though, so going the Li-Po route has some attraction.

Great Planes still sells this kit although I think it's been modified along the way. The recommend a speed 600 on 7 cells now (and I see they've updated it to have ailerons).

58.75 inch span, 471 square inch area, 3.25-3.5 lb weight.

Thanks.

Matt Kirsch

My Feedback: (21)

Speed 600 and "05" motors are essentially the same motor. Basically, they're just inexpensive car motors.

Great Planes's electric design department really needs to get into the 21st century. Running cheap car motors direct-drive on cheap car packs isn't a very good solution to powering electric airplanes anymore. In fact, it never was. The power system is too heavy and inefficient for the amount of thrust it generates. Funny thing is, they're still designing them like that, as evidenced by the Superstar EP.

Simply adding a gearbox and a larger propeller, though, makes a world of difference. You gear the prop down so it's flying closer to the speed the plane flies at. The gearing also multiplies the torque of the motor, so you can spin a bigger prop to generate more thrust. End result is an immensely better climb rate and longer flight times.

IMHO, you'd be very happy with that stock motor, 7 cells, a 3:1 Master Airscrew gearbox, and a 12x8 propeller. Leaving it direct drive, you might be wondering "where's the beef?"

Greg Covey

A simple upgrade to the power system that came with your ElectriCub would be to replace the Speed 600 motor (aka 05) with a $20 Magnetic Mayhem Reverse motor from Tower Hobbies.

The canned 05 motors are weak and throw brushes at the slightest strain. They generally only handle 15amps max. current.

The Kyosho Magnetic Mayhem (MM) is a more robust Speed 600 motor with external brushes. It is happy up to 20amps and will fit in your existing gearbox. You can simply increase the prop size, if needed, to push the motor to 20 amps.

Why is it so good yet so inexpensive? We have the huge R/C car world to thank for that.

The Magnetic Mayhem Reverse (MMR) is timed for reverse rotation (clockwise) so it is more efficient when used with a gearbox that requires the motor to be reversed (like the Great Planes ElectriFly gearbox on your Cub).

Good luck!

pikebishop

ditto on what greg covey said. magnetic mayhem, great planes or master airscrew gearbox seven cells and an 11/7 or 10/8 electric prop. apc strongly recomended.apc thin electric.will rog with this setup and fly for 10 min at half throttle 2000 ma nicad.

blvdbuzzard

Yes to all of the above about the MM and gear box. I scratch built one and I am powering it with a Kyosho Endoplasma timed to run backwards, GP gd600 gear box with the highest ratio, 12X6 APC "E" prop, 8 2400 MAH nicd. It has plenty of power. More then it needs so It will fly at low power settings.


Dru.

Kensonic

I too built the original ECub and it flew like crap on the Great Planes direct drive setup. I didn't fly it for 7 years and then decided to give it another try. I used a 19 turn car motor with a Olympus 2.3:1 belt drive with a 7 cell, 1900 SCR battery pack driving a 10x6 Master Airscrew wood electric prop. ROG'ed off
of thick grass in 10 feet! It flew well for 7-8 minutes.

I just finished a new ECub and it is a much nicer model. It includes
ailerons, bolt-on wings and a nice clear cockpit area. I am flying this with an older AstroFlight 05 cobalt using the AstroFlight 2.33:1 gearbox also using 7 cell, 1900 SCR battery pack. The prop is a rev-up 12x7.5 4 stroke wood prop. Nice power, will loop from level flight at about 24 amps static. Projected flight time is about 12 minutes at 70% throttle (but I haven't tested this yet).

My experinece says that this would also fly about the same on a Kyosho Magnetic Mayhem with a 2.5:1 gear drive. Make sure you use the REVERSE Magnetic Mayhem with the gearbox. Draw is about 24-25 amps static and about 21 in flight. I also fly my 70" Astro Collegiate with the Magnetic Mayhem with 10 cells, 3.83:1 gearbox and 13x8 prop. Draw is about 24 amps static and provides 50 ounces of static thrust and 6 minutes of full throttle flight time!