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Great Planes: Fundango

Old 04-13-2003, 06:53 PM
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WJ Birmingham
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Default Great Planes: Fundango

Anyone have this electric, and thoughts/opinions of it?

I read the review here: http://www.ezonemag.com/articles/200...fundango.shtml

Heck, GP even puts the plans into their web page...

http://www.greatplanes.com/manuals/g...anual-v1_1.pdf

Was considering just printing out the plans, and building it myself. Only problem would be making the wing without actual size templates for the wing spars.

Thoughts/Opinions/Criticisms?
Old 04-14-2003, 11:57 PM
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PaulF
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Default Great Planes: Fundango

I had it out this morning, its first flights of the year

The kit builds real fast; you can build and cover it in a day. Use the recommended radio components, but the recommended power system is the pits (is there someone in GP that thinks electrics are cannibalizing IC sales and purposely screws up these kits?). I went the cheap way out and this thing has plenty of power; it'll ROG in in less than 10 feet and climb at more than 45 degrees. Get the GP 3:1 gear box, speed 400 6V motor and a good, light ESC. The recommended battery is pretty heavy. I built my own batteries using 8 X KR600AE cells; total cost per pack is ~ $16, including heat shrink and wire. No soldering iron - Hobby Lobby had pre-built packs using same cells; they are ~ $23/pack. If I baby it, I can get 6 minutes a flight; my typical flights last 4.5 minutes.

This was my first balsa kit, so I built it stock.

Here's a pic...sorry about the quality, I build better than I take pictures and I take pictures better than I fly
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Old 04-15-2003, 01:57 AM
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WJ Birmingham
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Default Great Planes: Fundango

Ah, finally, a reply.

Yeah, I had read a review or two on it, that said the recommended power plant sucks, and to use a 3.3+ gearbox with a 400 engine.

I'd also read somewhere that it was highly recommended to not use landing gear, and to add full spars into the wings where there is none, to decrease wing warp when monokoting, and to provide extra rigidity during flight.

So, how hard have you pushed it? Does it roll quickly enough for ya?
Old 04-15-2003, 10:43 AM
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PaulF
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Default Great Planes: Fundango

Going from memory, I think finding a 3.3:1 gearbox was difficult, so I settled on the 3:1 gear box and that works fine with the APC 10X7 slo-fly prop. The speed 400 motors put out enough punch, but at full throttle, the motor is at 11 amps so I'm on my second motor; the first seemed to have lost its power after 30 flights or so. I spend the $8 and bought a new motor and that brought new life to it. I'm sure if you went cobalt or brushless you'd get not only longer run times, but also increased motor life.

The landing gear come in handy if you fly from tarmac. I fly from grass, so I skipped the gear and I do think it flies a bit faster. The gear *does* help with orientation, particularly when coming out of a roll. On low rate, it rolls pretty fast. ON high rate, I'd guess it rolls 720 degrees / second.

Spars, it's early so my brain is still cold. Do you mean as a way to support the vertical stabilizer? If so, than yes, I'd agree here it's a weak spot. I didn't add spars, just added a piece of balsa at the point of intersection of the horizontal and vertical stabilizers. As long as you don't bang it into something, which I've done, it'll hold great in flight.

Don't use monokote..go with Oracover. I think Hobby Lobby stocks it. It's lighter and easier to work with, so it'll decrease wing warpage.

I sorta fly the thing like a sissy, probably because I killed my Fundango twice in the last 2 years. The first time I was doing rolls...I did three in a row, than I stalled it. It went into a dive and plowed into the ground nose first. 8 hours of repair work and it was back in the air. About a year ago I was flying inverted and lost orientation. I was smart enough to kill the power before impact, but it was destroyed. It sat on a shelf for 6-9 months. I full repaired it during the winter, so it's back in action.

It picks up speed pretty fast and is easily thrown around in the air.

I read on a forum that someone said that they liked the Radio Shack 1400 nimh battery pack. Well, if they do, they would love the cheap packs I have as the Radio Shack packs provide little to no punch and add too much weight.

The total weight with batteries installed is ~ 18 ounces. The Radio Shack pack adds two ounces and is very noticeable in flight; it's not as nimble and the roll rate suffers. That said, do what you can to keep the weight down.

Here's the post crash picture
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Old 04-20-2003, 07:05 PM
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Henke Torphammar
 
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Default Great Planes: Fundango

Hi

I made a Fundago looking plane... flies nice! but a rudder would help

16/15/6 10x4,7 on 8x1100HE

AUW 475g

http://www.vaxjorc.com/Media/Video/mega16156.avi

you need Divx 5.0.3 to view the video. www.divx.com/divx
Old 04-21-2003, 03:47 AM
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WJ Birmingham
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Default Great Planes: Fundango

Say, nicely done.. If you installed wheels on both sides of the fuse, you'd be set, lol.

I wound up buying this:

http://www.cl-i-max.com/

It should be here this Thursday, if Fedex keeps their promised delivery date. The Fundango seemed to have to many needed changes from the "Out of the Box" condition to be "fun".
Old 04-21-2003, 09:50 AM
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PaulF
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Default Great Planes: Fundango

The WASP looks very nice. It's smaller, too, which comes in handy.

I had the Fundango out this morning...two quick flights before work. I definately need to add the landing gear as the early morning dew truly saturates the thing when you do belly landings.

Keep us informed during the building and test flights.

Good luck,

Paul
Old 04-07-2007, 05:33 PM
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ski4six
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Default RE: Great Planes: Fundango

Does this motor/ESC sound OK for the Fundango???
E-flite 400 park moter (outrunner)
E-flite 20 amp ESC
Old 07-08-2007, 12:56 AM
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corbystarlet11
 
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Default RE: Great Planes: Fundango

sounds awesome
Old 07-12-2007, 06:33 PM
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BennettOZ
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Default RE: Great Planes: Fundango

I am almost finished building my Fundango, but I have a question.. how do I mount the motor to the fuse? do i drill out the fuse so the dowl fits inside of it? than screw into the dowl?

Anyways, the build was fast and easy, I don't think I am going to use the landing gear for this plane....

Also I am going to use the stock engine setup for now and upgrade after awhile can someone direct me to the products I need? links would be awesome. Thanks...

Old 08-18-2007, 05:40 AM
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corbystarlet11
 
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Default RE: Great Planes: Fundango

i sanded it down

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