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Sonic 500 arf first flight

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Sonic 500 arf first flight

Old 04-22-2007, 06:54 PM
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Crazy4Flight
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Default Sonic 500 arf first flight

The $50.00 special from Hobby People got its first flight in today. Gusty crosswinds did not help the trimming in. Basically if flys like my old Scat Cat, turns on a dime. It was a tad tail heavy and rather pitch sensitive. Then a muffer bolt departed and flight was ended early, landed safe in the grass as I want it down asap before losing the muffler. It is Powered by a Jett SS.40.
Old 04-23-2007, 12:19 PM
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rmenke
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Default RE: Sonic 500 arf first flight

Crazy:
Please continue your flight report. Have one of these things sitting in storage waiting for a review. Do not want to risk any of my Jett engines. In the intrum, am building another Yellow Jacket II, this time using a composite Q-500 wing, and adding some width to make tank and engine installation and use more user friendly. Club race this last Saturday proved YJ II with Jett 60 LX has so much speed over the gang, I can give quite a bit away in width and weight and still kick tail. In one heat I blew our flying start by about 1/2 lap, still was able to run everyone down and pass with ease. I know its not fair to have so much speed on everyone else, but thats what being a tretcherous old man is all about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go old guys!!!
Old 04-23-2007, 01:00 PM
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Default RE: Sonic 500 arf first flight


ORIGINAL: rmenke

Crazy:
Please continue your flight report. Have one of these things sitting in storage waiting for a review. Do not want to risk any of my Jett engines. In the intrum, am building another Yellow Jacket II, this time using a composite Q-500 wing, and adding some width to make tank and engine installation and use more user friendly. Club race this last Saturday proved YJ II with Jett 60 LX has so much speed over the gang, I can give quite a bit away in width and weight and still kick tail. In one heat I blew our flying start by about 1/2 lap, still was able to run everyone down and pass with ease. I know its not fair to have so much speed on everyone else, but thats what being a tretcherous old man is all about!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go old guys!!!
Ya sound happy there rmenke
Old 04-23-2007, 02:33 PM
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Default RE: Sonic 500 arf first flight

rmenke

You should redo the wing bolt blocks right from the start and bend the landing gear forward to the leading edge. The plane likes to tip over like a mustang, bending the gear forward takes care of this problem. I have seen two sets of wings come off on less than perfect landings. Both broke the wing bolt blocks off clean from the fuselage.
Old 04-23-2007, 06:19 PM
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Default RE: Sonic 500 arf first flight

my first sonic the wing blocks came off in midair doing a full throttle pass down the runway.. i lost the main wing. but my plane broke a new personal speed record heh. my 2nd one is almost complete, but i moved up from a magnum 46 to a rossi 53. i also bent the landing gear forward cause my first one loved to nose over.
Old 04-23-2007, 06:35 PM
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Default RE: Sonic 500 arf first flight

Bob: Sure am!!!!!!!!!!!!Just love the Jett 60LX to death. Gives this old man the edge to keep on giving the kids a rough time club racing. Thought this year would be my last even with a struggle, Am so fast a few bo-bo's just don't matter. "Fairness" is just not in a old racers vocabulary.
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Old 04-23-2007, 06:43 PM
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Default RE: Sonic 500 arf first flight

Bob:

Pic of the business end.
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Old 04-23-2007, 09:34 PM
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Default RE: Sonic 500 arf first flight

today I put about 1.7 oz of lead on the nose. I bolted it to the mounting flange on the SS40. The Jett has a backplate mount which I used. I guess thats wy my CG was off. Back in the day the ScatCat, (Sonic 500), was the bird to have most pilots had a beam type mount moving the motor 1/2-5/8" forward.

The servos for the elevator and rudder are aft of the wing under a hatch. They could have been moved forward to help the CG too.

Wingmount was supplemented with balsa blocks glued under the plywood plates.
Firewall was given some extra glue to from the inside.
Diehedral was removed wing is straight. Spar was modified too.
Jett Bubbless tank was intalled.
Hitec 425BB servos used.

Cheap supplied wheels were used, far too wide for serious speed. But good enough to use while getting the plane sorted out.

Overall quality of ARF build average. covering material poor.
OK for a intro plane for someone thinking of getting into pylon racing.
OK for a club or spec racer.
I doubt if I would pay 89.95 for it. pid 49.95 + shipping.
I would not put a Jett .60 LX on it.

I did fly it, maiden, before getting out my UK Magnum & Jett 50.

I may get to fly it before the weekend, just need the storm front to pass.

bob
Old 04-24-2007, 08:09 AM
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Default RE: Sonic 500 arf first flight


ORIGINAL: rmenke

Bob:

Pic of the business end.
So they let you race that, but a Q-500 airframe is not legal ? [&:]

So be it... glad its working well.

Crazy....

for a sub-$100 ARF basic airframe ..... it sounds like a decent value.
Old 04-24-2007, 01:31 PM
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Default RE: Sonic 500 arf first flight


ORIGINAL: bob27s


ORIGINAL: rmenke

Bob:

Pic of the business end.
So they let you race that, but a Q-500 airframe is not legal ? [&:]

So be it... glad its working well.

Crazy....

for a sub-$100 ARF basic airframe ..... it sounds like a decent value.
Bob: There lies the rub (conflict). Its not a Q-500 with a nose grafted on. Was built from shop scraps and devious tretcherous old guys mind. None of the moments are identical to a Quickee, fatter, longer etc. Key of course is the Jett 60LX, a wonderful engine. Plane will do a complete pattern, have gotten a few torque rolls even, short term. Usually fly around at less than 1/2 throttle which I know is on the idle portion of the carb design. Seems ritch enough, hope I dont hirt the engine. Transition and idle even with a APC 8.75 X 8.8 is great. Have to beat it with a stick to stop it from tickig over at idle. ENJOY

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