opjose

Re: Gear

I had no problem with the included gear - BUT - I re-inforced the mains gear.

I used the provided wire and with copper wire tied on an "L" shaped piece of music wire 90 degrees to the existing gear, so the "leg" faces straight back.


I then soldered the new piece in place and put shrink wrap over the solder areas... then I used a "U" shaped gear strap to affix the leg of the re-inforcement to the wing's hardwood mount. This involved no cutting or additional changes to the wing to do... very quick and easy!

It worked GREAT! The gear is MUCH stiffer now, but can still bend back on very hard landings to protect the wing ( note it is NOT a good idea to make your gear unable to move or unable to give as this tends to make it rip out instead of bend, taking the wing with it! ).

I did not replace the nose gear as I tend to grease my landings in, setting the plane down on the two rear gear alone. If ever needed I'll replace the nose with a Fults gear setup.


Hint: if you want to fly off grass replace the wheels with 3.5" ones.


Re: Engine mount.

I dropped an old O.S. FP .60 in this plane WITHOUT any problems what-so ever. No need to rebuild the mounting area, etc... it IS sized for a .60

I drilled the holes and installed blind nuts on the bottom to further secure the engine... this took a few minutes to do.

The engine mounting area on mine came fuel proofed, but I applied a second coat just to play it safe...


Re: battery

I mounted a big 3000mAh NiMH pack just aft of the fuel tank, and in retrospect I should have mounted it UNDER the tank.

I replaced the included 8oz tank with a 16oz tank I had on hand, that fit perfectly.


Re: C.G.

I added 8oz of nose weight to the plane!!!!

And even then it tends to sit on the tail when empty.

The included gear mounting holes are actually too far forward.

I have my C.G. right on or just aft of the gear mount holes and the C.G. could be much further aft, to improve flight and response.


To add the weight I put a blind nut aft the the engine, then took a stack of fender washers and put a bolt through the fender washers and the blind nut.

That way I can easily add or remove washers at the field to adjust the nose weight... cheap, simple and painless.



Re: Servos and linkages

WARNING WILL ROBINSON, WARNING!!!!

For yuks I built the plane as indicated with the included wing center single servo and the provided elevator/rudder pushrods.

I then flew it with the OS .60 FP engine using a 12x7 APC prop.

On a light dive at full throttle the elevator and ailerons started to flutter so violently that the entire plane appeared to be short of EXPLODING.

The default setup has too much slop in the surface movements leading to the flutter.


I am in the process of installing a mount for each wing servo and I'll need to do something about the tail too.

I could have just put on a low pitch prop ( say a 13x4W ) but I like the way the plane flew with the 12x7.

blvdbuzzard

Funny how threads come up again and again.

I have an electric build thread around here some place.

Changes I made other then the electric are dual ailerons servos, new gear bent from 5/32 piano wire, Dubro 5/32 nose wheel setup, glider carriage to mount gliders to launch. I used the stock push rods with better snap links and clevis's.

This plane does fly very well when setup with a good engine and some of the lessor parts are replaced. Mine hauls up a Ventus like it was not even there. Ventus weighs in at almost 4 pounds and 2.3 meter span.


Buzz.

opjose

Did you do anything for the elevator/ tail?

blvdbuzzard

I used the supplied hinges on both the elevator and rudder plus I used the control horns that came with it but I did use better snap links.

I did not add anything to the tail planes. What did you change? Mine were good to go.


Buzz.

opjose

I went all stock except the quick release linkages ( much as you did )... but I've had serious fluttering problems with this since there is play in the control surfaces.

It's not really a slop problem, as it is that the surfaces move up or down with a bit of force applied.

The ailerons do this because of the "U" wire the stock setup comes with... it gives too much.

I'm going to switch to one servo per aileron to cure the wing flutter problem.

The advice to go with one servo per aileron is spot on.



However the tail also has a similiar problem. I think this is because of lateral movement of the push wire.

I may first try immobilizing lateral movement by affixing the pushrod to the former via guide tubing.

I was wondering if you had tried anything else.

blvdbuzzard

On mine, the wire runs inside a plastic tube from the former right behind the wing saddle to the tail. The push rods are a 40 inch long piece of wire threaded on one end.

The stock torque rod setup lets the ailerons move about 3/4 an inch each way before the servo even thinks about moving. It would be a tighter fit if they used a bungee cord to hold them in place.

Buzz.

opjose

Yeah same here, though the wires that it came with are so thin that they bend laterally quite easily.

Hah!

Yeah, you should have seen the plane in a slight full power dive with a 12x7 prop on an old 60 FP engine.

I've never seen anything like that before! If I were not assembling the plane for someone else, I may have just pushed it to watch the carnage.

blvdbuzzard

My brother has a Magnum .91 2s in his. We laugh every time he tries to fly past about 1/3 throttle. You can see and hear the ailerons flapping in the breeze like a flag. It gets so bad he has to use rudder to turn it.

Sounds like the wires I have are a lot thicker then the ones you got. Mine are 1.5mm or so. They are stiff and do a pretty good job.


Buzz.

opjose

Yeah that's a good idea... just use stiffer wires on the tail.

Less work that way... thanks that's what I'll do along with putting servos on each aileron.

I wish I had moved the engine forward when I built the plane... I never expected it to be SOOO tail heavy.

If I removed the added weight, and reduced the battery pack capacity, I'd shave off a good pound or so!

blvdbuzzard

The glow powered ones had the engines right at the front of the wood rails, as far forward as we could move the engines. Then the batteries were as far forward and under the tank as we could get. I made the CG right on the main spar. That is almost an inch farther back then where the plans show.

When balanced per plans, there is no way to get the nose up to slow it for landing. Full elevator and the nose just drops. Balanced on the spar, you can hold the nose up and get it to really slow down.


Buzz.

dditch

There is a guy at a neighboring club with this and he said his waf flying good and he has an OS 55 on his. But he is flying too slow I think to notice any issues. He changed out the clevises only I recall. I'll feed him over to this thread cause I think he was putting an evolution 60 somthing in it soon and moving the 55 to something else

opjose

On one that I built for a novice RC'er... I put in an old OS .60 FX using a 12x7 prop.

I didn't expect the plane to fly too fast, but on a light almost level dive at full power the flutter was so bad with the stock setup that I was sure it would self destruct in a second or two. It was a sight to see.

The two servo aileron setup is a MUST with this plane, as is making sure that there is no play on the tail linkages caused by the pushrod flexing.



BTW: An OS AX 55 to an Evolution .60?

He is not going to see any change what-so-ever... the two engines are almost identical in power.
If anything the AX 55 may produce a bit more power than the Evolution .60.

mikecole4602

I had a Tiger 60 before this so I set this one up similar. Made it a taildragger, as our grass is pretty rough. Used fiberglass main gear mounted just forward of the LE after reinforcing the fuse floor. Attached tail wheel to the fuse and a spring linkage to the rudder. Two aileron servos of course and heavier push rods to the tail. Replace the CA hinges with pinned dubro types.

dditch

good feedback opjose!
Gonna pass this along to a friend who got one.

Gmann6843

I bought one of these now I am trying to figure out what to put in her? Thought I'd try to use the stock setup but after putting her together. I am rethinking the Aileron setup. I used two mini servos in the center aileron location but the more I think about it, it looks like that won’t work. I will put two standard servos in the wing.

rsbabcock

I am really a novice builder and flyer. How does the main wing attach? Do I just epoxy the wing sections together with the piece of wood supplied.

Where and how should I mount the aileron servos if I use separate ones as the posts suggest?

There are a couple small parts I can't identify. A parts list would have been helpful.

I have an OS .61 motor for it, but also have an Evolution .46. Would the .46 be better for a novice?

Sorry for all the questions. I am in a bit of afog here

Nitroplanes said you were the expert and pointed me to this discussion board..

Bob

opjose

The two wing segments are glued TOGETHER at the wing root once the inner spar is installed to get the dihedral correct.... The separate piece of wood, doesn't really take any load, it's there merely to protect the undersides from the bolts you'll use to affix the wings.

I recommend using large fender washers to prevent damage to this area.

You'll need to fabricate a servo mounting panel out of hardwood... with a precut servo mounting hole.

Cut the existing covering away carefully, limiting your cut to the area you'll later replace.

Glue the panel in place, install the servo temporarily, remove the servo and CA the wood where the screws went in...

Then apply NEW covering... I used dark blue covering...


None exists, post a picture and we can try to indentify them for you.


What OS .61 do you have?

I would go with the .61 at a minumum as the plane comes out tail heavy even with an O.S. .61 FP... I had to add QUITE a lot of weight to the nose.

I did so by installing a stack of fender washers behind the engine.

I drilled ONE hole in the engine mounting area behind the engine after the plane was already assembled. I installed a blind nut from the bottom.

I then put a large stack of fender washers onto a long bold and screwed that down onto the blind nut, from the top.

The stack sits behind the engine... the best part is you can add or remove fender washers as needed and it doesn't look unsightly.

I added just enough fender washers so the plane tend to sit on the gear properly but it does tend to tail sit on an empty tank.

It flies fine this way.


Note the recommendation I posted earlier about beefing up the gear struts and CA'ing the gear mounting blocks.

I HIGHLY recommend you do likewise.

Finally apply Top Flight Clear Coat ( without the canopy in place ) as I've instructed in so many other posts....

opjose

If you are experienced flyer a 2 stroke .75 is about perfect.... provided you do as I indicated before... e.g. anti-flutter stuff, gear strut re-inforcement, etc.

rsbabcock

Thanks for the quick reply.Do the pegs that aresupply hold the front of the wing in place and the bolts the rear? I suppose the rectangular piece with two holes and two rounded cornersis used to affix the rear of the wing with bolts through the holes, right?

I was thinking about installing the servos on the solid forward part of the wings, but I see what you are saying. Just cut out a section, mount them and then recover the section. What type of servos would you recommend. I am using a Spektrum transmitter.

I will take a photo of the parts and post it.Not a bad plane and the price is excellent. The manual assumes more experience than I happen to have, hee hee.

Thanks again!

rsbabcock

Well, I am new to this site and don't know how to post a picture.  I took one on my iPhone.  Can I mail it to you? ...or is there a better way?

rsbabcock

Other than the part I described above which I believe is to hold the back of the wing, another is a short dowel approx 1/4" diameter and about 1" long, another is an unfinished fabricated plywood box that looks like it could be a throttle servo mount (?) and another is an irregular shaped piece.  The bottom looks like a Nike swoosh and the top is straight with what looks like a tab or notch.  It is fiished white similar to the model body.

opjose

Correct on both counts. If I recall correctly instead of a joiner "tube" a piece of "V" shaped wood is used to align the wings and get the dihedral right.

When you attempt to glue that in, do ONE side first. Mix up your 30 epoxy then add about 30% by volume of isophrophy alcohol to thin it out.

Mix completely then brush onto half the wooden spar. Insert into place, brush the other half, then mix up 30 minute epoxy undiluted and join the wings before everything dries. ( Hint: Wax paper does not stick to epoxy!!! a builders tip! ). Make sure that everything lines up, and clamp things down for drying...

Plain Standard Servos will do fine, particularly since you'll be allocating one per aileron, and you can set them up for maximum mechanical advantage.


Please UPLOAD the photos to your gallery... Then post the link to the photo in your gallery...

Hint, open the non-mini uploaded photo in your gallery, then right click on it, hit properties, and cut and paste the URL of the actual image...

That "imbeds" it in your post... as I did in the next post...

I believe you can also upload directly to this thread to.

opjose

Do you see the piece you are talking about in this picture?



The "V" shaped wooden bar, ( note it only has a SLIGHT "V" shape ) is the wing "joiner" used to set the dihedral and help join the wings.

That is what I suggest you use thinned epoxy on.


The covered white item just above the joiner and slightly to the left is used to protect the wings from the effects of the bolts...
This glues in place AFTER you've joined the wings and things have dried.

I normally wait until I've attached the wings... first I'll mount the with that plate loosely in place ( cut away the covering on the holes )....

Then I'll mark the outline of that piece on the wings... I'll remove everything, cut the covering of the wing away 1/8" inside the outline, throw on a bit of epoxy there, and being very VERY careful NOT to get epoxy on the wings, nor bolts, I'll put the wings back on with the plate in place and let dry. This assures it is in the correct position. (Hint: Petroleum Jelly all over the bolts and blind nuts, assures they cannot stick to epoxy... ).

opjose

If I recall correctly the dowel is one of the wing alignment pins. You may need to open the holes to get it to fit on both sides of the wing roots.

It is glued in place on one side BEFORE you put the two wings together, though get the hole size right first.


The "box" ( which hopefully you WILL NOT use ) is to be glued on top of the wing to anchor the single servo used for both ailerons in place.

The "swoosh"? Is that the "V" shaped piece I mentioned?

-

BTW: Mount your engine FIRST, as it is MUCH easier to work on the fuse without the tail attached.

rsbabcock

The odd shaped white piece is the most troubling.  The piece with 2 holes and the dowel are for wing attachment as I understand your posts and the fabricated box is for the aileron servo, but it is not advised.  I suppose I could use it to mount the throttle servo....maybe.