PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

50 bucks for a good set of floats? SCORE.

You can't even buy a good float KIT for that much.

I contacted a guy about building a set for my Decathlon. With those huge wings, and all the lift, the plane is perfect for float flying.

Last time it took the better part of a year from ordering to having finished floats on the plane. But they're as nice as any floats I've ever seen, so - worth the wait, to be sure.

~ Jim ~[8D]

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

I finished the video on how to build a Gas Tank from a Fiji water bottle. It's a support video, and not an actual part of the build, though I'm showing it as one of the build videos. I guess I'll have to start pointing them to the Pin hinge installation videos too, since that's going to be a part of the build. (scribblescribblescribble) There, it's in my notes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z2pDTuBK-A

I'll get the next one going as soon as I can.

~ Jim ~[8D]

crashgoodly

no flight today. the winds were savage here. gonna go tomorrow.

Howard

My Feedback: (55)

Feedback needed from RC Guys SD builers/flyers please: Last year I completed an RC Guys Pitts (a red one) that was ordered from RC Guys by my LHS for me about a month before I began building it. The Pitts has a lot of striping on the wings and within a few flights almost all of it had been blown off the plane. I tried ironing it down in places but, it still blew off. I really want to put together the RC Guys Super Decathlon and have heard that while this was also a problem for the SD that it had somehow been fixed and was no longer an issue. Can someone please corroborate what I have heard or fill me in on the details. I really want to get this plane but, I am not going to the money and then have all the nice looking stripes get blown off the plane. Thanks for the help.

Howard

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

I can't say anything from experience yet.

In my first video, I talked about how the covering job looks very good, but the pin striping is not sealed down tightly in a number of spots. However, compared to my GP Super Sportster and Stearman models, it's much better visually. I expect that with almost any ARF I'm going to need to seal down some loose items or sort out some wrinkles. Ironing the striping to seal it down well is no big deal on an ARF. It's pretty much expected that some covering will need doctoring.

I can iron them down, but until I fly it some, I cannot say whether the trim will stay. However;

Dan Speers at RC Guys told me a few weeks back that they have addressed and solved the problem they historically had with the trim lifting from their Super Decathlons.

I weighed out the possibility of having to replace the trim covering on mine, and decided that the model overall appeared to be built well enough that I'm willing to do it, should it peel. I've got the model here now, and I'm highly impressed with every aspect of the ARF. I would have no problem using the vast majority of the stock hardware. You don't see that very much on ARFs. I hope it doesn't peel, of course; that's the easiest and best scenario. But if it does, the model is nice enough that I can deal with it.

I won't have mine done very quickly, as I'm doing the video build series as I go.

~ Jim ~[8D]

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Hey, did you guys notice that they fixed these threads? Everything seems to be back to normal here. 5 seconds and it's up. Yay!

Many thanks to the RCU technicians who got it figured out. It is appreciated.[8D]

~ Jim ~

bradleyban

My strips and some stars had come off. I Just went to a local sign shop and had them cut me out some vynal strips and starts and replaced them all. They had the exact colour match for the blue. Mine is now 3 years old so I don't have one of the later kits to elaborate on. Great plane though I love mine. Im considering letting it go though as I don't use it like I used to.

LT Pierce

Hello There:

I bought mine very used,testing new 30cc engines for my Beaufighter
so far pleased with the way it flys. I do have a problem, the anchor  nut
in the wing strut  attachment has come a drift.
Has someone fixed this condition if so How?

 Larry

WI53072

Guys,

I got back at it some tonight and got the wings ironed out and got the aileron servos mounted. Should have the wing mounted tommorow night and can begin on finishing the SD up! Just a bunch of small things left to do before I run up the engine. If the weather holds I ought to get it in the air in a week or so. Of course ny daytime job takes a lot of my time! So it is anyones guess.

Jim how are you coming on your SD??

Paul

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

I run hot and cold at times. I haven't done much for a few days. I'm still waiting for the engine to arrive. He had a glitch in the supply line when one of his vendors didn't deliver as promised. Since it's a vital part of the videos I'm doing, I decided just to go back to writing until it arrives.

I'm one of those people who don't rush a build. I take a lot of extra time, but they always come out nice.

~ Jim ~

WI53072

Jim,

could you do me a favor?? could you look at your wing struts and advise me if or not that they are pre-drilled for the small wire "Interplane Struts" to attach to the main stuts. I believe I may have a defective set of struts. The interplane struts are also problematic as they are bent with too short of an arm to be long enough to mount to the wing at the wing mounting points. I may have to take pictures of this and send them to Dan over at RC Guys.



Paul

bradleyban

There was another guy on here that had issues with his struts aswell. The holes on either the front or back were in the wrong location. As for the interplane struts Ihad to adjust the bend in mine to suit the plane.


Just sold my Decathlon guys It just wasn't getting used. Sold it for a bargin too.... Jeeze. Even though i didn't use it as much Istill am very attached to it and will miss it

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Okay, Paul, here we go:

This is assuming that your plane has the 98" wingspan. Some were 106", as I recall.

I haven't even started yet, so I don't know which is which. I'll describe them as The strut with the cut, to designate the one that has a 3" cut along its trailing edge, and The strut with the flat end.

The strut with the flat end. From the hole going through the flat end to the hole for the wire brace, the distance, center to center, is 14-13/16" That's fourteen and thirteen-sixteenths inches. The hole is drilled with a 9/64" bit, and is dead center in the strut, or 3/8" from the trailing edge.

On The strut with the cut, go to the end that DOES NOT have the cut, and measure 12-3/4" from that hole to the hole for the wire brace, center to center. Also a 9/64" drill, also dead-center.

You will have to bend the wire brace to match up with the struts. Even the new kits tell you they need to be flexed some.

Let me know if you need anything more. That should be an easy fix.

Remember: measure twice, drill once!

Jim

WI53072

Jim are there 3 holes on one strut and 4 on the other??

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Yes!

Jim

WI53072

Jim thanks,

Then I am going to have to contact Dan and let him know I have a set of struts left and right that do not have all the holes drilled in them and that in fact the front strut for the right wing does appear to be slightly too short to align properly with the blind nut located in the wing. Also, the inter wing wire stuts also appear to be too short as the clips when installed in the wing for the inter struts are too far apart for the pre-bent interstruts. If any of this makes sense!!! [&o] I do have the 98" wing plane. The good news is the wings fit perfectly!!! Just the struts are not correct. I hope Dan see's this post. I am confident he will however, I will email him if need be later today or over the weekend. I hate to be picky, but I am very fond of this airplane, it is just beautiful with the wings put on it!! I can't wait to get her in the air!!!! I still have time before snow fly's to do so....

Paul

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Paul,

If you read through the thread carefully, you'll see that the struts don't always match the wing exactly. However, when the wing is on the tube and bolted tight, it's correct. You might have to add some spacers to make the strut match the wing. I doubt your strut is any different in length than mine. The idea is that the struts should provide a brace that keeps the wing from moving from it's standard position. You shouldn't move the wing at all by attaching the strut.

This is probably the only consistent issue with this bird. But strut location problems that require tweaking are not uncommon on ANY model that comes with struts.

Some guys have added spacers, some guys have moved the blind nut locations. That's a little more work, but the results are usually excellent. Unfortunately, ARFs aren't perfect. But they save us a TON of work, even with the little things we have to do to tweak them. I wish they just slotted that area and gave us the blind buts and a little piece of covering for afterward.

If we were building this plane from a big box of sticks, we'd have to find ALL these locations, drill ALL these holes, and install ALL the blind nuts and such.

If you need some more hole locations on your struts, let me know. You shouldn't need to send off for anything just to fix that.

Jim

WI53072

Jim,

I am not complaining about quality, it is just that the struts are not right

With the wings attatched, one set of struts on the left side aok. it is the set of struts for the right side that are not correct. I suppose I could try to lengthen it with JB weld, but that is sorta cobbling up the whole main deal.

Paul

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Are both pairs of the struts the same length as each other? If they are, then it'll be the plane/mount/blind nut sections that will need adjustment.

It doesn't hurt to call Dan. I'm sure, if it's happened with these, he knows about it and perhaps has some handy tips for it.

~ Jim ~

crashgoodly

there was only two made at 106" inches. i just killed one of them. 27 seconds into the maiden the whole tail blew off. the guy i bought it from replaced it with the 98" span arf. there is some good and bad in this arf but i'm removing all the bad as i assemble. i doubled the tail wheel ply and fitted in blind nutsas the length of the tail wheel will ensure the wood screws get ripped out. i'm putting the 50dl into this so lots of basswood fillets and doublers are being used in key spots. thefront wall was also reinforced and doubled around the mounts. i haven't got to the spars yet but mine came withh large angle brackets that go in place of the brackets in the fuse for the spars it looks like they'll give some leway for the right fit. they were only drilled at one end so adjusting were they sit an the tabs will make for a nice warp free fit. it realy sucked killing the big decthlon but it made for some great ribbing and crash mocking. my flying mates are truly a bunch of heartless dicks and i wouldn't trade the arseholes for all the arfs in china. thanks texas for all the goodies you've posted here on this thread. it helps not having to sort all the crud out by myself.

Mark.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Thanks, Mark.

I try to do my best. That's why we're here, right?

I'm sorry about your flying mates giving you a hard time, Children can be so cruel, can they? The good thing of course, is that Karma runs rampant through the RC community, and what goes around always comes around. One by one, you'll get your chance to titter with glee as they collect their own personal Bag-O-Balsa from the flying field.

Jim

WI53072

Ok Guys I may of come up with a remedy in part for the strut dilemma. It will require some additional building etc. However I believe it will come out ok in the end. I filled the end of the struts with JB weld and will re-drill those holes to match my plane. I plan on adding plywood "pads" to the wing like what CMoulder did back on page 20 something or so. As far as the inter-struts, I will see how bad off they are, I may just bend new ones like CMoulder did as well. I am begining to think it would be beneficial to make the struts go on and come off easily at the field. This will require more thought as well...

Here are some pictures with most everything done less canopy installation, struts, flying wires on the tail, door install and final CG Balance. I have been busy with the day job last several weeks so little done since then. If the struts turn out to be no big deal by weekend end I should have it fairly well wrapped up. Fingers crossed!

Paul

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Vibration alert, Paul. If you're not going to wrap the receivers in foam, then use Velcro fasteners to mount them to. That's what I do. The velcro dissipates the vibration between the hooks and loops. Zip ties transfer the vibrations right to the receivers themselves. If you're going to use zip-ties, add foam under and over each item, and leave slack in the zip-tie.

I also build little outrigger platforms with velcro to hold the little Rx antennas still. They will break off if left to vibrate unchecked.

Looking good!

Jim

crashgoodly

karma was why i took a ribbing in the first place. i'm just as guilty when one of the boys putz's one in. we have a no mercy rule at our club and the walk of shame when retrieving your heap is always a hoot. i never feel very bad about losing an arf. it's an excuse to go to the hobby store.

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Ahh, you were playing on our sympathy!

Very bad boy. lol

If you're all having fun, a no mercy rule is just more fun. Sounds like a fun bunch of guys.

Jim