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Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

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Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Old 02-22-2013, 03:56 PM
  #1251  
rowdyjoe
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Yeah, Iknow what you mean about peer pressure. However, when someone starts bragging about the plane they are building, Ijust smile and say "that's nice. Hey, look at the one I'm flying". That always tends to put a sour look on their face. I keep rubbing it in too. Imake sure to ask them how much longer it will be before they can fly it. They still have that sour look as Icrank up my ARF and give it another flight.
The "big dogs" run with ME. Remember, if you're not the lead dog, the view never changes.

Garry
Old 02-22-2013, 04:03 PM
  #1252  
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Don't misundertake me. It's not peer pressure as much as me wanting to do this for me. And as you know, I have NO shortage of planes to fly, from gigantic to eeny weenie. I have never felt the compulsion to be a leader, but I go where I want to go. And I like the guys I hang with. Personally, I don't trust people who WANT to be leaders. Look where electing those kinds has gotten us.
Rick
Old 02-22-2013, 04:24 PM
  #1253  
rowdyjoe
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Man, you've got that right. It's difficult to choose a leader when the choices are so bad.
I don't try to be a leader either. Ijust said that to set up the funny. Ido my own thing and if folks like it and me, that's great. If they don't, then there are plenty of other folks who do. I get along with everyone ....usually, and, don't belong to any "click". We have a large club (over 160 members) and try to be active and help other folks as much as my knowledge and ability will allow. Of course, Ineed help at times too. There was a time when I was known as a "high maintenance pilot". I hope I've moved off that list by now.

By the way ...not only does the view never change but, the odor doesn't either.

The Reactor Bipe is really meant to be a 3D plane. I've read that the ailerons are 4" wide. Whoa! I'm not a 3D kind of guy so I'll be using mucho expo and very limited travel.

Garry
Old 02-22-2013, 04:33 PM
  #1254  
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Ya know what? A crowded elevator smells different to a midget.
Old 02-26-2013, 10:39 PM
  #1255  
rowdyjoe
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Finally got my muffler back from JTECHand they did a great job. It is an excellent fit. I started the engine today and the muffler sounds great. The engine is still new and the rings aren't seated so I'm running it rich to make up for the lack of proper quantity of oil. I'm breaking it in with a 40 to 1 mix rather than 30 to 1. I'm too lazy to rig up another fuel jug for it.
The engine REALLYneeds to be tuned and I'll do that next time Irun it. It's still spitting oil so it has a way to go before the rings are seated and she starts running her best. Ireally like this little 15cc engine. Kinda makes me wish Ihad more 60 sized planes to put them on.

RJ
Old 04-05-2013, 12:37 PM
  #1256  
ToolJoint
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Hey guys,

Anyone still hanging around this thread?..I hope so because I have enjoyed reading it front to back over the last few months. So...after being extremely impressed with the WWI display and flights at Warbirds over the Rockies last September, I began to look around for a WWI aircraft. I had a 1.25 Enya thumper (4 stroke) that I had recently removed from a crashed Hangar 9 AT-6, and though I'd never actually seen one up close, I always admired the H9 Camel online and in pictures. Strangely one came up for sale, and where I live, N.E. Wyoming, LPU means drive at least 1,000 miles, but wait....this one was only 250 some miles away in Cheyenne, so I pounced. She was used but in great shape, and it came with JR servos and receiver installed. Though I never got to talk with the previous owner, I noted a few wing scrapes, and some curious scratches on the top wing and rudder top. His wife told me it was fast and true and he had been flying it with a Saito 100...Great...done.

Well, that was in October, and I spent the winter mounting the motor and reading this thread, which has been simply invaluable! Thanks to everyone here for continued input.

More to come! Up next, fighting with the mounting, balance issues, flat spots, test flight, and Wyoming wind.

Cheers!

Keith
Old 04-05-2013, 02:06 PM
  #1257  
handyman 220
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

I hope so too, I picked one up second hand NIB. Looks just like it came from HH.
Old 04-05-2013, 04:18 PM
  #1258  
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Well, good luck to you new owners. I still have mine and am looking forward to flying her some more this season. Just make sure you have the balance right (no, if it hangs down just a teeny bit in the tail, IT AIN"T BALANCED!) and expect it to fly like a kite. You will need rudder, and landings, for me at least, are still very tricky and mostly end with the plane on its back. That could explain the scratches on the top wing.

Keep us posted!
Rick
Old 04-05-2013, 06:04 PM
  #1259  
tree2tree
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Welcome guys,
As stated - the balance is critical. I don't trust hanging it by the top wing as the weight is just too far below that wing and it is hard to detect any off-balance condition. Better to project the top wing C of G measurement to the fuselage (or even the bottom wing and hang it inverted.) Don't get lazy on this one!
I have 106 flights on mine now and can usually keep it on its wheels for the landing. What works for me is to glide it in dead-stick (mine's electric) until about 10 feet off the ground, then go to about 1/3 throttle - yes as much as that - and fly it in tail high, touching down on the mains. I keep the throttle up at 1/3 to 1/4 until the tail skid touches and then very carefully lower the throttle while over-working the rudder to keep her straight. Of course the "1/3" throttle works for my power set-up. Your "mileage may vary". The point is to have just less power than will sustain level flight.
This video was taken in 2011 when I was figuring this all out. The second landing was the result of cutting the throttle too soon. Hope it helps:
http://rccd.org/Videos/11%2006%2009%20Camel%202.wmv
Other than the tricky landings, it is GREAT to fly. Have fun.
Old 04-05-2013, 07:01 PM
  #1260  
tclaridge
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

+1. tree2tree, that's how I do it!
Old 04-08-2013, 04:36 PM
  #1261  
rowdyjoe
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

tree2tree,

Thanks for tip. I'm beginning to figure that out myself but, a litte confirmation always helps.

RJ
Old 04-12-2013, 04:46 PM
  #1262  
ToolJoint
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

OK, so I got her on the workbench, downloaded a manual and got busy. Before mounting the mill, I disassembled the weight box. Sure enough, stuffed with lead...though I didn't weigh it, I re-installed it, though I was a little worried about a nose heavy CG since the previous flyer flew a Saito 100 and I was installing an Enya 1.25...I decided on this route after reading all the posts here about balancing, and I prefer nose heavy for a first flight. She still had her stock Hangar 9 motor mounts in place and of course the Enya wouldn't fit where the Saito did. In fact, the Enya's rear mounted carb was hitting the firewall thus not allowing the front holes to remain on the mount, so off that mount came, and on with a great planes 90-120 mount I had laying around unused. Through hours of trial and error, holding my tongue just right and trying to see how it would fit just using my hands, I determined that the big Enya would have to set flush with the very forward tip of the mount in order for the carb to clear the firewall. After drilling and mounting, I had determined that the needle valve would not clear the forward fuselage, so I had to get out the Dremel and clear a path for it. Also, when I placed the cowl and dummy engine on it became apparent that a good deal of the fake crank case on the dummy was going to have to be removed in order for the front part of the Enya to protrude. After making everything fit, which was not easy and probably ate up a good 10 hours of time bolting, unbolting, fitting, cutting, etc...I had the engine mounted and soon had my receiver and battery pack installed for the great balancing act....man was I in for a surprise.
Old 04-12-2013, 05:17 PM
  #1263  
ToolJoint
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Balancing...I had never owned a bi-plane, and it was quickly determined that my balancing rig would not accommodate a Camel balanced on the top wing. Here is how I did it. I constructed two U-shaped hangars from 1" PVC pipe. I then covered the bottom pieces with foam pipe insulation and used plumbers tape to bolt one side of each "U" to the ceiling of the shop, spacing them so that the other side of the "U" would support the Camel in the X formed by the flying wires. After she was hanging by her upper wing, I inserted a piece of aluminum 1x1 angle iron span wise under the top wing so the two sides were resting on the U and the 'tip" was placed right along the 4" balance point recomended by the manual. TAIL HEAVY! What? Really?....even with the lead box full and the big Enya hung on the extreme front of her mounts? Well, I moved and mounted the battery pack on the underside of the engine mount, then put it all back together and tried again. The CG did not even budge. I then came here and began reading, paying special attention to the balancing posts. I was intrigued by MustangFevers thoughts on the CG being even further forward and became determined to place mine there. So I placed a few fishing sinkers under the cowl...nothing...then I went to our local track and field facility and swiped an 8 pound shot put and epoxied it into the forward fuse...NOPE....so I removed the head from a 16 lb. sledgehammer and mounted it under the Enya...NOT EVEN...I had a 455 Olds block with a crack in the water jacket, so I mounted it to the front airframe and finally got the nose to come down a little.[>:] Actually I made all of that up, but I did have to epoxy a butt load of lead around the cowl ring, and re-enforce the cowl mounts to get to the factory CG. I was a little worried that even there it would be difficult to fly, but I just could not bring my self to pack anymore weight in there, even after contemplating MF's sound logic on why it should be there. As time would allow, I would go to my shop over the winter and look at it, and dream about my first time with her. One time I took her down from my balancing contraption and left her to sit on the work bench. I could not get to her again for about two weeks and when I finally did, I hefted her and noticed extreme flat spots on the tires where it had been sitting. "Well, no freakin wonder" thought I as I remembered all that lead around the cowl ring. I hung it back up, but when I came back, I noticed the flat spots were STILL there. So after more reading from these august pages, I determined that the ugly fake foam stock wheels would have to go. After reading that some had seemed satisfied with the Williams Brothers, I set an alert on e-bay, and about two weeks and 15 bones later, a very nice, like new (never flown) set arrived and were installed.....now THAT was more like it.
Old 04-12-2013, 05:49 PM
  #1264  
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Good story. Made me smile. I can't imagine how mine managed to balance with a little OS 60 FX 2 stroke and the factory supplied 16 ounce block of lead....

Oh Yeah! A Higley heavy hub too!
Old 04-12-2013, 06:03 PM
  #1265  
tree2tree
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

ToolJoint, Thanks for the chuckle! 455 Olds block?!!
Balancing most bipes from the top wing is not too accurate. Now that you have a reasonable CG, try to relocate the pivot point fore or aft by an inch and see how little the fuselage angle changes. Its kinda like hanging a pendulum > all the weight is so far below the pivot it HAS to hang down. As I mentioned before, its better to get the pivot point lower, like on the fus' or flip the plane over and use the lower wing. A reality check for you: I just went and measured mine inverted and suspended from the lower wing on my "highly accurate" 2-finger balancer! About 1 inch back from the LE of the lower wing, just outboard of the fus' side. If you saw the video (link a few posts above) that flies well. I have no lead in the nose, but I do have ten A123 cells and a Rimfire up there!
Old 04-13-2013, 07:00 PM
  #1266  
tclaridge
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

I read an article in an RC magazine where a guy just puts each wheel on a scale one at a time. Put a book on the opposite wheel to keep it level. Then he calculates the CG. I think my next balance is going to be done that way. Also, this gives you lateral balance (left to right). You have to measure the distance from the mains to the tail or nose wheel, but the math is easy. I will make an Excel sheet to simplify.
Old 04-14-2013, 04:05 AM
  #1267  
tree2tree
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Yeah. That's the way it's done on full size home builts.
Old 04-14-2013, 04:26 AM
  #1268  
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

An old builder I knew, now passed, used a simple formula for his multi wings that should work pretty good for standard rectangular staggered wing type biplanes. Set up the plane as near horizontal as you can on a table, and drop a vertical line from the leading edge of the forward wing, usually the top wing, to the table and mark. Then do the same from the trailing edge of the other wing. The distance between the two marks is the total chord of the wing. 25% of that figure is a good place to start flight testing. It can be hung from the top wing. If you want to balance from the bottom wing you need to account for the distance of stagger between the top and the bottom, that is, if the total chord is 20 inches, then the top wing balance should be at (25% of 20 inches) 5 inches back from the leading edge. If the leading edge of the bottom wing is 3 inches behind the LE of the top wing, then the balance point should be 5 minus 3 inches or 2 inches behind the bottom wing LE.

When it was time to balance my Camel, I clamped 2 pieces of 1 by 2 furring strips to a picnic table at fuselage width plus a few inches. Then I slid the plane onto the sticks with the nose toward the table and laid the top wing on the sticks. Flat bottom wing, flat sticks, it sat there nice, no need to worry about it falling fore or aft. Then, from the side, I slid a padded one inch dowel under the wing, across the sticks, and positioned it at the previously marked CG location. At this point, the plane will show a fore or aft (most likely aft with these bipes) tilt, but can't go far because of the sticks. Add weight as needed (or remove it if you can) until the plane sits level. And in the case of the Camel, I MEAN LEVEL! When I got my Camel on the sticks, it showed just a touch of slant rearward. I thought to myself, "hey, that's good to fly!" But I set the 16 ounce lead block on the nose anyway, expecting to see the nose drop and the tail point to the sky, but it simply moved the half inch toward the nose it was lacking. I was astonished! I put the lead in place, and for good measure, I added a 2 ounce heavy hub to the prop shaft. She flew wonderfully! So I took off the heavy hub and she got squirrely fast. This plane does not like even a tiny bit of tail heavy!
Good luck!
Rick
Old 04-14-2013, 06:18 AM
  #1269  
Mustang Fever
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

After following this discussion on CG, I can't help but get the feeling you guys are getting all wrapped around the axle.

25% MAC on the Camel is 3.5" back from the LE of the top wing. Tape a line level (those little plastic green bubble levels you can get from Home Depot) to the bottom of the LOWER wing and suspend the bird with your finger tips. It will give you an accurate balance this way. (The lower wing is closer to reference CL than the upper.)

After flying at 25% for a long time, I felt the bird was too hard to slow down, tended to nose over a lot on landings and was squirrely on takeoff. I moved the CG back to 4" per the book, and she flies great. Trick is not to get too slow, as she will drop the tail on you and get all goofy. Moving the CG back should be done in steps to stay out of trouble.

Mine balanced at this point with two 6S 3000 packs in the cowl, and a Turnigy G60 motor. Aluminum prop nut. Brass prop nut is the difference between 4" and 3.5"

Fly on!!
Old 04-14-2013, 01:17 PM
  #1270  
ToolJoint
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Hey MF, glad to see your input again...and yeah, maybe we are getting a little wrapped up in CG issues, but for me at least, it was the single largest concern when making ready to fly. I have lost a few on the first flight, some could have been avoided had I paid more attention to CG.[X(] I was taking no chances with this baby, too hard to come by, out of production, and my first bipe.

Tree to Tree, I did watch your video...over and over again... beautifully shot, and your bird was expertly flown I might add!

Allright then...so I'm satisfied with the balance at 4" on the top wing, I have tightened the covering where necessary, checked and re-checked control throws, test ran a tank through the Enya, installed the Williams Bros. wheels and re-checked balance, I was ready. I loaded the camel into the back of my pickup (no way am I taking those wings apart to fit in a car), threw in my old reliable (a Goldberg Senior Falcon type of affair set up as a Tail dragger and an OS .61) and headed out. Where we fly also doubles as the municipal airport and when I stepped from the pickup I noticed the windsock indicating about 10-15 knots and gusting...DANG...pretty fresh breeze for a maiden, even for around here, at least it was right down the runway.

I took the Falcon out and flew several figure eights, loops, cuban eights and touch and goes since this was my first non-sim flight of the year, and I wanted to re-acquaint my surroundings and check orientation in the light conditions. After about 20 touch and goes I taxied her back to the ready area, shut down and stared at the camel, still nestled in the bed of the pick up.

I decided it was too windy to try today, but took her out to set on the tarmac for some pictures. I mean, I hauled her all the way out here and my flight box was already unloaded with fuel, glow ignitor, chicken stick, electric starter already out...it would be a shame not to start her up and listen to the big Enya for a bit. I said out loud..."I will not fly her in this wind...only start her!" and I meant it. After priming, the Enya started on the second flip. I removed the ignitor, tuned for max RPM, then ran her through several cycles of wide open to idle and back. She was running SUH-WEET! OK well maybe just a taxi test to check ground handling with the skid and stuff. In order to taxi to the runway from the prep area, I had to keep picking up the tail because she wanted to "weather vane" so badly in the wind, but she did keep her feet and showed not tipping tendencies at all. I also noted that when applying power the tail wanted to come up, which made steering much easier, so I allowed her to find an attitude which was comfortable for her, and I found her ground handling to be quite manageable in the small, loose shale that serves as our runway. I taxied her down wind, thinking I would have to walk down and manually turn her around due to the wind, but no...I fed power in little blips and with just a touch of coaxing from down elevator she swung right around into the wind. So there she sat...100 yards down wind, pointed into the wind, staring at me, purring like a kitten. I fed in about 1/2 throttle...she grinned at me, the tail came up and as I was about to decrease throttle she smiled and rose in a level attitude. I immediately chopped power and applied slight up elevator and she settled back on all three and rolled to a stop...the Enya putting sweetly, yet the bird scowling at me since I had ruined her much anticipated return to the sky. I gave her little burps of power, bringing the tail up then down, using only power changes and taxied her back up beside me. I glanced back at the wind sock...no change. I got behind her, stared into the wind and fed in 3/4 throttle. The tail immediately came up, and this time the nose started veering strangely to the right...but after reading about that phenomena here, I was ready, and just as I was feeding slight left rudder, she lifted. Through my left thumb I transmitted to the engine room that it was time to release all the ponies in the Enya's Stable. Her nose pointed skyward and she was climbing like a homesick angel. I reduced power back to half and noted she really, REALLY wanted to bank left, so I I started feeding in right trim. I let her come around to the left and with left rudder, and a touch of up elevator, she began a perfectly coordinated turn. Now going with the wind she was really picking up ground speed and after trimming right all the way to the max, she could maintain wings level with my right thumb off the stick. She was still trying to poke her nose up, so I had to max the trim to the down position to fly hands off. So much for all that lead and nosey CG! I swung her back around into the wind, and returned to full power and watched her climb...WOW. Everything seemed to calm down and half power seemed plenty to maintain level flight. After several circuits to the left with no unanticipated aerobatics or attitude changes I tried some slow, low passes to see what I may expect for the landing. She slowed quite sweetly with no bad habits or weird gyrations, and I was struck by the sound of the flying wires and all the hardware as she passed by me at an altitude of about 10 feet. A few more passes convinced me that I could probably land her without incident, so we lined each other up quite a ways out and I reduced power to 1/3...she did not want to descend. 1/4 throttle saw her nose come down slightly and maintain a decent airspeed in the stiff headwind. Just as she was about even with me I chopped power to idle, and she settled so so sweetly on her gear at just above walking speed. She rolled about 8-10 feet and just as I was wondering what all the fuss was about landing these things her tail settled in, I applied full up elevator, and she promptly stuck her face in the shale and settled on her top wing and rudder tip.

What the hell? But I was grinning as I righted her and noticed no damage. I was thinking about all of you and your flip warnings, and I was thinking about all those mysterious scratches on the upper wing and rudder, and I was smiling. Thinking I had tempted the wind fates quite enough for one day and on an accidental maiden at that, I snapped a picture of her out on the runway, loaded everything up, and drove home smiling like a school boy who just found a hole in the wall of the girls locker room. Notice her face print in the runway as I returned her to upright exactly where she put her face.

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Old 04-14-2013, 01:44 PM
  #1271  
tree2tree
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Hey ToolJoint. Ya done it. Great! Next time try increasing the throttle a few clicks about the time the mains touch and keep those revs until all forward motion has stopped! :-) Makes for a longer roll-out but the extra propwash keeps the tail where it belongs - behind the nose.
Old 04-14-2013, 01:50 PM
  #1272  
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Congrats ToolJoint! I enjoyed your story, well written. I write this while taking a break from repairing the road rash caused by my last nose-over..

Harry
Old 04-14-2013, 02:29 PM
  #1273  
Mustang Fever
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

All right Tool!!
Old 04-14-2013, 03:39 PM
  #1274  
Azzir325
 
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Clap clap clap clap clap clap Clap clap clap clap clap clapClap clap clap clap clap clapClap clap clap clap clap clapClap clap clap clap clap clapClap clap clap clap clap clapClap clap clap clap clap clap
Lots of applause!!
WTG!
Old 04-23-2013, 03:59 PM
  #1275  
ToolJoint
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Default RE: Hangar-9 Sopwith Camel Build Thread

Hey guys,

Thanks for the rousing applause and other notes. What a blast...This thing is a SWEETHEART. I've had a couple of opportunities to take her out flying again before winter reset here in N.E. Wyoming.

The first order of corrections when I returned her to the shop were to alleviate those nasty trim issues. I sat her on the nice flat work table and gently lifted her by the prop nut, leaving her to balance on her tail skid...except she didn't. Her left wings dropped every time. I had a bunch of automotive lead wheel weights laying around the shop, so I laid a 1 oz. piece on the outboard right wing tip. This helped but the left wing still wanted to drop so I tried a 1.5 oz. piece. Perfect....she was now balanced evenly on her skid and prop nut. The tire weight worked out pretty well actually, because it had a metal clip where it would fasten on the the wheel rim. I simply squeezed that clip onto the lower outer wing bow with a pair of vice grips. It is not as noticeable as you would think and can only be seen on the under side of the wing, where it also serves as a "skid" for the inevitable tip drag. I then moved the elevator clevis in about 6 turns to mechanically re-trim for all the down trim so necessary on the maiden.

The next time I was at the field, the Sunday afternoon weather was perfect, and a few of my flying buddies were also there with their Extras, Yaks, and Cubs. As soon as I drug the Camel out, all flying stopped, engines were shut down and everyone came over to gawk at her. One guy,pulled a SLR camera with a HUGE lens out of his backpack and asked if I minded if he shot some photos of her. "Sure" I joked..."it would be nice to have some photos of her while she is in one piece". I've always said cameras and peer pressure have been the cause of many a RC planes ruination. But, no time is ever perfect and I figured a little extra advice may prove helpful if things got stressful. I did an extra long pre-flight, carefully fueled up, checked and rechecked controls, dealt eight priming flips and hooked her to the glow ignitor. The Enya popped with authority on the second flip, coughed and settled into her nice baritone purr after the third flip. Another control check, and a few run ups to WOT and back to idle and I released her and taxied to the runway, using the burp, pick up the tail method to steer. I set her nose into a gentle steady breeze and called up about half throttle. This time she REALLY pulled to the right and required full left rudder to halt the swerve. I became a little fixated on the left rudder and just as she was straightening out, she popped into the air. She performed a little mushy drunken swagger, and started gaining a little altitude as I then remembered to add full power. With the extra Ponies now pouring thrust about the airframe, she quickly became stable and started a rock steady climb. I got to a good pattern altitude in what seemed like about 3 seconds, and noticed something right away. This baby was ROCK STEADY. I have flown trainers that were much more squirelly than this! My trim and balance corrections were spot on. Roll into a turn with a brush of rudder, she stays there, roll out with rudder, she is ready. Hands off...looked around at my buddies who where watching in slack jawed reverence...well that is what it seemed like to me. After a few passes, I switched to high rates and tried a nice big, swoopy, barrel roll down airshow center. She responded by doing a nice big, swoopy barrel roll right down airshow center, without losing any altitude...very scale looking. A nice big loop followed, requiring just a touch of left rudder (weird, I know, but that is what it took) on the upline...all the while the Enya emitting a very scale like BRAAAP! She even held altitude inverted... though that maneuver required full power and almost full down stick. I heard the guy with the camera mutter that if he didn't see it take off, he would swear he was seeing a full scale Camel putting around overhead. I started thinking about the landing, and how I was not going to let her flip over on her back in front of all these critics. I made a few low slow passes to feel things out, and the camera guy took full advantage to get some real nice shots. I set up a nice pattern, reduced power to near idle on final until she was about 10 feet off of the runway then fed back in about 1/4 throttle...she ballooned just a tad, then resettled into a level decent with just a little up elevator pressure, which I increased until........(drum roll) she settled gently and squarely on her main gear, rolled a ways then settled on her skid...continuing her roll out. After the skid was planted, and she had slowed to a point where I was sure she would not threaten to return to the air, I had full up elevator, and reduced power to idle, to the applause of my thrilled flying buddies. I told them, "What?...That is how I do it everytime." Nobody laughed, so I admitted that I had just been quite lucky in that landing as she is prone to put her face in the dirt. I asked the camera guy if he got any shots of the landing, but he said he became enthralled and didn't want to watch through a viewfinder. He later told me he was also a little scared I may pile it up, and he didn't think I would want that on film...whatever.
After refueling, I returned to the sky...this time applying full power on the takeoff roll. This also made quite the difference, as the tail rose immediately and she stayed solid on her feet with very little tendency to swerve right, and she lifted off straight as an arrow and began her rock solid climbout. A few more graceful, scale-like aerobatics ensued, and strangely I managed another landing which was a carbon copy of the first. While taxiing back to the ramp though, I was burping the tail up to steer, and one of the wheels hit a rut...and PLOWSKIE....face in the dirt....lesson learned.

In case you couldn't tell....I LOVE THIS PLANE!



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