ScottMcM

My Feedback: (66)

I just took delivery of one yesterday. There is a lake within walking distance of my house, and I figured I would make use of it. It was only $159.00 rtf with a 2.4 radio and brushless motors, so I wasn't expecting much.....but it seems like it may turn out to be a nice little plane. I haven't flown it yet, and was wondering if anyone else had it, and had any tips to share. Thanks in advance.

ScottMcM

My Feedback: (66)

Just got back from flying the PBY. If you are easy on the sticks on takeoff and landing, it is a great flyer. Just don't try and roll it. It will immediately snap on you, and proceed to do all manner of acrobatics that are sure to make you pucker.[X(] Luckily, it came home in one piece.

chistech

I've had one for quite a long time and it has many flights. The wing marker lights gave out pretty quickly and the 2.4 receiver didn't like to bind every time so I put in a Spektrum one. I found out that putting the battery back about 1" from the front of the battery box will give the best in performance for take offs, landings, and general flying. I roll mine all the time and have not had it tip stall at all. It will fly in 15mph wind too without much issue. It has been a very good airplane and should service you well.

ScottMcM

My Feedback: (66)

The issue with rolling could be my fault. I instinctively give a little down elevator during the roll, and that may have caused the "fun". I probably was too heavy on the sticks. Next time out, I'll go easier on the elevator. I am very pleased with the plane, especially considering that it was only $159.00 rtf. Seems as though there are still some good deals out there.

mscic-RCU

My Feedback: (6)

I have a new one also. I test flew from grass the other day and it flew great considering we had a 10-15mph wind. Very happy with it. I am going to debut from the water this weekend at our float fly.

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

My fairly new Dynam PBY now has 5 water flights on it, and no flights off of land, yet. Like mine a LOT.

I upgraded the cockpit shell and forward hull with improved parts from Keith Sparks over at Parkflyerplastics.com. I also did not care for the stock gray color scheme and repainted mine in the pretty tri color blue US Navy camo scheme.

The only modification that is nearly a must-do is to to shorth the length of the wingtip float struts. Stock, the model tends to dig in a wingtip when it contacts the water...they made the tip floats too close to the water.

Peel the foam halves of each tip float off the strut and redo the cutout so that the strut is much closer to the bottom of the tip float. You need to get the rear of the tip float up at least 3/8 to 1/2" higher and the front of the tip float even high...more like 3/4" to 7/8" With the tip float strut hieght shortened and the tip float angled up, the tip float skips off of the water instead of digging into the water.

Here are a couple of pictures of mine.

Bill Diedrich

Anybody else assembled and flown this Catalina? I have the Parkflyerplastics kit,
quiet a nice kit for the pricing. Question is the stock kit comes with a plastic sheeted
hull wihout the strakes, should I glue the new one over the plastic or remove it and
glue it to the bare foam?

Bill D.

I_Fly

I own and have flown the Dynam Catalina.   A few have complained about tip stall but I find it to be a stable reliable flyer.  It has plenty of power to help get off the water but will cruse comfortably at 1/2 throttle.   It loops and rolls OK for a non-aerobatic plane.   I don't have the upgrade kit from Park Flyer Plastics and don't feel it needed unless something happens to create a need.   I fly mine without the wing tip float modification.  It can and will dig in causing the plane to turn abruptly.  Once it's moving along on step this is not a concern.  I few it about two dozen times last summer and am looking forward to more flights this summer.  I flew it at our regular airfield this spring to check everything out.  Everything went well but when I returned home the water rudder was all bent up.  It doesn't do much anyhow (usually it's out of the water) so I clipped it off.  Overall its' a good electric seaplane. 

 

Bill Diedrich

In assembling my PBY I have found that the rudder hinge is broken
almost entirely off, only have about 1/2" of foam hinge left holding
it in place along with the water rudder pin in the hull. Will finish the
separation and use nylon hinges to replace. I think I will make an
attempt to remove the plastic on the hull and replace it with the
Parkflyerplastics strakes hull piece. My cockpit canopy was distorted
so much it is not useable so will also be using the one in the kit I
bought. I will have to see if I can match the blue on the plane with
some acrylic paint from the hobby shop, if not, I'll redo the paint on the
entire plane. Will be adding pics of my rudder mod later.

PaulPFW

Hi Folks !
Purchased the Dynam Catalina in November 2013.
As it was rather bad weather in Europe I could spent some time to improve the aircraft.
Here the link to my pictures:
https://plus.google.com/photos/10778...CIm8wrDXkP_ZJQ

Hope to fly the maiden soon...........

Regards Paul

Bongo Boy

I was given the Dynam Catalina a year or so ago for Christmas and had trouble with the radio/receiver. Following the sequence per the instructions (fire up transmitter, plug battery in), I'm unable to get any throttle control of any kind. I didn't find the written instructions to be very clear. I did manage to end up in the ER one evening after making several attempts to get things working--so I've been a bit sqeamish about putzing with it again. While I don't think I'm an idiot, the wise young customer service guy at Nitro pointed out very tactfully that I could remove the props next time before further attempts. I thought that was pretty smart.

Anyway, it should be clear this is my first an only electric--any suggestions are welcome, or if you happen to know of good instructions online that would be great. Not sure why flipping one or two switches and plugging in one battery should be challenging, but I have not been able to manage it yet. Thanks!

mscic-RCU

My Feedback: (6)

take the props off and plug the battery in at full throttle. The throttle channel may need to be reversed, so full throttle is off and closed throttle on the stick is full throttle. This may be why the esc's don't work. Do you get any chimes at all when you plug in the battery?

Bongo Boy

Thank you VERY much for the suggestion--I'll do that ASAP. I do get chimes, and I do recall looking up the codes and I as I remember they were 'normal' codes. But, it's been too long for me to remember the exact sequence I went through. I'll take careful notes this time and report back. I would really like to get this thing operational. Unfortunately, it's been moved around the house so many times it now needs hinges for an aileron, an elevator and the rudder--hope I can find the skills to do that fix.

oliveDrab

I'm looking at pictures of your Catalina. I don't see a water rudder on your plane. Did you take it off? There was another poster in this same thread that took his off also. Maybe it's not needed. Would be easier to fly off of land/snow if the water rudder was removed.

Thanks
-Paul Bail in Georgetown, Kentucky

Saltydawg1969

I just got mine a week ago. The maiden flight could have gone better. I got distracted by a kid screaming bloody murder which distracted me and flew into the only tree around...lol. Good thing I'm an aircraft mechanic the wing tip broke at the float and the cockpit took a nasty prop strike.

Love your post guys. I'm gonna detail mine more once I get the hang of flying it.