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Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

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Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

Old 01-13-2012, 11:33 AM
  #426  
Mustang Fever
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

Here she is in final form, with the Turnigy 46. They even send you a fancy chromed badge that says "Turnigy". I stuck it on the right side of the pod.

The 46 wouldn't begin to fit that Great Planes mount I was using, so I got some #8 SS wood screws and one inch long nylon spacers to mount the motor with, using the bell mount "star". My firewall is 1/4 birch ply, so it's strong enough to do that, especially with a mix of epoxy and milled fiberglass coating the screws and stuffed down into the holes.
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Old 01-16-2012, 08:23 AM
  #427  
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

The only airplane I have that even comes close to being as well-mannered as this one is my Hangar 9 Pulse 60XT.

Today, for the first time, I was able to do a nose high approach (perhaps 25-30 degrees) while controlling the angle and rate of descent with the throttle. Just beautiful to watch, as she touched down on the snow and didn't even splash.
Old 01-21-2012, 08:51 AM
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

Nice !

Sadly, buying all this cheap chinese stuff will end up badly !!
Old 01-21-2012, 09:32 AM
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

I dunno, the Rimfires are Chinese. Only difference between them and Turnigy seems to be 1) they aren't as good and 2) Someone else is importing them and marking the prices up 100%. I guess I'd rather buy direct and pretend to mark them up.

I've got seven flights on the Turnigy powered Arrow, and it's a great motor.
Old 03-20-2012, 08:45 AM
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

The sea plane flying season is officially open on Lake Cadillac, Michigan.

The electric Arrow made her first flight off water today. Fun flyer. Turnigy 46 motor is great.
Old 03-20-2012, 04:44 PM
  #431  
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

Glad that things went so well... If someone should have a video cam nearby........

Bob
Old 04-05-2012, 07:15 AM
  #432  
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

I wish I knew someone with a video cam willing to go down to the lake that early. Maybe someday.

Flew again today, after changing out the elevon servos. The old Airtronics non BBs were losing it. Roll control was getting real weird. A pair of HS325 hitecs did the trick.

Old 04-05-2012, 04:45 PM
  #433  
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

Keep us in the loop!! Glad that you caught the Servo issue.

Bob
Old 04-29-2012, 08:03 AM
  #434  
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

Today was the first time this spring that the wind and the temperature cooperated so that I could fly the glow Arrow (#4).

I am always reminded, after every flight of this airplane, why it continues to be not only my favorite seaplane, but my favorite sport plane. Just a joy to fly. Fast and smooth and jet like. Plenty of power with the 46AX on a 10x7 3B, and running down around 12000 max rpm, a very long endurance on only 8 oz of fuel. (I could probably get a half an hour if I pushed it.)

This design was worth every bit of the effort it took to get it right, and to learn how to fly it correctly.

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Old 06-28-2012, 04:44 AM
  #435  
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

Couple more items to add to the Arrow knowledge list:

1. I guess if you mess around with swept leading edge aircraft long enough, sooner or later you're going to run into Dutch roll. In the electric Arrow, it exhibited itself as a reluctance to "groove"- the bird kept wanting to drop one wing or the other, and any correction I made was too much, it wanted to roll over to the other side. It would not fly hands off with and stay level in roll. Didn't notice any nose wagging, but I've read that goes along with it. This is probably what made me think the original elevon servos were no good.

The cure was simple: move the CG up to 15" forward of the elevon hinge line, about a quarter inch further than it was previously. Just as stable as the glow Arrow, now. It would always drop a wing during landing flare before, and that's gone, too.

2. Cooling air for the ESC and seaplanes just don't mix. (At least ones where the ESC has to be way down in the hull and the motor's a long way away.) Made a bad TO yesterday, and the intake scoop let in enough water to flood the ESC and ruin it. Fortunately I had another on hand, and after repairs, rebalancing, and removing the scoops/inlets, I could go fly again. I used to always find a little water in the bottom of the servo bay after each flight. No more. The scoops were the problem. The Turnigy Trust 55 only gets warm to the touch, now, so I'm not worried about that.

A bit of knowledge gained on electric applications: a "knock-knock-knock" noise coming out of the motor at low speeds is a bad connection in the motor wiring somewhere.

This has been a good learning week. [:-]
Old 07-14-2012, 06:09 AM
  #436  
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

Took the electric Arrow on our annual pilgrimage to Manistique Lake, and was able to fly off the dock eight times, as the wind was calm and the lake not too stirred up every morning. Great vacation airplane- with the wings off it takes up very little room in the Traverse so the wife can bring her usual tons of stuff without any hassle from me.

Hadn't flown the glow Arrow in quite awhile, due to the winds in Cadillac being very bad 24-7 for most of the last 30 days. Last night the lake calmed down and with a moderate south breeze I could go boil some water and punch some holes in the sky. I am once again reminded that the glow Arrow is my favorite sport plane.
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Old 07-01-2013, 01:06 PM
  #437  
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

The E Arrow has never had quite the performance that her glow powered sister has, so I decided on an upgrade

Went from the Turnigy G46 670 to a Turnigy D3548/4 1100. It turns a 10x6 MAS S2 prop at 14,500 on the ground, drawing right at the 50 Amp max on 5 cells. Should have about 10mph more top end speed, and perhaps 15% more thrust.

Hope to find out tomorrow morning, if this wind calms down and the lake isn't too bumpy.
Old 07-02-2013, 02:17 PM
  #438  
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

We'll be listening for the Flight Report, Bob.

Thanks,

Bob
Old 07-02-2013, 05:08 PM
  #439  
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

I like it! I couldn't fly it very long today, but it definitely has the punch it needs. First time I've ever been able to loop it from level flight.

The new motor is so much lighter I had to move the battery pack aft, to one of it's earlier locations.
Old 07-03-2013, 08:49 PM
  #440  
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

What is your final weight?
Old 07-04-2013, 02:50 AM
  #441  
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Default RE: Laddie M's Arrow - 2nd Attempt

When I built it, I weighed all the pieces and it came to 6.4 pounds with the foam core wings, so it's probably a little less than that with the lighter motor. (5 oz difference)

Flew it again yesterday, and ended up moving the battery all the way back to where it was originally, getting the CG about where it is on my glow Arrow when it's full of fuel. (Maybe an inch behind the step.) The 5 oz down thrust and the correct CG are essential for takeoffs from any kind of rough water. Full throttle, full up elevator and after the third bounce, she'll be airborne. With the original 0-0 thrust line, this would always end badly.

I've learned a lot about Delta wing stability with this one. It has the same vertical fin area as the glow one, and the same engine/motor pod box. Evidently, there must be a lot of drag (and thus stability) associated with the glow engine and it's muffler hanging out in the slipstream that you don't get with the little electric motor. I never had dutch roll problems with the glow version, but I couldn't cure this one of it until I increased the size of the rudder. Even now it doesn't have the roll stability of the glow one, and I'll probably increase the size of the upper fin some day.
Old 03-28-2015, 07:29 AM
  #442  
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I've been hunting for a set of plans for the Arrow with no luck! Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.
Old 03-28-2015, 02:07 PM
  #443  
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I'll take mine to the print shop Monday and see what the copy cost is. What's your zipcode?
Old 03-28-2015, 04:40 PM
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Info incorrect. P M me your email i can send it to you

Last edited by mercura; 03-28-2015 at 05:37 PM.
Old 03-30-2015, 11:42 AM
  #445  
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OK, guys. Here's the plans and the instructions in PDF. Remember: the CG is wrong on the plans. Measure 15-3/4" forward of the Trailing edge of the wing (not the elevon). That's where it belongs. Also, you'll need at least 3/8" up elevon trim for your first flight. Finally, you MUST put three degrees downthrust into the engine or motor, as compared to the centerline of the wing. If you don't, it will be all but unflyable. There's some other items, but those are the critical ones. BTW, I got my carbon fiber tubing from dragonplate.com. The 3/8" tubing for the wing spars will nest into their 1/2" tubing perfectly, without binding, so you don't have to make those silly boxes shown on the plans. Enjoy.
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Arrow pg 3.pdf (1.09 MB, 35 views)
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Arrow pg 2.pdf (1.35 MB, 53 views)

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Old 03-30-2015, 05:27 PM
  #446  
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Please clarify "Down thrust" as there is two perspectives on that topic.

Do you mean spinner pointed down towards the ground and exhaust towards the sky..or
Spinner towards the sky and exhaust towards the ground.

Thanks
Old 03-30-2015, 06:07 PM
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Spinner down. As the prop is behind the CG, this causes a down push on the rear of the airplane. It's needed because the thrust line is high up.
Old 03-31-2015, 12:27 PM
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That's a beautiful plane you have.
Old 03-31-2015, 12:47 PM
  #449  
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I had to scrap it after about 5 years. Got all dry rotted. Sure was fun, but now I'm supposed to fly within 5 miles of the airport without getting permission everytime, and the lake is closer than that, so I'm giving up seaplanes.
Old 04-02-2015, 03:40 PM
  #450  
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Would doping the wood before covering prevent dry rotting or is that what you did during your build? BTW, the 5 mile rule hasn't been made law yet(as far as I've heard anyway) so go ahead and fly.

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