WI53072

Jim,

Glad to see you are back!

Paul

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Hi Paul! How are things up in your neck of the woods? Spring must be juuuust about to spring right now, I'd guess.

Jim

cromagnonman2

G'day Jim!.
Welcome back! (Tho' why do I get thefeeling you never really went anywhere?)Sorry I took so long to reply (been camping in the boonies again).
Waddya think of these switch assemblies? I've read a few comments from people who reckon they'd be no good & would shake themselves to bits. Inertia of the toggle or somethin like that.
They look pretty cool I reckon. I'm going to use 2 servo battery packs via 2 switches & a ignition pack via a removable pin type switch(which I already have). I'm going to mount the switchgear in the front cockpit.
The price is reasonable I thought. Maybe too reasonable.
http://www.austars-model.com/disprde...10132122467315

regards,
Mick

smkrcflyer

I'm going to use a similar switch from Valley View RC.

http://www.valleyviewrc.com/estore/e.../switches.html

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

Hi Mick!

You think that about me - because you're a smart guy.

Those switches do look pretty cool. But I can't find anything anywhere stating that each switch is a double-pole switch, which is the very least you want on your planes, providing you with two switches in each switch for the same item. So, unless it is double-pole, my recommendation would be not to use it, UNLESS you plan to use both switches to power the same item, thereby providing your double-safety.

Most of us veteran flyers have lost planes to single-pole switches.

The double-pole switches with chargers are readily available, here in the USA they're usually $12.95 to $17.95.

Jim

foodstick

Well YEARS ago I had a dead stick with my Stearman, and I casually landed it next to the huge drainage ditch/levy next to our field . Except it tumbled int the ditch instead, proving my depth perception isn't the best !

I quickly fixed the surprising few areas of damage right away. But then it sat and sat on the rack in the basement. Last fall I tried to get it running again and it turned out the diaphragm had gone dry. Once replaced it was running again.. although it does trip abit going from low to high throttle. The airplane has a converted Poulan 46 and it runs hard ! I took it out to the field last night and put a few flights on it.. If anything the worst problem is getting it to land the idle is still a tad high. I did have one dead stick landing but it was the easiest of the bunch and right down the center of the runway.

Anyhow, one of the Ole Super Stearmans made it out o the filed yesterday !

PacificNWSkyPilot

My Feedback: (19)

I sold my Super Stearman about a month or two ago. Thought at the time that I wouldn't mind not having it. Ever since I sold it,I've been kicking myself over it.

Oh, well.

Glad to see you've got yours flying, foodstick. ONE of us had to be smart enough to keep theirs!

lol

Jim

smkrcflyer

I'm getting back on my Stearman. Is the cg that's in the manual at 5 1/2 back from the leading edge of the top wing good place to start?

cromagnonman2

Me too Steve. I've been side tracked a bit the last few weeks trying to destroy a Hobby King Pitts foamy. For the price I'm getting a ton of fun out of it. I fly it out of my front yard of an afternoon after work. Its way too convenient!
Here's some pics of progress onmy Stearman. I havn't got too much more to do before I run it I reckon. I did initially use 2 x 5 cell eneloop packs for the reciever but they jittered the servo's (Hitec HS-645MG)until the voltage came down a fair way so I have since fitted 4.8v packs & have no problem. Check out the choke lever - on the dash where it should be! I've forsaken the passenger to give me some room for switchgear & charge jacks etc.

cromagnonman2

Here's a couple more taken tonight. I used a car paint touch up pen to highlight the cylinder fins & a blue wire to mimic silicone plug leads. Mightn't be true to scale but I reckon it looks ok.
I used some large electrical heat shrink on the lower landing gear 'cause I read here that the timber fairing can split off them. It might slow that process down I hope. I used a covering iron on it. I went with aftermarket inflatable tyres recommended on here too.
Mick

smkrcflyer

Looks nice Mick. Thanks for showing the pictures of how you mounted the radio gear. I'm at that point now and it's always good to see how other people do things. What prop are you using it looks cool?

Any feedback on the cg from people that are flying this plane?

cromagnonman2

Prop details:
http://www.dlenginesaustralia.com/dl...propeller.html

These guys say they are made in the same factory as Xoar. I'm a fan of laminated wood & these do look great in the flesh.
Mick

smkrcflyer

Thanks.

CAPT John

My Feedback: (15)

I am using the recommended 5 1/2" CG on my Super Stearman and like the way she flies at that balance point.

djohnson

Asif
How did your plane balance out? I just came to own one of these kits and also have a new R200 engine I am wanting to put in this plane. Please let me know how the performance was and the balancing issue. Your plane is very nice looking!
Dan in St George,Utah

rcten

dj, should fly just fine with the R200, I flew mine with a R170 and it was just great, I'm now in the process of changing over to a Technopower 9B 3.0cu.in.

45AIRPLANE

I have crashed my super stearman and rebuilt it. Does anyone know the incidences on the wings, hortz stab and engine. It is a Great Planes.

bigbird3

Just put all the pieces back in place and it will line up! Surely you didn't destroy it at much otherwise you wouldn't have been able to rebuild it! Not being a smartie pants here just using my own reasoning. I rebuilt mine about eight years ago, wasn't really bad but turned out nice. I redid it in a yellow coverite, cub yellow with a blue rudder and stars and roundells also cut out and ironed on. It's a navy version without the red stripe on the fuse and wings. I got the german WWl pilot that looked just like an american pilot of that erra. turned out pretty nice.
Do you have any pix of it before and after the crash? You might get the incidence info from GP. I don't think they have it but they might.
bird.

cromagnonman2

I just had a look in the build manual & it mentions that the incidence figures are on the GP website under 'technical data'.

bigbird3

I'm surprised that that information would be in the manual! Since the plane is jig built, it is already set. Please let me know how it turns out, I would love to see it along the way and finished.
thanks. bird.

45AIRPLANE

When I crashed it I ended up removing the stabs and completely recovering with solartex. It was not destroyed , but had a lot of damage. I also put a DLE 20 on it and removed the unreliable 120. I appreciate the help with the info for the incidence I will check everything to insure it is set up correctly. Sorry I don't have pictures But, it is solid white with dark blue trim and a single star burst on the top wing, hortz. stab and vert. stab with a narrowing double dark blue lines from the cowl to the tail. I didn't want the standard look a like Stearman.
Thanks for the info, both of you have been a great help.

cromagnonman2

The info isn't in the manual, it's on the website under 'Technical Data'. Stabiliser, wing incidence & engine thrust angles for quote 'some technical minded modellers who wish to check these measurements', even though all three are built in at the factory.
I haven't checked the website personally. Just quoting my build manual.
Mick

45AIRPLANE

It is true, the info is on the website. All of the models for Great Planes are listed there.
David

bigbird3

David, I was wondering how you removed the H-stab? I use the Dremel Multi tool. It has been a real life saver for dissecting a model. It's about a hundred bucks! I had to remove a stab on an astro hog and it did it perfectly. Be sure and direct the blade away from the seat area and into the stab, the part that can be replaced easily. I removed the motor rails in a 1937 Super Buckaneer and put in a ply radial mount. Also, when you remove something like the H-stab or anything that is epoxied on, use the heat gun first. It will loosen the epoxy and it will let go. It will ruin any covering but if you are removing the stab, it is probably ruined anyway. Doesn't matter how long it has been glued. Also, NEVER use 5 minute epoxy to put any critical area together like stabs, wing center sections, fire walls and anchors. It dries too fast and doesn't penetrate and will peel off especially if fuel gets on it. At least 15 minute. I use 30 minute. If you see brown epoxy in those areas of other planes that is 5 minute epoxy. it will hold for some time but one day, all of a sudden! Well, you know! It's called 're-kitting!
Just a few tid bits from my experiences.
Very best wishes.
bird..

KaP2011

My Feedback: (17)

Just got my Stearman yesterday. A Christmas present to myself, looking forward to getting it together. I've already read up to page 37 of the thread and am familiar with most of the problems that I may run into. I haven't read much so far about running the OS 1.60 Gemini w/Keleo exhaust, which I plan on using so if anyone's interested I'll post some photo's of my engine installation. I believe everything else has been covered so I probably won't bore you guy's with photo's of my fuselage assembly unless I find something I want to do differently.