bruc_nut

Did my maiden flight yesterday.
I had the exact same experience as John (well, almost exactly the same)
I lost a spat and then immediately no aileron control.
I cut the throttle right away but was too far away from the runway to make a safe landing.
The plane disappeared into the swamp lands on the other side of the hill.
Total depression followed.
Then four hours in the swamp.
Then I attached my iphone to my mini showtime and flew over the area.
Spotted a small yellow out of focus blob.
Headed out into the swamp again.
We could hear the hippo family that inhabits this area (sometimes the runway as well) through dense bush, but couldn't find the Katana.
Took the day off work today for a second day of searching.
My assistant David and I headed out into the thick bush and reeds with plenty of water and a laptop with the cell footage on it.
After two hours of purposeless wandering and arguing we heard the hippos very close by and coming in our direction.
Here in Africa they kill more people each year than lions.
I panicked and shouted for David to run, we scurried towards the reeds , hearts racing, laptop in one hand TX in the other when suddenly we heard a shout.
What a relief - it was the park rangers.
They'd tracked our footprints and followed us in.
At first we were in big trouble, "This area is very dangerous guys...blah blah blah..." then they decided to help in the search.
We compared our aerial footage with google maps on their phones and after much discussion and bewilderment, headed in the exact wrong direction...Later, after another 15 min mass debate, we headed closer to the spot we guessed might be right.
Then one final review of the footage followed a 15m leopard crawl and above our heads in the trees sat the H9 Katana!!!
So stoked!
It was a perfect slope landing and the plane was in one piece.
Just a spat missing.
Both ailerons we disconnected and one hinge was hanging out.
The damage to the wing was identical to the damage that John has described and photographed.
Only crash damage was slightly bent gear.
Attached is a photo of David in a tree trying to get some perspective of where we were.
I've asked Horizon for a a credit note on this plane so perhaps they'll allow me to return it and take something else of the same value.
Otherwise I'm gonna do your fix John.
I already had used Du-Bro hinges so I guess that is why my hinges didn't break.
The wing broke instead.
Glad I throttled down immediately or the damage would have gotten much worse.

Plane flew amazingly well up until that point.
I have an OS AX 55 in it.
Very sensitive elevator.
Incredible knife edge.

John Stainforth

Wow, what a story! I anticipated other modellers having similar problems, but I did not envisage the hippos and lions. Almost worth the aileron flutter to have a bush-whacking adventure like that!

My repaired Katana continues to fly really well, so I do think the improvements to the wing and the aileron linkages are highly worthwhile. The only problem I have had recently is with the Saito muffler coming loose for the umpteenth time. I am now trying the highest temperature (350 C) loctite I have been able to find. I have had this problem on all my Saitos (I have 5), and the only really good long-term fix that I find works is to replace the manufacturer's muffler with a Pitt's type. The Slimline mufflers I have used have never come loose.

bruc_nut

The adventure was unexpected and definitely entertaining!
It's uncanny that we had such a similar experience.
Spat coming off then no ailerons.

I don't know anything about Saito's but I do love their sound.
I read this forum before even buying this plane but just figured you got unlucky John.
Then I got unlucky as well.
For the couple of minutes I did fly the plane I enjoyed it more than anything else I have.
Oh well...

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

Mine has over 50 flights on it now, no issues. Of course, it might come apart next outing, but...

Hairy story, bruc_nut; glad you got your model back.

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bruc_nut

So jealous that you plane is flying so well.
Enjoy

Jaybird

My third and final engine transplant is almost complete. the Saito 100 is now on the front of the Katana where the 91 was with a new Hangar 9 adjustable aluminum motor mount redrilled to fit the existing bolt pattern. The combined weight of the engine and mount will allow me to move my battery pack from just behind the firewall to between the tank and the wing tube. I'm changing from a 4-cell 2700 to a 5-cell to run the new Spektrum A5040 metal gear elevator servos in the tail. I had to add a voltage regulated switch to knock it down to 5.8 volts as the original Specktrum A5030's couldn't handle the higher voltage. The A5030's have a lot of gear backlash and allowed the elevator surfaces to jitter but the new A5040 metal gear servos are rock solid. Hope to have it back in the air this weekend.

Jaybird

TunnelBill

My Feedback: (58)

I'm going to build one with a DLE 20 if the frame will hold up.

Jaybird

Well, the Saito 100 doesn't like being mounted horizontally any more than the 91 did. It kicks and bangs at idle regardless of how much I lean the idle needle. It's also using up an entire tank of fuel in about 8 minutes where the 91 would easily do 20 minutes. There seems to be a lot of raw fuel all over the carb as well after a flight so I'll have to pull the cowling and make sure there aren't any leaks. Looks like I'll have to add an onboard glow as it runs fine with the glow driver attached but acts up when it's removed. it does fly nice with the 100 but I was hoping it would run better. The engine was just in for a check up at Horizon and they said it ran fine.

Jaybird

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

Not trying to play Captain Obvious... but did you set the high-end mixture first? The low-end mixture keys off of the high-end.

That, or the plug, sounds like the possible villains. I have always run OS F plugs in Saitos (horizontal mount) with good results.

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Jaybird

No problem, thanks for the input. The local hobby shop owner had suggested using an OS F plug so that's what it has in it. I did set the high end first and started leaning the idle to get it more reliable but it just doesn't like the set up. I'll work on it some more this weekend.

Jaybird

zacharyR

My Feedback: (5)

say no the the slime !!! Jay come back to the light

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

What fuel? Saitos love nitro; while I have gotten good results with 15%, 30% will make one hum (providing the mixtures are good, of course).

My point here is, if you're using low-nitro fuel, that could be part of the problem.

I feel your pain; not too many things are more frustrating than dealing with a balky engine. I just started playing with electrics; there is something to be said for clean, no muss/no fuss power.

In fact, the NIB Katana kit I have sitting in the corner will be "electrified"; probably this winter.

I'm not "going over" completely; still got three glow planes, and a fourth halfway finished. But this electric stuff is fun. Steep learning curve regarding those lipo batteries, though.

Good luck with the engine.

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bcchi

Mine balenced with out any weight in front. I put a DL 20 in it.worked out fine has plenty of power. Would be good plane for the little valley view 20.

BCCHI

mike early

I was going to put a Saito 72 in this plane but now you guys make me think it will be lacking in power...

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

Depends upon how you want to fly it, Mike.

If all you want is a sport model capable of the smoothest mild aerobatics you've ever seen from a plane this size, then a Saito 72 will be enough.

If you're a 3F guy who demands "insane vertical", "rocketing out of the hover", etc., etc., then no, that won't be enough engine.

Mine has an OS 91 Surpass; an early one with a lot of time on it. IOW, not worn out, but tired. Its "enough", for good vertical lines in schedule manuevers. For extended vertical, or dragging around on the prop... nope.

Consider this, also... the model is built rather lightly, obviously with an eye toward those who will "electrify" it. IOW, hanging a really big four stroke (especially a paint mixer like some of the above-1.00 Saitos) will shorten the life of the airframe. You could put a big two-banger on it, but that would be... tacky.

And be advised that it tends to come out tail heavy. Don't even think about putting the rudder servo in back. Be prepared to mount your receiver battery well forward.

No free lunch, you see. Properly trimmed and balanced, this is without doubt the best flying general-issue (meaning a production ARF kit off the shelf) R/C model I have ever built and flown. Getting there doesn't require a lot of effort, but it does demand some attention to detail.

Good luck with yours. I have thoroughly enjoyed mine, and have a second one NIB that will "electrify" later this year.

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Jaybird

I have have the Saito 100 running well, but it really sucks up the fuel. The 91 that was in it would get close to 15 minutes of hard flying on a tank and the 100 gets only a little over 8 minutes. I tried running it on YS 20/20 fuel which it liked a lot better than the Cool power MV 15%, but with timer set for 8 minutes it promptly quit at 7 minutes and 54 seconds with the tank dry. I was able to land dead stick with no problem, but that convinced me to swap the engines back. I'm going to return the 91 to this airframe as the power is only slightly les but the fuel consumption is a lot better. the 100 will go back into the P-40 airframe it came from since i don't fly that one as often or much over half throttle most of the time.

Jaybird

John Stainforth

First, I am a little surprised that you have fitted a Saito 100 to your Katana. My Katana, which has a Saito 82, will hold vertical on 1/3rd power. I have a spare 100 sitting downstairs and it hasn't even crossed my mind to try that in the Katana 50.

With the 100, I would say you really have to seriously considered strengthening the airframe, even if you have not yet had flutter problems.

I have five Saito engines of various sizes and they are all really economical on fuel - I typically do about 15 minutes on half a tank. They all absolutely guzzled fuel during the running in and tuning process, creating a great oily mess, so my guess is your engine is not at all optimally tuned. The running in process, which I do absolutely by the book, takes at least an hour and a gallon of fuel. One has to work at the high end for most of that hour, and then start on the low end. Several of my Saitos needed to have the low end leaned out tremendously compared with the factory setting - one required the screw to be turned in about five turns, and I was doing this 1/8th turn at a time! The beauty of the Saitos is it is easy to tell when one has them perfectly tuned, because they run really smoothly right across the throttle range without faltering on rapid changes of throttle. One clue that the engine is too rich, is the revs sag when the glow starter is disconnected. When they are properly tuned, the revs don't change at all on removing the starter. A clue that the high end is too lean is the exhaust pipe comes underdone (even more readily than is often the case with Saitos.) Once these engines are tuned, one doesn't really have to adjust them at all after that. To summarise my experience with the Saitos: they are quite a lot of work to get properly tuned, but once there they run like a dream and very economically.

When tuning all my glow engines, I follow the instructions precisely. Just recently in the UK, I was running in an OS 2-stroke engine, and several of the most experienced members were telling me that I should not run them in rich (as I was doing), but lean. Lean is diametrically opposite to what the instruction book says: I stuck with the advice in the book, and ignored my venerable colleagues. Surely the manufacturers know what is best for their engines? I notice that in five years of reprinting their instructions, neither Saito nor OS have changed their advice,so I would say there are no mistakes there.

John Stainforth

Further to my last reply, I use 15-18% nitro in my Saitos, and only top-name fuel brands. I have found, in both the US and the UK, there are some really bad cheaper brands. I once changed from 12% nitro cheap brand to 15% with a good brand, and the difference was like chalk and cheese (more like 0 versus 15% nitro). Another point: I think the more expensive, high nitro fuels actually end up being more economical because the engine performance is so much better that one runs them at less throttle than with cheaper fuels. In other words, I think the cheaper fuels are a false economy.

LSP972

My Feedback: (13)

Extra300crazy, here ya go. I got to thinking about it, did a bit of looking, and it was a lot closer than I thought.

This forum has lost a whole bunch of posters since I joined it in the 90s.

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Dealspeed

My Feedback: (17)

you are so right, I joined in 04 and it was crazy back then, always people to talk to and get help or advice from, and just geek out together, I miss those days

N1EDM

My Feedback: (2)

I got my Katana just as they were being discontinued. Mine crashed (bad battery) and by the time I got around to ordering a new one, they were all gone... never to be seen again. Has HH started making them again???

Bob

Dealspeed

My Feedback: (17)

I wish I could say that they have but that would be a lie, I would be very shocked if Hangar 9 ever does another 90 size or smaller hardcore aerobatic 3D plane, they have kept the 40 and 60 size Twist because there most likely inexpensive to produce which means they can sell them cheap and still make a profit.

Dealspeed

My Feedback: (17)

Now I realize how old this thread is but I thought I would post my setup anyways.
since this model seems to run a bit tail heavy, I decided that if there's a chance that I will have to add weight to balance it then I would add useful weight in the form of a OS 91fx, this motor is actually very light for its size meaning a very good power to weight ratio.
my Saito 82 weighs about 5 ounces less with muffler, my 91 will easily out run my 82 so the added weight won't matter much.
I will be using Hitec 5645mg servos in the wings, and Hitec 5245mg minis for the elevator, these servos are a bit heavier than the recommended servos which coul possibly lead to balance issues regardless of the 91fx on the nose, will have to see.
I may just go with a Hitec 5485 karbonite gear for the rudder, I don't think MG will be necessary and this will help keep the weight down on the tail.
i plan to really take my time with this bird, if I make a mistake that ends in a crash, I will not Be able to buy another, it will be the same when I build my Funtana 100x.

55plymguy

Hey, I know this plane is getting old but mine is in perfect shape, but I just cracked the canopy today flying in the cold weather... Everybody is out of stock... Do any of you have an extra I could buy???

55plymguy

Hi, still flying my katana 50 but today was cold and I accidently cracked the canopy taking it off... Does anyone have a yellow one for sale off a wrecked plane maybe???