hk524

My Feedback: (5)

Looks fantastic! Just received my kit. How do the retracts fit, work? Is it worth the money or would the supplied wire gear be okay? Can't wait for your maiden flight report.

P-51B

My Feedback: (5)

How's it fly?

kerrydel

My Feedback: (2)

I've got a buddy who was bad-mouthing the look of the SkyShark ME109. I am definitely no 109 expert, so I was wondering what other people thought about the scale outline of this kit?

Kerry

kram51

My Feedback: (3)

Does he own one? According to Skyshark it's drawn up to be almost 100% scale. I think he says 99.9% scale to allow for the "critics". Based on their other offerings I'd tend to believe the designer over a guy who at best has looked at a picture on the internet. Reach out to Mike Grey, he's the proprieter. Mike often visits this forum.

Mark

grahamd1

My Feedback: (1)

The guy is obviously an arf fan

Skysharks kits are about the most accurate kits around, I have exchanged several emails with both Mike and Mark the designer on several of the Skyshark kits, and this subject has often been raised, both Mike and Mark are proud of the high degree of near scale lines they achieve, and in most cases the only change being the size of the stab, for practicle flying reasons. Look at the complexity of the VAL's flaps to see just how much effort went into creating the correct workings, sure they could have just added plain old hinged at the top flaps, but oh no, that wasnt scale enough. Look at the 109-E, with the flaps hinged at the bottom of the wings. Now if this was an ARF the flaps would be an after thought and be slabs of wood hinged at the top with round CA hinges.

B757Captain

Thanks Graham -

A clarification, though. I never (to repeat - Never!) alter the shape or size of wings, stabs, moments, or any flying surface. It's my job to make the plane fly well within the scale outlines - if I can't do that, I won't do the airplane at all.

I will take liberties with airfoils because most full scale airfoils will not fly well on the scaled-down model, as well as some other aerodynamic enhancements such as washout, blended airfoils, wing and stab incidences, etc.

Mike and I made the commitment to make sure that the 109 series was dead-on accurate in profiles and outlines because we knew that the 109 rivet-counters are twice as picky as any other crowd (it's the same way in plastic models - just look at some of those sites where they pick apart the plastic model manufacturers for inaccuracies!).

Having said that, remember that some deviations from "true" scale have to be made because we are flying RC airplanes, not full scale airplanes. If you don't do that, the functionality of the model goes out the window and the fun factor drops to zero.

Now to the question of the 109 accuracy. The 109s got more research time devoted to them than the Avenger did. and on the Avenger I went so far as to talk a museum owner into letting me stay after hours and literally crawl all over, under and though his TBM, take measurements, and hundreds of (pre-digital camera days) photos for detail issues. That's the kind of pre-design research effort I go to to get it right. For example, how many of you know that the 109-E and 109-F and -G have completely different cockpits? Buy both versions (as soon as the -G is ready!) and find out. To forestall the inevitable questions, about a month for the G. And for the 109 fans, you will be able to do the -F, the G1 thru G4, the G5 and early G6, and with the tall tail conversion kit, the late G6 and G14.

I'd be more than happy to compare backgrounds, pedigrees, and skills in the design arena to "friends of friends" if they don't think I know what I'm doing.

Mark McAllister

US185Damiani

graham,
beautiful job on the airplane, but I thought I should warn you about the direction of the spring loops on your landing gear. they're forward instead of aft. when you land the spring tension will tend to open the loop instead of close it and cause premature aft bending of the gear. so it is an easy quick fix to save you many headaches.
I can't wait to hear how it flies

Messerschmitt

My Feedback: (28)

There are always critics, I suppose your "friend" has designed a 109? Currently, I have no affiliation with skyshark rc, except that I have purchased about 1/2 of their kits, including the 109 & I can say that they are very accurate (scale outline) I am an engineer by trade, a "self proclaimed" 109 expert & yes, I have designed a 109 (ultralight aircraft). The skyshark kits are gold.


for what it's worth,
Mike T.

grahamd1

My Feedback: (1)

I had hoped by now to have had the maiden flight, however I ran into a slight snag, in that I would have had to cut away not only a large amount of the bottom of the cowl, but worse still some of the side in order to get the muffler (silencer) to fit, as I had used a 4-cycle engine.

I called Just Engines (http://www.justengines.unseen.org) and they have these fantastic replacement manifolds.



They have them available in other angles as well, but the 110 degree pipe now brings the muffler back into the cowl towards the firewall, this means apart from the exit hole, I dont need to go hacking that great looking cowl to bits. Now I can get on and schedule the maiden flight.

Messerschmitt

My Feedback: (28)

Man, you are a lot more patient that I am!

kerrydel

My Feedback: (2)

Okay, okay, calm down everybody. [] I was honestly relaying what a guy at the field said. I was in no way trying to bad mouth the kit. I was just curious as to its scale accurracy. I have only heard good things about SkyShark kits, and I intend to buy a 109 G model when they come out. My only wish is that they made larger planes. I'd love a 1/7 scale Hellcat.

Kerry

P-51B

My Feedback: (5)

Me also.

Messerschmitt

My Feedback: (28)

I would also like to see larger kits. I have talked to Mike, he may proceed in that direction. Currently, his laser cutting limits are somewhere around the 72" WS range.

grahamd1, when are we going to get that "post flight briefing"? I just can't hold out much longer!

Mike

grahamd1

My Feedback: (1)

This Tuesday 2pm (GMT) , all organised and camera batteries charging

kerrydel

My Feedback: (2)

Perfect!!! Hellcat wingspan 42'10" = 514". Divide that by 7 and it comes out to 73.4" wingspan. Or 514/72 = 7.138 scale. If you want to round to 7.25:1 that would result in a 70.89" span. This would probably put it in the 1.20 to 1.60 engine size range.

Put me on the waiting list.

Or how about a 1/6 scale FW 190 to go with the ME 109. It would span 68.8". I'd like to those 2 sitting side by side.

Kerry

w0mbat

My Feedback: (1)

Kerry,

No problem with your requests, we would love to do larger planes!

Oh, one minor detail - you would have buy about 500 of each kit or find 500 people still willing to build one!!

Mike Grey
Skyshark R/C

Wulfman

My Feedback: (5)

I'll take one each 69" 109A and 69" 190D. That leaves only 499 each for someone else to buy.

Richard L.

My Feedback: (24)

I also take one of each 69" 109A and 109D (1/6th scale).

P-51B

My Feedback: (5)

How much bigger, and what kind of cost?

kerrydel

My Feedback: (2)

You should have come to me first!

Kerry

kerrydel

My Feedback: (2)

Okay, here's some suggestions for "uncommon" fighters of WWII for you to do next.

KI 61 Hien "Tony" 2500+ produced
KI 84 Hayate "Frank" 3500+ produced
Macchi 202 Folgore 1500+ produced
MiG 3 3300+ produced

All of these planes have many great paint schemes to keep everyone happy.

These suggestions and $7.50 will get you a cup of coffee at Starbucks.

Kerry

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

Lets see that is 500 kits at aprox $300 per kit , not bad , you should be in my business, $35,ooo for one mold , so you better hope you marketing info is correct

P-51B

My Feedback: (5)

Does anyone know who makes the spinners for skyshark? They were supposed to offer three blade versions, but I have yet to see them listed for the 109E. I just picked up a kit here on RCU and, of course, need a three blade version!

DiscoWings

My Feedback: (76)

hey more no pictures?
I like to follow these building stories but I have to have the pictures[:'(]

grahamd1

My Feedback: (1)

Well its taken a while (job, vacation, family etc) but today she had her first if somewhat short (engine was only on the 2nd tank full) maiden flight, and wow what a beauty she looks in the sky. Ironically the location of the test flight was an area that was straffed by 109-e's during WWII, as it was a tank assembly point for D day, and a major amunitions factory area.

Just gotta tighten up a few screws, attach the flap servo extension leads and next Friday should see many flights and even more pictures. Otherwise the flight was on-par for Skyshark kits, took off with no nasty vises or major trims changes.