captinjohn

I have a Midwest Giles 202. I wish I had the plans with it. I took the canapy off and removed a pilot and 2 dash boards. I am trying to get the total weight down. I am tinting the canopy dark and I was wondering if the big flat foor area (under where pilot was) has to be totaly in there or can I remove most of it? Also can you sugest any light gas engine that may work on this plane. Thanks Capt,n

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

The plane really doesn't have enough square inches for a gas engine. You'll be better off with a 150--210 glow engine---depending on your performance needs.

There's lots of places to remove weight, but you need to do it when your framing it. Trying to take weight out of it after it's already covered is kinda pointless. You just can't get in there and get at it.

I've got one here in my shop. 95% framed. Lost interest in glow planes of this size, so never finished it. Just need to finished the turtledeck stringers and sheet the LE of 1 wing--then cover it. I just don't have the desire to buy a big glow engine for it. Not worth the fuel cost and the Cline regulator to make it work the way I want to fly it.

captinjohn

I agree with you on that. But it seems like at least I could fly it some on a gas engine. No tricks...just eazy flying. I also wondered about giving it more wing area by modifying the wings? Or use a wing from another design. This may be way off. Did you see the clear plastic devices on the leading edge of the Hanger 9 Mustang trainer? Is it possible to add something like that to make the Midwest Giles fly better? What do you think/ Capt,n

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Tower has a Scratch & Dent 1/4 scale Giles wing right now. Maybe buy that and strip the covering off. Modify it to fit your fuse and try to lighten it up. Just a brainstorm.

You might could try one of the RC Showcase 25 or 35 cc gassers, but I wouldn't do it.

That plane is best suited to a Moki 180 on a Cline regulator with your tank on the CG. That was my plan untill I discovered BIG planes and gas engines. Now I'm just trying to eventually get the plane finished up and sell it as an ARF. I won't join the wings or glue the tail on. Just finish framing it and cover it--then try to sell it. Probably have to give it away for $100 just to get it out of my basement.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

I lightened the snot outta mine when I built it.

The wings are skinned with contest balsa instead of the kit balsa. The spars are hard balsa with CF strips glued top and bottom. The fuse has been dremeled out with a sanding drum to lighten it up.

The front hatch area ply was thrown in the trash and replaced with balsa. Turtledeck ply sheeting was replaced with balsa.

Just replacing the balsa with contest grade saved me 8oz. And dremeling the fuse saved another 4 or 6 oz. Thats almost a pound. The glass cowl is at least 4 or 5 oz lighter than ABS.

Motor box has 3/4" holes drilled in it.

Fiberglass cowl and no pants. Was going to put CF gear on it--but not now. Would have saved a couple ounces. No pilot. I think it should weigh about 10 pounds with a Moki 1.80. Not too bad for 960 sq. in. of wing.

captinjohn

Here is another brainstorm! Modify the fuse to use a good wing that plugs in on a round center tube...you know...like a lot of kits have now. Maybe use more of a edge type of wing. I want to see her fly again. I did fly it with a G38 mag ignition. Darn thing almost got away from me. It sure did land good though. Lots of weight up front!!! Capt,n

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

I have built the Midwest 80" Extra and the Giles. I have the 80" Cap 232 sittin around here in a box somewhere.

If I ever build the Cap--the fuselage will be competely redesigned.

The problem with these kits is that they are heavy. Built like a Russian outhouse. They are supposed to fly nice, but just too heavy. It's all the lite-ply in the fuselage. The whole thing is solid lite-ply.

I want to redesign the fuselage on the Cap and make it about 1/2 balsa. You don't need that lite ply on the top of the fuse. It all gets covered up with sheeting on the hatch and turtledeck. You could easily build balsa formers instead and drop a ton of weight.

Same thing on the bottom of the fuse. All that lite ply behind the wing saddle. It gets covered up with formers and stringers to form the belly. No reason to have all that ply in there.

I want to keep the fuselage sides so that I have the wing saddle. And of course, keep the motor box and firewall in the front end. But the rest of it can be built from balsa sticks.

The wings are pretty hard to lighten up--unless you want to spend $60 on contest balsa for a weight loss of about 8oz.

Putting a glass cowl on it will lighten it up a lot, and CF gear could save you a few ounces.

The Giles is just not big enough for me to screw with anymore.

I will lighten my Cap if I ever build it. Thats big enough for a gas engine.

2wingsonly

hey would you all know if a 120 4 stroke would fly a great planes giles 202 1/4 scale. I am not really interested in heavy three d stuff

captinjohn

Maybe a YS 120 4 stroke. You would have to have the plane as light as possible. A 1.40 YS may be the engine to get to get. Good Luck Capt,n

mrbigg

My Feedback: (21)

I just picked one of these up for the engine- a G38. We weighed the plane on a digital bathroom scale. 15.5 pounds!!!!!

captinjohn

The G38 is what I had on my Midwest G202. Its off now and I am going to get a lighter engine on it and solve that wing problem....somehow!!! Capt,n

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

I was going to use a Moki 1.80 or a 2.10 with a Cline regulator.

Glow is the only way to go on this bird. 960squares ain't much. If you can keep it under 12 pounds, it should fly quite nice.

mrbigg

My Feedback: (21)

I don't see how to get it down to 12 pounds myself. The G38 weighs about 4 1/2lbs. right? I have a friends ST 2300 (brand new) on my work bench. That'll will probaly help.

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

The only way to get it down to 12 pounds is to build it lite to start with.

Taking a used plane and trying to lighten it up is going to be tough.

It can be done. Go back and read my other posts about the contest sheeting and the CF. You can svae 1/2 pound just by replacing all the wing sheeting with contest grade. You can save another 1/2 pound by sheeting the hatch and turtledeck with balsa. Toss in a glass cowl.

It can be done, but it's work and it costs money.

captinjohn

Here is one idea that may work???? I want this thing to fly. I do not care if it hovers. SO .....I am cosidering taking covering off wing. Next cut a simple wing panel the length you want with new airfoil you want. Using the exsisting root and tip airfoil.....make a template to cut out the area (Foam) where the old wing is. Last slip the new shape right over the existing wing and glue in place. The only weight will be the foam in the forward part of the wing. The old wing is still there but now has a good lift to it with a strait wing no sweepback airfoil. Not scale...but I bet she will fly. Recover wing, and test fly. This may be hard to visulize..may have to draw a picture of idea. Cap,n[]

mrbigg

My Feedback: (21)

It would be nice to get a least 2 pounds out of it. It had a 4 cell sub-C battery pack in it. That weighed 7.3 oz. The 2300 is about 38oz. with the stock muffler. I might make it.

Capn', did you see the Hangar 9 Edge that has an OMP 80" profile wing on it? I'll go see if I can find the thread.


Here's the link. [link]http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3341385/tm.htm[/link]

captinjohn

mrbigg: I went and read all the data. Lots of nice photos too. Boy....that new wing sure did work out good for his plane. It looks like a good Idea to me. Thanks for directing me to the right thread. Capt,n

mrbigg

My Feedback: (21)

It does look good, right? I just figured the wing loading on the one I aquired- 37oz per square inch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even losing a pound will help. would like to lose 3 to get down to 12.5, but will take what I can get. This ain't no 3D plane for me anyway. I got it for the motor for my triplane, plus I've always wanted a pattern type plane.

By the way, how far back from the leading edge, next to the fuse, is the CG?

captinjohn

I do not have the plans to check the C.G. I did look it up someplace...maybe Tower Hobbies. Not sure. Mine was nose heavy with the G38 on it. It did land good. It had too much torque from engine and the small wing area did not keep it from wanting to torque like in a climbing turn. I just about lost it ....had to dive to get plenty of air flowing over wings. I pulled her up at last moment and flew right to a landing pattern. That was last flight. She did land good...a little steep and fast....but smooth. With the right wing...she will fly again. Capt,n

captinjohn

Well here it is 3 years later!!! I put a real lite DLE 30cc engine on My Midwest Giles 202. I sure hope she will fly OK!!!![X(] Capt,n

FLYBOY

My Feedback: (11)

I noticed in the past you thought about making a new wing. you could cut a foam wing a little longer, maybe add one bay on each end would help. Would make it way more stable, and if 3D isn't your goal, it would work maybe.

captinjohn

Flyboy, I am glad I checked back here again! That sounds like a good Idea ...making the span longer too like you say would help a lot! Thank You Very Much, Capt,n

captinjohn

I had hand surgery & did not work on the Midwest Giles 202. Well I am going to try a 30cc DLE. It flew good & fast at more than 1/2 throttle but when I slowed it down, it got very touchy to fly. Just a tad up & it wanted to jump upward. I got it down & all I did was pop off the landing gear. Will try one last time moving the C.G. forward. If it does not fly then I may crash & burn it. DONE!!!!

maukaonyx

Hey captin , that’s awesome how you revived your old thread, with a lapse of TEN years since the last post! Good luck with the Giles. I still fly an old Giles 202 by CMP...the green and white and red one. Still flying awesome on an OS160FX which is almost 30cc. Just wanted you to know someone is reading your thread, lol!

Captain John

Well I made another comeback to this RCU forum. I did have a shortcut to the forums on my laptop. Can anyone tell me how do make a shortcut on a asus 14 inch laptop? Thanks in advance,