GUNSHIPGUNNER

I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across a post here on RcUniverse giving the URL to a WebPages showing the tips I wrote back in 1999.

Here is the URL : http://www.ultranet.com/~llfc/se_tips.html

I have built several SEs since then and have done many modifications and tried many different engine combos.

My current (and best) SE is powered by a piped and ported OS .61. Needless to say it has unlimited vertical.

The landing gear is off a GP extra 300 - 40 and gives me the additional prop clearance needed to run a 12X7 prop. I Lost the tail wheel long ago and now just use a big balsa skid in it's place.

For fast flying I use an APC 12X7 prop as indicated above. For 3D flying and hovering I use a 12.25X3.75 APC. This big fan really makes hovering easier.

On this version I partially enclosed the engine and use a 2 1/2 inch spinner.

The throttle servo is a tiny HiTec HS-55 mounted inside the fuselage directly behind the firewall.

I partially removed the fuse former that is behind the stock tank location and also removed the fuel tank wooden floor. This allowed me to install a 14 ounce tank and have room for the throttle servo. The top of the fuse front is now a hatch so I could massage the large tank into place.

The elevator and rudder servos are mounted in front of the stab and I use Pull-Pull on the elevator. The servos are Hobbico CS-35s. They are very fast on 6 volts (0.11 sec) strong (65.8 0z-in) small and light (27 grams - .95 0z.) best of all they only cost $22.95 each.

I added 2 inches and a counter-balance to the rudder and added 1 inch and counter-balances to the elevator. These counter-balances virtual eliminate flutter while adding much needed surface area to the tail feathers. In addition I drilled several holes in the stab and elevator to reduce the weight.

In order for the SE to really perform it needs massive control surface deflection. I got tired of sanding all the bevels on the ailerons, rudder and elevator halves etc so now instead of sanding I simply glue on small triangle strips. This is SO easy and gives you all the clearance needed for full surface deflection. For extreme deflection you can even use these strips on both the fixed and moving surface.

Be sure to seal all the surfaces with either covering material or clear strapping tape. This helps control response and reduces the chance of flutter. If you use clear tape bend the control surface so the sticky side of the tape is exposed and sprinkle baking soda or talcum powder down the full length. This stops the tape from sticking to itself and also stops it from making horrible clicking noises.

I pin all the CA hinges with tooth picks. They WILL NOT come out.

With the larger rudder and the increased power from the .61 knife edge loops are possible but only at fairly high speeds.

The balance point is now just under 6 inches back. Almost too much but it makes hovering much easier.

The best part is what I did to the ailerons. After seeing an Ultimate Stick I decided I needed to have separate flaps and ailerons so I split the ailerons exactly in half. I use 4 HiTec HS-81 servos in the wing. I now have full crow capabilities and it is simply amazing. With full crow deployed it will fly straight down at about 5 miles per hour.

The wings are bolted directly to the fuse because after over 200 flights the wing tube began to wear and loosen causing some slop and a terrible vibrating noise.

All in all the SE is one of my favs. It can go very fast without fluttering yet it will do harriers and real slow 3D tricks.

Presently me and a fellow I met on the net are scratch building 75 inch wingspan SEs. We had all the standard plans enlarged at Pip printing. Mine will be powered by a piped 2.10 Moki. Ought to be a lot of fun.

Note: Check the aileron linkages in the enclosed picture. I threaded brass welding rod to 440 size. Heavy, but cheap and very rigid. This was before I added flaps and went to smaller servos. I still use this type of linkage on all 4 wing control surfaces as it does not allow any flutter and high speeds.

Shortman

My Feedback: (21)

thanks, i could have used that info a few months ago!!! hehe, no but i did add 1 inch to the rudder, put an os 70 surpass for power, hitec 605bbj's for the rudder and elevator, i mounted in the tail to help evenly distribute the weight, 3/32 wing sheeting instead of there thin 1/16th. and ummm... i think that was it, but it should fly great.

turbojoe

My Feedback: (8)

Those tips of yours came in VERY handy. I've finished the framing and just need to cover it now. I printed out your tips and kept them right there with the Sig manual every step of the way. I'm sure they saved me a lot of headaches.

I know I'll build another S.E. and the 75 incher you're working on sounds like a trip. Let us know how it flies if you're done.

Buzz-RCU

Would you be able to post a couple of images of the tail feathers on your SE so we all could see how you accomplished these modifications

Shortman

My Feedback: (21)

buzz i got one pic of my tail completed on my site if you want to check it out?

http://shortmanca.tripod.com/

just copy and paste the url

Kitbasher

Want to loose some serious weight get rid of that wing tube and all that lite ply in the wing loose about 8oz .Make the wing one piece slide it through the fuse glue it in make rails in it for the servos easy 4lb SE.

toyking23

My Feedback: (4)

When you get your Big SE built please show us some pics and let us know how she flys. I would love to have a 80" SE wtih a gas engine. I have had 2 SE's one still flying, one lost. I wish I would have kept a log on the one still flying. It has been flying regularly for 3 years. Looking a little ragged, but still flys great.

Kitbasher

It will look just like my first one . that is in my gallery pages so click on my galley button it will take you there. I used all the hardware hatch ,pilot , turtledeck , vertical fin, flying wires, wheel pants gear,& engine. So do you call it a rebuild or not? Just like my friend said he had his grandfathers hammer the handle had been replace twice and the head once.

BimmerM3

My Feedback: (6)

I'm just about finished with my 150% scale Somethin' Extra. My original intention was to simply build an oversized version. But I ended up changing a lot of things to save weight and increase strength. It looks just like an SE, but inside, it's different.

The fuselage sides are 1/8" lite ply with carbon fiber lamination, I used basswood stringers on the bottom of the fuselage instead of sheeting and made the top hatch using stringers. In fact, the hatch on the big one is lighter than the original! I mounted all the servos (except throttle) in the tail and used pull-pull on the rudder. I have a separate servo for each elevator half. The elevator and rudder are oversized and have counter-balances. I have 70 degrees of throw on the elevators and about 60 on the rudder.

I kept the design of the wings the same and used a 1 1/2" tube from TNT. Power is a Saito 180 with an 18x5 prop. This combo would pull my 16 pound Lanier Extra 300 without breaking a sweat. I estimate this plane will weigh about 11 pounds. I was trying for under 10.

It ought to be a 3D animal (when I ever finish it). I've been working on some paying jobs and had to sideline it. I need to spend about another 10 hours and it'll be ready to go.