SeeSpotRun

Greetings Kadet friends. My name is Guitto and I am new here to RC Universe (it's a heck of a big place!). I've found myself with a clean table in my workshop and giving serious thought to building a project. Being that I'm not much of a gambler (what with me now being semi-retired from that profession), I'm looking for a safe bet. I'd hate to roll the dice and wager hours of research, perfectionistic workmanship, meticulous loving care, several sheets of fine grit sandpaper, and dried glue on each of my fingertips only to win a jackpot that doesn't really fly all that great. SO.....after reviewing all the options.....seems to me THE best bet in the entire RC Universe is the Sig Kadet Senior (craftsman kit). I'd really appreciate any thoughts you might have regarding my 3 goals for this venture:

Goal 1: Electric Power (lot to learn here). What EP set up is working well for you in your Kadet?
Goal 2: Long Flight times (by 'long' I mean 15 +/- minutes with moderate throttle and some light wind to dabble with - I'm just not a lead-foot kind of driver, nor am I a lead-thumb kind of flyer). What fight times are you getting from your Kadet?
Goal 3: Easy, Lazy, Flights (gonna go with the traditional, old-school 3 channel set up - seems to me, really, all one needs in life is a throttle, rudder and elevator - Up, down, left, right....all the rest is just Las Vegas glitz and glitter - right?)

Hat Tip to you and yours,
Guitto

flyingagin

Guitto, The Kadet SR is certainly the right bird. Use best practises to keep the wight in control. It is normally a light bird anyway
Ken

TomCrump

If you go with a 3 channel setup, I think you will be missing out on a lot of what the Kadet Senior has to offer.

Flight Risk

My Feedback: (1)

Guitto, It's not a crap shoot with a Kadet, they all fly great. A Senior likes to fly "on the wing" as they say, and putt around all day with 1/4-1/2 throttle. I'm not an expert with electric flight, but I see what others are using. I think you would be good with any setup that will push an 11-12 inch prop. Something like a 4 cell 5000mah, and 40 size motor should be a sure bet. A 40 size electric will generall put out a bit more power than a 40 size glow, and you could even go with a 32 or so electric. Just lay down your cards and build light and strong. HTH.

SeeSpotRun

FlightRisk, Thanks for confirming my choice of the Kadet! Obviously the greatest RC plane in the world. While I've yet to fly one, seems like there's just nothing quite like it. I'm excited about the build as well as the finished product.
Tom, appreciate your thoughts on the 3 ch set up. Everything I've ever flown has had ailerons. They'd be easy enough to drop into the wing, and they'd be there if needed for spicing things up a bit, crosswinds, etc. Otherwise, with the 3 ch. set up, limited for sure.....perhaps annoyingly limited. I'm going to ponder the ailerons and consider seriously as I further my study of the plans prior to my build. Any modifications to dihedral if ailerons are added?

Zor

SeeSpotRun,

You can still fly three channels with a four channel setup but then keep the dihedral.

Zor

SeeSpotRun

Thanks for the weight advice Ken. I considered Hobby Lobby's telemaster 40 delux kit, but it weighs in at over 10 pounds (probably due to the extensive use of ply). I think I can build the Kadet with a flying weight of 7 pounds +\-. With my goal of extended EP flight times, the Kadet is just a no brainer for me. I've yet to find anyone to report that a Kadet flies poorly! So I know Im talking with the right brothers. I'm so stoked about this journey. Thanks for the validation and encouragement!

TomCrump

If ailerons are added, dihedral should be reduced. Sig does this, in the ARFs, as evidenced in this pic.

MartyPetriSr

From the wing Construction Manual for the Kadet Senior; "With one half of the wing flat on the table, raise the other half 6", measured at the bottom of the tip rib. " This equates to a dihedral of 3" on each side at the Tip Ribs. When adding ailerons, I usually lower this to 1" on each side. Remember that high dihedral induces Roll Stability, but renders the ailerons ineffective. Everything is a compromise. I strongly suggest installing the ailerons. I usually go the added step and add flaps too.

The one downfall to the Kadet Senior is the size of the wing, a royal PITA for transporting. You might do well to consider making it a 2 piece wing like the Kadet Senior Sport.

Best of luck and a hearty welcome to the Brotherhood,
Marty

TomCrump

The Senior Sport, with it's huge ailerons and reduced dihedral, is a blast to fly ! It can put around a 1/4 throttle, but still perform rolls, etc.

I couldn't imagine not having the ailerons. I They are an added dimension of fun over the 3 channel version.

flyingagin

If my memory serves me(??????!!!!!) I reduced my dihedral by 50% (standard span). It responds well with just ailerons or just rudder. Bang 'em both over and it will respond very well indeed..

The new wing I intend to build will barely have dihedral, just enough so it does not look like anhedral. Maybe 1.5" each panel, 51" each. And turned down tips (flat on bottom).

Ken

Flight Risk

My Feedback: (1)

Evidently using Ackermann differential on wings with dihedral will help. However I've converted a couple planes from three channels to four and had no problems.

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store...00KV_815W.html

http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store...sory_Pack.html

http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store...ontroller.html

http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store...ming_Card.html

http://hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store...Lipo_Pack.html

That should get you in the air. The cool thing about electrics is that by changing the prop it's like you change a nitro motor. With the above setup with a 10x6 prop you have about a 70's 40's power, with a 11x7 prop you have a modern 46's power, with a 13x8 you have a 60's power, add a 5 cell battery you have 90's power. I'd start with a 11x7 and work up. I like the idea of "only" three channels on the Sr., every plane doesn't have to be a pattern plane.

MartyPetriSr

Sure, another added step. Ailerons work best with 0 deg dihedral, but on most planes it looks like the wings are drooping. 1" to 1.5" on the Kadet performs well and looks normal too.

Marty

flyingagin

This is the first time I encountered the term Ackermann differential. So I had to google it. Makes total sense to on wheeled vehicles. How would it apply to ailerons?
I have used differential ailerons to reduce adverse yaw. I just used about twice as much up as down aileron. Is that correct.

Ken

SeeSpotRun

Rich, Thanks for the set-up recommendations......complete with links and all! Now, that's a brother right there!! And so there are upwards of 200+ Kadet experts standing around in here....wow! What a terrific resource. The wing recommendations/discussions have added clarity to my plan. In the spirit of maximizing versatility, I'm going to get two Kadet kits (they're not that expensive) and I'm going to build two wings - one for the old school connoisseur in me with full dihedral - and the other with flaps and ailerons. For this wing, I'm going to heed the wisdom and experience of Ken, Marty and others. You guys have already saved me lots of time, effort and energy with trial and error. Pre-shate that!

My work bench top isn't big enough for large wing building, so I'm on the lookout for a straight panel door - you know the ones - from the 70s and 80s made from thinly paneled pine. Should be straight, stick pin-able, and a good size. Planning to remove the paint splattered gold-plated doorknob, toss over my shoulder and prepare to spread out the plans!

On the kits - there are several floating around available from the 80s still shrink wrapped. Of course Sig also sells the kits. Builders, What are your thoughts regarding wood quality of the older kits vs. the latest from Sig? I've heard some concerns regarding moisture, heat, brittleness, etc. with the older kits. I've also heard that the older balsa is almost always top quality compared to today's availability (though I trust Sig's quality control for such concerns).

Hat tip to you and yours (as I puff my half-burnt cuban),
Guitto

flyingagin

Guitto, When you build one thing you can do is one kit and just duplicate the parts.
Even if you only build one or if you buy 2 kits and build both. It is nice to have a template of the parts. Particularly the wing ribs. Seems that in bad handling (severe hanger rash) or far from ideal landings that I always need to repair or replace wing ribs. So at a absolute minimum I always trace the patterns onto the back of the plans.

I wish I was better at doing as I suggest. Dang it. Better at scratch builds for retaining patterns, at least rib patterns. I have a few surviving rib templates for stack making ribs. It seems like a million moves. And ya know how stuff get lost given away, busted etc with that.

I am trying to be much better at keeping patterns, tracings, templates, etc.

Ken

flyingagin

Hey Dave (aka skylark-flier), where are you, Have not heard from you in some time now.

Just checking and hoping you are OK

Ken

MartyPetriSr

Ambitious man! Just a thought ...... Your going electric, so why not build the 2nd wing in "FOAM", a lot less work, should be lighter and a hell of a lot cheaper and faster to build.

Marty

MartyPetriSr

Ken,

Here is an interesting read as applied to pull/pull rudder control.

http://www.qmfc.org/school/ackerman.htm

Most people use a direct push/pull rod for ailerons, so the correct term would be differential.

Marty

TomCrump

I built my 1/3 Spacewalker from a 1988 kit. The wood was fine. Even the decals were in good shape !

flyingagin

Thanks marty. That was interesting

Ken

Flight Risk

My Feedback: (1)

Speaking of older kits. I have noticed older Sig kits selling on ebay for close to current new prices and sometimes more with shipping, and I wonder if people don't know new kits are still in production or what. Unless the kit is sealed, you have no idea what may be missing, and sealed you wonder under what conditions it was stored.
Also, could someone explain why an LT40 kit, and even an LT 25 kit cost more than the Senior kit. all i can think is that there are more pre-cut parts, rather than sticks.

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

I think you nailed it, wood cost more than air.

flyingagin

It was the stick build nature of the SR that I enjoyed so much when I built it. I Had built 1/2 stick builds in my early teens. My own designs as a matter of fact.
Have not done a stick build since the SR. Working on plans that will correct that deficiency.

Saw on another thread where a guy was using biscuits on a stick build. He mad some 1/64 birch ply half biscuits. he attached a hinge slot cutting machine to a jig and slotted all the parts for the biscuits. Might be better than the million gussets I felt were needed for all those butt joints in a stick fuse like the SR. I did not bookmark it and the search function on this site is horrid.

If I find the thread I will link it.

Ken