skylark-flier

I got news for you - the brand new Futaba (basic 4-ch unit, 72MHz) that runs my Mk-II came with a 3-servo tray. Arrived just 4 months ago.

BTW, it's mounted in the Mk-II.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

I need to look in the box of the 7C I bought last year I may have one in there too!

acdii

Must be the FM radios then, my FG8S didn't come with one.

SushiHunter

Exactly. What I'd also like to add to this is that ARFs are built in a way where they can be built at the plant or assembly line a lot simpler than the kits we build from like SIG and such. Because with a kit, they are set up where we spend "our" time building it and many components within the aircraft can be complex and time consuming in order for them to come out right. With the ARF's, labor is an issue and the construction has been modified to eliminate all complex areas of construction so they can cut down on the man hours it takes to build such complex designs. However such complex areas are designed that way for added strength and integrity of the aircraft. When eliminating these complex areas to "streamline" production to save on labor costs, the trade-off is less strength and integrity of specific areas of the aircraft. The trade-off for consumers with building compared to the ARF type of aircraft is: no months of building, much less costly, ready to go and flies. Trade-off is less quality materials, less strength and integrity of the aircraft since they are designed and constructed specifically for assembly streamlining. ARFs are good for instant flying fun. Some people may not have the ability to build and/or build accurately so ARFs are good for them as well. Lot's of trade-offs for all involved (manufacturer, supplier, distributor, builder and end user).

I've only owned one ARF nitro plane and that was so I could allocate most of my time to building my Kougar but still be able to get out between building steps and fly the ARF at the local club. Once my Kougar was complete and maidened, the ARF fulfilled it's purpose and got sold.

skylark-flier

You're right - it's pretty much all about trade-offs today. Personally, I'm glad I started when I did - 60 years ago - had the time (and initiative) to learn to build, learn to fly, learn to repair. Today I spend a fair amount of time rebuilding ARFs for other guys who have absolutely NO idea how a plane is built, or repaired. I recently found a Corsair ARF in a trashcan - had all the electrics & engine torn out but the rest was there in various stages of re-kitting. Took 3 weeks to fix, and I resold it - to the guy who originally crashed it - for almost as much as he originally paid for it, new.

(cost me about $15 in repair parts)

Go, figure.

OldRookie

My Feedback: (13)

That Komet might be a little hard to see in the sky....especially if it is overcast.

Greg

SushiHunter

Yeah, I've been thinking about that too.

SushiHunter

Sounds familiar. There is a guy at the field I fly and he was telling me about someone who took an ARF up for the very first time, crashed it and then put it in one of the waste containers at the field. He took it and after a few hours and materials he already had on hand from building his own kits, was able to have it repaired and flying again in basically no time at all.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

I have heard similar stories myself.

acdii

I have enough scraps from kits that I dont need to go out and get any material to repair the P-51. I also tend to buy lots of things at swap meets as you never know when you might need something for a repair, or even for a new build. What I dont have though is enough material to rebuild the crashed 4*120, but I do have the cutoff scraps for the ribs and fuse so that I can make new parts from stock. Either that or take someones suggestion and mount whats left of the fuse to the side of my barn with a sign I have above it that says beware low flying aircraft.

SushiHunter

Getting her all prepped for flight this upcoming Saturday. I discovered another small issue that may have resulted in another problem, again with the elevator. This time it appears the balsa that is between the control horn and the back plate has gotten slightly damaged. I discovered that there was very little play in the elevator. Obviously balsa is a soft material and perhaps there was elevator flutter which caused the balsa to get damaged between the horn and back plate. I tightened up the screws slightly but I don't see this being a permanent fix because it may still continue to do the same until there is not enough balsa material between the horn and back plate. I think what I have here is the situation where I put too much of a power plant into an airframe that is not designed to handle such stress from power and speed. I'd most likely need to reinforce the area where the horn and back plate "sandwich" the balsa together. Even perhaps glass the control surfaces.

Yeah, I think the issue is I've exceeded the limits of the stock SIG Kougar airframe with the type of power plant and exhaust system she's got on her. I'll see how this Saturday is with her. Love the roll-out though. She's got to be hitting 40 to 50 mph by the time I pull her off the deck. Ever since I modified her with a slight downward stance by adjusting the nose wheel gear. No more premature life-off resulting in near wing stalls.

acdii

Depending on how thick the elevator is, you could put plywood on both sides, but put some brass tubing between the ply where the screws go through so that you dont crush the balsa, make the tubes slightly smaller than the gap between the plywood so the control horn can mash it all together, then use nuts and bolts with locktight. This will lock the control horn in place just like servos. Of course this should be done on a new elevator, your sounds like it about done.

TomCrump

Has anyone been in contact with Sig this week ?

Never mind.

Sig Planes is experiencing some sort of problem, but I got through to Sig Mfg, who promptly answered my questions and got the ball rolling on a delayed shipment.

I had a red Rascal 72 ordered, but they were out of stock. I accepted a blue/white and Sig graciously said that they would expedite my order.

All is well in Sigland.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

No, why?

acdii

Cool. Some day a T-clips will arrive, in the mean time, still having fun with my other Sig planes.

TomCrump

I think it was something with Sig Planes, the paperwork company employed by Sig. I got no specific explanation.

The good news is that my order is moving along, and I should have the Rascal in the air by next weekend.

TomCrump

Most of us can't have everything we want. Waiting, just makes it better when we finally get the model of our dreams.

acdii

Clicking LIKE button

TomCrump

While I've been waiting for my Sig order, it afforded me some time to revisit a neglected "friend."

I pulled out my old GP Super Sportster 60, and flew it for the first time in years. It doesn't fly like any Sig model that I'm familiar with. It's heavy, and flies that way. But that doesn't mean that it's a slug. She's fast and highly manueverable.

The weight provides a nice sink rate, on landing. Yesterday, my club members were commenting on that fact, as they thought I was too high, when I began my final approach. They wereamazed to see the Sportster settle, and then touch down, with plenty of runway left after stopping..

skylark-flier

Yeah, I've noticed pretty much the same thing over the years - SIG planes, for the most part, seem to float/glide better than most of the other kits that I've got. Never been a problem, just some planes settle better, some glide better.

They're ALL still a great deal of fun.

SushiHunter

I'm starting to analyze my elevator and wondering if perhaps I didn't install the control horn and back plate the best way. What I did with the Kougar is monokote the elevator control surface and then installed the control horn and back plate with two screws. How do some of you do this on your planes? Should I have also epoxied the horn and back plate onto the elevator along with using the screws? Had I applied epoxy, the elevator may not have worked it's way loose between the control horn and the back plate.

Hopefully I'll have her up and flying tomorrow morning first thing.

TomCrump

What I like about my Sig models is that they fly smoooooooooooooooooooooooothly. They make me look like a better pilot than I really am.

TomCrump

I see nothing wrong with your installation. I don't see the point of using epoxy.

On my builds, I frequenty use sheet metal scews and screw the horns to a ply plates built into the elevator, and rudder.. No backplate. No epoxy. I've never had a failure, but I'm no 3D flyer, either.

In the attached pic, you can see the ply plates installed in the elevator halves of my 1/4 IKON Cessna Airmaster.

Jim Branaum

My Feedback: (3)

SInce my Sig Kougars lead a very hard life, I generally take precautions to insure the servos remain in the airframe and attached to their anchor points. That means I cut 1/8 ply fuselage side formers with "U"s to hold the servo rails in place in the event one of my 'arrivals' causes them to come adrift. The other thing I do is pin the servo rails through the fuselage sides with 2 toothpicks per end. Drill 5/64 holes as a slight angle, fill with glue, put toothpick in and hammer on it a little. You CAN get fancy and do that to the side formers also, but that is belt and suspenders on the belt and suspenders. Any way you then cut the toothpicks off flush to the fuselage side with a fine tooth saw, sand and cover, and you have a servo rail that will not leave the airframe and will stay in its place through all sorts of "difficult" positions - even if loose. My last Kougar was #21 because I have gotten lots and lots of practice in the various ways to kill them. I can look at a Kougar in the air and being thrown about and tell you when it is about to snap because I have done that lots of times.

Oh, the other 'trick' is the servo rails themselves. I do not use commercial products, rather I make my own. Hardwood "L"s made from 2 hunks of wood with the "L" installed upside down so the servo wires have a non pinched place to be. Rails are made with 1/2 x 1/4 wood glued to 3/8 x 3/8. When you drill the holes for the servo screws, make sure you get into BOTH chunks of wood.

MartyPetriSr

Well this plane is finished, just waiting for clear weather to do the maiden flight, raining everyday now, monsoon season here in Thailand.
The build thread is at 50% Kadet Sportster Foamie

AUW was 22.9 oz with a wing loading of 11.13 oz/sq ft. It can be built lighter bu using a different coloring technique and using the aluminum landing gear.

Thanks,
Marty