bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

I've seen the Fun 51 fly out at the field. It's supposed to be a nice, easy build and it looks like it's a blast to fly!

cmartin3d

Howdie,
I'm chris and i just bought A TH Fun 51 off the internet. I'm really looking forward to starting this project and seeing this aerobat in action. I will try my best to keep you posted as soon as construction begins and please reply with any input whatsoever.

Thanx.

Charlie P.

I don't mean to ruffle feathers here, but there is a fairly recent thread where a fellow took about a year to build one. He's set the bar for you so let's see what you've got. I think mine was started on a Monday evening and maidened the following Sunday. GREAT little plane. I had a .40 LA and it was all kinds of fun. It was "on indefinate loan" and my buddy set it behind his car and then stepped back onto it. [] Airframe stresses outside of design limitations.

In fact, I may need another and will no doubt be further convinced as I follow your build. The ones with .46 engines are as snappy as anything I care to fly. It was fun and peppy but not "unlimited" with the .40 Probably would hover with a very low pitched prop, but then you'd lose the zip factor.

GrantK

My Feedback: (15)

I love mine, fly it for two years with a 40LA and it did great. I got a ST51 for it for Christmas. I took that as an oppreotunaty to to recover it with silkspan and dope. I can't wait to get it in the air again. I've moded it with winglets, a smoke system, bomb drop, changed the landing great set up twice, removed the fake scoop, and left the hollow area under the engine open (looks cool). This plane is by far the best value out there. It took me about two weeks to build it. Have fun.

cmartin3d

Thanx for the input so far, keep it going!

As far as the powerplant is concerned, I'm going to use a recently purchased (last sunday) O.S. 46AX. I have heard a great deal of good about this engine, especially the high horsepower output and low weight, and the price was just right ($90 through my work). I'm also considering making the wing a two piece unit. My buddy has a preofile Katana, and the wing joins with a 1/2" carbon tube in center, and an 1/8" carbon rod at the real. The two wing panels are simply held onto the fuse with two sheet metal screws each. Is this even possible for this plane?

The last mod is to mount two High speed hitec servos (not sure which one's yet, prefferably under $50 each, Let me know which ones) in the real of the fuselage with 10" pushrods max. (I like crisp controls)

So that's the plan sop far, please let me know what you have done to rock out your TH Fun 51!

P.S. on an unrelated note, does anyone know where I can get Carl Goldberg parts for an Eagle 2 arf? I need a front windshield.

GrantK

My Feedback: (15)

I would leave the wing and servo set up as is. Even with the permanently mounted wing its pretty compact. As for mounting the servos in the rear fuse, I'd just leave them where they are. The controls on mine are vary responsive in the stock position and why fix it if it isn't broken. If you do want do tighten things up a bit, just add a few more pushrod supports. With a 46FX it should have unilimited vertical[8D], no problem.

cmartin3d

Just got home from work and have at least a million ideas for rocking out this plane (hobby stores do that)!

1) I have decided to bite the bullet and place two Hobbico CS-67's in the tail. Supposedly, these servos have the power to make a fulscale plane turn on a dime (slightly exagerated), but their some of the cheapest digital servos I've found.
2) You may think that there is no mod for a throttle pushrod, well your right. But i'm gonna try. Because i now have about 4 ounces 20" behind the cg, that means i have a ballance problem (I like physics), so I'm going to move the throttle servo directly opposite from the tank and run a straight pushrod forward. I will not however, make the wing two piece, I think it's just too complicated for little benefit. If I have to, I will move the engine foreward up to 3/8" to balance out the plane, after that it's lead's job.

I've finally decided on a covering scheme for the "warbird". The top will be traditional, that is, alluminum with black and white on the wings and fuse. The front will be cub yellow, along with the rudder. Now, because this is a "Fun" 51, the bottom wil not resemble a mustang whatsoever. It will be transparent blue (Don't ask why, I just like trans. Blue). As soon as I get the plane build started, I will post pics. Until then, I shall keep dreaming. BTW, what servos should I use for the ailerons. I've researched all servos with transit times under .20, and within my pricerange, and am baffled. (My price range has shifted to around $30/ servo, I'm cheap)

I have to stop because my mom is yelling for dinner, I'll keep ya posted!

cmartin3d

Sorry for the long post, I have nothing better to do. Bye.

GrantK

My Feedback: (15)

Anyold servo will do. I use Futaba 3003 standard and they seem to work just fin. This is a fun fly/sport model. If I were you I'd save the expensive stuff for a gaint sclale (or somthing similar) and just use standard servos, on a plane this size I don't think digital will make that big a diffrence.

Charlie P.

I agree. It's always fun (and this is a "Fun-51") to "tweak" a model for performance, but this kit is a get-you-in-the-air-cheap model and perfect for the risky fun-fly events like balloon pop and inverted limbo. If you're worried about linkage slop use ball-joint 4-40 connectors and rods.

If you can detect a response disappointment between a .26 sec 60º sweep and a .16 sec one of a 4X more expensive servo, move the linkage out at the servo end so it only has to travel 40º to move the same control deflection. Guys buy into advertising ploys and spend too much time splitting hairs for transit times.

cmartin3d

On second, no wait, third thought, I think that 23004's will probably work fine for the job. Thanks for saving me $60!
Is this not the coolest smiley ever![sm=drowning.gif]

GrantK

My Feedback: (15)

Sweet . Good choice, 3004s will do the job just fine. No point in having more $$$ in the servos than the plane.

Charlie P.

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Gravityisnotmyfriend

My Feedback: (2)

I'm guessing it my feathers you fear to ruffle. Don't worry, my feathers are just fine. I started that kit in the last semester of getting my mechanical engineering degree. I had 21 hours of school a week and probably twice that in homework. I still managed it get it framed up in 4 months. Then I got sidetracked from graduating, job searching, and moving. When I moved, I found that my carefully packed F-51 was still where I put it, but a rather heavy box had not and had fallen on the plane. One wing was pretty much crushed and one side of the horiz stab took some damage as well.I didn't start work on it again until after I had gotten moved, unpacked, and a workshop setup. Then I had to start over on a new wing and fixing the tail. This plane has been through alot, so it'd better be worth it!

Now that I have the time, I could probably put one together in a couple of weeks.

Charlie P.

Old saying: "If you would see God laugh tell him your plans for the future"

I know that life can get in the way of such things. I have had models sit sidelined for over a year waiting to be covered. That's why ARFs contimue to out sell kits by leaps and bounds.

Darn the real world that forces us to prioritize and make "OR" instead of "AND" logical decisions; and sometimes "NOT" and "NOR", too.

Gravityisnotmyfriend

My Feedback: (2)

Well said.

cmartin3d

I started the fuselage build today. So fa it is going pretty smooth. I biult up servo troughs in the tail to accept the JR S281's. The internal webbing was really easy to piece together. The only hurdle was having to cut out the engine mount area over 3/32". Is this an indication that the plane was intended for a smaller engine?
I reinforced the landing gear area with 5 ply pieces and it's really rigid. Sorry that there re no pics, I don't have a digital camera and havn't gotten the film in my 35 developed yet. maybe next time there will be some pictures. BTW, is it better to cover the plane before or after gluing the wing and tail on. I'm favoring before, but i don't know yet. [sm=72_72.gif]

cmartin3d

Sorry for the long delay, I've been busy. I've been working every weekday and busy on the weekends. This past weekend, i really progressed on the plane. then entire plane is now built and covered, the lights in the wing are working and lok totally awesome. I'm gonna have to run two reciever batteries (one 6v for the servos and one 4.8v fir the lights). It shouuldn't add too much weight to the flying performance (not like the engine can't pull in) So far it weighs close to 3 pounds with engine and batteries installed.
The covering scheme is as folows;
-Top: the top of the plane is aluminum monokote with invasion stripes on the wing. The tail is solid aluminum with a yellow rudder.
- Bottom: To dd a twist, the botttom of everything is transparent blue. You can really see the lights through it and it loos sweet. Pics will be coming soon (gotta buy a scanner).

GrantK

My Feedback: (15)

PICS! PICS! PICS! PICS!

rcflyer1970

My Feedback: (212)

Here's my modded Fun 51, larger control surfaces 3D throws, 3 inch longer fuse, 46AX and a Macs one piece, hovers nice, great slow flight, out of sight vert, knife edge loops, great little flier, the AX is more power than needed.

GrantK

My Feedback: (15)

SWEET![8D]

cmartin3d

finally, I've been neglecting my post! I have been so rediculoisly busy these last couple of weeks and have done very little until this weekend. The elevators and rudder are hinges, the servos are bought and installed (JRS821's), and the engine has had 2 tanks run through it. The .46 has so much power, it's not even funny! I'm turning an 11.5 x 4 prop and it's still going 12,700 RPM. I don't know what it will take to slow this motor down. The only thing that I have left to do on the kit is build the ailerons and find the courage to fly it. The weather has been so nice up here (45 degrees during the day) that i have been flying the twist any chance I can. BTW, i took some PICS!

GrantK

My Feedback: (15)

Looks good. Can't wait to hear how it flys.

cmartin3d

Build's on hold for now, The two servos that I need for the tail are on backorder. because they're slightly smaller than anything else i have, so i can't cut into the fuse to fit some loners till the digital's come. so the plane sits 90% done in my bedroom. the digital's come off backorder in may.

GrantK

My Feedback: (15)

You realy don't need digitals for a plane like this. I doubte you'de notice any differnce. The Fun 51 was ment to be cheap, simple fun. Don't spoil it with a bunch of unnesisary expence and complexidy.