RCjunkieUFOs

Hi guys just bought a Goldberg Tiger 60 kit. I'm new to the hobby of planes have built many cars and trucks in the past and I've been a finish carpenter for about 20yrs. (just a little back ground)

I haven't even received it yet, bought the plane and engine and parts recommended.
My question is about radio, receiver and servos.

what should I be useing? There were a couple of threads that talked about the JR system is the way to go. whats the best servos to use with this and the plane?
I'm hoping to stick with this for a while so want a radio that I can grow with and I'm not afraid too spend a little money.
I was thinking a 6 or 7 channel would be plenty for the next couple of years of learning and growing and new planes.

I will probably have many more questions when I start it, but ANY advice on this build as a hole is very welcome and appriciated.

Keith F.



See you in the funnys

ChuckW

If I were you and if you have a real interest in the hobby, I would buy a good 6 or 7 channel 2.4GHz radio now since you'll likely want one down the road anyhow. If you don't want to spend the money on the 2.4GHz just yet, look for a similar radio but in 72MHz. As far as the brand, Spektrum is really popular as is Futaba & JR. All will work just fine. For your Tiger, the standard sized servos that come with either radio should work just fine.

DavidAgar

My Feedback: (108)

As for a brand of radio, any of the name brand radios will work just fine. The radios come with standard servos which will work just fine with your plane. What you need to consider is just what you are going to want your radio to do in the future. Are you going into scale and going to need more channels to use, as in bomb drops, flaps retracts? Are you going into larger planes and going to need to mix channels to make 2 servos work at once for the elevator? Are you going to be just a sport pilot that is only going to never need more than 4 channels? The Tiger 60 kit came as a deluxe version as well as the one that you have mentioned, which would need 5 channels, one for the retracts. You may want to check at your local flying field to see what the instructors are using so you can buddy box with them. These are the things you need to think about before you make your radio investment. In my opioion, Futaba is the way to go. Good Luck, Dave

RCjunkieUFOs

Thanks chuck.
I was curious if the standard servos were just fine or not and sounds like they are. As i probably wont be hitting any major Gs with this plane, high torque servos would be a waste of money.

Again to everyone Any advice about do's and dont's, stuff you ran across in your first build that your doing differently now that works better would love to hear from you.

Thanks again.
Keith F.

ps: I will be posting pics and questions as I go through the build so keep an eye on me for screw ups and questions. hehe

RCjunkieUFOs

Thanks Dave.
Good heads up about being able to buddy up definitely need to check into that.
Also yes as time goes on retracts, bombs, flaps....... and such are things I want to play with. so I'm guessing for now a nice 2.4GHz 7ch might be the right choice for at least a couple of years or more.
I don't think I will be messing with retracts and stuff for at least a year while I learn. Sound about right?

I picked this model out of the beginners list on this forum because it was recomended and looked like a good Kit to start with hope I made the right choice.

ChuckW

Measure twice, cut once. Make sure you are absolutely positive that a part is positioned correctly before applying any adhesives. Don't be tempted to take shortcuts. Just follow the instructions and your plane will turn out great.

draftman1

Also find a local club, you will get alot of good advice and get with the club trainer, he will teach you to fly, dont take this or any plane up alone. it wont be a plane for long if you try it. sounds like your of to a good start with a plane and equipment

kbear

My opinion on radios has always been to by the most radio you can afford. There is no reason to spend the money twice going through the different classes of radio. It's not necessary to mortgage the house here, but many of the bells and whistles you aren't using on the first second and maybe third plane will eventually get used. You never know just what you might want to get into down the road. As for brand, I second the idea of seeing what most fly at your club. Not just for the buddy box, but for help with programming and all. I'm partial to Hitech for it's price and compatibility with Futaba gear, but it wouldn't do me any good at a field where everyone flies JR. Unless they finally come out with a Hitech 2.4 module, I will probably be switching to Futaba on my next system.

RCPtero

Keith,

With your carpentry experience, you'll have no problems building the Tiger. My second plane was a Tiger II. I lost it back in July and build a Tiger 60 to replace it. Unfortunately, I wrecked it on maiden because I had way too much control throw on the ailerons. I rebuilt it, but there was structural weakness in the tail from the first crash and I snapped the tail off after about half a dozen flights. If you want the full story, look for the "Demise of a Tiger" threads in the Crash & Rebuild forum.

Also, in this forum, there is a Tiger build thread. Read through it. When I scratch build my next one from my Tiger 60 plans, I'm going to keep my reduced dihedral mod, but the other mods I made will probably not make it into the new one. I kind of suspect they contributed to the last crash. I.E. too much control surface on the tail making too much stress on the fuse. Oh, and I'd opt for the dual aileron servos again too.

Really can't wait to get another one built. She's a sweet flying plane!

As for radios, go with at least six channels, and I'd highly recommend a 2.4Gig system. I'm flying Spektrum. However, I'm probably going to be picking up the 2.4G modules for my Futaba T9CAP within the next couple of months.

--
Tom

outdoorhunting

Futaba 7 channel for a couple of years, then you'll want a Spektrum,a maybe. Or you could just go get the Spektum & have the radio for probably the next 10 yrs. The only reason I say Futaba is, when you get ready, I feel the Futaba would be a lot easier to sell. Good luck

Bwolfgang

Tiger 60 is a GREAT plane, I am now on my second one.

Radio is Futaba 6EAX with an R127DF receiver, and S3151 Digital ball bearing servos. I like them because they have 1. Ball Bearings, not cheap bushings, and 2. They have metal gears. These servos cost a little more, but they are worth it. They can take a pounding and come back for more. I have a plane with 134 flights on it and the servos are just as "tight" and "slop free" as when they were new.

As far as the Tiger 60, here are a couple of suggestions that I did on mine, that others have also done.

1. The tail until itself is very strong, but the lightening hole in the bottom-rear fuselage allows some tail "wiggle". It aloows the bottom of the fuse to "rack". What I ( and others ) did, was to glue the laser-cut "lightening hole" in-place in the BOTTOM of the fuse, just ahead of the tail. Instead of "punching out" the laser cut "lightening hole" area, run a bead of CA in the laser cut slot, and just leave the "hole" in place...Presto...problem solved.

2. Than main landing gear are about 1" ( you could go 1.25" ) too far forward. If balance per datum, the Tiger 60 will tend to drag the tail on landings. On my first T60, I move the mains BACK 1.00" my second one I may go 1.25" back. Many, many other builders have done this also. Ditch the kit-supplied 5/32" wire.....instead, bend up some good 3/16" wire mains. Again, they will take a pounding and come back for more. "Raising" the plane about 1/2" to 3/4" doesn't hurt either...make your main LG struts about 1/2" to 3/4" longer ( taller) that what is shown on the kit plans..this is for prop clearance,... more about that later.

3. The nose wheel is canted "backwards", in line with the firewall. I find this makes take off tracking a little "squirrelly", so I canted the nose wheel strut back ( nose wheel goes further forward ) about 3 to 5 degrees. Firewall cants "foreward" nose wheel strut cants "backward" ( like a bicycle ) Use a FULTS unit if possible, they are fantasic, and really take a pounding. The kit-supplied 5/32" unit is pretty weak, and you will spend more time re-straightening the kit suppiled LG wires after hard landings. If this is your first plane, invest in a FULTS "double" nose gear strut. You will be GLAD you did. Also when you raised the main LG, mount the FULTS unit with the nosewheel about 1/2" to 3/4" lower ( extended further ) that what is shown on the kit plans, Again, this is for more prop clearance.....more about that below.

4. My engine of choice for my first Tiger 60 was an OS .70 FS II Surpass Four stroke, with an 11" x 7, three-blade prop. With the "extended" gear length, and the nosewheel a bit further forward, it gave me a nice safe prop clearance, you only "mow the grass" in long grass. If built as shown on the kit plans, the prop will be right in the grass all the time. My next Tiger 60 will be OS .91 FS II Surpass, which takes a 12" x 8, 3-blade prop, so prop clearance becomes an even bigger issue. The clearance issue is magnified if you use any 2-bladed prop, anything over 12" or 13" diameter, YOU WILL BE GLAD THAT YOU HAVE THE EXTRA GROUND ( and grass ) CLEARANCE.

Good luck, and good flying! YOU WILL LOVE THE WAY THIS AIRPLANE FLIES.

Bwolfgang

P.S......One other thing I forgot to mention,

If you are flying off from ( and landing on ) any type of grass, use 3.00" Dia tires MINUMUM. On my Tiger 60 I used Du-Bro 3.00" nose wheel, and 3.125" mains. Rolling resitance is reduced, and handling in grass is a breeze. Anything less than 3.00" dia. wheels in grass, and you will "fight" with the plane to steer it. All flying fields have lumps, bumps and the gress does not always get mowed when it is supposed to....You will be glad you have the larger wheels on grass.

Good Luck.

RCjunkieUFOs

Thanks guys

Lots of good info to get me going.[sm=idea.gif] you guys rock

4 more days until she shows up can't wait to get started!

Bwolfgang

Please send some pictures when you get it done.

I will hunt around, and see if I can send some pictures of my first one.....

Good luck, and good building.

Bwolfgang

I hope this works, It is the first time I have tried this method. Please letmw know if they come through.

RCjunkieUFOs

Bwolfgang, yeah they came through and look great!

Did you do the covering on it? If so awesome job. That, I think is the only place I'm going to get nervous is the covering part.
handling the balsa and the mechanics of it not to much because of my carpentry skills but have never worked with coverings. I watched the video of it on here,
doesn't look to tough but that's also the part that can make or break the look of the plane. being somewhat of a perfectionist I can see myself
taking way to long this part but i'll definitely practice some on scrap or whatever i have laying around my shop.

Thanks again Bwolfgang good good stuff.

Bwolfgang

Here's some more......Practice, Practice, Prcatice

Be patient, stick to a one color scheme on you first plane

Good luck

Bwolfgang

So what is the status of your plane?

Jeep Jockey

Has anyone ever modified one of these to use flaps.....I'm interested in the tiger 60 with retracts but would like to have flap options?????

Bwolfgang

Personally,

I don't think you need flaps with the Tiger 60.

It handles and lands great.

I am sure someone has done it.....but the whole point of the Tiger 60 is as a "pattern Trainer"

Flaps for this type of a plne meas 2 extra servos....more hinges...and more weight.

That would be like putting 4-doors, trunk headlights and blinkers on a Nascar Racer....you could do it...but what would be the point?

Good Luck

Jeep Jockey

Bwolfgang,

Fair enough......I'm just looking for a good model that I can use to learn flaps and retracts together.....I'm a bit new to the hobby. I've got a PT40 MkII and a Tiger II to learn on. I'd like to step up to flaps and retracts after that...

What's the worst thing about all this is that I found on Tower Hobbies this morning that the Tiger 60 Deluxe is now discontinued.......anyone got one for sale?

SteveW

My Feedback: (36)

There really isn't anything more to the Tiger 60 Deluxe kit than the added set of retractsl. You could certainly add a set of retracts and flaps to the kit you already own. A good set of Robart or SpringAir retracts would work just fine. Do some searches here on RCU and you will find lot's of info on adding retracts to planes that didn't originally feature them. Good luck, you will love the way this plane handles.