Morris the Knife ARF  
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Morris the Knife ARF - 5/19/2002 1:29:30 AM   
Billy Hell


 

Posts: 2926
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: Nashville, TN, USA
Status: offline 		I had heard great things about the Morris planes and everyone in the funfly section said the Knife was the one to start with. If you want to learn how to hover, knife edge and over all 3ding this is the plane. I went with the ARF because I haven't built a kit yet and I don't want to get too in love with any models at this point (I'm pretty new - flying since last July).
The box is not a marketing masterpiece but the contents will wow you. Everything was covered to perfection and the wood and parts in general seemed to be built above the standard (compared to a Great Planes arf). The instructions were good. There were spots that didn't work for me though. I consider myself to be of average intellect. The manual thouroghly goes through how to install the trays in the wings (which I then did). Then a few pages later they tell me how to install my tank in the wing. Since I had already installed the trays the tank couldn't go in the wing without cutting! I now have an external tank (which is fine with me). The manual also recommended that I CA the wing to the fuse. I'm sure that works for them but I went ahead and epoxied it in. Those are the only faults I found with the kit. I built one hour a day (before work). I went pretty slowly just to make sure I did it right. I had it completely ready to fly in about 12 sessions. I know I could do it at least half as fast on my second try. I spent most of that time making sure I did the pull pull correctly. I mean days I spent. I never had used pull pull and didn't want to screw it up. The hardware for the pull pull was really high quality. My instructor even commented that it was really nice. I made the pull pull too tight but a little adjustment was all it took.

BUILDING NOTE
Make your servo trays removeable. I really wish I had and it would have been really easy. Helps getting the radio in and out as well as working with the fuel cell.

EDITED-- I also didn't use the stock aliminum landing gear or the tail wheel that was provided. I used a Sullivan tail wheel (on all my planes) and Dubro fiberglass landing gear. The Dubro gear is a must.
I also took the pink stripes off the plane and added checks. I just couldn't get used to the pink (it didn't work with the other colors) and I'm a big fan of checks. I also put my RCU nick on the bottom of the wing using shelf paper (vinyl).

SPECS:
engine - Thunder Tiger .54 four stroke with 13x4w prop
servos - Hitec 425BB and a Hitec 300 for the throttle.
landing gear - Dubro
tail gear - Sullivan
Tires - 3.5 inch rubber
I could use a bigger motor but the .54 will do for now.

FLYING
I flew her today, 20mph winds and all! She took off great. I had to dial in a few clicks of trim but she was already pretty close. I had the throws turned up a little. I had D/R 1 and D/R Stupid. The roll rate was insane. Axial? Like a can opener! Really fast rolls on lo and hi rates. I think the 54 might be enough. Flew like a champ with the CG at 5 inches back (that's unofficial but I pretty sure that's where it would measure). Did some nice lo passes. Did a blender and some knife edge. All my throws were a little too extreme so I'll have to try everything again the next session. I think it has enough to hover (13x4w prop). The winds were so hard it was enough just to keep her flying (cold too). So overall it kicks my old profile Gee Bee's butt. I'm really excited to really wring her out and learn 3D with this plane. I'm also really excited to know that if I crash it the cost isn't too bad to replace and the build time should be really fast next go round. Not to mention Morris has many other profile planes to buy and learn things on. I'm set for the next couple of years!
THANKS MORRIS HOBBIES!

UPDATED FLYING
I somehow managed to be the only one at the sod farm today (I was careful with my fingers!). I had a slight breeze but it was a perfect day. My knife edges were pulling towards the canopy but I think that was because my ailerons might have had a little up in them. I love the way it rolls and even managed to do some elevators (none of my other planes could really do a good one). At one point I was in an elevator and pointing into the wind. I added a touch of throttle and the Knife just sat there. I was in that position a long time and I could not percieve any movement in the plane. It was motionless. I just wish someone else was there to see it. I did an ok blender but I couldn't get her flattened out during the spin. When I use the rudder she does want to pull down. I'm hoping I can adjust that out. I know that's why the spins won't stay flat.
LANDING
I enjoy landings and fear them. I'm usually too hot and bounce it. I spent all day Friday on FMS landing every model they had. It must have helped because the Knife lands like a feather. You could land it at your feet if you wanted to. I could not get it to stall. The motor was at idle and she still wanted to float. Confidence inspiring.
I got in 5 long flights (10 min a piece). There is a drainage ditch in the middle of the paster that I warn everyone about. The grass was long and I was trying to take off. I knew the drainage ditch was coming but I also knew she would get airborn before I hit it. I was going, going, goin --- DRAINAG DITCH!! What a stupid way to end my first hour or a 3 hour session that I had been waiting for all week. I will say this, the Knife is tough. I broke one of the fiberglass landing gear and my new 13x4w apc prop. No damage to the plane what so ever. No extra gear (that won't happen agian) so that was that. I didn't get too mad though because I got a lot of flights in. Once again great plane!

Update - 6-18-02
I have quite a few flights on the Knife now and love it. I am now able to get really flat inverted spins out it. When I get a little more motor (Irvine .53) it should do climbming inverted flat spins. I got the Knife edge issue worked out by trimming both ailrons down a little. It still pulls to the canopy a little but I think it has a lot to do torque. The motor prohibits me doing much extended Knife edge but I'm happy for now. She takes off great and I still wow the war bird boys with my tail wheel first/3 foot roll out landings. You can literally float it to the ground (which is good since I accidently floated it into a ditch - no damage). It is a solid plane and built to last. I would not hesitate to buy another one and look forward to buying some of the other Morris planes (Topcat or Suki? Hard choice). I also did my first waterfall with the Knife. I think I actually impressed my instructor with that. Now stop reading and go buy your Knife! You deserve it!

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< Message edited by Billy Hell -- Jun 18 2002 9:47PM >
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another view - 5/19/2002 1:30:15 AM   
Billy Hell


 

Posts: 2926
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: Nashville, TN, USA
Status: offline 		the bottom

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another - 5/19/2002 1:30:49 AM   
Billy Hell


 

Posts: 2926
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: Nashville, TN, USA
Status: offline 		side view

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another - 5/19/2002 1:31:31 AM   
Billy Hell


 

Posts: 2926
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: Nashville, TN, USA
Status: offline 		Here is a shot of the servo controls. Looks great!

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another - 5/19/2002 1:34:00 AM   
Billy Hell


 

Posts: 2926
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: Nashville, TN, USA
Status: offline 		The tail section of pull pull:

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another - 5/19/2002 1:35:05 AM   
Billy Hell


 

Posts: 2926
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: Nashville, TN, USA
Status: offline 		external tank mount. worked fine in flight - no cg issues or foaming.

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the maker and his machine - 5/20/2002 8:43:54 PM   
Billy Hell


 

Posts: 2926
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: Nashville, TN, USA
Status: offline 		all praise the Knife!

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vid - 5/23/2002 2:19:45 AM   
Billy Hell


 

Posts: 2926
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: Nashville, TN, USA
Status: offline 		Here is a little video from the field. No flying though. When the plane hit the sky all video camera saw was white. I'll get some though!
http://www.jimtgraham.com/rc/knife.ram

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Morris the Knife ARF - 6/1/2002 3:31:10 AM   
Billy Hell


 

Posts: 2926
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: Nashville, TN, USA
Status: offline 		Here is a video of the Knife being severely whipped around. I think it speaks for itself.
http://www.jimtgraham.com/rc/knifeweb.mov

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       Post #: 9

Morris the Knife ARF - 6/24/2002 1:38:09 AM   
Billy Hell


 

Posts: 2926
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: Nashville, TN, USA
Status: offline 		Flying update - June, 23 2002
Had the Knife out this morning. Did an elevator all the way to the deck. Very exciting to land with the ele all pinned all the way up all the way down to the ground. Just another thing the Knife does well. This was on low rates with the flaps working in conjunction with the ele (ele up, flaps down - ele down, flaps up). I also brought here to idle and floated her around the sod farm about 50 feet in the air. She was barely moving and seemed like she would fly forever. Next week I'm going to play with slow flying more.

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       Post #: 10

Morris the Knife ARF - 10/31/2002 9:08:31 PM   
Billy Hell


 

Posts: 2926
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: Nashville, TN, USA
Status: offline 		I have been flying this bird for a long time and the verdict is......
MY FAVORITE PLANE~!!!!
I love it. It will do anything and land like a heli. I have severely abused it and it looks great. a few weeks ago it went 100 feet straight into a corn field. Thanks to the mud and prop the plane was unharmed - the gear was pushed back a little. She is tough.
It knife edges great, it hovers great, it takes off and lands better than any plane you will own, it will almost never stall, it harriers well, I can make it flat spin inverted in both directions, it loves my Irvine .53 motor....isn't that enough?
BUY THIS PLANE - NO, BUY 2!!

I'm happy to answer any questions.
Billy Hell
http://www.****

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Morris the Knife ARF - 12/29/2002 3:13:52 AM   
Billy Hell


 

Posts: 2926
Joined: 1/23/2002
From: Nashville, TN, USA
Status: offline 		Udate time:
Well it has almost been a year to date since I put the Knife together. 4 planes later and she is still my favorite plane to fly. It has taken some serious abuse and still looks great (by abuse I mean a hundred foot nose dive into a muddy pasture - the mud abosrbed the impact, the gear was pushed back. The ele cable let go and I did an inverted spin to the ground because I couldn't think of anything better to do - no damage. And countless other dings and things). She has taught me how to hover, knife edge, knife edge into a snap and back into a knife edge, waterfall, tornado, wall, elevator and just plain flip around. She also lands on a dime. I love this plane so much I made a model for Real Flight as well as many schemes. Go to the Real Flight web site to download them. What's next? I want to the build the kit and shed a pound off the plane. I'll always have one around. Thanks Morris and Thanks RCU for telling me to buy this plane.

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       Post #: 12

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