Posts: 779
Joined: 10/27/2004 From: Omaha,
NE, USA Status: offline
Well I thought that i would post a few comments after the completion of my Cap. (but still havent flown)
Hits:
Very Beautiful! Covering job was better than i could do I admit, tinted canopy is awesome
Fit: was a 9 out of 10 wing to the fuse was just about perfect, tail surfaces great.
Hardware: improvement over other planes i've seen- wingnut type wing screws and plastic canopy screws instead of the old small ones that would rattle out.
Tail Wheel seems like a good one
Nice to have a fuel dot included and servo connector retainers Misses:
Balance- too tail heavy!! at least this was my problem- at first i just added 3/4 inch standoff to the 3W 75, but then added another 3/4 inch and it was still further back than the reccomended 4" (batteries were all the way up front, and smoke system for extra nose weight) I don't think many people are going to put much more weight in it than this, and you can't extend the cowl any further forward or it won't sit on the airplane correctly. My cg is 4.25-4.5 right now and thats as good as i can get it so i hope i like i there.
hardware in the manual pictures ball links and they include metal clevises that are prob. ok but one of mine broke from taking in on and off, and limit cg range. I would rather see them in the hardware package even it it does cost 5$ more.
I had to buy an extra 4-40 rod because i did the aileron pushrods first, leaving me with too short of a rod for both elevators.... it would work out if you did the ele's first but you need to watch that.
The recommended gorilla glue has got to be the strongest option but the foaming really bothered me and i spent a lot of time cleaning it up before and after it dried... it also foamed out the hole onto the covering and you can see it if you look close. I might still prefer epoxy.
There were no instructions on the pull pull tail wheel.... for a first timer like me it took a sec and i think it'll hold but I just would've liked a little advice there.
Make sure if you glue your canopy to the hatch that you glue while its on the airplane so the angle doesn't change!! i had to re-do mine.
Thats about it, I'm very happy with everything and am looking forward to flying tomorrow!
btw, the screen spline really looks nice on the cowl thanks for those that recomended it.
Balance- too tail heavy!! at least this was my problem- at first i just added 3/4 inch standoff to the 3W 75, but then added another 3/4 inch and it was still further back than the reccomended 4" (batteries were all the way up front, and smoke system for extra nose weight) I don't think many people are going to put much more weight in it than this, and you can't extend the cowl any further forward or it won't sit on the airplane correctly. My cg is 4.25-4.5 right now and thats as good as i can get it so i hope i like i there.
Please let me know how the CG works out. It's possible I have specified it a little to conservative. I know in testing we flew the same plane with a MVVS 58 which is not near as heavy as your 3w, and it was just a little tail heavy.
quote:
hardware in the manual pictures ball links and they include metal clevises that are prob. ok but one of mine broke from taking in on and off, and limit cg range. I would rather see them in the hardware package even it it does cost 5$ more.
We have no way of knowing what type of servo arms you will use. If everybody would buy aluminum servo arms then I'd supply ball links, they are only a few cents apiece more than the clevises. Problem is ball links are not real good with plastic arms.
quote:
The recommended gorilla glue has got to be the strongest option but the foaming really bothered me and i spent a lot of time cleaning it up before and after it dried... it also foamed out the hole onto the covering and you can see it if you look close. I might still prefer epoxy.
You did not follow the manual, the masking tape method stops all that mess.
quote:
Make sure if you glue your canopy to the hatch that you glue while its on the airplane so the angle doesn't change!! i had to re-do mine.
Posts: 779
Joined: 10/27/2004 From: Omaha,
NE, USA Status: offline
i did follow the manual with the masking tape.... i still found that the clean up between the joints to be extensive..... if you always put just the right amount of glue in then it would be perfect but its hard to tell and i don't hinge an airplane every other day. The plus side is that the glue IS obviously very strong.
Posts: 779
Joined: 10/27/2004 From: Omaha,
NE, USA Status: offline
lol, yeah i was really gettin on peoples case earlier for one, i'm going to have a sweet one done in a week if not earlier. As long as it passes all the range checks its going to be flying in an hour
Posts: 2339
Joined: 11/23/2002 From: College Station,
TX, USA Status: offline
Also drip some thing CA around the firewall mounts. Mine was a little loose and Tom also had this problem with the Ulitmate. Of course, I just like to say that the 3W 56 has so much power that it was pulling the firewall off...
Regarding hinging, maybe you used too much glue. I suggest using a toothpich or small dowel to pick up glue and wipe it around the interior of the hole, as much as it will hold. You do not need any more than this.
I know Gorilla glue can make a mess, believe me I have hinged enough to make me sick. My procedure in the manual works for me, I'm sorry if I did not convey it clearly.
Posts: 2339
Joined: 11/23/2002 From: College Station,
TX, USA Status: offline
I use the method described in the RCU "how to" video. Never had a problem with too much mess. After about an hour, I start using Paint Thinner on the paper towel to help keep things clean.
Posts: 779
Joined: 10/27/2004 From: Omaha,
NE, USA Status: offline
yeah for sure i used too much glue. ANYWAY I flew this sucker this morning and it was really really fun. Just watching something of that size climb into the sky was.... well pick a word, amazing, breath taking, lets spin the wheel of adjectives! That airplane has some nice lines.
So i've started to notice that gassers fly faster than other planes. you have to keep them moving.... this airplane slows down sooooo fast. i was turning down wind to final and it stalled on me and it was really close... I was so angry at myself that it got that close and took the fun out of the day... Luckly it didn't drop a wing as advertised and i just kind of harrierd out of it... geez it was close though. Now i'm not complaining at the drag... I like the way it slows down (thick airfoil) the airplane did feel tail heavy, but flew so amazingly smooth. There was a lot of wind suprisingly today for an early morning and besides what happened above the plane handled it so well... it lands really well. One reason I think the airplane slows down so fast is because of the reward cg right? isn't that true that nose heavier planes come in hotter? Anyway I would like to have more nose weight, but will need a custom job longer cowl in order to extend the engine out further, or add dead weight.... please no. For how back the cg was the snaps were still almost as crisp as my friends extra special.... just how i like them. This rudder servo is AMAZING 5955- I have to buy more of these for the other control surfaces... the rudder was SO crisp and had SO much authority. Probabaly also due to the size of it on the cap. the rest of my servos were 5645's and 5625's.... not really impressive..... but'll do the job for now. Heres one thing i'm confused about... although the cg felt rearward, i needed quite a bit of up down elevator to hold it inverted.... so maybe the cg isn't as far back as I thought.... the rudder as a tiny bit of coupling... just need to mix a little up ele to rudder..... no aileron necessary. Make sure and get those rudder springs really tight!!! the tail kind of does its own thing if you don't get em super tight, like spring stretched out all the way to each end.... once i did that it handled the wind on the ground ok. The airplane wanted to pull positively out of a downline.... the elevator needed a bit of down trim to fly level.
So just a lot of random thoughts from the first couple flights.... its going to be a fun summer! Video and more pics on the way
Erik Mortenson
ps Tom when you get a sec I still haven't heard back from you about getting an instrument panel... i don't know if you have one that'll fit or not... let me know erikpmort@gmail.com
Printable Version
All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Giant Scale Aircraft - 3D & Aerobatic >> WildHare R/C Support >> Finished the 91" Cap 
Finished the 91" Cap - 
so you know what that means when i move to Nebraska this summer.