alfredbmor

Hi, I have decided to make this post to keep track of my building as well as receive tips from others that have built this kit before, I received my kit from Tower hobbies last friday, I opened on saturday and did a fast inventory and found that some pieces were missing[], on monday I contacted Tower Hobbies and they informed that I had to contact Carl Golberg Products and ask for the missing parts, wich I did the same monday and those parts will be here in about a week, meanwhile I have started the elevators and horizontal stabilizer, having this little problem, some of the 5/16 x 5/16 balsa sticks that they provide are not the same size side by side, what I mean is that one side measures 5/16 and the other side measures slighly less than 5/16, enough to have a step in the building process, so I had to be care chossing the right 5/16 side so the frame wont have any step.

Next step is sheeting the horizontal stabilizer.

dmcmike

My Feedback: (14)

more biplanes.... cool...

Norm Nestie

Hi, it's nice when all the parts are there and correct. I built a Goldberg kit a few years ago and there were no issues. I then built a second Ultimate a yr. ago and I prsume this is a Goldberg/Lanier kit and a lot of parts were not properly sized. The plane built well otherwise and flies just a well as the first one. I found there were some weak areas that became apparent when I built the first one so when I built the 2nd I reinforced the whole wing saddle with cabon fibre tape sandwiched between the ply and also reinforced the area where the cabane bolts onto the fuse. I cut a sort of doubler out of 1/4" ply and glued and screwed it in place to strengthen the hard wood wing bolt on plates attachment area,. A one piece aluminum landing gear also replaced the wire gear. There are a number of threads on this Ultimate build so ther is a lot of info available to you. It's a great flying plane with tons of potential yet very managable too. Hope you enjoy yours.

alfredbmor

Norm Nestie, thanks for the info, I can see that I was not wrong posting here the building of my Ultimate Kit, now I have more info and for sure will use your tips to have a stronger plane. I know there are several third party manufacturers on landing gears cowling and wheel pants, do you know a trusty one?
Yesterday went to movies with my wife and kids so I did not much on my kit, just assambled the weak plastic cowling, I wanted to take it apart from my kit box but did not want to loose it, so I decided to assamble in case I will use it, maybe I will buy a new one from a fiberglass manufacturer.
I will post the cowling pictures tomorrow.
thank you

alfredbmor

McMike I see you like biplanes, I built a tiger moth last year, from gee bee manufacturer, it's a small biplane wich I powered with a little .40 size saito 4 stroke, sounds and flies very scale, I also have a Kyosho Pitts now discontinued, it does not fly very well. I have tried on it a Super Tigre .51 (Underpowered), Saito .72 (underpowered) and finally a Saito .91 (Overpowered and too hard to handle). Now with my Ultimate I just hope it will be as Goldberg Products said Well behavior at low rates and highly acrobatic at high rates.
Anyway I love bipes and plan to build more of them.
Thanks.

dmcmike

My Feedback: (14)

with that ultimate.. something like a saito 100. oh and Exponential is your friend! Just keep the speed up on final until you've got the landing made. Don't try to land it 3 feet in the air![:@]

Norm Nestie

Hi, I got an aluminum landing gear for the Ultimate from a place called TNT Landing gear in the States. Wasn't cheap but has been no problem and is sized well for the Ultimate. I had a few issues reinforcing the area that the LG bolts on but with some 1/4" ply, screws and lots of epoxy I think I have the problem solved. So, you might want to take a good look at that area when you build. There's a place up her in the great white north that sells fiberglass cowls not too pricey. www.greathobbies.com. I'm not into getting too crazy with the plane but with a Super Tigre .75she flies vwery nicely has a lot of potential for aerobatics. The Ultimate is pretty well mannered and has a fairly good glide rate, just keep a enough power on to fly it onto your strip as it descends. My first flight with my first Ultimate was a dead stick landing and I was real happy with the way I was able to turn it into the breeze and just control it into a nice landing,albeit a little faster that I would have liked. Good luck with the build, you'll love the plane.

moto-x

Hi, I built a 10-300 two years ago. I love it, I would rather fly it than anyother of my planes anyday. I do have a few pics in my gallery if you would like to see. I am running a saito 125 with a 16/6 master airscrew prop. It won't 3d very well but it will do most anything else. I have stunt planes that won't knife edge as well as the bipe. For the landing gear problem,I have been through it all. From stock, to aluminum, and finally carbon fiber. The stock gear is junk, aluminum will bend out eventually,but the carbon fiber will flex and return for super smooth landings. Look up Troy built models . They have adds in Model aviation. They can hook you up with some gear for around $50.00. Well worth the money right off the bat. As for the cowl and wheel pants, Fiberglass Specialties Inc did me up a very nice cowl and pants. Hey, when you build the bottom wing before you sheet it,mount a solid bass wood block where the two mounting bolts go through. Drill it out for clearance hole of the wing bolts. Put a drop of blue loc-tite on the bolts and check them regularly. Hope I have helped and good luck with it.

alfredbmor

Thanks for your advices, the best thing here at rcuniverse is that I can have all advices handy at each step that I'll take from here, nice to share with you and better to hear from you. Last night I ended the fin and will start to build the rudder, suddenly I'm aproaching to build the wings so I 'll have in mind the moto-x advice about the bass wood blocks.

By the way nice air brush work on your Ultimate Cowl Moto-x!

alfredbmor

Shame that a kit like this arrived with such faults like difference on stick sizes, means more work and taking care on each building process, here it is a picture with an obvious step because the unequal stick sizes.

alfredbmor

Last night I built the rudder, now I have completed all tail parts and will start to shape the leading and trailing edges with the sand tools provided.

alfredbmor

All tail parts before sanding and hinging.

moto-x

You might want to consider dual servos for ailerons in lower wing. You will have to build some servo mounts in the wing and use a y-harness. It will be alot more responsive on aileron control than the single set-up with the bellcrank. I used digital servos because that is what I had around but I run a 6 volt flight pack to increase the torque.

Norm Nestie

I was just remembering the other area that I strengthened, the ply ribs that the N struts bolt onto. Made 1/4" doublers for those ribs on advice of Ultimate owner. Seperate servos on lower wing is a good idea, push rods coming out the bottom. FWIW

donkey doctor

Hello; Norm has a good idea with the ply ribs. I cut aircraft ply (5-ply) ribs for the second Ultimate I built. The original ply ribs were the first thing to crack, and it's quite hard to replace a rib in a built wing. I used two wing servos too, in the bottom wing. I put a Saito 120 in it at first, but after flying it for a season, I went to a Saito 91. I think I prefer the 91 since it makes the entire plane lighter and more responsive. There is another Ultimate at our field, he put a Saito 91 it that too after watching me fly mine. The second ultimate I built had been soaked in a garage flood, and I had to replace most of the wood. I didn't think it would work out, but it came out one pound lighter then my first one.

tuwood

I just ran across your thread and am glad to see it. I'll be following along and add any advice I can.

I am halfway done with my second one and should be starting it up again soon. Summer got in the way of my build so hopefully I can get some time this winter.

alfredbmor

Did you add a doubler on all rib or just on some parts of the rib?

alfredbmor

Donkey-Doctor, at what altitude do you use to fly? here we are at 4,000 ft over sea level and is a must to overpower our planes, I already have some engines that I can choose from: Saito 91, Saito 100 and a Mangnum 1.2 wich is very heavy.

alfredbmor

Moto-X: Yes I will skip all the bellcrank section and go with dual servos, I will not use a Y harness because I will connect directly to a separate channel and use a computer radio.
Tuwood: thanks for been here

I did not advance much on my kit this weekend, My kids dedicated much of their time and I am very pleased with them, I just built the Sanding tools for the elevator, rudder and ailerons, I went to the Local Hobby shop to buy some CA and read ahead my manual.
As I explained before my kit came with some missing parts like the cabane struts, some wing spars and a plastic bag with wood, some of those parts will be need to build the wings so I will wait for the parts to come.
I will post later pictures of the sanded parts.

campbec

Hi Tony,

Glad to see you are working on the MkII Ultimate. I thought we may have lost you to large weed whacker powered models? Thanks for your previous posts, I follwed your advice after your loss and built mine with two battery packs, two switches and a "Voltspy".

alfredbmor, the Ultimate is a straight forward build. In common with many (read tuwood's previous thread) I modified mine with dual aileron and elevator servos, a high torque servo on the rudder, ball links on all control surfaces, heavy duty push rods and links from bottom to top ailerons. Changed the U/C and wished I had purchased the fiberglass cowl. The plastic cracked from the cut out for the head after only two flights.

I started with the recommended control throws and C of G. I have now increased the high rate throws on ailerons and rudder and moved the C of G 2" to the rear by moving the battery packs. The model flew without any trim!!!! A first for me, however I was running out of low rate elevator on landing and whilst it would hold knife edge easily it wouldn't climb let alone loop in knife edge. Having moved the CofG the knife edge flight is unbeleviable and for a bipe the landings are a dream. For the last four outings I have taken other models with me but have only used the Ultimate. Just make a short field approach and keep a little speed?throttle on until you have the strip.

Good Luck,

Colin

tuwood

Well, the weed whacker power is very cool I have to admit... But, I will certainly get the second one done this winter (with dual switches of course)

For those that aren't familiar with my Ultimate build (and why I recommend dual switches) you can grab a bag of popcorn & read my old build thread which has a lot of excellent advice from the RCU gang... http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=3823449

alfredbmor

Excelent built tuwood, sorry for the hard moments but you have a good star, and the kit in yours hands, I am sure you will keep posting the new build. I feel very confortable building my kit with all of you around, thanks for beeing such a kind of modelists.

donkey doctor

Hello; I fly at sea level, 200 feet according to Google earth. I looked up what prop I used , it was a Graupner 12 x 7 three blede, Saito 91. I had to move a few things forward to maintain balance.

jrcaster

I have to agree with the dual servo's. I bought a Super Chipmunk from a guy that installed the bellcranks, and there is about 3/16 inch slop in the ailerons. I haven't flown this model yet and before I do I am going to disect the wing and convert it.

On the cowl, you might consider scuff sanding the inside and laying a layer of fiberglass. Tower carries it but you have to search for it. Go with the light stuff, not like what you get at the auto parts. Working on something with that many curves you would probably have to lay it in in small strips.

I guess the best advice anyone can give you would be to take your time, don't get in a hurry, and dry fit everything.

alfredbmor

No parts no building, I can not start to build the wings because I need some parts that didn't come with my kit, I contacted Carl Goldberg Products the first workable day after receiving my kit but for some reasons they did not send the parts, today I contacted them again and they say that they are sending the parts today priority mail, I hope I will receive the parts on weekend and start again the building process next week.