Posts: 3
Joined: 4/17/2007 From: Selma, NC, USA Status: offline
The first test flight is in and this is a keeper. It not only looks good but flies even better. We lost an alerion screw shortly after take off, yeah I forgot to tighten the screws on all the wing flight surfaces after setting them up for proper throws and function. The control arm was seen hanging by me after only the second turn and well the plane flies on one alieron so well that I could not even tell it was off. Landing gear by Serria work flawless and looked way scale. The big bird is just rock steady, even with me shaking it just flew straight as an arrow and smooth I mean it just dosen't get any better in a warbird. After four trips around the field I put the gear back down and put the flaps in at alttidude to check for any bad habits. This plane did not move it just contuined on flying straight, I came off the power to check for stall speed and did not get slow enough on the high pass to see just how slow it would fly, but I do know that it is very slow. I turned down wind and lost alttidude, off the power by half and made my final turn for the field. Now I'm lined up coming is quite nicely so off the power a little more, now she is getting close to the threshold and only about 30 feet high, over the runway all the way back to idle and she just grease's the landing at walking speed, I mean you would have thought I had been flying this plane forever. It lands great and almost on it own. I only kept cutting the power and it just settle in on it's own, I didn't even have to flair the elevator at all. It rolled out very nicely even with the close wheel spacing. This is a great flying warbird and very impressive in the air. The photo's are before the plane was finished, we were waiting for the paint to dry on the 8 under wing rockets when the shots where taken. The planes flies with the rockets attached. The pedo tube and radar are removable for flight.
It weighs in at 49 pounds. Power is a Brison 5.8-100cc Melizx-22/10 three blade prop Futaba 9cap for control Serria gear Robart wheel
< Message edited by P-40BRB -- 4/26/2007 4:08:57 AM >
Posts: 3
Joined: 4/17/2007 From: Selma, NC, USA Status: offline
I also saw Charlie's Avenger at WOD last year, that is when I got the plans from him and he shipped all the cowls and canopys to me the following week. He was a big help with any questions I had about the build, he even remade the canopy and gave me a new for free. The orignal was 3/4 of and inch to long for scale. I also order the retracts from Serria at the WOD event and had them in two weeks.
Good luck with your Widcat project, keep-em flying straight and level.
Posts: 104
Joined: 12/4/2002 From: Gloucester, UNITED KINGDOM Status: offline
Nice job, just going to start one as we have received the kit and cowl, canopies etc from Charlie. Retracts will be our own design, machined in the workshop.
Ref the weight, was there any additional strengthening or detail, as it came out quite a bit heavier than Charlie's originals. I need to keep this one under 20 Kgs (44Lbs)to make life a bit easier.
Posts: 3
Joined: 4/17/2007 From: Selma, NC, USA Status: offline
Sorry for the delay on the reply, but we made several changes to Charlie's plans, there is nothing wrong with his plans and if you build right by his plans it will turn out just fine. We made changes to the wing tube area by adding ply ribs at all points that the tube ran through and also added an end block and made the tube run to the next wing rib on the plans. Just a little extra beef up for the 5.8 that we new was going to give the plane a good shake. We also added an extra tail post to give us the needed room to fit the elevator controls internally, only the rudder control rod exits the fuselage at the rear. The evelator was made one piece by adding a huge piece of music wire and adding a welded on control horn in the middle. Thats two more nice size hardwood blocks in the tail one in each evelator half for the wire. We also added a 1/4 scale servo under the ball turret , it holds the turret on and operates on channel 9. We used up all 9 channels. That also is behind the CG, see where this is going, yep straight to the added box on the fire wall for all that lead to balance the plane. It all added up but did not hurt the planes flight performance at all. Good luck with your build, we had a lot of fun building this plane and it turned out nice and flies quite well.
Posts: 104
Joined: 12/4/2002 From: Gloucester, UNITED KINGDOM Status: offline
Thanks for the update, I like the idea of internal elevator servo's and we will look at that, and I also wouldn't mind a removable tailplane for transport.
If you can think of any other hints in the build process please let me know, but it looks pretty straight forward
Posts: 1
Joined: 2/20/2004 From: VACAVILLE,
CA, USA Status: offline
Im starting the construction of the Avenger from Kellogg plansand have concerns about the washout on the wing panels - they appear to be washin. Did you encounter this problem? Your plane is absolutely beautiful, I'm sure you will win many trophies!!! I am considering a Zenoah 80T twin for power to reduce vibration encountered with single piston engines. Comments??!! Kim
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TBM Avenger/Charile Kellogg Plans - 
