Rc 3d Where is the cg and how did you get it there? Did you use a heavy spinner or heavy batteries? How far is the spinner back plate from the cowl.
I built that plane.
The CG is at the wingtip front corner. Battery pack is an A123 2300 mounted in the littleplatform behind the turtledeck, spinner is Dave Brown aluminum which is moderately heavy, rudder is pull-pull. That's where the CG came out with DA-85 and canister.
Posts: 48
Joined: 11/25/2004 From: vero beach,
FL, USA Status: offline
Thanks for the answer about the cg. Since you do not have the manual available on the web, I have to ask where the directions indicate the cg should be? How did the giles perform inverted on a 45 upline with the 85?.
The direction indicate center to front half of the wing tube. At the wing tip front cornet it will require just the slightest amount of down elevator to maintain a straight line when inverted.
Posts: 48
Joined: 11/25/2004 From: vero beach,
FL, USA Status: offline
This means that with the 85, the cg was in the normal position since the inverted flight on a 45 upline was arching toward the ground when the elevator was centered? Then how do you get the 100 to balance correctly? How about a video? What was the weight?
Posts: 11505
Joined: 2/25/2002 From: Central, CA, USA Status: offline
Tom, if I may.
I maidened mine today. One flight only and it was really too windy to do any serious trimming, but the plane flew very well. Especially for a guy off of flying for 6 months.
I have a Brison 6.4 in mine, which weighs a couple ounces less than a DA 100. All up weight 26 lbs. 9 ounces, using mufflers and 4" standard Dubro wheels. Balance was not hard to accomplish, and could have been done without adding tail weight had I installed the battery further aft as Bashedit did with his. He had to go to a little extra effort with a 3w-106, which weighs more than the DA and the Brison. With mine I added 5 ounces of lead to the tail tube to balance the plane at the front of the wing tube, and there definately is "room" to move the C/G farther aft if and when desired. Had I used cannisters there would have been no balance weight added at all. All control deflections were set up to those specified in the manual and they work just fine. As I said, it was pretty windy (10kts gusting to 15kts+), so serious hard flying and trimming was not done for the first flight. However, some mild harrier rolls, knife edge, a slow wall, and tumbles were done along with the usual slow flight and stalls to see how she would fare. The best word I have to describe how she responded is "wonderful".
Batteries were a 1,600 mAh nicad for ignition and a Fromeco 5,200 mAh Lithion for the flight system. Spinner is a 4-1/2" carbon from Esprit Models. One of their fiberglass versions would be lighter still and a bit cheaper. Even the carbon ones at that size are pretty darn reasonable.
The plane never did truly stall. It floated straight ahead with a slow descent at engine idle and full low rate up elevator. There was zero wing drop. Landing speed was very slow. Matter of fact, it climbed due to the wind at engine idle and flew out of the float instantly with the addition of throttle. Landing speed was much slower than I thought it would be, and there was no indication that the "bottom" was going to fall out as the plane got slower. Slow speed control was excellent at low rates. I was very surprised at how easily the plane recovered from what could have been a tough situation because of the wind. Just too much wind for a first flight. It was a very good day though. I got to fly a new plane and everything went very well. Sunday will provide an opportunity to do some real trim flights and shake her down.
She's extremely easy to fly and rolls on a line with almost no effort at all. Landing speeds are slow and she sets down real light for her size. One should develop confidence and skill with this plane very quickly since she doesn't want to bite you anywhere. Plus there's plenty of room in a standard pick up bed for transport. You don't have to sweat banging the rudder, elevators, or spinner because she's just about a perfect fit. Not a bad day at all for 6 months off flying
Sorry, but there was no video or flight stills done today. As you can see, this is absolutely a giant scale field
< Message edited by Pat Roy -- 2/14/2008 1:32:48 AM >
_____________________________
If you can''''t fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.
Here are a few more photos of the wing and stab setups and the final product. With luck I'll be able to fly it tomorrow, if I don't ding it up I'll probably take this one to Toledo for display, and it will be for sale after Saturday. I know there are always people wanting me to bring a plane to the show for them, here it is.
I used 1 8611 on each aileron and one 5955 on each elevator. The elevator pushrods are so short I did not bother with the composite sleeve, I did use it on the ailerons. I use one 8711 on rudder witrh pull-pull, it's a little nose heavy but perfect for the first flight.
Putting the batteries back behind the turtledeck solves most balance problems, and the lightweight spinner helped too. I need to paint it yellow or blue though, white looks silly.
Posts: 11505
Joined: 2/25/2002 From: Central, CA, USA Status: offline
The wheel pants on the "feather" scheme come pre-striped?? Yeow, NICE!!! I'm thinking of the number of times I left single color wheel pants off because they looked so... ho-hum. What a difference the stripes make. That would have looked good on the 35% versions too.
< Message edited by Pat Roy -- 2/14/2008 5:57:14 AM >
_____________________________
If you can''''t fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.
On the 35% plane we went through several color sets and it made it hard for me to keep spare parts. Every time you change a color we have to have spares available for it, and that gets complicated in a hurry. You should see the wall of cowls I have that I will never sell, just in case somebody needs one.
Since we already have a nice red/yellow alternate scheme I don't think I will be tinkering with other colors.
I did weigh the plane, 26.7 lbs ready to fly with DA-100 and canisters.
Changing to a DA-85 takes 2 pounds, so that way it's under 25 lbs by a large margin.
Unless there is another good twin coming out soon that is under 25 lbs. the DA-85 is the way to go. Of course the 100 is very nice, smooth, quiet, and I will use it as my IMAC plane if I ever get to practice enough to actually enter an IMAC contest.
Posts: 307
Joined: 7/1/2006 From: Petaluma, CA, USA Status: offline
Tom, IMHO the blue and yellow Giles is the nicest looking ARF I have seen. I love the colors and the trim scheme and the colors it is a thing of beauty. Of course other people may have different tastes but this will be on my list for a next plane.
Printable Version
All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Giant Scale Aircraft - 3D & Aerobatic >> WildHare R/C Support >> RE: Giles build by Tom 
RE: Giles build by Tom - 
