Rcpilot
Posts: 6412
Joined: 3/20/2002
From: Arvada, CO, USA
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: huggins
quote:
ORIGINAL: MetallicaJunkie
what would you consider the smallest giant scale to be ?
I (and most) usually use IMAA guidelines when refering to giant scale. Mono plane is 80" or 1/4 scale. I really don't know what the full scale Giles wingspan is, so it may indeed meet IMAA 1/4 scale rule. But regardless, it is still a 72" 1.20-1.80 aerobat which in my opinion doesn't need anything other than normal heavy duty hardware.
Mike
The Midwest Giles 202 that the original poster is asking about is actually 73" and it's 27% scale. Many people do not know that the full scale 202 is actually a pretty small plane. It's only 22' span and about 1000lbs empty.
I have built the plane he is talking about. It's a typical box and tab construction on the fuse. The Midwest planes are an older design now, and they may not be as light as todays models. They fly very nice, but they are a little heavy. They will take more than a few hard landings. Very tough planes with no bad habits.
For me, it was the challenge of seeing just how light I could build it. I studied the kit instructions and plans for weeks before I actually glued anything down. I had already built the Midwest Extra 300S (flat-tail version) and was very familiar with the Midwest construction methods. I knew there were places that weight could be saved. The entire fuse is 1/8" light ply with lightening holes throughout. The sheeting on the wings, hatch, turtledeck and stabs can be replaced with contest grade and weight savings will be around 1/2 lb. I saved 8.75 ounces just replacing the sheeting. The gear can be replaced with CF. Thats another 3-4oz weight savings. Slap a lightweight tailwheel on it and save another ounce. Use heavy balsa spars in a CF sandwich instead of the supplied spruce. Make a laminated dihedral brace with a few layers of hard ply and balsa with CF laminates between the layers or tie it in kevlar. You can make a strong brace thats 1/2 the weight of the supplied piece of hardwood. Save another 3oz.
I never broke mine. Sold it locally. The guy loved it, but he wasn't landing it soft enough and he eventually exploded it on a hard crosswind landing.
I ended up dropping the flying weight down quite a bit. It flew beautifully.
< Message edited by Rcpilot -- 5/17/2008 4:56:03 PM >
_____________________________
Airplanes have expiration dates. It''s just not printed anywhere on them.
I''m not really an airplane pilot; but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Giant Scale Aircraft - 3D & Aerobatic >> Giant scale Hardware 
Giant scale Hardware - 
I don't guess that really addresses the exact question asked, but it is something to think about. 
I'm building a 35% Pitts at 75" span and haven't been able to find any horns I like. I don't like the idea of plastic ones and I don't like the look of a bolt through the control surface - how many full size planes do you see with a whacking great bolt through the control surfaces 
So thanks for asking the question and thanks to everyone else for your responses.