f242

My Feedback: (28)

Mine will make its first airborn flight this weekend!
99" wingspan, OS .15

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

Yours is almost overpowered :-)...make sure you launch directly INTO the wind....you going to hand launch or ROG?

Jerry

f242

My Feedback: (28)

i'll just hand launch it at least the first time. Do you have one?

RCSM

My Feedback: (1)

I have a butterfly it is a very good flying plane. i use the moter to take it up then shut it off to try to find thermals. It rog good just point it into the wind.

zapper

Just go ahead and remove the landing gear...you may break a prop occasionally but it is so much more clean in the air.... The Butterfly will pleasantly surprise you with how well it thermals...

RCSM

My Feedback: (1)

I was surprised it does thermal well. I need the landing gear to land on the blacktop runway at my flying field,not to much grass in bklyn ny.

zapper

Go ahead and remove the gear. Place about three strips of packing tape on the "landing portion" of the fuse, as the tape wears off replace with another strip.....you will not regret it...

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

Hand launching is easy - full throttle and just let it go! Be ready to throttle back and yes, I've thermaled it many times. In fact this is the ONLY plane I ever flown that will (when in a 'death spirial') will self correct! Just let go the sticks!

Jerry

robb_h

My Feedback: (1)

I flew my Butterfly for the second time the other night, and I must say it was one of the most enjoyable nights of flying I've ever had. I've built over 40 different planes, but this one still has its place on warm, calm, summer evenings.

I put an O.S. .15 FP on mine, and I'm still amazed that it would R.O.G. Our field is grass, but there are many rough, bare spots. The guy I was with kept insisting we try it; so we held onto the tail, gunned it, and let go. It just kinda rambled on the ground at walking speed, and was I about to abort. Almost magically, the tail came up, and it took off ever so gracefully. The only thing I can liken it to is a Telemaster at about half the speed.

Robb

paulcarnes

I have to agree with the tape on the fuselage for landing. Most people here don't even have that green stuff in their yards. I use duct tape and it is available in colors to blend with your art work. Having wheels and wires hanging out there really increases the drag!

Paul

Flight Risk

My Feedback: (1)

Hello, I've been considering this kit. I have a couple small engines looking for a plane including an OS FS.20 and a new/old McCoy .19 rc. Can you tell me how well the butterfly handles in wind. Can it ROG in 10-15 mph wind which is common where I fly. Also, is it capable of looping or other acrobatic manuvers. Someplace I read that they recommend reinforcing the wing. Thanks for any help.

FR

robb_h

My Feedback: (1)

FR,

Both of your engines probably provide more power than my .15 FP, and should be OK. However, I'd use the extra power only for takeoffs and climbs. I'd also use the heavier of the two, and watch your C.G. closely. I have my engine as far out as it will go, the radio equipment crammed in the fuel tank compartment, and I still had to add quite a bit of lead to the nose. The plane still came out light, and flies great.

The plane easily loops, and spins around on itself with the rudder. However, that's about it, given the polyhedral. Mine was built exactly per the instructions, and I've had no problems. Even throwing it around on full throws didn't seem to faze it at all. If I recall, the people who reinforced their wings were using like .40's. This is ridiculous, and defeats the purpose of the plane. Buy a .40 size trainer if you have a .40.

As far as ROG'ing goes, I'd start in no wind (or very light), and work your way up. If in doubt, don't fly it. Our field is almost always windy during the day, so I fly it after 6 P.M. Make sure it's pointed directly into the wind, and it will takeoff straight as an arrow. You might not have enough speed and control if you try taking off in a crosswind. If hand launching, have someone else do it the first couple of times. It's a big plane, and is near the upper limits of something I'm comfortable with hand launching. The ROG'ing is much safer IMHO.

I've built close to 40 planes, and I've never seen a more complicated building sequence for such a simple plane. I counted close to 270 steps!! It's not something you're going to build in a weekend. Take your time, and it'll turn out fine.


Regards,

Robb

Flight Risk

My Feedback: (1)

Robb,
Thanks for the info on the Butterfly. It sounds like something I would like to try. I plan on ordering one and just take my time assembling as you suggest. It's hard to imagine that many steps.

FR

zapper

And be especially careful during the construction of the fuse or you will have a banana despite your best efforts....but it will fly in any case... 270 separate steps, I would have guessed more...

Flight Risk

My Feedback: (1)

OOooo! A flying banana. I'll need some yellow Monocoat. :bananahea
Now I feel like getting this kit just to see why there are so many steps.

FR

Tbkahuna

My Feedback: (4)

I just bought a Butterfly that was already built. However, it did not have the wing joiner. Can someone please give me the specs on the wing joiner material and construction?

There is a screw in each wing panel. Do those screw into the joiner, or into a recess in the wing joiner to keep them on also? Thanks.

mgerber

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mrkite

My Feedback: (21)

The plane on the right is a Butterfly II with an old asto 15 Elec in it and it flys well enought to still be around after 20 years ..No is not a hanger queen..has been recovered at least 2 times ...Just leave the gear on and go out and have fun...Tean C&F

da Rock

This thread was started back in 2003.

And most of the posters haven't logged in in the last 3 years.

Amazing...............

OzMo

My Feedback: (3)

Hey all
yep this is a weird post! The butterfly is a clasic though. Mine flew for four flights this spring before a new fancy high mah battery shot craps and splatted it on the runway. They fly AMAZINGLY slow even under power.

ejett

My Feedback: (4)

They should make a nifty electric powered sailplane with minor modification. After all the roots of the plane is a sailplane (Windrifter, I believe) or the smaller drifter II. They made two different sizes of these things, but I can't remember the name of the other one.

EJ

OzMo

My Feedback: (3)

yep
Windrifter, mine as so slow on its maiden hand launch I though it was a gonner, but it just kept on going forward. It was so slow we just started laughing. GAS BAG is a fair description for these floaters.

ejett

My Feedback: (4)

I went to the Dynaflite website. The other one is the Piece-O'-Cake and 72" span.

Evidently both of these designs are popular enough that they are still in production even though the sailplanes they are based upon are not. (at least by Dynaflite) I think you can get Windrifter short kits from Skybench.

EJ

soarhead-RCU

I still have one that is around 24 years old I think. It is-was a Craft Air kit (before Dynaflyte). I had to rebuild the nose area several years ago because it finally turned to mush from fuel soak-up. Extended it about 1 inch at that time and eleminated the need for most nose weight. I remember it was a terrible kit at that time, but has been worth it in the long run. Taught all my kids to fly on it and many others. Only fly it a couple of times a year now but still will make people smile as it slowly drifts around the sky. Started with a used Enya 19, then OS 15. Cruise around at fast idle till your neck hurts on 4 ounces of fuel!!!!

Happy Flying
Bob

OzMo

My Feedback: (3)

I had an OS 25 on mine. I also remember back in the 80s a kid at our field was soloed on a butterfly as his primary trainer. He wore special glasses for an eye problem he had. The glasses had small telescope devices and allowed him to drive but he had tunnel vision.
These glasses would fog up on warm humid days so he built mini fans from servo motors and balsa props to defog them as needed.
Now that is a comitted RC Flyer,