BaldEagel

Jamie

I know you know this, but for others, in the UK we do not have the benifit of long or hard runways on most of our club sites, so airbrake performance is important in bringing the thing down and stopping short, needs to be kept in mind when looking at what others say who have the benifit of better facilities.

Mike

David Gladwin

Jamie, Airbrakes on the Sabre look pretty but are NOT at all neccesary, mine does not have them fitted. I fly mine with drop tanks on and use 45 degrees of flap for landing (15 or so for take off) and in that configuration it requires a reasonable amount of power, thus giving very reasonable spool-up times. It handles beautifully and lands quite slowly, giving short rollouts, as it is a very docile machine. My OATs are a bit higher than most of you experience. Touch down, gentle braking, job done. Take off is easy, just hold half up elevator and wait for it to rotate when its ready.

Ron , I actuate my gear using Robart cylinders mounted on a ply plate on the belly pan with another for the nose strut. Into the cylinder shafts I have silver soldered piano wire with a clevis on the end connecting to the actuating arm on the BVM gear. Doors are actuated by small BVM cylinders. Works very well and does not need constant adjustment, as do the servo operated gear.

If I recall the C of G is rather forward with full fuel in the BVM tank, moving slightly aft as fuel is burned. Even then the elevator travel is quite small but still produces excellent control but doubt it will spin !The washout in the wing makes it docile at the stall.

For all flying surfaces the JR 9411 servos are just perfect, one for each elevator. A gyro on the rudder , and NS, smooths it all out and I will add a gyro function on ailerons when I install a Weatronic Micro receiver with 3 axes gyros.

Regards,

David.

ron Sweeney

Dave thanks, I will post a video of my humble effort shotly. Ron.

Geoff White

Just for clarification Mike, Jamie has access to three clubs that all fly from tarmac runways so its not an issue.

iiievolution

Hi Jamie

I haven't got round to the elevator linkage yet. That's how I got it from the previous owner ( it has never been flown by the way ) but probably will look for another solution to the linkage. I am also removing the previous colour scheme.

Paul

Jamie C

Mike,

as Geoff has mentioned i am quite lucky down here in the South west as i have access to some nice flying sites . . . . but all that area does make you a bit lazy sometimes!

David,

I was hoping that that would be the case, one thing less to think about during landing, will have them active because as you say they do look good. At present the retracts and doors on the mains are all actuated by one servo which i am told was how BVM did it then. The way the systems works is quite impressive!

Starting with the gear up, the doors open the the gear starts to travel when the gear is down the doors will close all with one rotation of the retract servo! it is a shame to have to take it out as it is flawless in operation as is the nose gear, it must have taken alot of work and patience to get all that to work so well.

I see that BVM have brought out some programmable electric retracts with inbuilt door functionality in the control module, they are an update of the 'Air Blue' system, could make installation very easy if these could be used which i do not see why they cannot if the 'air blues' are a drop in replacement for the mechanicals.

SteveC68

BVM mechanical gear and doors in action!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcKgd9eE29c

I have one of these unbuilt in a box. Mine is from 1991 I think but it does have the carbon fibre reinforcement molded into the tail section as well as the pre sheeted horizontal stabs so maybe it isn't as old as that. I bought it from probably the 3rd or 4th owner. My kit came with a few of the BVM Sabre newsletters that have building tips. I wish I had all of those.

ron Sweeney

Lucky sod. Ron

Jamie C

Love the video! it is quite clever how they have worked it all out. I had a bit of paperwork with mine which i have had a quick flick through.

Jamie C

Ron,

Anytime you fancy a trip/few days down to the southwest just let me know, you can come and fly down here. I am sure we can get Pete Nye, Dick and a few others for a get together. Merryfield meet in May if you fancy it.

While looking at the video of the Sabre retracts, i saw this one of a BVM Sabre of the same era come up aswell . . . .

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NesqytUlRoI[/youtube]

I know people will think i am weird! but the sound of a screaming DF model really does do it for me!

SteveC68

If you search on Youtube for either BVM Sabre or BVM F-86 you can see several pretty nice videos. Here are a couple of the more recent ones from Neil in the UK using a now out of production Stumax SM110-52 ducted fan.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zYqZMja0XQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4izXqbk76c

ron Sweeney

Hi Jamie, thanks for the invite, however I am too old and it is too far. I will talk to Pete who will shortly be moving. It is a nice thought and if I can find some miracle cure for old age I will let you know. My son has promised to post the maiden flight of my F86 on you tube tonight. See you at Shrewsbury, Ron.
p.s. Knowing that this is a US thread one boast we Brits can make is that we have the longest car park in the world. It stretches from Stoke on Trent to Coventry, a distance of about 50 miles. It is called the M6 motorway. It is nearly always full and cost me about 250 dollars a year in road tax.

SteveC68

One thing I noticed looking at the newsletters and what not that came with my kit is a price sheet from 1991. This kit when new back then cost $550. I wish BVM would offer it as a kit again instead of an ARF.

Boomerang1

It just occured to me, do you have the manual which comes with the turbine conversion kit?

If you need it PM me with your email address & I'll scan & send it.

I've got some newsletters as well.

The guy I bought my Sabre from brought some old RC Jet Itl. mags to the field & included was
an piece by David Gladwin describing how to fit curved plywood pieces over the elevator ball links,
I'm assuming so they did not pop off, perhaps he could elaborate & detail his final modifications?
My mods are solid but meant the bypass had to go & they look a bit untidy.

The turbine kit includes brass sleeves to fit over the threaded section of the ball links, perhaps
they get soft with the heat & slip off the threaded pushrods?

From the newsletters I have it looks like rudder flutter was an ongoing issue.

One thing BVM & other US kit manufacturers seem to do is listen to customer's problems & publish
'addendums' to fix these problems as they are discovered. - John.

SteveC68

One of the addendums talks about the lead weight for the counterbalance in the rudder. Not sure if this completely eleminated the flutter problem or not. I looked around my box but didn't see the lead weight anywhere. Supposed to balance the rudder along the hinge line using the weight. Also mentioned in one of the addendums is the use of a gyro for the rudder.

DAN AVILLA

My Feedback: (12)

The speed brakes are not necessary for landing but they make the model real predictable on landing. It is great to have to carry a lot of power on approach . Once you pull it back the landing will be within 75 ft. As for the tanks I could not tell the difference . They just make the model look good. Good luck  Dan

Jamie C

Ron has asked me to post this video on his behalf, showing his BVM F-86 in Boeing chase plane colours.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D21EHyxAP2o&list=FLeemr1KOBPW9cE0Nz513ziw&index=5&feature=plpp_video[/youtube]

Boomerang1

Have to be happy with that maiden flight!

I noticed that Ron's Sabre has modified elevator linkages and runs without a bypass system.

As you can see the install becomes VERY crowded. It makes life much easier if the inlet duct
is easily removable as (on mine at least) a lot of the gear is jammed either beside it or under it.

John.

ron Sweeney

Hi John. My duct is attached at the inlet with silicone and also to the fuel tank at the outlet. You are correct there is an awful lot of gear wrapped round the fuselage and duct so it is essential that it is all accessible. Ron.

agent adds

did you plane come from mark leavsley ron?

ron Sweeney

H Adam no I swapped it years ago in a Part finished state from a a pal of mine. Ron.

agent adds

RON-I think I owned this one along time ago and it has a hell of a history-for me anyway.
It was started by a great model builder called richard page.

ron Sweeney

Hi Adam, this sounds like a good paper chase. My kit came with plans, instructions, adendums, retracts, oleos drop tanks, et al. The only work completed, or so I thought!! was the fitting of the cf wing spars and gear flex plates, (a story initself). The duct work was engraved '92'. The original owner was a well known Scottish jet flyer. Does this concur? Ron.

agent adds

ron-that mean's my old one is out there somewhere!

fernandostahl

Hello,
I saw this forum for modification of the F-86, from Ducted fan to turbine.

I would like more information if possible. I have a Saber mounted with Fan, but it never flew, and I'm dismantled for future installation of a K-70.

My difficulty is knowing where to locate the turbine and where I can get a tank of higher capacity. The jet is with two 10oz Sullivan tanks each.

Fernando