Dave Wilshere

Guys. Thanks for the comments, years of experience, knowledge of the product, most building/assembly is thinking time and I'm lucky in that I don't really have to think much, I know what I'm looking to achieve and having seen a few installations I could see potential issues before I even started, so with a bare fuselage I opened some of the factory holes and added a few more so I didn't get to that point and go...Bug8er the MPX connector on the turbine lead does not got through the hole. I'd helped sort out a few P-100RX installs, so knew how much packing was needed and how to fit it. The wings, tail and booms required no changes, everything was sorted....it also helps having a 1750sq ft toy shop with every part I might need readily to hand!

So today, five flights did not touch the model with a tool, just a tiny bit of air after each flight and fuel. Amazing for something thrown together in 3 days.
It was very gusty today at LM but the Xcalibur shrugged it off, couple of trim peeps, movement, expo and flap settings were unchanged all day (won't be able to fine tune my servo choice until its calmer) If I wasn't test flying four other models and flying two others I could have flown more. My battery set up is based on 9-10 flights per charge.

I did lose a bit of blue trim on the first flight, thought I had ironed them all down (worth checking yours as its not the first time we have seen this) I lightly greased the wheel brake surfaces and the brakes were great...slow deceleration. Shortest landing roll today was around 10' (3m)! The P-100RX gives unlimited vertical from take off. The way I use the throttle I was flying 9 minutes and landed with 1/3rd tank! (picture of the MAP bubble trap {worlds best choice} and main tank on landing after the first flight.

Nev, please ask away and never feel like you cannot ask another question, of the six Xcalibur's we sold this week four have gone to first time jet guys. I know you will get on fine as I have a just retired, first time jet pilot flying one he built in less than 2 months and he's getting on great with it.

Dave

Dave Wilshere

Second day of our JMA event saw mixed weather with some showers and wind that swung around from down the runway to 90 degrees though the day. Didn't stop Xcalibur flights with the young lady completing another 5 flights today, so 10 flights over the weekend, no tools needed. Brilliant model.
Pictures inc Paul Baker's P-60 example which was the first production kit completed and flown-we even managed a little formation! Looks like there will be a few more flying in the UK after several conversations I had.

DW

kmrcjets

hi all. test flew my Excalibur yesterday it went very well no aileron trim and four clicks of down trim. looped rolled very nice. flap at factory recommendation. with gear and full flap
just a touch nose down attitude. did not try flap with the crow setting was going to but was having brake problems so with flying off hard stand was a bit harder to stop. the vertical
performance with the K100G turbine was out of sight. this is a great performing jet for the first time jet owner or experienced jet flier. in short bloody good fun
ken

Aussie1

Good news Ken! Hopefully mine will be next, and where did you end up with the CG?

Dave Wilshere

Ken

Glad you had fun too, I have some nifty options on braking, I have a switch that will spread the rudders for airbrakes, spent the day yesterday messing around with settings.

Dave

I balanced at 170mm and its pretty good there.

Dave Wilshere

Looking back at pictures, couple of steps I did. I used an MAP fuel pump mount skimmed out for the Rx pump. I mounted it on 6mm ply as I was going to screw it to the nose leg housing from below, before realizing it will be above the retract unit. So I just glued it to the glass moulding and made the cable tie accessible. Both packing pieces with the P-100, ply recessed for the PEM nuts on the motor strap. My kit had the fin hinge holes off centre, I used a Dremel cutter to elongate the holes, I filled the space with Hysol, if I had more time I would have plugged with balsa dowel and re drilled.
The gear mounting holes were marked using a 4.1mm drill lightly to dimple the glass, I then drilled 3.2mm and tapped the wood M4 for cap head screws.



Dw

kmrcjets

hi dave I sell MAP products as well. brake problem was my fault I was in a hurry and didn't check the brakes . pinched the line and knocked a hole in it all good now. like the idea for speed brakes on rudders every thing is almost ready for wangaratta jets in 2.5 weeks
ken

Dave Wilshere

Ken

Great products!
There are so many combinations you can play with for drag, I did multiple approaches on Sunday trying different set ups Flap, Flap and CROW, CROW and split rudders, lastly Flap, CROW and split rudders-in the breeze we had it just stopped dead!
Landings with just flap are still really slow, though the Xcalibur is so clean it picks up speed if you put the nose down on approach.

I had a chance to go through my model after the 10 flights and nothing had moved, so ready for the season ahead :-)

Dave

Dave Wilshere

Ken

This is how I ran my brake lines, keeps it clear of the tyre even when the leg compresses.

Dave

tp777fo

My Feedback: (28)

Ready for test flight, Jet Central Rabbit, A123 batts....18.5 lbs. Took 2oz in nose to get it at the 170mm mark. Hope to give it a fling this weekend.

Dave Wilshere

Just weighed mine out of interest and its about the same as yours with a little fuel in the tank. With the P-100Rx i'm more than 1:1 on Take off and can go vertical after a short level run.
I have another P-60 powered Xcalibur due in here Friday for a final look over, we can have a formation team locally with the numbers flying!

kmrcjets

hi dave I do much the same my brake problem was inside the model all fixed
ken

jetmon

Hi Dave
what kind of screws do you use for the landing gear?, do you use blind nuts? if so, how do you access to them
Thanks

Dave Wilshere

I just used M4 cap head screws x 15mm I drilled the mounts 3.2mm and tapped M4 with a dual speed drill holding the tap. The wood is good quality and I could tighten the screw without any issues

Dave

ausfester

Did you guys reinforce or re-glue any of the retract mounts?

Dave Wilshere

No. Also most are not actually accessible. I have seen the mounts "tested" :-) and they seem plenty strong.
I have seen fuselages with less than perfect former glue joints. This was easily fixed with some Hysol. We also had a couple of kits with a loose tank mounting plate which missed one of the gluing procedures. .

jetmon

Thanks Dave
I'll do that

acromarco

Hi everybody, we're assembling my Xcalibur, that will be the subject of the test review I'll write in italian for my magazine "Modellistica International" (for the italian readers) and in english for RC Jet International. It will be powered with the Jet Munts VT80, Futaba radio with Powerbox Gemini II twin battery system. I got the kit monday, all the servos are installed, now we're focusing on the fuselage, trying to be ready to fly it Sunday. It's the first Xcalibur in Italy, and we'll also be the jet trainer I'll use in my flight school. I'll try to post some pics and a a video too as we have the first flights.

Marco Benincasa

Dave Wilshere

Marco

Something to check is the wing spar length. Most of the ones I have seen are a few mm long. Also its worth putting a bevel on each end. Till the wing mounting clamps have worn a little the wings sometimes need a "shock" to fully seat

Regards

Dave

acromarco

Thanks Dave for the tips! I'll check the spar today. At the moment we're installing the flap's servo.

Jim Cattanach

My wings were difficult to seat & get off, until I found that by removing the clamp bolts entirely, the wings slipped on & off easily. Always remembering to put them back on tightly .

Dave Wilshere

Just got around to charging the Xcalibur radio batteries after last weekend. As expected the Powerbox Sensor switch set up gives unbelievable low mAh usage, the picture shows one of the two 2200 2s Li-Po packs after completion, 800mAh for 10 flights, plus a bit of original set up. So 80mAh per pack per flight, probably means I have around 20 safe flights per charge!

Dw

tp777fo

My Feedback: (28)

My wing tube was about 20mm too long..a little trimming and perfection! Waiting on the rain to stop for my test flight.

Dave Wilshere

Really? should be around 39 1/4" long. Sounds like you have not go the tube fully in the clamps? You can lift the aileron servo covers and see

Dave

Dave Wilshere

Took my Xcalibur to my local field today, worse wind direction at 90 degrees, so using a 75m 225' run across ridges formed from 3 extensions in the strip. Wind also comes over trees, and a ridge. This is what an Xcalibur is all about, 40' take off run and 25' landing in a 15mph head wind. Did another five flights this morning, four myself and one with Little Stevie flying so I could shoot some pics for a change.
Flight times are easily 9 minutes with sensible P-100Rx throttle use (only full going vertical)
2 minutes to rig at field with booms left on-perfect model for weekend fun. Flat inverted spins are fun and safe
Dw