BaldEagel

Sunny

Get yourself some carbon tube of the same dia as the washers on the wing fixing bolts and glue them into the belly pan over the bolts, a further refinement is to get another tube that will insert into the previously installed tube and silicon sealant fix this inside the large dia tube to guide the allen key, silicon sealant is used so that you can remove if needed to change the wing fixing bolts also if needed.

Pic below shows my Javalin, the inner tube goes all the way to the bolt and is centralised by two rubber O rings, top one fixed in position by silican sealant, its inportant to fix the top one otherwise it will vibrate out in flight and you will loose it.

Hope this helps.

Mike

mkharte

I know this thread is a couple of years old but I just bought a Swallow off Craig’s list and will be getting it assembled in the coming weeks. Looking for advise on the following. This is my first pattern plane so many questions.

1. What servos did you use? Digital or not? High torque?
2. I am going with a YS 1.10 I just bought here on RC Universe. Tuned Pipe or not?
3. Carbon fiber control rods or?
4. It came with retracts and mod items. Use retracts or go with front landing gear?
5. Has anyone put smoke in one of these? Just a thought?
6. Wing tube is aluminum. Change to Carbon fiber or not?
7. Use the hardware that came with the plane or change out to?


Thanks

Mike

Fxrs_tim

1. I only used high-torque on the elevator and rudder (both are driven by single servo)
2. W/ the 110 you won't need a pipe - it provides plenty of power for verticals.
3. I used CF on all of mine except the rudder which is pull-pull.
4. I went w/ fixed. The gear plate is WEAK!!!! Even a perfect landing will rip it out. Definitely do some serious beefing up if you go w/ fixed gear.
5. Nope
6. I used the aluminum and haven't had any problems.
7. I dumped all of the hardware and replaced with adjustable horns (Dubro if I remember), better quality pull-pull, etc. I looked at the hardware and noticed that several of the clevises and other fittings had mismatched sizes that didn't thread onto the proper parts.
8. The covering is junk. I'd recommend spraying a light coat of LustreCoat Clear over it after you shrink the covering. Otherwise your trim stripes will peel on the first couple of flights. Be very careful shrinking the covering too - it's very heat sensitive.
9. As mentioned in another thread, the CG should be back around 165-175 mm.
10. It flies really well and I enjoyed mine for a short while, but the landing gear probs really soured me on the plane. I'm tempted to get another fuse for it and resurrect it as a cheap practice plane, but haven't decided yet.

Hope this helps.

Tim

N429EM

Hey, Mike,
I'll be starting a Swallow build soon, also. I'm going with a Saito FA-91FS, updated hardware, and much more.
Go through the entire thread. There are some great suggestions from other Swallow flyers.
Oh, and definitely reinforce the fuse at the U/C mount, and above the wing saddle.

Keep us up to date on your progress.

EJ

mkharte

Will post as I go. Might even be able to work the picture part in if I can find the digital camera.

mkharte

Thanks for the insight. I look forward to this build and the flights afterward.


Mike

Jetdesign

My Feedback: (8)

After Lustrecoat is applied, can one still iron and shrink the covering for normal maintenance?

BaldEagel

All accords what the melting point of the Lustercoat is, I would doubt you could shrink any thing after applying it or that it may need it.

Have a look here for another thread on the Swallow: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.a...2CSwallow%2D90

Mike

mkharte

OK,
here we go. The engine (YS 110) has arrived. Got it here on RC Universe, good deal. The build will begin Friday. I have Friday to Monday off and plan on getting as much done as the wife and kids will allow. So, I figure I will get 1/3 to 1/2 of the way through this build. Still have not bought servos yet but will over the next month.
Mike

BaldEagel

Look closly at the weight issue and the C of G with that weight of engine, you may need to put the elevator servos at the rear to compensate, I had to do that with a 2S 91 in mine, look bach through the thread and you will see how I did it, I also moved the rudder servo boack and forth to make sure I got the C of G correct without adding unnecessary weight.

Mike

tom.laird

Hi,
I flew mine for about 3 years with a YS120 - perfect.
WRT the undercart, I eventually went with this idea and the problems went away:
http://www.tomlaird.com/articles/flo...rcarriage2.jpg

Build article:
http://www.tomlaird.com/articles/swallow/swallow.htm

Front Repair:
http://www.tomlaird.com/articles/swa...low_repair.htm

Rear Repair:
http://www.tomlaird.com/articles/swa...ow_repair2.htm

cheers
Tom

BaldEagel

Tom

It looks like your Swallow was not the EX version with the fibreglass reinforcement in the fus at the wing LE, just where yours broke twice, obviously Flair took note of all the airframes that broke at that point, also your UC looks different to the original on the EX, did you change it? or was the one the came with it?, I changed mine to the Carbon Copy version which gave better ground clearance and was more flexable so did not put as much impact into the mounting, although I did beef up inside the fus in the tank area with fibreglass and resin after breaking the supplied one on the first landing.

Where did you position your elevator servo?

Mike

mkharte

Mike,
I plan on the elevator servos in the tail like you used and the retracts in the wings for landing gear. What servos did you use in the tail?

Thanks,

Mike

BaldEagel

Mike

I used Hitec HS 85MG's if my memory serves me well, I will have a look tomorrow and confirm, may even take a couple of more pics to show where I put them relative to the tailplane.

Mike

mkharte

Thanks Mike,
appreciate the advise. What about the rest of the servos? I want to go all digital but was trying to stay under 250.00USD total for them. Any other suggestions or guidancee is most welcome. This is my first pattern plane.

BaldEagel

I used an Hitec HS 645 for the rudder and two HS 625 for the ailerons, the nice thing about the HS 85's is that they fit directly opposite each other in the tail so the geometary is the same on both sides, I use an ordinary Analog servo for the throttle.

As has been said before do beef up around the UC mount its not very strong, I also found the standard UC was very weak, I don't know if they have changed it recently, but the original had an estention piece in the front to take a third bolt, this is what broke off first, I got a carbon replacement and that solved it.

Hope that helps
Mike

mkharte

Thanks again Mike,
I am going with the retracts in the wings on this one. I bought this ARF from a guy who had it for sale on Craig's list for 75.00USD. He had bought the retracts and some of the other additional pieces. Good deal. But after looking at it, it is not a newer model so I will be doing some fiberglass work. I will post pictures later today of what I got and then post as I go of what I am doing. Once again, I really appreciate the advice ande guidance.

Mike

BaldEagel

The easy way to tell if yours is the older one is on the EX the fus had some fibreglass reinforcement inside on the sides at the wing LE point and I think the wing was fully sheeted, havn't got my wing to hand to check, but I think that is correct, I tried retracts on my one and did not have enough ground clearance for our grass siteadn they seemed too flimsy and I went back too the carbon UC.

Mike

tom.laird

Hi Mike,
I'm pretty sure mine was the EX version but one of the early ones so they might have beefed it up again.

This pic shows the rudder closed loop with the elevator servo below it. It is a JR591.

http://www.tomlaird.com/articles/swallow/servobay1.jpg

I eventually changed the supplied undercart for a Carbon Copy one.

Oh I wish it would heat up - it's frezzing up here.

cheers

Tom

mkharte

Nice set up Tom. I am going to the store to get the servos today. I hope to have at least the wing done today and the tail feathers by Monday. Engine will be next weekends project.
Colorado is cold as well but not as wet. I miss Scotland though. I was stationed in Woodbridge England form 1986-1989 with the USAF. Flew Rescue and Special Operations H-53 choppers. I loved coming up to Macrahanish and spending a few days in the countryside on my motorbike. Maybe when the kids are all out of college the wife and I will get to travel back to visit old haunts. Hope it warms up for you soon.
I am a year rounder and just dress warmer and take a propane heater to the field and stand in front of it between flights. Wife thinks I am crazy but hey, the winter months the field is empty and many times it is just me and one or two others.
Well, before I get to far off point, thanks agian for the pics and have a great flying year.
Mike

N429EM

Hi, Mike,
I assume that's a carbon fiber rod, for the elevator in the pic. What size rod did you use?

Thanks,
EJ

BaldEagel

This was some time ago, but its a 3mm rod, I have now changed to the H9 Titianium turnbuckles, I think they are called Pro Links, they are as light, but far more convenient to use, with a left hand thread on one end and right on the other the centre adjustment hexagon makes any fine trimming very easy.

Mike

mkharte

Back again. Slightly busy weeks due to Cub Scout pinewood derby and family goings on.

Got the kit inventoried. Looks to be complete. Will require purchase of good hardware. Ordering servos and wire roll to make up servo leads this weekend. Going to go with the retracts. The guy I bought it from had all the cut outs done so no real choice here. Took pictures but don't know how to insert them here. Will post under my profile as I go. Ailerons and rudder attached already. Not in correct sequence but for 75USD I can fix it. The elevator and stabilizer were dug out a bit but like I said, I can live with and fix these.

N429EM

mkharte,
How's your Swallow coming along?
Hope it warms up soon. I'm ready to run-in/tune the engine on mine.

EJ

mkharte

Servos in the wings for ailerons and retracts. Working on the linkage and the control horns this weekend. Had a slight delay due to an unexpected military trip when I thought I was going to be around. Will post more as the project progresses.

Mike