arck

Hi guys, I bought my first glow pusher plane and decided for the challenger II from experimental aircraft models, later when I was building it, I found many issues, I was looking into the RCU search engine and didn t found any information about it, Am I the first? who had the plane and how are the flying characteristics,,,,needs to add washers in the motor mount to correct the angle?, etc....
All comments are welcome,,,,
I post pictures to show how much am I in the building,,,

rwright142

I think you are the first. I am interested in your build because I would like to do one someday too.
I used to have a full scale Excalibur which is a modified full scale Challenger II (from Quad Cities) and want to kit bash this Challenger kit to make it look like my Excalibur. The picture is of my Excalibur called "Teresa Jean".

I'm looking forward to this build and your thoughts on how she flies.

Keep us posted!

arck

Sure?, well I think Im not the first but maybe the first who post the building in RCU and the issues that this kit has, I will post all my comments and pics I can, please since Im the first maybe, all your comments, thoughts and advices are important, one only think, sorry for my bad english I will try my best,,,,

Ok, The model belongs to Experimetal Aircraft Models, I use to fly electric pusher or EDF planes like the fan trainer, su27xxl, bobcat profile and other tractor glow and electric planes, but this time I want a glow pusher plane, not so big and not too small, making a search over Internet I found this plane in rchomebuilts.com, my first thoughts was "This is the glow pusher I was looking for" and with the impulse that all the rc guys have in the finger to push BUY, I bought this beauty called Challenger II scale almost ARF (later I will explain why), Specifications from the web are in the bottom, two weeks later came the plane to my door, rapidly I opened the box (well packet) and there was, a fine fiberglass fuselage and all the hardware (?), the plane comes all in white so you could paint or trimmed as you wish ,,,,

First issue I found
I started with the wings as the introductions booklet no problem on that, then came the fuselage and starts the problems, I didnt found the firewall in the harware packet, the instruccions said about a piece of wood call firewall, there wasn't, later I found that EAM has two versions, one with firewall and the tank and servo throttle over the wings and one with no firewall (Direct mount) the tank and servo throttle into the plane, wich is the new version? I don't know, the only think I know is that my instruccions booklet belongs to the other version, I found in RCHM a different booklet that reaches my model, start printing the 24 pages and continued the building.
So I have one version of the challenger II with no firewall and the tank, servo throttle into the plane.

Second issue:
Well I was more comfortable about to have the correct booklet and then came a new challenge, I mount the motor mount per the instructions and found that the mount with the motor direct to the plane has too much left trust, why they do that, yes I could put some washers to correct this but, is this the solution? Need the plane too much left trust?, my other electric pusher planes has the motor in-line with the fuselage,,,,,here I am,,,any suggestions?

Scale: 1:5
Recommended Engines: .40-.46 2Cycle or Electric
Recommended Radio: 4 Channel, 5 servos
Wing Balsa Capstrip Ribs, White Oracover pre-applied
Wingspan: 80"
Wing Loading: 21/25 oz ft2
Selected model Airfoil Clark Y
Aileron Construction: Solid balsa
Dihedral angle Per Print
Angle of incidence Per Print
Fuselage: Fiberglass
Cockpit visible: Yes
Windscreen: Vacuum formed
Cabin Pod: Vacuum formed clear Butyrate
Nosecones: Fiberglass (original 'tube' shape & cone)
Landing gear: Formed music wire with additional brace
Wheel Pants: Fiberglass
wm

arck

Continuing to the building, as nobody answer my question I decided to put some washers to a line the motor with the fuselage and epoxied all the wood parts to protect them from fuel and vibrations,,,,,

arck

Here is ready for the maiden on saturday, final adjustems, all left thrust per instrutions, two degrees up-thrust,,,,,
motor: evolution .46, 10x6 pusher prop,,,,,
wm

rwright142

Did you add any weight to the nose? My full scale Excalibur (modeled after the the Challenger II) needed a pilot to balance correctly.

arck

Yes it came pre-ballasted with 20 oz of lead in the nose cone and I added 300gr more for the correct CG, my final weight was 4,200gr, the booklet said 3,800gr, so Im over weight,,,,,,,the wings had 20oz/ft2 so I think it will Ok,,, what do you think...
wm

rwright142

I'm relatively new to RC flying - I've been building for some time but cannot answer your weight to wing loading question. If you get a response I would be interested in knowing how they came up with their answer, for my own education.

Hope your maiden goes well!

Good luck.

arck

I received an email from the designer KMP and he said: Motor to center, so I will rearrange the motor to zero of thrust angle, and for the wing loading, a guy from another forum help me with that and said that with my final weigth (4200gr versus 3800gr) the plane will behave not so fast as it could be but it will fly well, he send me a web page to make my own calculation here is, its a great tip,,,
[link]http://www.airfieldmodels.com/information_source/math_and_science_of_model_aircraft/formulas/wing_loading.htm[/link]
werner

rwright142

Airfieldmodels is a great nice site, thanks for the link to the wing loading.

arck

OK, guys it flew,,,heres the video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3EG2uWLcdc

rwright142

It flies!!!
Congrats!

tunes442

Well I am extremely disappointed in KMP and their total unwillingness to correct a defect with one of their kits.

I purchased the Challenger II ARF in the summer of 2007. When I got it, I discovered that both elevator halves were damaged due to poor packaging.

I contacted Paul at KMP and was told that replacement elevators would be sent to me

Months later I contacted Paul again (March 17th 2008) and he replied that they were still waiting for the replacement parts. Without a reply I emailed again July 13th 2008),
This time I get a reply from Andrew Kondor (July14th 2008) saying that it isn't Paul's fault that they haven't been able to replace the broken pieces, and offers a $50 Gift certificate for my inconvienience.
I offer to fix the elevators if they can just send me a piece of covering if they are not able to replace the broken components.
A few months later, and i am told that they will not be able to provide any covering and I will just have to go buy some myself. They don't know what colour it is but guesses that it is midnight blue.
I order some at a cost with shipping of $40 only to discover that it isn't the right colour.

I send many emails and they are never replied to.
I am still left to guess what colour I am to buy.

KMP does NOT support their customers or back their products.
Buyer beware

crashEMhard

If anyone has a NIB kit for sale. I am desperately looking for one as it means a lot to me to find one. Please email me at [email protected]

rafeeki

My Feedback: (11)

I just bought one which was converted to electric. No information was provided.
How can I get a manual ?????

flyoz

My Feedback: (7)

I know this thread is old But have have just opened my ARF It does Not have the wing tube mount its per typical trainers ie 2 pins at front bolt down near the rear with just a light fibreglass wing cover/cowl. No way to mount the engine mount top bolts so Im guessing Ill have to make a plate . The top bolts will be above the wing trailing edge :O If anyone has built this odd version I would be very grateful for any advice on best mounting method for a4stroke.

rafeeki

My Feedback: (11)

I acquired an electric version. Will send pics later today

rafeeki

My Feedback: (11)

Do you have the printed instructions? I can send u a copy.

rafeeki

My Feedback: (11)

Lete me know if you want the instuctions

flyoz

My Feedback: (7)

No I dont mate i just found the printed ARF version instructions which look like they would work . I thought I would have to figure out the wing mount and engine mount so those pages would help bill at angelarts do com dot au

Those pictureshelp greatly thank you