dbateman

My Feedback: (31)

Can someone measure the distance across the wing center section with the outer panels removed? I want to see how tight a fit it will be in my vehicle. Is there a consensus on the average weight this model is coming in at?
I have placed my order which is in the "prossessing" stage. I called and she said they were in stock.
Will make hardware decisions after i get a good look at the plane.
RGaynor..with the correct sellection of motor/batt/pitch/diameter i think i can do 3 blade that will be close in efficiency. I say "close".....

rgaynor

My Feedback: (1)

The center section is 30.5 inches across.

dbateman

My Feedback: (31)

Outstanding, thanks rgaynor.....
Ok, the plane has shipped. I ordered the scale struts, 2.5" spinners and 12-8 3 blade props. These will be driven by two Hacker A50-14XS-V2's. Will use 2 5s 4000 30C packs in nose, run in parallel feeding both motors thru Castle Ice 75's
Hacker A50 motor mounts. I also have the 11-8.5 3 blades coming from ebay incase i want to prop down.
Will probably go with Spring airs and the scale struts via a 3/16" single coil wire leg drilled and reamed into the upper strut. Locked with flat and setscrews.
Hope the quality is as good as what people have been reporting in the past. Looking for a light build on this so picking my equipment carefully. Just gathering stuff, build will start after i get settled into new home.

dbateman

My Feedback: (31)

I ordererd the Baron. But did so only after verifying that it was in stock with a phone call. I got a notice of shipment from USPS last week. Accessories that i ordered two days later have already arrived. The tracking number for the plane still shows no activity other than that they were notified. My card has been charged $599. I can't get them on the phone. I'm getting a bad feeling.

dbateman

My Feedback: (31)

Ok, received my shipment. It was a USPS issue, not Aerodynes. they don't update like UPS does. But the items got here undamaged and quickly. After a couple scams lately i was getting paranoid!!
I have had a chance to look things over and have a couple comments.
Overall the aircraft looks good.
The fuselage is heavy! wow....Despite carbon fiber usage..It's a heavy layup.
There is some warpage in the framework around the front windshield. I will try to straighten it out with heat.
The wood frame work and gluing is suspect, the parts i tested broke away easily. I may try to remove the whole assembly from the fuse, beef it up and reinstall with Hysol. They obviously don't sand the lazer cut parts before gluing. I hope this isn't a problem on the unaccessable parts inside the wing. Wing and gear support is my main concern.
I did a quick mock up of everything and it looks pretty good.
One wing tube is a little loose.
I can see why fitting a nose gear door is such a hassle. The wood formers distort the area pretty bad, with sagging in between. I will fit a wheel hatch with cut out for the nose gear. No operating doors.
I'm looking for areas to cut down the weight.
I'm sending the spinners i received to tru turn in exchange for the light weight versions. (the back plates are lighter)
If i do a cockpit at all it will just be the front seats. I'll scratch build this from balsa. Will do a light weight curtain simulation in back.
I was thinking of going with just wire legs and plastic scale struts but the struts i got from aerodyne are pretty light. So i will mount these to my spring airs with 3/16" wire. This will absorb any shocks and can be bent back into place or just replaced.
Light weight wheels.
Lightest servos possible will be used that can deliver required torque.
It is noticable that the wings have rivets and panel lines but the fuse does not. Will add some rivets and weathering.

This aircraft is well designed. Hats off to Cliff. The issues here are QC related and are part and parcel to the China connection. The logistics of trying to stay on top of all this and develope new products is probably imposible.
Looking forward to getting started...

dbateman

My Feedback: (31)

I ordered the lightweight replacement backplates from Tru-Turn for the spinners i got. To bad they don't fit. Didn't realize that my spinners were Max products. Oh well, the tru turns are nice and light i must say. Just assembling hardware at this point.

viper1676

My Feedback: (14)

I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on this plane. Plan on putting a couple of OS .46ax's in it. I am a bit concerned with the whole gear issue. I fly off a grass field, and the gear can take a beating. I also see they are out of stock, and given the history I don't want to wait a year for landing gear. So does anyone have any good reliable gear that they have successfully used? I read through this entire thread, and it seems like everyone has tried this and that, just curious if anyone has a definate yup these work great! I have no preference to elec vs air, just reliability and don't want to remortgage my house for them. This is really the only thing holding me back from pulling that trigger!

Thanks
Dave

viper1676

My Feedback: (14)

Well, pulled the trigger on it the other day. I've got the airframe and the light kit enroute. Gear is still out of stock and I'll grab the interior a bit down the road. Hopefully, the gear comes in soon. I asked on the phone, and was told a while.
Does anyone know when this comes via USPS roughly how long it took to get it in. I got the shipping notification on Friday, but the USPS hasn't updated past they received the electronic info. Also, anyone know if it comes signature required, or will they leave it.

Thanks!

rgaynor

My Feedback: (1)

I just received my e-flite electric retracts and have installed the mains using the struts from the spring down air retracts. My big question is how to mount the strut on the nose gear. To anyone who has installed these electric retracts and have used a strut vs the plain 5mm wire - I would GREATLY appreciate your help.

Thanks
Ron

dbateman

My Feedback: (31)

My project has been on hold. I think i remember reading that the e-flite retract mounts above the plywood mount instead of below for the nose gear. It's in the posts somewhere.

rgaynor

My Feedback: (1)

I got that part of the mount - thanks. Just not sure how to use install my old strut into the nose retract. The old strut has a collor on the top part of the shaft that mounts into the trunnion so the nose retract can rotate. Any other suggestions are welcomed!

csclark990

I just mounted the 85 degree mains last night. I did have to mill the hole in the gear cover bracket a bit to make them flush in the retracted position. I turned a piece of drill rod to .199" and milled flats for the set screws to mount the 1st generation struts onto the E-flite retract.

For the nose gear, I will be mounting it this weekend. I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to do it yet because I want to use the E-flite steering arm as well. I'll send pictures when I find something that works. I do expect more time with the lathe will be required.

dbateman

My Feedback: (31)

I have heard that the e flites are not up to this size model.

viper1676

My Feedback: (14)

The owner of Aerodyne posted that the E-flights would work and some info on how to mount. The post is a couple of pages back.

rgaynor

My Feedback: (1)

I beleive the e-flites will work based on the weight of the Aerodyne's Baron. While these retracts are rated around 15 lbs, my plane is 17lb which would present a challenge. I have head from others that the trunnions end up breaking. Check out this thread: http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...93624&page=163

I am thinking that I can drill a 5MM hole in the nose strut for the rod to slip through. Us the e-flite steering arm on one end of the rod and a collar on the other to hold the strut in the trunnion.

viper1676

My Feedback: (14)

What are you guys using for power? Do you know if the nitro version would be a little lighter than going electric? Wondering if I don't use all the batteries, if that will lighten it up a bit. Also, what are you guys using for struts? I ordered the e-flight retracts, but am going to need struts for it. It looks like the Aerodyne struts are going to be out and not sure for how long. Is there anything else that will work with the E-flights?

rgaynor

My Feedback: (1)

I hAve a question about how you hooked up you nose strut to the elite electrics. I am in the process of converting my gear from air (purchased this set from Cliff) to electric. The mains were no problem to install using the struts from the air retracts. My challenge is the nose gear. I drilled out the trunnion from its 4mm hole to a 5mm hole. Unlike the struts on the main, the hole on top of the stunt is much larger than 5mm (after removing the shaft with its rotating collar). What did you use to connect your nose strut to the trunnion?

Thanks much
Ron

rgaynor

My Feedback: (1)

Hey Reyn3545- i have a question about how you hooked up you nose strut to the elite electrics. I am in the process of converting my gear from air (purchased this set from Cliff) to electric. The mains were no problem to install using the struts from the air retracts. My challenge is the nose gear. I drilled out the trunnion from its 4mm hole to a 5mm hole. Unlike the struts on the main, the hole on top of the stunt is much larger than 5mm (after removing the shaft with its rotating collar). What did you use to connect your nose strut to the trunnion?

Thanks much
Ron

autotecart

any news on the king air?

tkapfer

Just picked up one of these at a local swap meet last weekend and took all week to go thru this thread. Looking to go all electric. Hope I can decipher everyone's picks and come up with a good lightweight build. I want it to look and fly scale. We have a grass runway so I need to overcome that obstacle as well. Sounds like the eflite retracts are the way to go with power 46 and Castle Ice 75 esc. I'll also look for some digital micro servos with metal gears.

The kit looks great, but I had a cracked tail cover. Left a message on the website but have not heard anything back yet. It would be interesting to see what electric retracts come out from the company. They show out of stock.

Anyone use the included oleo struts on fixed gear?

csclark990

Here is my solution on the E-flite nosegear. You can see the top of the shaft in the assembled picture where the retention collar will go. I just didn't have a 4mm wheel collar to put on it last night for the picture.

I am also having to add 2 angled blocks to the top of the nosegear mounting plate to raise the position of the gear mount and correct the nosegear angle. I will try to post acouple of more pics when mounted.

If you have already drilled out the trunnion, then the pin from the old gear should work with only minor modifications.

rgaynor

My Feedback: (1)

Hi csclark990 - thank you for posting those pictures. I have a few questions:
- where did you get the pin - I need one just like it.
- are you using the scales struts from RC Aerodyne? My challenge is the hole in the trunnion is 5mm (I made it larger from its original 4mm) and the hole in the strut is around 10mm.
I was also planning to use the steering bars that are already mounted on my strut rather then using the adaptor that came witht he gear.

Thanks much
Ron

rgaynor

My Feedback: (1)

So here is my attempt to fabricate a pin for the e-flite nose gear. Using a drill press and a file I came up with this - not that pretty, but it works.

tkapfer

Ok, so what do you all think of these setups?

1:
(2) G46 Turnigy motors.
(2) Turnigy dlux 70amp sbec speed controllers.
(2) Turnigy nano 5s 4000mah batteries.

2:
(2) Eflite power 46 motors.
(2) Castle Creations ICE 75amp speed controllers.
(2) Hyperion 5s 4000mah batteries or equivalent.

Both setups probably with Eflite 60-120 electric retracts. Although Cliff says his retracts should be in stock in a few weeks.

I think the first setup will end up being much cheaper, but may not be as high quality.
Also, I see there is an article dealing with inductance on longer leads and issues with longer motor wires. Maybe the batteries can be mounted in the nacelles? Build in hatches to replace?
Or is everyone doing ok with batteries mounted in the nose with no other issues?

I did not see a lot of servo selections listed here. Is everyone pretty much using the micro analog servos? I see that not much torque is required on these smaller surfaces. I'm use to flying the larger aerobatic planes with JR8711/Hitec7955 or equivalent servos.

Best places to buy above as well?


Thanks.
Terry

rgaynor

My Feedback: (1)

I like setup 2 you paid too much money for this plane not to use better quality equipment. If you go with the Turnigy .46 motors, I would recommend using better bearings. the nano batteries are fine, but I would use at min. 45C. There is not enough room to mount the batteries in the navels. You will need to wire capasitors to each ESC since your wire run is longer than 12". Let me know if you have questions about how to install them