zrooster

Oh yeah! Didn't put it together until you mentioned it, but I think I watched some of his videos. Already downloaded the manual and found the figure. It's 155mm, so 145 would be a good conservative number for the maiden. With any luck, I should be able to fly her by the end of Oct...Nov at the latest.

STICK MODE

Hay matey great to hear from you my question was just a general nosy one as a friend is about to start a build and he asked me how much mine weighed so i stuck her on the scales and got a bit of a shock at 26lbs but she flys lovely ps saw your video on the lose pull pull bloody lucky. nice save glad she was not bent up keep safe, smile a lot. ( makes the buggers wonder what you've been up to )
Frank

STICK MODE

yep 155 by the manual but 145 is the sweet spot

Katniss

Mine sits at 148mm and floats forever. A little more nose weight would probably help her stick to the runway better too.

panioul

How did you balance your plane? Upside down or normally? Also did you balance the plane with the gears up or down? I have flown mine several times but after a major repair I want to be sure....

Dowmer

My Feedback: (1)

Good luck zrooster, btw, I used to live in Gulfbreeze just down the road many years ago.

STICK MODE

Upside down set retracts up to work you will find the COG will change when the retracts are down or extended set the COG with retracts in a up position( locked) as this will be your COG when normally flying mine has quite heavy scale wheels on it and the COG changes to quite a forward COG when extended

Dowmer

My Feedback: (1)

Stickmode is right. You have to balance with the gear up. Due to the forward "rake" of the gear, there is a larger shift of CG to the rear than most planes when they go up. If you measure with gear down, then with the gear coming up after takeoff, the CG shifts rear and you suddenly have a tail heavy plane on climb out. I almost lost a plane like that. Scared the $#** out of me.

Measure CG with the gear up and when the gear comes down for landing it shifts the CG forward and you will be a little nose heavy which is much better.

As far as balance upside down or right side up, it depends on how you measure your CG. On a big plane like this I use a Vanessa rig or I will calculate with weight on wheels like a real plane. I balance right side up. Some people use a large/giant scale balancer and can do both ways. If you use the old fingers or something narrow, then it would probably balance better upside down. It just makes it more stable as it typically lowers the center of gravity below the balance point.

70 ragtop

My Feedback: (24)

Nothing to do with the Dora, but since we're talking CG shift....
I balanced mine exactly where Dowmer said to, many pages back, and it flew great!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_43bWt1SsqY

STICK MODE

Exactly a picture says a thousand words

zrooster

Thanks! You should know where the Maiden will happen, then...Santa Rosa NOLF just off 87. We used to fly at Holly (literally right across the street from me), but the Navy won't let us on there anymore.

Were you the one I talked to before that's former Navy?

zrooster

Thanks! Will definitely err towards nose heavy!

Dowmer

My Feedback: (1)

ZRooster,
not sure I'm the same guy but I'm still in the Navy. I went through flight training there 20 years ago.
Its a great place down there, at least until a hurricane arrives ..lol

Dowmer

My Feedback: (1)

Ragtop, that's exactly it! Great job on that P38.

zrooster

Roger, I think you are. I flew in the AF and retired out of Hurlburt about 2 years ago. Fly safe...small planes and big planes!

oliveDrab

Are you running with 12S Lipos? Where did you place them?

On my ESM Bearcat I had to place my 10S Lipos in front of the firewall for it to balance right.

Katniss

Yes, 12s lipo. There are 2x 6s 6000 in series. I have them placed under the gun hood(made into a hatch).
The receiver battery is right up behind the motor. I don't recall having much trouble getting the cg, however, I don't remember how much weight I might have put up front

oliveDrab

What brand Lipo batteries and what 'c' rating? 6s 6000mah ... probably high dollar. Oh well. I bought a couple Powerwing 5S 6000 maH 60C. Well worth the extra $$.

Katniss

Olive drab......I have a couple different sets. The first are 6s 6000 25c turnigy nanotech. I have 4 of these so 2 sets.
I also have 4 of the 6s 45-90c 5000 turnigy nanotech.
The added C rating obviously helps with keeping the packs from overheating. Flight time suffers a bit, but not horribly.

Part of the reason I situated the batteries under the gun hood was so I could use better, higher C and or capacity packs as they became available. With the bats that close to the g point, it doesn't effect the balance a whole lot.

STICK MODE

in memory of battle of Briton day

zrooster

Crap! Didn't know it was BoB day. I Should have flown this!

STICK MODE

test flew my friends ESM spitfire a few weeks ago flew like on rails but my mate looked a bit worried after i had finished throwing it around the sky on the second flight out come === its a keeper, temped to build one my self

ptdan

Hi hi
Im flying This lovely model with the Saito Fg 60... But have some heating issues, my 2 cylinder has some problems with the intake valve!!
Somebody have the same problem?????
regards Dan

zrooster

Mine is the Top RC Spitty, but also a great flier!

Katniss

I have the top flite spitty