IFLYRC-RCU

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So ...
Mustang project... complete, test flown. Check.
Corsair rebuild complete, test flight, Check.

OK Next :[8D]

Now the time has come to drag the Easy Tiger Macchi 205 ARF out of it's box. I picked this up at the Toledo show on a whim... "ARF" and retracts. Basic specs are 98"ws, fiberglass fuse, built up wings / stab with tubes, etc. Figure I am going to a few warbird fly ins this year, and this would be an easy quick build. Like to take multiple planes when I travel in case of issues. Hope to take this one to Warbirds over Delaware in July.

I like the Macchi 202, and the 205 is the exact same airframe with a larger engine. The obvious visual distintion are the 2 large round oil coolers on the lower cowl. At first I thought I would kit-bash it into a 202, but further investigation of the engine installation stalled that idea as the engine hangs out so much in the lower area. I figured the 2 round oil coolers actually hid the engine better than a 202 style cooler. I was warned about the color - yuk yellow with strange non scale camo.. figured a repaint would be required, should be easy.

I have a Q 100 laying around.. figured this would be a decent powerplant. All I needed were a few servos.. so home it came. Easy, right? Read on.

First off let me say I generally don't do scale ARFs. I broke this rule as I like kinda weird aircraft that aren't seen everywhere. The Macchi's profile is "decent", but many areas aren't correct. Too bad, with a little more effort, they could have had a very nice semi scale cowl. Oh well, I knew it.

First major issue? The cowl is set up for a 6 1/4" spinner. No spinner is included. What the heck? WHY would they do that? really? Hmm. So, no problem, I made a cowl ring and extended the cowl about 1/2" then tapered it down to a 6" spinner I picked up from Dave Brown. BUT -

Before I could do that - it became very apparent when I tried to fit the cowl onto the fuse.. it didn't even come close to fitting? Really bad. Hmmmm what the heck! So I start grinding.. and grinding.... 2 itchy weeks later, I finally get the cowl seated. 2 weeks ! Really guys?? Dammit. What a mess, and the longer I worked on this "ARF" cowl, the more irritated I became. Made a huge mess, and I thought I paid for parts that would basically fit. I could understand a little bit of tweaking required - but 2 weeks??

After that, I mounted the engine.. oh, the plywood on the fuse was not really glued to the firewall? Really? Again I have to do a total rework, adding glue and glass to ensure the firewall is secured to the rest of the airframe. Hmm... more irritation.

OK - finally get the engine mounted.. good! Now, I tweaked the location to the lower side of the cowl. Why? The real aircraft had a droop in the top of the cowl. I tried to simulate this but mounting the engine low in the opening, and using my balsa cowl ring to make up for the difference when I sanded it to match the 6" spinner. Subtle, but I think it helps a little bit. Added some simulated air scoops they left off.

Plan to add some details to the plane before it gets painted.. easy stuff, some hatches, panel lines, etc. Little stuff that should dress it up a bit. Found some sand camo paint in a can - that'll work! Found some camo green as well. OK - test that on the cowl.. looks OK. Also find a good sky blue flat. Really close to a scale color actually.. and it's flat! I was really surprised.

Pics not loading tonight.. will add some when the system is working again.

fw190

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Any pictures?

IFLYRC-RCU

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OK - Now getting the pics to upload.

Basic airframe parts laid out. Notice this is after the cowl was reworked and test paint applied. See the strange base color and onion ring camo? yuk!

The bottom is the same camo - not sure why they did that! You can see the wings were painted by different people and don't match! In fact, the various parts are all painted off the plane and do not match up.

IFLYRC-RCU

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Pictures of the cowl fitting [not] and the engine mounting. Again, you can see the colors I will use to repaint the airframe after completing the basics.

You can see the balsa cowl ring I added to bring the spinner opening down to 6". Will have to glass that onto the cowl. Also, am going to have to add glass to close all the holes uinder the cowl. Had to grind so much material off, in some areas, there is no more material! More work for this "ARF".[:@]

SJN

Hmm....looks like varying quality from ET/CYmodel.
Im sure yours will turn out well once finished

Here are some other pictures of the model.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=C3PJkd0Lv04

Dash7ATP

I like the model in black!Dash

IFLYRC-RCU

My Feedback: (28)

SJN -

Thanks for that video link. I didn't realize ET and CY were basically the same company? I had seen the ET video, but enjoyed the one you sent very much. It certainly appears the plane flies very well! Funny, both of the "show" models seem to have the same paint scheme, very different than the one I got.

Anyway, I am documenting what I am finding and dealing with as the plane gets assembled. I plan to try and scale it up a little bit. I wonder where they got that spinner? Nobody makes one over 6" here in the states?? I asked the manufacturer at the Toledo show, they had no offcial recommendations.

I found the 205 and a 202 In Action books - These have a decent amount of info on the plane. I had to learn a bit about the airplane "just because". [8D]
As a side note - the 205 book is MUCH better overall. I never dug into the details before and found it interesting that the 202 /205 shared the same airframe except for the engine and cowl. I am using these to get some graphics made so the plane looks a little bit more correct.

Funny, I found the actual aircraft with the 73 - 7 code. It is actually a 202, not a 205. Doesn't matter, I am going to retain that and build a "semi scale" paint scheme. Every 205 Veltro [ Greyhound ] I have found has the smoke ring como on it. I plan to do the sand with the green blotches like the model you have shown.

When the plane is complete and flown .. if I really like it, I may strip the wings next winter and glass them. At that time, I would change the flaps to the correct split flap configuration as well.

Now back to the basement . . .

IFLYRC-RCU

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Spoke with Easy Tiger today - seems my canopy has a slight crack issue - and have a replacement coming.

I explained the cowl fit issue - and he was very apologentic - stated the factory had trimmed the cowl too short, causing the cowl fit issue. This is on the sencond batch of imported Macchis. Guess I just got lucky ? Apparently, the first batch didn't have the issue, and he states the next shippment will not have the issue as well. Let's hope so for the next guys!

Nice enough guy for sure, and was willing to talk about the kit and issues well.

I am working on adding some details to the cowl area. Next is starting the servo installations. Hope to test fly by the end of June.

SJN

Im pretty sure it is a KS or Krumscheid spinner in the pictures:
https://www.krumscheid-metallwaren.d...op.php?lang=EN

they also make the gas exhaust canisters.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LZq9zLAfhs

John Sohm

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Any way you look at it, that base color looks awful and the smoke ring camo looks like someone doodled them on. Color looks like French's mustard. Too bad too, it's a subject that really needs to be done right. If it were mine, I'd scrap the covering, glass it and use Klass Kote if you need it fuel proof or just get the scale paint chips and get some latex paint mixed up at a paint shop or use Warbirds Colors to do the job right. Then you can do whatever Italian finish you like. Personally, I like the smoke ring camo if it's done correctly.

IFLYRC-RCU

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John-

I am going to repaint it - that's the mis-matched color as a test on the cowl. However, before a major redo - I want to fly it.. but need to add a little detail just for fun before the initial paint work,

IFLYRC-RCU

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And a few minor details I have been adding. Mostly concentrating on the cowl area for now.

Why my flying buddies ask ? Cause I am a dork! Even though this is a "way stand off scale plane", I like adding some little detail stuff. I spent a little time researching the airframe as I really didn't kow much about the Macchis really, and then you begin to notice all the flaws from a profile standpoint. I feel compelled to do what I can to spruce it up a bit .. did I mention I am a dork yet? lol[&:]

First, you can see the balsa ring I added to match up with the 6" spinner. I will glass it before painting.

I also added the 2 small air scoops on the top of the cowl. Will be adding some acess panels when I get my In Action book back from the graphics man.

Oil coolers: I don't like the way they look, see how small the opening is? So . . . I opened up the holes to be a bit closer to correct, then added some bondo at the lip to give it some "depth". Then made a small balsa round plug, glued on some drywall sanding material to simulate a radiator, and now I have something that looks a little more correct.

Also added some chart tape to simulate the attachment bands for the round oil coolers.

Next . . .

IFLYRC-RCU

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Now the carb intake - this is basically a desert style intake that was standard on all the Machhi202s and 205s.

The provided part is not too bad from a scale standpoint, but the front opening is not there - sooo - drill a hole, and open that up. Good.

This opening has a flapper valve for high dust takeoff situations - closed during takeoff generally. So - make a balsa disk, and test fit it into the opening.

When this flapper valve is closed, the carb air comes in through a bunch of small openings on the backside of the ridges in the intake - this keeps the sand out, lets the air in. So, add the small holes.. drill, drill, drill . . .

Now ready to mount.

Note - the glass work on this plane is very brittle, be prepared to have small chunks crack off on any drilled holes or cutting.

OK - next . . .

John Sohm

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Jeez, that drywall sanding screen looks pretty darn good, never thought about using that. At the local Michael's Craft Store, they sell a screen like material, used in sculptures, that looks really good as radiator or filter type screens that I have been using but sometimes it's tough to get the right look. The actual oil cooler pattern was more of a honeycomb pattern from the pictures I found in the Aero Detail book I have but from a distance, it looks real good.

IFLYRC-RCU

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Flying season is upon us.

Still doing a little work on the plane, progress is slowing down. Have some pics, but - long day of flying, and I'm too tired to mess with it. Will add a few soon. Still targeting an early July flight.

IFLYRC-RCU

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OK - a 5 month break.. flying season and warbird fly ins had taken over my building desires.

However, now the weather is turning into winter.. it's time to "restart" this project. Of course, have a couple of projects going at once... sigh.

Progress won't be quick... I do have some maintanance to do on the flying planes, then it's focus time for the Macchi

miklos

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Hi, been checking your thread. I picked up one of these used and am in the process of getting it setup with my radio. I didn't receive a manual with the plane, and repeated request to Easy Tiger models for information yielded one reply asking me what info I needed and no further communicaton from them. So, I was wondering if it would be possible to get a PDF copy of the manual or at the least if you can tell me what the reccomended CG and various control throws are.
Thanks.

w1nd6urfa

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Hi
I'm doing a similar ARF make-over on a new 75" Veltro I picked up on HobbyKing but is most likely made by Picolle Ali in Italy.
I will be doing scale details and paint job, maybe we can compare notes

Thread here: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/rc-w...05-veltro.html

I guess the CY doesn't have the asymmetrical wings (port wing longer)?

IFLYRC-RCU

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The "instructions" - are a little general in nature. Don't have a scanner, but took a pic of the suggested set ups. In my opimion, these all seem very generic in nature. So - I would set up dual rates for high and low.. test fly it that way and see how you like it set up. The CG is 4 1/2" back from the leading edge - listed in MM of course.

Be aware, this is a short coupled airframe - could be prone to high speed snaps. I flew an IMP version for a club member years ago - and it could get very exciting quickly if you pulled too much elevator! Now, that said, this is a completely different airframe, so lets hope it flies well. I assume you watched the video [link] that was shared previously? Seems to fly fine ... let us know how yours flies!

I have wanted to get back to this thing, just haven't had time yet.... like many of the projects in my basement.. it's in line.

IFLYRC-RCU

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Hello - that kit looks decent.. and see you are adding some details. Will watch with interest.... I knew this was a way stand off scale plane when I bought it .... I see Chad V is possibly developing some plans and glass parts. I may be up for that someday.... cause I certainly "need" another project waiting in the basement - lol

IFLYRC-RCU

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OMG . . . I actually did a litle work on the Macchi !

Kinda sad - all the servos and parts have been sitting around gathering dust in the shop. So - grabbed a wing and started mounting the servos - after all, this is an ARF for goodness sake! I don't know what is taking me so long to get it going.

Wing hatches are provided for servo mounting.... open some 645 boxes.. assemble servo hardware, attach to hatch. They fit "fairley" well. Get the glue out, start to hinge the first flap.. and then the Aileron. Ooops, the ARF harware is too long to make linkages work.. will need a hobby shop run. The weird paint job.. well, the blue is my test spray can for the bottom color. The mustard yellow must go!!

What I did note was this - the wing is actually pretty strong.. The skin is actually a thin ply glued to laser cut ribs and structure. Will need that with the Q 100 power. And more importantly, there are good hinge mopunting blocks in place to hold the hinges well. That is so often not the case on ARFs.

Hmm, wonder if I can push on....

w1nd6urfa

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I notice they've done a half-length full airfoil flap instead of longer split flaps like the original.

Sorry for the nerdy detail - the wing looks light and strong, keep on with the build.

With a good paint job it will look the part.

miklos

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Hey thanks for the manual pic. You're right, it is pretty general. I finally got a reply from Curtis at Easy Tiger models and he gave me actual numbers for the throws. For CG, he said balance it on the "spar".
After working with this bird for a month, there are a lot of things I would have done different. Remember, I got this as a RTF from an RCU ad.
The one thing that keeps me going though is having seen the flight videos on youtube I am optimistic about it flight performance.
Oh and before I forget, the retract struts are junk. There's no way to keep the lower part of the strut from rotating somewhat. It looks like the scissors are suppose to keep them from rotating, but that doesn't work too well.

IFLYRC-RCU

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You are absolutely correct! I plan to fly it as is.. IF I like it, I may strip the wings and do a bit of correction onj the Aiel and flap situation. First though, I want to fly this airframe and see if it's worthy of that effort. Now, to get it done and tested .....

IFLYRC-RCU

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Miklos -

Please keep us posted on your test flights... will watch with some anticipation.

You are right.. the gear concerns me . . . again, IF this things flies as well as the demo video, I may retrofit some better units.... The China retracts are gonna have to do for this season.

How long til you test fly ??