Falcon0988

My Feedback: (16)

Well, for christmas, I got the Flair SE5A and some tools to use on it. One of which being a 56 pc. knife set from Harbor Freight and a $10 60+ pc. rotary tool. Opened up the kit and looked at the manual. Not much to the manual itself. I couldn't make sense of anything until I started to look over the plans. After finding a metric ruler, I started to build and late last night finished the stab and elevators. Got them framed up and sanded to the plan view, then hinged them ( I love my new Dubro hinge cutter). I then beveled the front edge with a palm size plane (tons better than using my dads 30 year old cast iron plane that weighs more than 10 pounds. The kit came with mylar hinges, and I'm trying to figure out what I'll use to glue them. I like the look of them and they look like they'll do good. I think that after I buy the engine for my TF P-40, I save up and buy the wood for the BUSA Phaeton II, I got the plans for christmas, too. Then whatever engine for the SE5A and servos will go into it to learn to fly a bipe. Anyway, here's the pics

Doug D.

Well Falcon you have a good start. I'm building the Flair Bristol kit (when I have time) and the build is a challange, but enjoyable so far. (Read your reply on the other thread.)
The quality of the kit is very good, the instructions and plans are for a fairly experienced builder, but not impossible to understand. Lots of time consuming assembly work on the Bristol kit. And it's only a sport scale model.
I hope to build the Flair Tiger Moth in the near future.
What are you planning on powering the SE5A with ? I suggest a good four stroke. My Bristol will get a Saito .80 or .90. These engines will provide mine with more than enough power.

Falcon0988

My Feedback: (16)

I'm not sure on power, but if I were to do a 4-stroke, I would do a Saito .56 or a Thunder Tiger .54 (Know anything about these?). But, being 16, without a vehicle yet to get to a job, income is limited. So I might go with a ST .40 or an OS .40 FX or .46 LA. A 2-stroke is nearly one-third the cost... Were you able to get wheels for the Bristol before Williams Bros. closed? I need to figure out how to get a pair of WB wheels or import Flair's wheels.

Hunter

Doug D.

Both the Saito or TT would be good choices. Any of the two strokes would be fine also. Do some research about prop sizes. The best for the two strokes would be the largest fine pitch prop they can handle. Say an 11 or 12x4. Speed is not that important with that model.
I've hand my model for a while, and I got the wheels when I ordered it. If you look around you may find a set of wheels available. Check the hobby stores and swap meets.
It isn't to hard to import wheels from Flair, but it is a bit more expensive because of the exchange rates.

Falcon0988

My Feedback: (16)

I've gotten a lot done. For once, I remembered to grab the camera during the build. I didn't like that I had to cut out the forward former to fit the new tank they include. It was set up for a round tank, but they changed to the new rectangle style. I bought those three bar clamps at harbor freight the other day, it was $1.99 for the 6" and $2.49 for the 12" clamps. They have helped alot. The engine bearers don't look very strong when they were mounted to the fuse, so I added some 1/4" stock on the bottom and I plan to add some fiberglass strips, just to be safe. Building the tail section was easy, except that the tail blocks for the stab. has to be hand cut according to the plans. Even thought this kit is die-cut, the parts pop out easily. The plans are aren't cluttered. Sometimes, though, I have to search the plans to find where a part goes, since they lable them all over the place, instead on each view.

Hunter

Falcon0988

My Feedback: (16)

More pics

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

A picture of my friends Flair SE5a powered by a Magnum 52 FS. Its a very good flier.

Swedish_Pilot

Looks great Falcon!
I wonder about the wood material in the kit. Is it of good quality, I mean no bent sheets or formers, cracked plastic parts etc. ?

Falcon0988

My Feedback: (16)

New pics. I've gotten a lot done. I need to find some copper wire for the landing gear braces/supports. Then I'll be done with the fuse for now. The kit is good quality, and the plastic radiator is thick, strong plastic. The plans include a lot of info to make it scale, such as what the gun sight should look like, and a scale method of attaching the wheels. I don't like the 3*3 mm wood used for the stringers It broke several times. It would be nice if I could make it stronger. The rest of the wood in the kit is great and the die cut parts need very little sanding. I wish it came with a windshield and a cockpit kit. Theres no detail to the cockpit, just a cutout guide. I probably won't get much more done. My mom wants me to help her build a new waterfall for her pond. She got a new pond water pump and $100 for christmas, and I'm the only one in this house that even seems interested in her pond... Maybe tommorrow I can at least get the landing gear finished and start the fin/rudder. So far, I wouldn't mind building another Flair kit. Maybe a Fokker DVII or a Legionaire...

Hunter

Falcon0988

My Feedback: (16)

Well, the waterfall is done and I got in a little building. The fin and rudder go together pretty easy. I plan on going to Hobbytown later today and seeing if I can by a revell SE5A kit, I'm looking for cockpit detail. I can also put the scheme on the plastic kit, before painting this plane. I found several pics last night of the cockpit, but, they were all of the instruments, not the rest of the cockpit. I'd like to make the cockpit close to scale, since I'd like to compete in fun scale competitions. Today I'll be working on the undercarriage fairings. I've already started the forward section, but I need to find some more wood from my box of scraps. I've been trying to decide whether I want to buy the engine for my P-40 or buy the kit for the Phaeton II.

Falcon0988

My Feedback: (16)

I finished the landing gear fairings last night. Today I hope to start a wing. Heres the new pics.

Hunter

Falcon0988

My Feedback: (16)

I started one wing panel and its nearly done, but my work has been slowed down do to getting sick (almost passed out in church from "non-drowsy" cold medicine). School also restarted today and I've got over 55 math problems, 20 English questions, a german quiz to study for all on the the first day back....I think my teachers have gone off the deep end... Maybe I'll be able to take some picks later.

Hunter.

Swedish_Pilot

By the way, do you think a .40-size engine could provide sufficient power for the SE5a?

Swedish_Pilot

Or on the other hand, could a .70 Surpass II four-stroke be too big?

N28

I built the Flair SE 5 a few years back, it's a sweet flying airplane. I put an OS .48 four stroke in it and it was more than enough power. Watch out for the wing dihedral joiners. My pieces were poorly die cut and I used them anyway. They later broke and I had to cut open the wing and replace them. Also, I've built the Legionaire and the Fokker D7. They're both great. I recommend the D7 first, it is much easier to fly. The Legionaire is very squirrelly to take off and land. I power the D7 with an OS .52 four stroke and it flys very scale like.

Swedish_Pilot

So then a .40-size engine could be enough in the SE5a?
But how is the Flair Fokker D7 compared with the SE5a? Easier to fly/build or?

N28

I think the SE 5 would do fine with a .40 2-stroke. It would fit nicely under the cowl but would need a smaller muffler. The .48 4-stroke pipe and muffler exit the cowl in a non-offensive way. The SE 5 and Fokker build equally easy. But I'd give the nod to the Fokker because there is no dihedral on the wings so they build flat. And only the top wing has ailerons. Also, for scale details, the Fokker has a simpler cockpit and less external features. As for flying, the Fokker has more wing area and lands at a nearly walking speed. It can fly extremely slowly. I plod along at one-third throttle for 20 minutes. I'm sure you'll enjoy either or both of those aircraft as I have.

Swedish_Pilot

Sounds good!

By the way, how is it going with the constructions Hunter?

Falcon0988

My Feedback: (16)

Sorry I haven't posted any updates lately. After christmas, I didn't get a chance to fly for 5 weeks. Not flying, for some reason made me not want to build. I finished the top wing, though, and started the bottom, before going on to finish my TF P-40 (still haven't gotten a chance for a maiden flight) The wing builds easily, since all the ribs are the same. The wing, though, seems kinda weak. I guess covering it adds a lot of the strength. Before I cover, I might add some better bracing to the diagonal braces. I took some pics of the SE5 and of my P-40.
Hunter.

mRqS

Hi

As I see, construction looks very similiar to my F2b Bristol from Flair.
Do you have a balsa longerons and a ply wing spars as well?
After covering it makes quite strong construction. Bristol flies well, so SE5 should too
See pictures and a video on my site


mRqS
http://rc.marekszulen.net

Swedish_Pilot

Are the instructions for the SE5a-kit of the same kind and type as those for the Bristol?

Swedish_Pilot

Hi Hunter!
Any progress?

Falcon0988

My Feedback: (16)

I haven't made much in the way of progress. I have started to make a tin shell for the turtle deck. Its extremely light and takes paint well. I also started to stain the undercarriage, but other than that, I haven't gotten much else done. Right now I have and English project worth 400 points [] Once thats done, I hope to get the bottom wing finished and then figure out the flying wires and make the exhaust stacks, a cockpit, and rig the guns.

Hunter

Swedish_Pilot

Good luck!

Falcon0988

My Feedback: (16)

I don't have new pics, but I've finsihed the lower right wing panel, and I've nearly finished the lower left wing. I'll post pics when I get back from exams later today.