pettit

My Feedback: (23)

My CMPro 82" ZEKE is just about ready to fly.

No retracts because I have to write an honest review of what comes in the kit box, not what I had to add to get it to be perfect.

I'm using a Zenoah G-45, not for power but for nose weight. The 5 pound engine with spinner and mount wasn't enough to get the plane to balance and I had to add a full pound of lead to the nose to get the CG at about 6" behind leading edge.

Total weight of the plane is 20 pounds 1/2 ounce, quite a bit more than advertised. About 40% more!

Ground testing this week and everything looks great including range check. It should be good because I'm using a Spektrum DX7 radio system.

Here's some photos of the fuselage:

(find the fuel filler, the kill switch and the tank vent)

paladin

My Feedback: (9)

Hi Dick, I’ve been looking for just that info.. Thanks

I was planning to install my old tired Magnum 41 (what they were called before Tower bought them and renamed them USA engines), assuming a ready to fly wt of 17 to 18#. While it flew my Zerroli Corsair adequately (for those keeping track that means it flew it, two clicks below scale power) at 20.5# after many flights it had lost a lot of power. So if this sled is going to weight 20# after balancing the G-62 will be much more suited for the plane, the only real question now is how much cowl will it leave. If I remember correctly the G-45 is made in the same jug as the G-62 so your pic’s were very helpful in that respect also. I have to have a bit more muffler to met the min sound level of 98 db. So my hole will be bigger or slightly different shaped.

On the actual build they have me putting metal dowels in the LE and I’m concerned about how that will far the test of time both from the aspect of bonding to metal, and having metal locating the wing in fiberglass with all the vibration of a gasser. So I’ve been contemplating standard dowels and two part foaming the area were they are located in the fuse. Maybe even putting ply wood backers behind the dowel holes to take the stress off the fiberglass.

My time has been taken up with my Flop Tite Hollywood Zero had developed a kink in the fuel line somewhere. And my Evergreen P-51D had some bad bearings, I replaced the bearings last week and took it to the field only to find it blathering rich. Well I don’t get to the field that often so I chose to fly over fiddle. I think I have them both ready to go now and tomorrow should be the tell. Once they are ready and reliable I can get back to the Zero.

Joe

Trollmaster

.
As much as this sounds good. By this whole thread, seems like this build has been a real PITA?

richiepingi3

Pettit, what motor do you think would work best with this 82" Zero? I have a DA 50, or a G62 that I heard would vibrate to much. Or is there another motor out there that you would recommend. Also where did you get your pilot? I can't find one that looks very good. Thanks Rich

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

If you have to buy a new engine, I'd chose the G-45 like I have. If you have both of the engines you mentioned, use the G-62. You'll need all the nose weight you can get.

Paladin: I used 3/8" dowels into the wing leading edge. I didn't back them up with anything but they seem to be very secure.

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

We flew the CMPro ZEKE last evening. Other than the main gear legs bending back on a taxi test and on one landing, it did just fine.

I'd replace the gear legs with "real' music wire before even setting the plane on it's wheels!

Adequate power with a Zenoah G-45. Most flying done at half throttle. It'll do all the normal warbird aerobatics with ease.

It looks like the CG point stated in the "manual" is pretty close, if not a bit nose heavy.

It did NOT fly like a 20 pound warbird with a 40 oz/sq ft wing loading. More like a 15 pound sport scale model.

Here's some photos

Trollmaster

I guess since you are reviewing this thing, you need to use what they say but seems at this weight, should have a decent set of Robarts on it?

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

That would be nice but they would cost more than the plane!

I'm not sure if Robart even makes a set for this particular plane anyway.

I'll let "the next guy" make that choice.

paladin

My Feedback: (9)

Great Pic's!

I can't waite to get back on mine.

So how did the sun affect the covering? any first wrinkles?

Joe

richiepingi3

Looks awesome, can't wait to get started on mine. Pettit did you use the stock muffler on the G45? We are having the Warbird over the Rockies this year at our field so I need to get mine done in time should be a big event.

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

I shrunk most of the wrinkles out before putting the wings together. Then I took the plane out into the yard and let it sit in the sun for several hours to bring out the rest of the wrinkles. Those were shrunk down too.

All this was done before even taking the plane to the field.

Yes, stock G-45 muffler. Sound level was 89 db at 25'. 22-8 APC at 6800 RPM

Zippi

My Feedback: (10)

pettit,

Your Zero looks very sharp. What did you think about the overall fit and finish on this plane. How well does it stack up against the higher priced War Birds out there? I had looked at this plane with a G62 in mind at one time but decided that if I had to buy retracts they would be very costly and would probably have to do a lot of modifications to get them to fit. The stock landing gear looks pretty long. What dia. music wire would be sufficient to handle this 20 lb War bird? The color of your plane looks a lot better than the pics of the plane that is advertised for sale. Yours is a lot deeper green and not as shiny. Did you do any weathering to your plane?

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

Everything fits fine. The finish is worth the price of the kit. The fiberglass fuselage is really nice and all the paint matches.

I have no other experience with "higher priced" warbirds, but you get what you pay for, in most cases.

This plane comes with 1/4" wire gear, but it's not real music wire.

I agree that retracts would cost more than the plane.

The CMPro ZEKE is well worth the price, if you disregard the total lack of any written instructions.

Zippi

My Feedback: (10)

pettit,

My G62 weighs right at 4 lbs with EI so now that puts this plane at 21 lbs. That's about 7 lbs over the advertised weight. That is a hugh difference in the wing loading and looks like it would be a rocket coming in on final. Do you plan on having a video?

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

Sorry, no video, but with full flaps it slows down a lot more than you'd expect from a 20 pound 82" span warbird.

Very controllable and probably moving at a "fast trot", not a "walk".

My G-45 weighs 5 pounds with the 1.5" spacer plate and Bennett mount, plus the added 16 ounces of lead on the mount to get the plane to balance.

Even with the G-62, you're gonna need a lot of nose weight, unless you move the elevator servos from the stabs to the front of the fuselage.

I wouldn't worry about the weight. It'll do just fine.

DCRCER

I am building one of these fine looking models. I bought it from Alex at A-K models. ZDZ 50 and Robart Spring down and 662 R L Robostruts... they fit fine by the way.
I have a minor problem. Things tend to get lost around my workshop and somehow I managed to lose the instruction book (if there was one in the first place). I do have the big instruction sheet that shows how everything goes together.... anyway, I have lost the control throw information. If anyone knows the recommended control throws I would really appreciate your help. Thank you.
David

arobatx

That's all you get man....at least that's all I got with mine as well! Others have commented on the lack of instructional material, so I believe what you have, is all there was in the first place

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

Yep, I call it a "Denny's Menu"!

I set my controls at +/- 3/4" for ailerons on low, maybe 1" on high, about the same for elevator and maybe +/- 1.5" for rudder on low.

You will need high rate elevator to get the tail down on landing, but low rate aileron as I set it was great.

Zippi

My Feedback: (10)

I thought the CMP and the GSP Zero were the same plane but the CMP has a wing span of 82.7" and the GSP has an 80" wing span. Same plane or different numbers?

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

They look to be identical, but wingspan and wing areas are usually a "throw of the dice" as far as what distributors say in their advertisements.

The CMPro ZEKE actually merasures 82" span and 1182 square inches of area.

And it's just a little heavier than 13-5 - 14.3 pounds!

Zippi

My Feedback: (10)

I've been looking at the GSP Zero and the Ultra-RC zero and the price span is so much that I could get the GSP Zero and put retracts on it and still come out looking good. Now I'm sure that the Ultra-RC Zero is probably a better kit from what I read on the forums but from personal experience some times a higher priced plane doesn't always hold true in being the better quality plane. I really like the Zero because when I go to fly-ins and meets you don't see a lot of them out there and I like to be a little different. I've got other projects on the table at the monent but I'm thinking ahead for a winter project.

Note:
I had a CMP Giles 202 73" and same here, no manual just a print that had exploded
views. It did have the CG and the throws.

Trollmaster

Isn't Ultras Zero around a 96 or something wing? Thats a big zero

Sturtz

My Feedback: (20)

Great looking Zero Dick. Any vids soon ?
Zippi,,, will you be putting a Brillelli in it ?

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

No video planned.

But, it's "available"....

DCRCER

Thank you Dick for you help on control throws.