WARBIRDRCER

My Feedback: (22)

Redtail and fred123, the planes look great. Fred123, I like your collection on tails on your shop wall. Wish I have done the same. Glad to see your flights have gone well.

fred123

After considerable research, I have ordered a Futaba GYA430 gyro. I plan to set it up on the rudder with heading hold turned on/off by the trainer switch. I am using that one because I understand HH mode in flight can cause unexpected things to happen. I will only use HH until it breaks ground. If this works I have at least one other plane (top flite SR-9) that would be a good candidate.

ToxicSludge

So how did the gyro work out?

fred123

The Futaba Gyro was defective. I ordered another from Hobby King that has been shipped from China...Takes forever to get here.. Will post when I get it installed..Fred123

ToxicSludge

I have several hh/rate gyros for the tails of my helis.When I get my tele and get it built I will use the gyro.Makes good sense for me.Here's a good link to watch if you want: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFXiImpRQV4

fred123

For whatever reason, the L19 requires a lot of rudder work on takeoff: even on grass. For me, I wouldn't dare try to take it off on asphalt with anyone watching. My hope is that the rudder gyro will make this a little easier. I am having second thoughts about using heading hold, and at first, will only use it with standard rate control. If standard rate works, I think it might be a little safer.

gsmith6879

My Feedback: (37)

Guys,

I built a 1/3 scale Bird Dog a couple of years ago and now have about 20 flight on it. It was a bear to take off on asphalt and only marginally better on grass. I put an old JR rate gyro on the rudder and it became very manageable on takeoff. I even use the gyro on landings for the same reason. Here's a video of one of my flights at Owatonna last August. With the gyro the take offs made me look good. Still working on the landings but that's the pilot, not the airplane.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8zjOZ8q7-c

Gaines

fred123

Did you use it with heading hold or rates?

gsmith6879

My Feedback: (37)

Rate only. It dampens the natural tendency of the Bird Dog to ground loop. Which is what it is trying to do. I've heard horror stories about heading hold on an airplane. Can be done but you have to be ready to turn it off as soon as you are in the air.

sj3cub

My Feedback: (9)

If you have to have a gyro to learn how to fly a tail dragger, why not use a gyro designed for aircraft?

gsmith6879

My Feedback: (37)

And this gentlemen is why I don't spend much time on this site anymore. All of my giant scale airplanes are tail draggers. Ziroli Skyraider, BUSA Super Cub, Sig Spacewalker and they all fly without a Gyro. I think I can fly a tail dragger. The full scale Bird Dog is just as hard to handle as the model but when you are setting in the seat you can feel and correct the problem. By the time you see the model starting the ground loop it's too late to stop. The gyro does what the full scale pilot does.

Now I'm done.

ToxicSludge

Very nice indeed.Back in 69 I seen a lot of new Army pilots trying to master the tail on the 0-1's,with many a ground loop.As I was in helicopters at that time I could see that it was very tricky.Hovering for me was easier,lol.That is a beautiful airplane you built.Some of the 0-1's used over seas had two ky-28's in them so an antenna was mounted on top of each wing.That looked pretty cool.

gsmith6879

My Feedback: (37)

Yea, they had antennas hanging all over them. I modeled my L19/O1 after one the Army pilots were flying in 68 or 69. After they had been in country a bit the side stars and bars got painted over. They were being used as bulls-eyes by the Vietcong. The big antenna on the top of the cabin is the tip of a light weight CF fishing rod.

joedoan

My Feedback: (169)

I just finished this 1/5 scale Bird Dog from Marutaka kit and it hasn't made the first flight yet.After reading about how hard it is to take off, I'm thinking about putting a gyro to make it easier for me to fly .What kind of gyro should I get?. The tail number is the one hanging in The museum of Naval History in Pensacola,FL.It was the one that Major Buong Ly had landed on the Midway April 30,1975.
Thanks,
Joe

gsmith6879

My Feedback: (37)

Joe,

Great looking Bird Dog. Good choice for your subject. I would recommend a good quality rate gyro. It's been a while since I looked at them but it seems the JR and Futaba brands have been doing well. Stay away from the very low cost Chinese knockoffs. These forums are full of guys that wished they had spent the extra money.

ToxicSludge

Lol.......great minds think alike.That is exactly what I am planning on using on my tele senior when I get to building.I'll be using two of them.My old unit had a dedicated Air Force FAC assigned to us with more antennas then plane it seemed.I'll be doing it up in my army unit colors/insignia,but I will put his ( AF FAC) call sign on the door.I have spent years trying to find him to thank him for what he did for us,but to no avail.I was invited to join the FAC website when I made an inquiry about him,but none there knew him either.

gsmith6879

My Feedback: (37)

Yea, those pilots were tough. Saved a lot lives. My current project is an enlarged 120" Ziroli A1H Skyraider that flew off of the USS Midway. I have built 5 OV10 Broncos over the years and am still flying one. I have a lot of friends that came back alive because of the support they got. Since I wasn't there, the only way I can thank them is to built the models and tell everyone the history.

Thanks for your service!

ToxicSludge

I do have a love for the Skyraiders to be sure.We called them Spads,and flying dump trucks due to the unbelievable amount of ordnance they could and did carry.Plus they had a loiter time that was just as impressive.Good choice on a build sir,damn good choice.I've never flown an rc plane so my very first build is going to be a senior tele.Big enough that I hope I can see it,and slow enough that I shouldn't get into too much trouble.Should that prove successful,my second build will be the 12ft tele.Both will be done up in my old colors/insignia etc.Since neither is a scale anything,I figure that leaves me 'dealers choice' as to what I do to them.No pressure for a pure scale,and at least 150% total fun.Both will be powered by 4 stroke glow.As we just moved into a new house with a nice 2 car garage,that will be converted into "my place" so I'll have the room to set up and have some real fun while I'm at it.Is it springtime yet? ;}>

ToxicSludge

Wow....maybe someday I'll have some of the skills you guys have and try to build something scale.Absolutely beautiful build Joe.
-george

WARBIRDRCER

My Feedback: (22)

Hello all,

Funny this topic came up. A couple of days ago I ordered a Futaba GYA430 Single Axes Gyro for the L-19.

http://www.futaba-rc.com/gyros/futm0780.html

Since I only fly RPRCBuilders planes, I want the best chance for success.

I understand the dilemma concerning at least the Vailly L-19 Bird Dog take-off challenge. Prior to flying RPRCBuilders, I had flow numerous tail draggers of that scale size from Ziroli, Byron, Comp ARF, a scratch built Stearman, and my current Balsa USA L-4 like its brother the J-3 almost fly’s its self with minimal rudder input.

The Vailly Bird Dog taught me a lesson in pilot humility my first take-off. With using caution during throttle up, it started challenging me from the rollout. The normal application of forward stick to get the tail up attempting to gain better rudder authority only proved I needed a new method for take-off with this plane.

I salvaged the take-off from my impending ground loop thanks to a big open field and no obstacles 90 degrees from centerline. I am telling on myself aren’t I.

Gaines, good to hear from you. Keep the helpful input coming. I am Looking forward to seeing your planes again this season.

George, The Senior Telemaster is a great flying plane. I fly two of them for a friend. One is a tail wheel version with a candy drop box, and one a tricycle gear I am teaching RPRC’s grandson to fly with powered by the new Evolution 10cc gas engine. This is a great addition to this plane, although the 15cc would not be over powered and you could step up the power when needed.

fred123

Warbirdrcr: I will be Interested to hear how your GYA430 works out. I tried one and was not able to produce enough correction in rudder movement to be effective. I tried it all the way to 100% gain. This only produced a tiny rudder movement. I assumed the gyro was defective and returned it. Please let us know how you set yours up and how it worked.

gsmith6879

My Feedback: (37)

Looking forward to the flying season this year. We have a lot of events going on in Oklahoma and the area. I'll have the big Bird Dog at as many as I can. Maybe by then I will have learned how to land the thing

ToxicSludge

I have yet to read anything negative about any of the tele line.That is my reason for choosing it.I'll do mine up as a taildragger as well.I will be buying the balsa kit and build it.I haven't built a balsa plane since I was a single digit midgit.I had built a ringmaster jr. and flew it control line with a fox .15 if iirc.As for the scale aircraft you guys build,I'll be there someday.I would love to build a giant scale T-6 Texan.


I looked up the evo 10cc.Good price,but........I have to go with a 4 stroke,which I found,and it's gas ;}> Sure it costs about twice what the evo goes for but in truth I can't stand the sounds of screaming 2 strokes.I never could.With what I found I could also swing a nice 3 blade prop too.If I can muster up the skills necessary to do what I really want to do to the tele,it won't look much like a tele.But as the saying goes,'the best laid plans of mice and men oft go astray',or something to that effect,lol.
-george

MX240

My Feedback: (4)

I have bought one Futaba Gyro but didn't like it and use JR's now.
I do not use HH.
It really helps on Bird Dog takeoffs on hard surface we have here.

MX240

My Feedback: (4)

The Dog survived this year and with a little touch-up here and there is ready for 2014