CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

Never said I don't have any Lados, as a matter of fact I have a set in my H-9 Corsair, and have nothing but good things to say about them. Problem, I don't see that I can realistically ever buy more sets, given the status of the company. It was my understanding that they will no longer be available/ for sale from Lado directly, that if and when he ever does resume production, they will be available only from 3rd party distributors.

MOST of my warbirds have mechanicals, and I think they work great, as long as they are up to my standards. In a nutshell, my standards are that they must be robust enough for the planes I am using them on. That usually means 3/16" dia. strut wires. Anything less is just too flimsy.

sj3cub

My Feedback: (9)

Lado shut down about a month ago due to health problems. They are not available anymore. They are trying to sell the business now.

Oberst

Awh Cr@p! I wonder if another company makes electric retracts? I guess they won't be E-mailing me back. I'm suprised that the Web Page hasn't been updated, but the Web Page is usually the last thing to go when a buisness teeter's out.


Pete

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

Not sure why so many trust air and/ or electric motor systems so much more than mechanical systems: it's just a matter of setting them up properly. I guess my Dauntless retracts didn't impress anybody?

My Top Flite P-51 and Top Flite P-47 both have mechanical retracts (stock ones, with RoboStruts added), but with a different twist: each retract has it's own proportional, low profile, hi torque servo. In other words, there are 2 servos for the main gear retracts, each servo simular in size, weight, and appearance to retract servo, BUT they are proportional, which means I can set endpoints, AND adjust time (with computer radio), which allows me to not only slow them down, I can also offset them by dialing in different speeds.
Of all my planes, the P-47 retracts looks the best, but I don't have a video of them.

Here is my P-51:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LIFkga6lA4[/youtube]

Oberst

You're right CorsairJock, I talked to a few people today from different clubs at my LHS and they told me that with electric retracts more things can go wrong. They told me Mechanical Retracts work just fine, and less things to go wrong IF SET UP CORRECTLY!

So Corsair, would you trust the stock mechanical retracts, and do you think a Digital Servo like the JR DS811 is strong enough? It's not low profile and wondering if it would fit.

I was thinking of using a Regular Digital Servo in it and putting in the Servo Retarder so I can slow the gear speed. Just shooting idea's your way just to read what you think.

I'm going to find another 1/6 scale pilot bust, the bust that comes stock isn't bad, but it isn't good to my liking either.


This Sunday I will begin my build.


Pete

Pete

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

As for trusting these stock retracts: I'll have to wait and see how much this plane weighs. If I can keep it under 9 lbs, they should be OK. If not, I may try to squeeze the Dave Bowns in at a leter time.
As for the JR DS811: I know nothing about it (except hat it is probably made by JR?). But like I said: I generally use 2 proportional servos, since a standard retracts servo usually has over 100 oz/ in of torque, and the proportional ones I use have about 80 oz/ in each. In other words, since a standard retract servo has more torque, I use 2 (1 for each retract) of the lesser power proportional ones.

Here are some examples of the servos I am talking about:
http://www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id...85&pid=U520170
http://www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id...85&pid=W776484
http://www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id...293&pid=NBB207
http://www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id...293&pid=NBB208
http://www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id...2&pid=C0696196

But this one should be able to handle BOTH retracts safely (only 1 servo needed):
http://www.bphobbies.com/view.asp?id...293&pid=NBB213

Oberst

Yep, the JR Digital DS811 puts out 54.0oz of Torque, not very good for a Retract Servo. After reading your Post CorsairJock, I've decided to use the Servo, High-Torque ST126MG.

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...#quickOverview

It has 126oz of Torque. Absolutly nothing wrong with your Servo's CorsairJock, I'm just a Die Hard Fan of JR. Thanks for your info, it was very helpful in finding what I needed.

The Top Flite AT6 Wheels I was going to use isn't going to be available until June. Of Course Tower Hobbies didn't say it was on back order on their website. [:@] My LHS Owner made the order and they told him how long the back order was. So I cancled and ordered these instead.



http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXES44&P=ML

Well, I finally took the airplane out of the box and inspected it all. Man I love the covering! I'm used to Mono and Ultra, but this stuff reminds me of the shrink wrap they use on boats for winter storage. As soon as I took some the parts out of the bag, they began to wrinkle up a bit. I took my heat gun just like some of you told me and with just a little heat everything tightened up. [8D]

Here I display everything that comes in the ARF. Sorry, my Cat, JR Box and trash can isn't included.

Oberst

WARNING

I just want you guys to know that the ailerons and flaps on this bird are "pre-glued" from the factory. Don't trust it! I gave a good tug like I always do on all ARF aircraft with pre-glued control surfaces, and the left aileron came out.

There was a very small trace of Epoxy on one of the nylon hinges, but the other 2 hinges wasn't even glued, the flaps and the other aileron seems to be glued in enough, when I tug on them they don't move.

So I suggest to everyone to check their pre-glued control surfaces. It's better to have them pull out on your build table than in the air, so give them a good tug.

Pete

Oberst

I did some more work on the plane today and the day before yesterday. I cut all the covering from the wing and fuse and noticed that the factory must be using a dull drill! [:@] Splinters of Balsa and Plywood everywhere. Plus the holes were not perfect circles that were drilled. But with a little time and effort I cleaned it all up and made it a tad more neat.

I also glued the wing halves together with 30 min Epoxy. It took some time sanding the Main Wing Spar, to where's I could connect the wing halves together. It lined up perfectly, and with 70% Isopropyl Alcohol I was careful to remove the access Epoxy. I was also careful to avoid the fake rivets, it tended to want to wipe off.

But I got the residue all off and the wing looks clean.





I added a little historical detail, I ordered the Major Decals .40 German Markings and added the Swa.



For fun, I slapped the plane together to get a over all look at it. Dispite it's few factory flaws, it looks Goooood.





In the next few days I plan on re-inforcing the Servo Mounts and Firewall. Also I'm going to fuel proof a few more area's that need it. I don't trust what the factory did.

Pete

Oberst

I finished the bottom German Markings with the supplied decals. The directions stated to cut the crosses in half and then apply, I didn't do it that way.

I measured and cut the crosses so the fake rivets and panel line would show. I'm one of those who hate to cover detail with a decal.

Now, for the Flap Servo Hatch Cover detail, I took a steel ruler ( The one with the cork on the bottom ) and I had some silver or shiny grey Ultra on hand and I cut a few strips as thin as I could possible with the x-acto, (mine was 1/32 of an inch that I cut for both sides) and I made panel lines that perfectly matched the panel lines on the wing.





Pete

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

Looking good, Oberst

I've been making slow progress with the retracts installation:
I didn't like the angles so I added "Higley"
3 deg shim pieces to angle the retracts outward more, then added more 3 deg shim piece to angle the gear forward more, and lastly: glued the supplied ply pieces to the already installed shim pieces.
I hope to finish up this weekend (but I'm still working 7 days a week) and take some pics,

Oberst

Thanks CorsairJock,

I would enjoy seeing what you did with the shims. I think I understand what you did, so if you could post some pics that would be helpful. I've seen some R/C 109's with the landing gear straight up and down making the aircraft more unstable on the ground and looks unrealistic.

I'm assuming your making the wedges along with your supplied shims to give it that slightly spread out angle, like all 108 and 109 landing gears had?

Once Spring hits up here in NY, that's when my hours jump up to 40+. I'm trying to enjoy the slow period much as possible before the train wreck begins. This summer I'll complain that I'll hardly have any time to fly.

Ain't life grand?

Pete

Oberst

I worked on the Servo Mounts in the wing today, for some reason the standard servo arms were way too short, so I had to order the extra long ones. [:@]

Also I had to shim the Servo Mounts, they didn't seem high enough for the standard servo, resulting in one arm rubbing against the door. By adding the shims for the aileron servo's they are now more center.







Pete

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

Now that you mention it, I did the same thing (added 1/16" ply shims to the top of the servo mount rails). No big deal I guess it's better that they were too short than too tall.
As for the servo arms: I used normal length ones and put a slight bend in the steel control linkages to allow them clearance when the controls were at max deflection.

Will post pics of my retract mounts tonite

Oberst

Yes I tried that and I didn't like the way it looked, I'm being picky I guess. The stock servo arms with the standard JR servo's are very short. I only had one hole above the door, and to me it wasn't enough for room or clearance even with the bend.

That's OK, I don't mind the nickle and dime routine for now. It will be worth it in the end.

Pete

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

First 3 pics are of right wing, with shims installed but no retract unit. 3rd pic is my aileron linkage.
There are 2 plastic shims beneath each plywood shim: one of them angles the gear more outward, the other more forward.
The plastic shims are actually strips of "Ernst Thrust Plate .60", the 3 degree ones:
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXE953&P=K

These plates are designed so that modelers can add (or subtract) engine thrust offsets. I like to use the 2 degree ones to actually correct stock offset. That is, I actually remove some of the excessive offsets on some of my warbirds. The 3 degree ones have been used quite often by me to adjust landing gear angles.

4th, 5th, & 6th are of left wing, with retract unit installed. Notice that I am using flat head screws, rather than the ones provided with the kit

Oberst

Thanks for the pics Corsair, it looks real good so far. Keep it up, and take your time.

I just finished fuel proofing everything I could that needed it. I used thinned out epoxy by mixing it with 70% alcohol and I put a thin coat on the fire wall. I also re-enforced all the areas that were lacking glue with epoxy like the firewall, main fuse servo tray and all around the frame area inside the fuse. I epoxied the retract servo tray and mount in the wing.

Then I fuel proofed most all the bare balsa as far as I could reach inside the wing right where the aileron servo trays are. And I hit all inside the fuse starting inside the firewall all the way back to the push rod guides. I also hit along the tail part where the tail gear is. I used 3 coats of Balsarite COVR2515 for most of the fuel proofing, being careful not to touch any of the painted styrene or covering. I also fuel proofed under and around the retract mounts.


http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...P?I=LXB355&P=8

Any areas I need to fuel proof around the covering that is exposed I'll just spray some LustreKote Flat Clear in a cup and apply by a small brush. 3 coats works well with that as well.


http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXCZW4&P=ML

I labeled my servo wires so I don't get confused or mix the flap with my aileron. I had some clear decal sticker and labled "A" for aileron and "F" for Flap for all the wires.



I trimmed the Push rod guides and epoxied them in place, after I made the guides flush at the back of the fuse.




I finally found the Bust I'm going to use for this bird.


http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXWMV2&P=M

But you "Electric Guy's" out there don't need to worry about possible fuel line leaks or glow exhaust, so you need not to worry about fuel proofing. But that's OK, I'll still want to fly with you.

Pete

Oberst

I've got a question for any of you, when you guys put the struts on the tail, did you cut out that little square hole in the covering on the bottom part of the stabilizer?



Or did you just leave it and cut around the covering where the struts set best when you fiddled around with the placement. The directions are terrible, I think the only directions that were worse was CMP. JMHO

I glued the stabilizer in place with 30 min epoxy, I did the string method and used the center line in the balsa where the stabilizer halves were glued together. I also temporarily put in the elevators as a guide for alighnment. And moved everything as far forward as possible due to the stabilizer had some forward and back slop to it.



I attached the tail wheel bracket as well. I put CA in the pre-drilled holes first, and then I put a little on the screw threads before tightening it all down with RTL #2x9/16 servo screws.

So, do you guys have a slight gap around the stabilizer and fuse? I'm deciding how I want to fill or cover it.

Pete

Oberst

Ok, yesterday I finally got my servo, Robart Wheels and Pilot Bust. The JR High Torque ST126MG does not fit as a retract servo.

THIS PLANE MUST HAVE A LOW PROFILE SERVO! I plan on keeping the servo for a later project so it's not a total loss.

Yesterday I put in the JR NES791 Retract Servo in. When I did, one of the screw holes became weak and started striping when I put in the RTL Fastener Servo Screw.

And this is after I applied CA glue to the holes to stiffen the retract servo plate! [:@] I quickly removed the servo and CA glued tooth picks in the holes, sanded the toothpicks flush with the plate and hand drilled right in the center of the toothpick. ( It took a steady hand.) Then I re-applied CA glue in the holes and this time added a little amount of medium CA on the screws itself before tightening down everything.

I studied quite a few pictures of the full size Me-108 and noticed they had a course walkway mat on both sides of the wing like we do on modern low wing aircraft.

I took a brand new sheet of 1000 grit wet/dry black sandpaper, cut it exactly in half and tacked it all down with canopy glue. It was a pain pushing out the access glue and cleaning up all that mess, but it was worth it to add this nice little detail to the plane.

In the picture I have a few jars of screws on one of the walkway, I later replaced both of them with phone books.



Then I epoxied the elevator and rudder in place.



My darn cat is a camera hog!



More to come later,


Pete

Oberst

I did a little more Sunday work on my plane today, I put the tailwheel together. I wanted to make the tail axle a little more realistic without butchering it. Being a Bike Tech for Dick's Sprting Goods, I had plenty of brake cable covers on hand. They make a great fake shock cover!



I also replaced the tailwheel to a more scale wheel. I had a Hanger 9 PTS many years ago and I stole the wheel after I sold the plane, knowing I would use it for a better Warbird later on. It even matches my new Robart Wheels, so now I have all rubber wheels.

I also threw out the stock hardware, to me it's junk so I'm using mostly Robart, Dubro and RTL Fasteners for most of my hardware.

I'm loosely basing this bird from this picture, and taking a wild guess what it exactly looked like in WWII.



I spent an hour making a template out of cardboard and tracing the #11 on the side of the Fuse. I had some extra decals left over from a Seagull Models .91 Extra 260 I built last year. I noticed that the blue letters that go on the wings of the Extra was the same color blue I needed, so I made and cut it out from scratch. It's as close I could get it to scale. [8D]



More to come later.

Pete

Oberst

Sorry people, the plane was destroyed due to a faulty loose CA bottle cap. When I went to glue the holes of the control horns my cap was loose, spilling CA all over the plane.[:@] Due to the damage and I didn't want to re-cover the plane and make a kit out of it, I destroyed and got rid of the plane.

I don't believe I will be replacing the 108. Count me out on this build, I'm heart broken.

Pete

jayc73

Oberst,
I'm sorry to hear that!?! What did you do with the cowl

Baldeagle

My Feedback: (7)

Any flight reports on the 108 yet?

CorsairJock

My Feedback: (90)

Hoping to have mine FINALLY ready to fly by next weekend.

In the meantime, anyone looking for a deal on this,
UNDER $150 from Hobby People:

http://www.hobbypeople.net/gallery/159898.asp

rcairnut

Cool I have one on the way

nut