mmiller1

My Feedback: (75)

I recently purchased a Seagull Models Texan (82" version). I have a couple of questions for anyone who also has this ARF. The ARF comes set up for a 1.2 2 stroke glow or perhaps a 4 Stroke. They also mentioned some were using a 26 gas. If that was the case, the servo mounting trays that are located forward of the firewall (for cg balance I suspect) would have to be removed. I do not want to start tearing items out to find out that a gas engine may be too heavy. Sooo, if anyone out there is flying this bird I could sure use some pointers as the manual is very minimal in information on alterations. Also, is anyone using retracts? If so, what brand. I see that the landing gear block is drilled at an angle to place the wheels at the appropriate location forward of the leading edge.

Tim

All Day Dan

My Feedback: (5)

Tim, If you are going to use a gas engine you will have to start relocating the servo positions regardless of the changes to the CG even if it takes some ballast to get it where you want it to be. You should always keep every component of your ignition system and radio system separated by at least 12 inches or as much as possible. Never have any metallic object in that 12 inch isolation area including a metal pushrod to the engine and especially a throttle servo. This advice holds true weather you experience interference or not on the ground or if someone else tells you that it's BS because they have gotten away not doing it. It will catch up with them one of these days. Dan.

BryanSinHou

I recently purchased that arf as well in earlier this month (October, 2010). I am planning on putting in a CRRC 26cc gasser in and am figuring i'll have to take those servo mounts out and beef-up the firewall. In the process, will have to re-route the pushrods into the "normal" location in the fuse and make servo mounts. I think i am also going to run a bead of thick CA everywhere I can reach just to be safe.

Tim, how are you doing on yours?

Bryan

NoFlaps

My Feedback: (131)

I bought the BHM version of this plane and had started a thread for it. (BHM and Seagull are made in the same plant).
I made wing mods to create proper split flaps and a central flap and changed the cheap tailwheel assembly out with a semiscale Dubro.
The plane needed extra nose weight so I put in a 28CC weedeater engine, and the airframe handles it just fine. oleo-like retracts aren't the greatest, but work just fine...I changed out the cheap air lines to all robart stuff.
Wheels and hardware should be changed to handle the higher stress loads they'lle be under. Your gasser will probbaly rattle the plane a bit more heavily than a 1.20nitro or electric (how these look designed for).
carbon fiber or reinforced pushrods would be a nice choice, but it will fly fine on the stock piano wire as long as you dont put it under super acrobatic or high G, as it'll bend.
I'll see if I can find some pics...I had maidened her this past spring.

RCGARY

My Feedback: (35)

Hey guys. I read your thread on the Seagull Texan. I was planning on ordering one with the electric retract setup. I wanted to use a Zenoah G26 gas motor. I was all set to go until I looked at the manual and noticed the servo location on the firewall. Obviously I would have to move the rudder and elevator servos in the fuse.

I was wondering if anyone has done this yet and had some pictures. Relocating the servos shouldn't be that big of a deal unless there are issues lining up the existing control rods.

Anyway, some pics sure would help.

Thanks in advance.

Gary

email [email protected]

soco32

I just did the maiden on mine today.  Stock set up with servos, using an older OS 1.20 Surpass I with pump.  Plenty of power and speed.  My CG looks to be right on, but I found it to be a bit touchy.  Flew for several minutes and then made lousy landing - elevator was touchy and I misjudged the speed.  Landed a bit hot then did dumb thing and used elevator it ballooned but I settled it after a couple of "firm" bounces.  Oleos worked real well.  I have not checked it out yet, but I think my control low rates were to high - maybe accounting for touchy handling.  I have a 90" GeeBee that flies itself, but really had to stay with the AT-6.

tailskid

My Feedback: (34)

I have one and love the way it flies.....have an Evolution 120 and it keeps overheating .....did a tip stall once had to purchase another kit for the cowl and right wing, so I have a lot of parts .

AA5BY

I used a Zenoah G-20 on mine and it powers the plane fine. The servos were relocated to the wing bay with the two elevator servos given mounts to the rear of the bay and the rudder and throttle servo forward somewhat. I made the pushrods work and just shortened them to suit the new servo locations.

Unless flying off a hard surface, I'd shy away from retracts and stick with the fixed mounting that angles the gear forward. I fly off a fairly rough field and had a set of very nice retracts given to me and decided not to use them because of concern for no forward gear rake and after the first flight knew the right decision had been made. If flying off a hard surface, it is an entirely different ball game and I expect retracts would be no problem.

Takeoffs are easy and without the ground handling issues sometimes associated with an AT-6. Flight is very smooth with great tracking and good aerobatic abilities. I'd describe flight as being way better than a trainer but well short of the sports car feel of a Yak. The only flight manners issues are landings, which might challenge an intermediate pilot because of a narrower window to flare. Like all war birds, it requires adequate landing speed but then must be managed to keep her on her feet once touched down. It doesn't have to be landed hot, but nor should it be stalled to the deck. As someone else noted, it is best to avoid flaring it in because the flare speed tolerance is critical as too much speed will have it balloon with elevator and a slight bit of elevator at too slow a speed will have a wing drop. In other words, back the throttle down until a shallow glide slope is achieved and leave the throttle there until it touches down. In short, because it has a narrow flare window, an intermediate pilot should avoid doing so.... in fact, an expert pilot might benefit from not flaring this one in.

Low power throttle management is sometimes a problem with a gas engine as gas engines often have 3/4 of the power band in the first half of the stick. That makes it harder to manage the throttle during landings and the work around is to set up a throttle curve to make the power range more linear to the stick. If your transmitter has such a throttle curve, don't hesitate to use it on this plane. If it doesn't, there is a work around that can be employed (at least on lower end JR radios like my 7202 by setting the throws on the lower half of the stick to half the value of the upper half of the stick. For example, if it is determined that 150% servo travel is needed, instead of having 75% low and 75% high, set the low to 50% and the high to 100%. Doing so makes the lower half of stick travel have double the resolution (or half the servo movement) of the upper half and much easier jockying the throttle or getting an ideal rpm for a proper landing glide slope. It simple makes a gas engine throttle more linear and easier to manage lower power settings during landing.

Be careful of grasping the wings... the wing sheeting is light and too strong a grasp can crack the sheeting.

Also, when drilling for the wing bolts... DO NOT drill both at the same time. I and others have done this and then had a very (very very) difficult task of getting the wing halves off the tube due to burrs created during the drilling process. Without the ability to twist the tube or pull on the tube to clear the burr... it is very hard to get the wing half off. Trust those who provide this warning... do one half, remove the tube and wing half and remove the tube from that half and ensure that it comes out easily, then reset it and install the other wing section and drill it.

One of the really nice features of the Seagull AT-6 is that the center section can be left bolted on for easy transport on its gear and setup without a cradle needed to invert the plane at the field. This is a big plus and I wish Seagull had done similar on their PT-19 to avoid the need of a cradle for transport and setup.

As to balance, the G-20 is around 42 oz with ignition and muffler and moving the servos to wing bay proved to be little problem. IIRC, I've both the flight and ignition batteries immediately aft of the firewall and made my own large aluminum prop nut (2"dia x 1 5/8" long instead of buying a very nice AT-6 spinner costing right at an airplane unit. No added weight to balance was needed.

Enjoy the very nice plane.

soco32

Nice review AA5BY-
You are right about the landing characteristics. I also had a smaller 65" version of the AT6. It was a quircky on take off, but flew well. Had to be careful in tight turns either keeping power on or drop the nose to keep air speed up; failing to do either will result in tip stall and she will roll over. My experience with landing most of the warbirds is to fly them to the ground; for get the flare; just cut power at touch down and keep your finger off of the elevator! They roll a bit further than with a flare, but they stick to the ground.

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

There are a lot of threads on AT-6 Landing Techniques, I've had best results Wheel Landing, bring it in with speed, touch down the mains, let the ground slow it down and let the tail drop naturally.. When you try a long slow flare and it will many times bounce,,, or worse tip stall.

Practice what works best for you,, good luck

affas