Kyosho Catalina ARF
06-16-2004, 07:00 AM
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Kyosho Catalina ARF
Just looking for info on these.Have been watching swaps etc for one but guess there weren't to many out there.THey are a little small but beggars can't be choosers.Just wondered if they were any good in case I find one around?Would be interested in prurchase of one if you have a spare.That is if people think they are any good!!Thanks
06-18-2004, 07:43 PM
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RE: Kyosho Catalina ARF
Hasn't anybody had any experience with this plane?Maybe there weren't to many of them I think they were rather expensive?
06-20-2004, 01:30 PM
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RE: Kyosho Catalina ARF
Hi!
I have built and flown two of these 4-6 years ago. Built one for a friend and one for myself.
Both powered by OS .15 engines (FP.15 and LA .15) and both flew very nice with very good performance. Only half throttle is necessary when you are in the air. I still have my Catalina and fly it occasionally.
I modified both a little just to decrease weight (it is no problem using them the way they are though) but lighter airplanes fly better. The first one was all white and on this I took away the covering on the wings and made several square holes in the foam wing to make the wing lighter. I also mounted a single throttle servo inside the wing and used thin Sullivan throttle wire to both throttles.Then I recovered the wing with silver Oracover plastic film (Goldberg Ultracote to you Americans) to make it resemble one of the Swedish Catalinas from the fifties. Fuselage was spraypainted with Sikkens Autocryl, 2 part Automotive silver lacquer.
I discarded the thin flimsy Kyosho ABS engine cowls and replaced them with a more sturdy bottom piece from a plastic soft drink bottle.
I also noticed that Kyosho had had mounted the wing in rather unscale-like way with the wing sitting at no angle of attack...suppose it was 0 degree. Studying some photos revealed that the full-scale Catalina wing was sitting at an angle (The leading edge pointing more up) I put in a 6mm plywood spacer under the wing and the fuselage pylon just forward of the front 4mm wing securing bolt.
This made the wing "sit" more scale like on the fuselage. I used a mix of microballons and 24 hour epoxy to fill in the space between the wing and the fuselage pylon.
I also made 4 new wing braces out of K&S profile aluminum instead of those in the kit which were made of round wood dowels.
I also discarded the water rudder as I did not want to take up more holes in the fuselage than necessary just because of being afraid of water comming into the fuselage.
As of this I also used thin fishing wire to steer the side-rudder.
I also used wire to control the elevator, having an internal horn made out of steel and wires going to the servo. This way no unnecessary holes except those two for the siderudder (1mm)had to be drilled in the fuselage.
Both of the Catalinas were modified this way and both fly extreamly well ...with the right "sit" in the air (the front of fuselage pointing slightly down with the tail riding a bit high this due to the slight increase in angle of attack of the wing). Both also taxi good without waterrudder...best at low throttle settings. So a waterrudder is totally unnecessary to have ...at least on these airplanes.
As I said I used OS .15 engines in both Catalinas and these have proven to be perfect for these aircraft with good power for take off and very reliable and good throttle respons.
APC 8x5 is what I used and recommend.
Glowplug was and still is (have never change them during the years I have had my Catalina) an OS 8 and fuel being 15% Motul "micro" allsynthetic oil and 5% nitro..the rest Methanol.
Weight is around 1,6 kg.
Regards!
Jan K
Sweden
I have built and flown two of these 4-6 years ago. Built one for a friend and one for myself.
Both powered by OS .15 engines (FP.15 and LA .15) and both flew very nice with very good performance. Only half throttle is necessary when you are in the air. I still have my Catalina and fly it occasionally.
I modified both a little just to decrease weight (it is no problem using them the way they are though) but lighter airplanes fly better. The first one was all white and on this I took away the covering on the wings and made several square holes in the foam wing to make the wing lighter. I also mounted a single throttle servo inside the wing and used thin Sullivan throttle wire to both throttles.Then I recovered the wing with silver Oracover plastic film (Goldberg Ultracote to you Americans) to make it resemble one of the Swedish Catalinas from the fifties. Fuselage was spraypainted with Sikkens Autocryl, 2 part Automotive silver lacquer.
I discarded the thin flimsy Kyosho ABS engine cowls and replaced them with a more sturdy bottom piece from a plastic soft drink bottle.
I also noticed that Kyosho had had mounted the wing in rather unscale-like way with the wing sitting at no angle of attack...suppose it was 0 degree. Studying some photos revealed that the full-scale Catalina wing was sitting at an angle (The leading edge pointing more up) I put in a 6mm plywood spacer under the wing and the fuselage pylon just forward of the front 4mm wing securing bolt.
This made the wing "sit" more scale like on the fuselage. I used a mix of microballons and 24 hour epoxy to fill in the space between the wing and the fuselage pylon.
I also made 4 new wing braces out of K&S profile aluminum instead of those in the kit which were made of round wood dowels.
I also discarded the water rudder as I did not want to take up more holes in the fuselage than necessary just because of being afraid of water comming into the fuselage.
As of this I also used thin fishing wire to steer the side-rudder.
I also used wire to control the elevator, having an internal horn made out of steel and wires going to the servo. This way no unnecessary holes except those two for the siderudder (1mm)had to be drilled in the fuselage.
Both of the Catalinas were modified this way and both fly extreamly well ...with the right "sit" in the air (the front of fuselage pointing slightly down with the tail riding a bit high this due to the slight increase in angle of attack of the wing). Both also taxi good without waterrudder...best at low throttle settings. So a waterrudder is totally unnecessary to have ...at least on these airplanes.
As I said I used OS .15 engines in both Catalinas and these have proven to be perfect for these aircraft with good power for take off and very reliable and good throttle respons.
APC 8x5 is what I used and recommend.
Glowplug was and still is (have never change them during the years I have had my Catalina) an OS 8 and fuel being 15% Motul "micro" allsynthetic oil and 5% nitro..the rest Methanol.
Weight is around 1,6 kg.
Regards!
Jan K
Sweden
06-20-2004, 10:52 PM
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RE: Kyosho Catalina ARF
Thanks for the reply on the Cat's.Everything shows up eventually at the swaps etc.Will keep a watch for one but sounds like they actually are best on 15s.Hate to buy more engines have 2-25FPs and 2 Magnum 28s that are presently occupied in a twinstar and a GP p-38,Have 2 sets of 40s doing nothing but haven't seen any Cat's for that size!Anyway thanks a lot you answered most of my questions and thoughts on the plane.
06-22-2004, 11:08 PM
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RE: Kyosho Catalina ARF
.25s are a tight fit for this. 15s look like they will fit better. the kit loks like it is a good quality and i am waiting to finish all of my other projects to get started with mine. i think that one of the local hobby shops has 2 of these in stock. there are 2 versions of the kit one with landing gear and one without. and yes these kits are pricey (overpriced).
