PBY Catalina ARF by Great Planes
09-28-2009, 08:18 AM
#101
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RE: PBY Catalina ARF by Great Planes
Stunning footage, thanks for posting it . . . makes me want to crack out the 104" plan and get to work . . . why did I sell the 66" one?
Siddus74
Siddus74
10-20-2009, 08:04 PM
#102
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RE: PBY Catalina ARF by Great Planes
Tony F,
How does yours fly with your motor set up? I have a set of the same motors eflight 450 park flyers and I am about ready to pull the trigger on ordering one. I decided to get a GP Seawind to test out the local lake and see it handled and I think I will be just fine with the PBY.
I have a couple of 2200 batteries as well.
Thank you for you input.
How does yours fly with your motor set up? I have a set of the same motors eflight 450 park flyers and I am about ready to pull the trigger on ordering one. I decided to get a GP Seawind to test out the local lake and see it handled and I think I will be just fine with the PBY.
I have a couple of 2200 batteries as well.
Thank you for you input.
11-17-2009, 08:10 PM
#103
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RE: PBY Catalina ARF by Great Planes
FRUSTRATED,
The cowls cracked while putting them on the motor mount/wing pylon
Now that there over the firewall I cant get them far enough back, I still need to slide the grey plastic cowls 2-3" back to meet the wing leading edge. Whats wrong????? I don't see these as part on the Tower site, how do I get another set? Thanks
The cowls cracked while putting them on the motor mount/wing pylon
Now that there over the firewall I cant get them far enough back, I still need to slide the grey plastic cowls 2-3" back to meet the wing leading edge. Whats wrong????? I don't see these as part on the Tower site, how do I get another set? Thanks
11-18-2009, 10:46 PM
#104
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RE: PBY Catalina ARF by Great Planes
Hello, I posted this link to the PBY parts on RCG for you yesterday, hope this helps. This is the parts page for the GP PBY on Tower Hobbies website; they do stock the cowls: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...I=GPMA1154&P=Z. Mine's still in the box; I'll assemble it soon. Good luck!
11-19-2009, 07:27 AM
#105
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RE: PBY Catalina ARF by Great Planes
Thanks for trying, Tower only sells the "dummy radial" portion of the cowl. In order to get the large part that slides over the motor mount and wing L.E. you have to purchase the entire wing kit!
11-19-2009, 05:09 PM
#106
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RE: PBY Catalina ARF by Great Planes
Bummer! Those mounts are plywood aren't they? Looks like you will have to do some "bailing wire & duct tape" type of construction and rebuild or repair the ones you have. I'll remember your travails when I put mine together and be very careful when I mount those pods on the wings. Sorry for your problems, but thanks for pointing it out; it will help me with my build. Good luck,
bd
bd
02-11-2010, 03:05 PM
#107
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RE: PBY Catalina ARF by Great Planes
Hi guys!
I just read this whole thread, and thought I'd drop a post. I flew off water for the first and only time last Spring out in Wilkes Barre PA, and I really enjoyed it, even though I only flew once with an old Goldberg Eaglet I put on floats. Anywho, I watched videos and read reviews and decided I had to have one of these Cats, so I ordered it up and it arrived in good fashion.
One thing that annoys me is people who overcharge for items. When Rimfire wants 50 bucks a pop for their motors, and designs the mounts so that only their specific motor will fit without mod, it bothers me. Same for the speed controls. I did some research and found a motor from hobby king that should do the trick for 7.30 apiece, and the speed controls were similarly priced. I bought a lovely 2200ma 3 cell lipo for 10.99.
The build went well. The mods to the firewall involved drilling new holes using only 1 of the predrilled holes. I slightly cracked one of the 2 cowls putting them on the mounts. I got the balance right with the battery shoved all the way forward, used a GWS 4 channel receiver. The maiden if it happens this weekend will come off snow. My only concern with hard surface landing/takeoffs is the water rudder sticking down might grab and stress or break something. From what I read, I think it is short enough if I don't yank the nose up hard or land too tail low it should be fine, particularly if the snow is more then a few inches deep. I thought about removing the water rudder for surface based flight and replacing it with a shorter rod to hinge the air rudder, but I am hesitant to regularly install and remove the set screw holding it in place. That would be asking for a stripped head, so I will see how it goes. Wish me luck!
I just read this whole thread, and thought I'd drop a post. I flew off water for the first and only time last Spring out in Wilkes Barre PA, and I really enjoyed it, even though I only flew once with an old Goldberg Eaglet I put on floats. Anywho, I watched videos and read reviews and decided I had to have one of these Cats, so I ordered it up and it arrived in good fashion.
One thing that annoys me is people who overcharge for items. When Rimfire wants 50 bucks a pop for their motors, and designs the mounts so that only their specific motor will fit without mod, it bothers me. Same for the speed controls. I did some research and found a motor from hobby king that should do the trick for 7.30 apiece, and the speed controls were similarly priced. I bought a lovely 2200ma 3 cell lipo for 10.99.
The build went well. The mods to the firewall involved drilling new holes using only 1 of the predrilled holes. I slightly cracked one of the 2 cowls putting them on the mounts. I got the balance right with the battery shoved all the way forward, used a GWS 4 channel receiver. The maiden if it happens this weekend will come off snow. My only concern with hard surface landing/takeoffs is the water rudder sticking down might grab and stress or break something. From what I read, I think it is short enough if I don't yank the nose up hard or land too tail low it should be fine, particularly if the snow is more then a few inches deep. I thought about removing the water rudder for surface based flight and replacing it with a shorter rod to hinge the air rudder, but I am hesitant to regularly install and remove the set screw holding it in place. That would be asking for a stripped head, so I will see how it goes. Wish me luck!
03-07-2010, 06:52 PM
#108
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RE: PBY Catalina ARF by Great Planes
Maiden flight off snow today. It went well. Definitely likes rudder in the turns and flies slow as a walk! Plenty of power in the Hobby King motors and the lipo didn't even get warm taking about 1400 ma to refill after about 15 minutes of motor running at various speeds. The rudder turned it on the snow pretty well although it seemed to like left turns better then right turns. Torque, I guess. But she will lift off at half throttle if I let her.
So I am very happy with my Cat, and I spent under 15 dollars for both motors, under 30 for both speed controls and 11 dollars for a 3 cell 2200 ma lipo. 56 dollars total to power her or just 7 dollars more then ONE of the recommended motors would have cost me.
Anybody here coming to the Wyoming Valley RC Club's float fly near Wilkes Barre, PA on April 11th?
So I am very happy with my Cat, and I spent under 15 dollars for both motors, under 30 for both speed controls and 11 dollars for a 3 cell 2200 ma lipo. 56 dollars total to power her or just 7 dollars more then ONE of the recommended motors would have cost me.
Anybody here coming to the Wyoming Valley RC Club's float fly near Wilkes Barre, PA on April 11th?
08-30-2010, 08:04 AM
#112
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RE: PBY Catalina ARF by Great Planes
I finally got my hands on some GWS 8 by 4 three bladed props. I am going to switch them off for the stock 2 bladed props. Anybody got any experience with this change off?
08-30-2010, 10:43 AM
#113
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RE: PBY Catalina ARF by Great Planes
I'm still deciding on whether or not to get the Cat or get the E-flite J-3 cub 25 and was wondering if any of you have flown both and could help me decide. This will be my first float plane so I want something relatively easy to land on water.
Thanks for you help.
