Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Finally i've stepped in the actual giant scale aspect of this hobby with this Ziroli DC 3 that will be my biggest model in the fleet, i also have ordered short kit of Ziroli P 38 Lightning but there is still a lot of time for 38 to come and take shape.
I'm thinking on getting retracts custom made for this model also, as it will be made from more durable and robust material then commercially available Robart retracts. If custom ones didn't materialized then Robo's are available to relies on.
Model will be powered with 2 x 38CC engines, either Quadra's, US engines or another brand as long as they are updated with electronic ignitions.
It will be next winter when i will start building this model, as i have couple already on the go, one being S Connie is on last phase of construction, then Concorde will be worked on during the summer season. After these two models, this DC 3 will commence.

Presently plan is to get all the material, engines, landing gears, electronics for it during these coming months, so when i get to it, i will have all on hand. I like to know from guys who have built and flown these models, what servos are you using through out this model. IS there a huge concern of weight issue with it, or being HUGE model, weight is not on high priority....What are the areas to have concern about while building this model and are there any special methods used in the construction of this model. Still waiting for plans to arrive in mail...

Livery i have in mind for it is: 1975 era's Saudi Arabian Airlines green and blue stripes livery. My father has flown on Saudia's DC 3s and when i was a child, i remember seeing Saudia's HZ-AAX derelited at old Jeddah's airport, but it was recoverd, restored during 80's and 90's back to flying condition and it is presently preserved in Riyadh's Air force museum painted in it's original livery wearing it's original registration as SAR-1. This was it's first registration number when in 1945 President Roosevelt gifted this aircraft to King Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia.

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Found couple more pictures of this DC 3 from mid 90's when it was restored for second time in Riyadh, S.A.
At the time of this restoration, HZ-AAX was in Saudi Arabian Airlines #2 livery...

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Hi

Looking for any info on the Quadra engines, parts, specs, suggestions on why I can't get a spark.
I think that it is a 42cc

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Sorry can't help ya as i never used any Quadra engines before...Ask guys in "Gas engine" section of this site, they'll help i'm sure..

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Thanks . . . . .

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

What are the best suited engines for this model, should i look for G38's or bigger ones due to weight ranges of 40-45lbs...

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

I will be a fish and bite. 3 cent opinion. Your mileage may vary. Your moniker is K.I.S.S. Ok, why are you throwing money away at custom retracts? I see you inquired about building them. 99.9 percent of the guys out there would not know the difference between scale and Robarts. Now,if you are scaling to the N'th degree, go ahead. Otherwise, saved you a bunch of time and money. G-38's work just fine. my-3 was 42 to 44 lbs and it was maybe a little over half throttle at cruise. Also ran them both ways,mag and electronic. Your going to need weight up front. spring starters add weight and are something useful. Flew on 16oz tanks . Might want to think about service if the need arises. Quaddra parts? What the heck is a Quadrra? KISS> Servo's are of personal choosing. I had Hi-tec 605's on ailerons,elevators and rudder. Used a bell crank setup to run rudder and tail wheel steering. Yes, you don't need a seperate servo for steering. The tail is so light when balanced a mild cross wind will turn the airplane 90 degrees. Your airplane balances on the wing,NOT on the tail. 4 guys can move a full scale DC-3 on a FLAT surface. I was one of them doing this on N711Y. Use your Google-fu and find out who died in this airplane. No, I wasn't involved in this mishap. HS-81 on throttles. Flaps had HS- 425's. Yes, low power servos on flaps is no-no land for a lot of people but they stayed down because you don't lower flaps at high speed. See 1 to 1 scale airplanes and check out the checklist that has limitations flaps vs. airspeed. It's not going to fly 3D. One of the other DC-3 threads has lots of overboard building techniques that boggles my mind. In this post, I won't go into some of the truly ridiculous half truths that were said. PM if you want specifics. REMEMBER,this is my opinion. If you stick to the plans and don't throw a lumberyard of extra material in the tail, 40 to 45 lbs is normal. And no it doesn't fly like 45 lbs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IrBu9JixQCo is my airplane flying. Good luck.

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Thanks for chiming in Simco. At this time im looking at all options as i do with every build of mine and things do change over at the.course of the build. At this time im also looking for resonably priced new or lightly used set of Robo retracts and tail wheel assembly. I have a friend who can make custom landing gears for me at very very resonable price so i thought of looking into custom option as with most robo.struts tubing for leg is very thin material n cost is higer. Since u amd Steve have used or are using robo DC3 retracts then im zure ill be ok with them also. Wow didn't thoufht tail would be so light on these models that a briskk cross wind will cause direction stability problems...hmm have to see n.talk to few of you guys with these models to figure out how.can it be made so it will settle firmly in the diection of the travel n will not
thow the plane off the track...sounds like design flaw....
As for the engines im sure G38s will be good. I was going after electrnoic ignition set up but as the weight is needed up front then ill get ones with magnetos, juss makes sense.

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

When the video was taken, it was about a 15mph crosswind at our field. Remember your not dealing with a 40 size airplane! The fuse is 1 foot in diameter with a large tail for directional stabiltity. If you fly in grass, a little drag not letting the tail swing will make it skid. Not a real problem, it's fine in the air.

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Wondering if tail wheel from Robart could be left freely to caster as it is on actual aircrafts. I'm thinking on using rudder and differential throttle on ground to do the steering if it's possible to do with G38s!. I know with electric set up it's doable but gas is different. I also have Robatr's retractable tail wheel assembly, wondering if i can use this also by making if in fixed retracted position.

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Not worth the trouble with a castering wheel. For the most part the plane taxi's well, our field orientation is southeast with the prevailing wind in summer is mostly due south.

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Just some info... The full-scale is not "always" free castering. They would get lined up on the runway and lock the tailwheel straight ahead.. It stayed that way for flight and landing.. Then un-locked to turn off the runway..

I found that digging around for my "much smaller" DC-3 research. If you look into the DC-3 various checklist, you can find it there. Here is a link to one of the pages: [link=http://www.theaviatornetwork.com/pdf/NormalChecklist-050221.pdf]DC-3 Normal Checklist[/link]

I'm keeping mine hooked up like a regular tail wheel. I just have a friend to make the yoke look better than a thin piece of wire or metal. I started with the plywood and bent piece of aluminum.. Then we went up to the bigger chunk and are machining it down

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Tom,

Thanks for that info on locking on tail wheel on take off run, i'm sure some kind of locking mechanism can be made to lock the tail wheel on the runways by use of a servo to function it. This way some practice will be needed to make sure model in straight in line with runway for both take off and landings...

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

This model is in South America.

Yes, everything you see there except the skin, are my graphics!

Good luck with your build!

Charles

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Thanks Charles,

I think this model is fully covered in Flite Metal also as i remember seeing it on Ed Clayman's FM site.

We'll get intouch again....

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Props4ever ,
If you are still looking for Robart gear , there is a set for sale here on RCU that comes with the wing center section .
http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=833427

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Thanks CK1, appreciated ur help...

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

hello dc 3 guys!!!<div>Im in the process of finishing a golden age dc3 which is similar in size to ziroli dc3. Almost everything is the same except this came with a composite fuselage and wing center section.</div><div>I just wana ask the guys who has flown this,what is the recommended cg location. I purchased this one partially built and didnt come with plans or any build instruction whatsoever.</div><div>Suggestions are all welcome. Thanks much in advance.</div><div></div><div>Re tailwheel lock- the lock limits the travel to a minimum but not necessarily "locked". They still react when you're kicking rudder as u gracefully scream along the runway for take off. Its like similar to dual rates on rc so we can just set it on low for take off and landing and set to max for taxiing.</div><div></div><div>Re tailwheel, i have purchased a similar looking trailing link landing gear. Its not expensive so it saves a lot of time.</div><div></div><div>Great advice on the flap servos by the way. assymetrical drag if a servo fails would be disastrous</div>

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

I recently bought one of these built and sheeted, and have been working on her for about three weeks. I can help thinking ahead on how the fuel tanks are mounted. Does anyone have pics of how they placed and installed theirs? Thanks in advance..

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

16 oz. dubro's fit between the ribs in the center section. It will run just fine with the long fuel lines from center section to the nacelle. Just put your fueling Tee close to the carb so the engine doesn't have to draw fuel to far on first start.

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Thank you for your reply SIMCO, I really appreciate it. I took a "hurricane" day today from work, as long as I have power, I'm going to get some work done on her today. thanks again!

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

since your nacelles are not sheeted, find a home for your CDI unit if your going that way. If your doing G38's (which are more than plenty of power) line the cut outs with roofing tin or some type of sheetmetal and use the stock exhaust. Not so much for the heat but for the velocity of exhaust gas coming out. It will rip the paint off. BTW, jam the air bottle and up/down valve between the tanks in the center section. Never have to disconnect the air lines.

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Thanks Again SIMCO, would you happen to have any pics of yours?

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8727502/tm.htm Here is the original post for the DC-3 Pictures of the fuel tank/air bottle installation

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Thanks Buddy!

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Are flaps needed, and how are the wings secured?

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Depends where you fly . If you fly in a no approach tree ring like me they will help. Long approach cornfield style I don't think it would make that much difference. Looks nice. Wing is bolted on in the 4 corners of the the fusalage.

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

SIMCO you"re the best, thanks for your replies. My wing question is about after sliding the wing ends in the center section, is there any way that secures them to the center section? Set screw? hook? velcro? (Lol) or are then snug enough so that they stay on...?

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Generally a set screw will hold it. The Ziroli version has an internal hardwood block that is glued to the wing tube socket. It's threaded and the wing tube itself from the panel. If yours doesn't have it. i would suggest a strap arrangement across the 2 halves. IN HARDWOOD. Not some crappy balsa. Mininum hackjob. Might want to pin search the wing socket area at the 2 halves to look for a hardwood block. Maybe an inch or 2 at the most from the root. Also eyeball the socket, might have been done all ready.

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Wheels and fuel tanks in today!

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

SIMCO, how much run time did you get on the 15oz tanks with the G38s?

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Half power flying about 20 minutes. More than plenty. Also figure in about 2-3 oz just in the fuel line.

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Center section mounted... Holy Moly she's big!

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Hi Guys, I have 42 great flights on my Ziroli DC-3. I was the beta tester for the twinsync for gas engine applications from 2006- 2009. There are certain things that need to be done to it for reliable flight that are not in the book. You can see my DC-3 if you search Youtube videos " DC-3 by Rick Simmons FLt 2". The modifications outlined in the info is quite long so I did'nt post it, but it is a must read for anyone who is building or owns one. Send me a PM with your email and I will send it to you. It includes pics of what I did to the tail wheel. 2engsout

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Its great to see the thread is still going on and more guys are building these awesome ZDc 3 models but you guys need to stop teasing me...I have pushed DC 3 in favor of 1:12 Boeing B747SP right from scratch ground up. Don't take me wrong I still very much enjoy these builds and will build my model eventually......almost lost 2 great deals on all built up ones due to logistic issue between US and Canada....

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Beginning to glass...

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

You will need a wallpaper spreader when you get to the wings. Just grind off the teeth. HA

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Ha! I always used a credit card (expired of course...Lol)

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Slow but sure.... Progress is progress. I got my pilots fromhttp://www.bestpilots.typepad.com/ awesome, Thanks Lyle! More glassing and sanding...

RE: Another Ziroli DC 3 to be built...
 

Hi there.

Here is a video of my Ziroli DC-3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLGP9JcAPVk Still flying great.

And here is my photoalbum building the DC-3 https://picasaweb.google.com/1141471...C3ZiroliAlbum#

Ivan