RE: New VQ A26K
 

Thanks for the reply Bob. I have bought the kit and can see what you mean about the thin plastic! I think I can beef it up from the getgo ... Hopefully enough to give it some longevity. I will heed your advice in the build and hopefully come up with a nice result. I am interested in the electric retracts you used failing so quickly! I have used HobbyKing electric retracts on my H9 P47 and figure I can used the same on this one .. together with Oleo Struts.
I am surprised you can bare the fixed landing gear on a warbird of this size ... I will certainly put some effort into the retracts .. they always seem to take longer than any other part of the plane ... :(

Thanks a lot for your input .. I will update you on the progress and results of my efforts.... Good or bad :)

BTW ... I am going to go a pair of Saito 62 4S .. they are actually cheaper than the OS 62 's I was going to use! (My first Saitos :) )

RE: New VQ A26K
 

Hay Rowdy_b64,
I'm surprised that you are going with such large engines...so be careful with your Weight & Balance. Your going to be nose heavy...big time with those heavy 4-stroke engines and with a servo up forward (in the nose-for retract operation) for steering the nose gear, even more so. I believe a good pair of OS .25 FX engines could fly this model well and a pair of .32's would be the most I would use. My .46's with pitt style mufflers were way more power then needed to fly this model.

Also be very carful and check the size of the props you will need to fly this model with a pair of Saito .62's. Those nacelles are close to the fuselage and you may not have the space required to use the props needed, to get full potential power out of your .62 4-stroke engines. So do some checking first before you mount those 4-strokes.

The covering didn't last very long before it started to break on me. I used clear packing tape (the stuff you use to wrap postal boxes) to cover the model where the covering broke. Its clear and tough.

If you want a good twin to fly and a beginner twin...I would go with the Twin Star that Tower sells. I've built and flown several over the years and an excellent little twin. If flies like a rocket on a pair of OS .25 FX 2-stroke engines and flies well with only one turning. I even made a Twin Star into a 4 engine model, buy buying two more nacelles, nacelle covers and twin star fuel tanks. I installed 4 .15's and flew that model for years.

I would not recommend the VQ A26 for any new R/C twin pilot.

Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

RE: New VQ A26K
 

Hey there Bob .. Hadn't really considered the 62's as big .. But I suppose you're right ... They may be too heavy for the job. I want 4 Strokes ..I love the sound. Only problem is the cost of the buggers .. the 62's are good value .. to put 45's in will cost me 180 bucks more! I will certainly weigh up the alternatives before choosing ...(Pun intended :))
(BTW ... This isn't my first twin ... Just my first Nitro twin. I have had two ME262 EDF's and also have a big twin foamie. I know the deal with twins .. and will be very quick to kill the juice if one engine goes ... ;) ) Good thing about Nitro's at least you will be able to HEAR if one engine goes ... my 262's both rolled over and died after losing a motor .. into the ground before I knew what was happening... very sad. Mind you .. they did make 100mph :)
Cheers mate
Rod

BTW .. The twin star seems a great model .. But I already have the A26 .. Can barely fit that in the garage :)

RE: New VQ A26K
 

Hi Bob , thanks for a really helpful thread . I am building a VQ Counter Invader at the moment .I have to agree on the poor quality of the retracts ,I had to rebuild the nose leg the day after it arrived because it came apart in my hands .I believe the retract unit is the same as the HK ones so hopefully they will work OK .
Regarding the plastic bits ,I have several electric twins with similar lightweight plastic components ,one of them is Sparkies OV10 ,which is a great model . I am hoping the old adage " build them to fly , not crash " works again here . I am using electric motors so maybe less vibration might make the airframe last a bit longer .

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Hay; Rowdy_b64, I'm not sure you will get props larger then 11" to fit onto the nacelles. Make sure you have the room to properly prop your engine, no matter what engine you use. I've not lost an engine yet on this model, and when I do, I'll let you know how it turns out. Now the Twin star is a good twin trainer and if you ever buy a new model, and want a twin...the Twin Star is a good one to get your hands on. An engine out is a non issue with the Twin Star and I can't say the same for any other twin, other then the M.E.N. Twin Trainer. That's a U-Build kit, with an under cambered wing, and the single engine control speed is below the stall speed. So you have full rudder and aileron control, in a stall, single engine... : )http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/atta...mentid=1906078 Soft Landings Always, Bobby of Maui

Hi Guys,
I'm modifying my A26K to have an Eagle Tree auto-pilot installed, a longer fixed nose gear and wood wing tips. My plastic wing tips ended up breaking and were so brittle, that with the sun, my landings and a bit of hanger rash...no longer usable. I tried to find a new set, but the cheapest I could find for them was $20.00 U.S. That's just to much for such cheap plastic...so...wood ones will be made.

The included fixed landing gear gives you a real nose low standing of the model, and there isn't enough nose strut wire to make it long enough. I had a longer one on hand so installed it. Now the model has a 1~1.5 deg. nose up stand, on the runway.

The Eagle Tree was simple to install and goes in quite easily. I needed to relocate my receiver forward under the cockpit, and set the Eagle Tree auto-pilot right near the center of gravity of the model. Eagle Tree calls for the unit to be placed as near this point as possible for proper function, and easy to do with the model. I still have to set it up with my Airtronics 10 channel transmitter and set it up into the flight controls.

Last I'll use light ply and balsa to make new wing tip tanks. I've yet to do this, but will finish this weekend with all the modifications. I'll also do more work on tuning the two T.T. Pro .46's in the model.

Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

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Hey Bobby

I used Estes Model rocket nose cones and rocket tubes to make the tip tanks on my Wing A26. You might check them out and see if they have anything you can use. They are very easy to use and are very light. I wish I could post a photo of mine so you could see them, but I can't do it with this new computer.

I only have two flights on mine and am very unhappy with it so far. It does not want to turn right. I am going to add some right thrust to the right engine and see if that helps. I have Rich Uravich's small Bronco and it is set up that way and it flies great. Hopefully it will help the A26.

Good Luck
Ron

Hay Black Drape,

My A26K turns flies fine and will turn and bank with ease in any direction. To be honest, I'm stumped at why your A26K has turning issues. What size engines do you have ? I know that if you over power a model, you can get into aerodynamic issues. I've several dozen flights on my model and not the easiest model to land...but in the air with a pair of .46's...hauls butt. Its very aerobatic and has a nice presence in the air...its just that when it slows down for landing, it can get a bit unmanageable...long before the stall happens...at least with my model. The other issues I have is with the plastic nacelle covers...they are cracking and splitting apart. Not cool and for the money this kit cost...very disappointing.

I do hope you find a solution to your models flight issues...


Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

Hey Bobby

Try Fiberglass Specialties for cowls. He has a lot of generic round cowls. You may have to cut them to length, but that is no big deal, if he has one that is the right diameter.

This is my second Wing A26. The first one flew like a champ until I reversed the ailerons, then not so good. I have a pair of OS52FS in this one. It is not over powered. I had OS46FX in the first one, it had plenty of power. I just did not like the big mufflers hanging out. The wing model is small enough thatcan't use Pitts mufflers on it. That is why I put the 52's on it.

Did you check out the rocket nose cones? They came out pretty good on mine.

Ron

Hay Black Drape,
I know of Fiberglass Specialties and have purchased from them in the past...but I can build my wing tip tanks in a couple of hours, and will do so. There is very little hobby rocket stuff here on island...and all mail order anyway, so it will be much more simple for me to just make them. I'll post my work here...and quite simple.

I have T.T. Pro .46's in mine, with Bison exhaust mufflers. My engines are set at 90 deg. and how I mount all my 2-stroke glow engines. These engines produce spectacular power for this model...just like your first one. Near vertical performance and very quick.


I went over to RCGroups and found a great little PDF file for setting up the Eagle Tree Guardian.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/member.php?u=354219

I was stumped at setting up my Eagle Tree Guardian...and after down loading the Guardian program, and plugging in my Guardian into the program, was able to up date the unit and set my Guardian into my model and Airtronics Tx. Set up is very important and to know what to do and not do is also equally important. This little eleven page dissertation from Rick Wardrop at RCGroups, will make a complete idiot an expert. It sure helped this far from computer savvy modeler...happy.

Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

Hi Guys,
I built my light ply and balsa wing tips. I used 1/4" light ply and 1/2" balsa wood for the wing tips. I traced out the out line and cut my light ply wood. I then glued on a 1/2" piece of balsa and did a little sanding. I mounted them onto the wing tips with 5 minute epoxy and the model is ready to fly again. I only had some shaker can white color on hand...so it was painted white. I did put a coat of primer on to seal the wood...then painted them. Not perfect...but will do the job. The wing tip tanks do add to the stability of the model and gives it a slower stall speed. Its to bad the kit has such thin britle plastic parts for the wing tips.

I added a second battery to the model and mounted it where my first one was placed. I added a second on/off switch for the second battery and that finished the model. The Eagle Tree Guardian is working and the next flight will be fun. I will do some engine tuning first, then get it into the air again.

Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

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Hi Bob
Your posts have been a great help to me during the assembly of my Invader , thank you .Maiden is tomorrow so fingers crossed . I filled the tip tanks with aerosol insulation foam , hopefully make them last a bit longer . I fitted working nose doors using push pull cable driven by a small servo via a Hobbyking gear door synchroniser .I'll post the result of the test flight .

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Regards Gary

How did the test flight go Gary .I have one in the shed yet to be started. yoursb Paul T

Looks great Gary ... Looking forward to the flight report :) Just finished buying the servos and engines, Rx, switch etc for my A26 build.... But the retracts are on backorder!
Anyone know where I can find some of those electric retracts (Or maybe even just the legs ...???) I hate trying to make retracts fit ... and if I can buy drop in ready retracts it would be preferable :)
Cheers
Rod

Hi Guys , the test flight went well , balance was just right ,a little trim needed . I added a fair bit of expo to the steering to stop her being over sensitive , much better now .I have had about ten flights so far .The spring weather here has not been good for flying .
Rod , regarding landing gear , I used the VQ parts , the electric units are OK but the 'look like Robart " struts needed work before using .I have these units from HK for my B25 ,the aluminium struts are nicely made ,I think the retract is the one VQ use ,only cheaper .
Regards Gary

Glad to hear all went well Gary ... Looks great in the air! Yeah .. HK struts are good .. I have a few sets. (None of which will fit!) Can you do me a big favor and stick a ruler down the VQ strut legs and post the lengths? I have ordered the wrong length 3 times in the past ... And I never seem to get to use them on the next plane either! :)
Would really like to order the right length FIRST time this for once :)
Cheers
Rod

Nose leg is 112mm from axle centre to top .There is a nylon steering arm 8mm thick between the top of the leg and retract trunnion .

Main leg is 130mm from axle centre to top .

Ta muchly :) I had guessed right for the main at 130 .. but the nose I had little clue ..
Much appreciated .. Will sort an order now :)

For the problems with the plastic parts has anyone tried spraying them with Minwax spar urethane? Or used a two part epoxy to strenghten them?

I reinforced the edges of the main wheel wells with 1/2 oz.mat and 30 min.epoxy . You can use spots of ca. to hold the mat in place before applying the resin .I don't think the Minwax would improve strength .
Regards Gary

JUST A "SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT"

SPARE PARTS for this CAMO VQ A-26K COUNTER INVADER are available in LTD QTY

http://www.vqwarbirds.com/advanced_s...keywords=A-26K

Thanks for looking

-TOMAS

Need help. My nose electric retracts wont fit on the wheel well

Did you use the nose wheel retract that came with the kit...or a different model. I used two different types and ended up with E-Flights nose gear. Send pictures of your instillation issues and I will see what I can do for you. Where did you put your nose wheel steering servo?

I purchased the VQ retracts specific for the A26k. I end up cutting the steering collar plastic and shorten the shaft so it would fit. Would you mind sharing the part number of the eflite nose retracts you purchased? sorry cant attached picture due to low post