RE: Custom Privateer
Cool. Just found this thread. I bought a Custom Privateer off a club member for a steal years ago. He couldn't get it flying even though it was built more or less to the plans. Mine looks almost like the one at the top of this thread, except the transarencies are red.
The poor guy I bought from had 2 things working against him - the fuel was in a flask in the fuselage instead of the engine pod, and the tail was built with the free-flight span overall, but the elevator was built to the shorter length. That is, the whole stab should have been built shorter for RC. Well, three things really - the CG on the plans is much too far forward for the free-flight sized horizontal tail. Take a look at the attached low-res of the tail planform to see the difference between the free-flight tail and the RC sized tail.
I'm an aero engineer and am able to calculate neutral point, CG location etc. Neutral point on this plane would be aboput 80% chord, putting CG location somewhere aft of the 60% point. The plans are marked 25%, like any 'normal' plane. That would be the major contributor to why the plane wouldn't take off. And all the weight the guy used to get the balance so far forward! sheesh. I had to peel 1/4 thick plates of lead out of the forward compartment - epoxied in.
I know I was rehabing it heavily at one time but never got it flying. I was going to move the fuel tank up into the pod. Still in my storage area. Now with this inspiration I think I'm gonna persue an electric conversion. And I believe I will string lights or glow-wire through the structure in order to make it a night-flyer as well. Plenty of fun down on the St. John's river with that...
If exfokkerflyer or Voodoofixer are still around, I'd love to hear your thoughts - and where the CG on this bird ended up for you.
Oh, and those looking for info on this bird should take a look at this page. Insteresting commentary on the plans from uncle Willie, and a look at low -res jpgs of the current plans that are available for $15: http://uncle$willies$plans.com/about42.html (take out the $'s to get the right address)