RE: GSP Spitfire ARF build
I flew mine for the first time yesterday...
Oh, brother! That planes screams with a YS120 up front!
Unfortunately, I was so thrilled with its performance that I ran it out of fuel on its maiden flight (way downwind), and I couldn't make the runway into the stiff wind we had yesterday afternoon. It came down in some tall grass about 10 meters short. I tried a little too hard to get it all the way home and it tip stalled about 0.5 m off the deck. Thankfully, there was no major damage. I did bend one of the oleos a bit, but I think that I can get it realigned. I was impressed by how slow it was moving before it stalled. I'm also impressed by the fact that the main spars and retract mechanism held in place. The plane is about 5kg, and that's a fair amount of force when dropped at an awkward angle, and from that height. So, while I can't yet comment on whether mine will nose over when landing on the mains, I think that it should 3-point pretty easily based on what I saw mine do yesterday.
Overall, I'm very happy. Next time I'll do a better job monitering my time in the air (that YS gulps the fuel more so than any other engine I use).
Have you guys tried to slow it down a little more?
When I get mine back in service, I'll let you know what I find.
Regards,
Noah