Dave McDonald might take interest in this shot. It's a shot of the exhaust and plumbing. I used a 2 oz mousse can, tapped for pressure, and 5/16 tubing from the header to the can, and a 5/16 stinger. That size matches perfectly to the Enya header pipe, and I gained an additional 1400-1900 RPM's, as well as muffler pressure (the 80 didnt have one when I got it). It's also much quieter than no pipe.


Next time I have the cowl off, Ill take a pic of the engine install. I have a 91 fx coming, in case this engine doesnt have enough pull, and will put a 8-10 oz mousse can on it for better midrange.


All up weight is under 7 1/2 lbs, and balances around 5 5/8 for its maiden flight this week.

Steve

Re: the UCD antenna installation,...
This is one of the few issues I had so far with the UCD. I simply had big time problems running the antenna inside the fuselage. I don't know what the exact issue is (although I do have long extensions and an EMS servo reverser in there for the split elevator,... hmmm), nevertheless it is now fixed. I ran the antenna directly outside the top of the fuselage (behind canopy) via a plastic tube, eventually leading to the rudder tip via elastic band restraint. Amazing how this completely resolved all radio/range problems.

Thanks Tomapowa, I may do the same thing. I have the same radio gear there, and dont want interference. how far back down the fuse did you run yours.

Steve -

I could not see much in the exhaust photo so I lightened this one up a bit. Maybe it will help others if it's dark on their monitor too.

-shaun

See: http://www.prism.net/lingling/RC/UCD3D-14.jpg

It exits exactly above from where the receiver is located (inside, the antenna also has a restraint before it enters the plastic tube), approx. 1.5" behind canopy. The antenna was just long enough that it only extends past the tip of the rudder stab by an inch or so.

My UCANDO has a Saito 1.80 running 30% heli fuel and a 16-10 prop.

I use JR digital servos and a 10X radio.
I have a gyro for the rudder and one for the elevator, but have not installed them yet. With such a long tail moment the rudder and elevator have great authority. The arent really necessary, but should be interesting to play with.
I didnt reinforce the firewall at all.
I have had no structural failure or any sign of fatigue at all.
I never use softmounts as I dont care for the way the engines dance around when mounting this way.
I used the stock wheels. I cant imagine why you would need anything different...weight saving maybe?
My antenna is run down the inside of the fuse in a tube. No glitching whatsoever.

Fly safely!

Wheelpantz,
Both myself and m.gramling are flying our UCDs with the ST 90, and both of us are currently experimenting to find the best mousse can pipe setup for a ST 90 on a UCD. (go to this thread for more details about the MCP)
http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...435&forumid=21

The purpose of using a MCP is to get more power with less weight instead of using a bigger and heavier engine. So far, my ST 90 w/mcp is spinning an APC 15x4w at 11,400. This is about 1000 rpm faster than the stock muffler, and the throttle transistion and response are improved over the stock muffler too. Overall, I've been extremely pleased with my UCD!!

Stevezero,
That is a neat mousse can setup! And I'm really surprised to hear how much RPM gain you got out of that Enya 80. Can't wait to hear your flight report.


Smartwork,
Thanks for improving stevezero's photo. Until I saw your photo, I couldn't figure out what that "black rectangle" was supposed to be.

Weres the U-Can-Do videos?
Someone has to post some good videos of your bird in flight mode or should i say U-Can-Do 3D mode.

stevezero: Is you Enya .80 a 4 cycle or 2 cycle? Thanks Captinjohn

So what's the smallest rudder servo anyone has used? I talking with Salmon, I found that he is using standards all the way around. I have a 9404 (63 ounces torque) that I am considering using for the rudder, and some 3001's for everything else. I feel that at the speed this plane will be flying at, as well as the counterbalanced tail surfaces, there shouldn't be much need for a whole lot more.

Though I have flown mine with standard servos and stock hardware, folks have complained of bending pushrods. At this point, I am using all digital servos, 4-40 rods & ball joints. As for speed, I love the way I can outrun the 40 and 60 sized caps and extras (without a hint of flutter mind you!) and still be such a great 3D plane. If mine werent fast, it would have been tossed it out like yesterdays news with the rest of my 3D planes. This one is a keeper....for now anyways.

Okay, sounds like I just need to go 4-40 and give it a shot. Maybe you could race my GP Extra 40. It has an ST75. . Definitely not going the speed route with this plane though so I feel comfortable going Standard.

Sorry about the pic quality, I took those last nite on a whim. The 80 is a four stroke, and after new bearings and many hours of playing with it(perry pump, no perry pump, insualted tubing exhaust, etc), I had it running like a top with a 13/7 13/8 APC prop on a Kyosho Majestic). That plane didnt take too well to running thru a stand of birch trees, so the engine was looking for a home. By going with the can, I was able to get muffler pressure on it, and have removed the perry pump. I have been testing it in the driveway with a zinger 14/6 wood prop, and went from 8300 to just about 9700 with this can. I also have a much broader needle valve on it too. I now have an APC 14/4 on it, so the RPMs should go up a tad more.

Steve

Hey stevezero, I really like the tailwires on your plane. I've never put them on anything. Can you tell me how? (what hardware to use, thanks!)

Be carefull not to make a loop with wire. It makes a good antenna to recieve and transfer glitches in your radio system. I read this more than once. Use braided fish line or non conductive materials. Your... Welcome Captinjohn

Just got mine yesterday. Was wondering if anyone has some building tips. I see that there are some posted thought this thread, but 30 some odd pages is alot of reading. Thanks for any help.

Falconwings,

I made my tail wires out of .047 music wire, with radio shack ring connectors soldered to them. I sunk 1 inch pieces of 4/40 rod in the stab and vertical fin surfaces, and then soldered one end up, cut it close to length, and kept nipping bits off until it lined up. Then soldered on the other ring connector. A 4/40 washer between the ring connector and the balsa works to keep the ring from cutting into the balsa over time. A 4/40 nut with a hint of RTV silicone to hold it in place keeps the nuts in place. The tail is still fully removable if need be, just a few more steps involved. Just do them one at a time, and work your way around the plane. You do not need to pre-tension them, just make sure they arent knocking your tail out of alignment. They work great, especially on reducing stress on large rudders/small fins.

I can see where having a loop could inject interference, but I've yet to get interference due to the wires. As stated earlier, this will get one heck of a range test on the ground before going up.

I looked at using cable, or kevlar fishing line, but wanted something beefier, and I had just about all the parts needed to do it.


Here are a couple of other shots of the engine/mousse can setup with the firewall off. I drilled a small hole in the bottom of the pipe tunnel on the plane, and routed the pressure line up thru there to the tank, which is an 8 oz tank moved back toward the CG. I put the largest fuel filter I could find at the LHS (dubro final filter) to supply as a very small header tank.

If the weather clears up (so far weve had thunderstorms every day this year ), I'll try to get it out tomorrow.


Steve

-Stevezero

I noticed you are using a sullivan tail wheel assembly. How does it mount to the bottom of the fuse? Did you have to cut the covering and install blind nuts or did you just use self tapping screws? I just started working on the rudder on my UCD and I don't like the looks of the tail wheel at all. Looks very cheap and it seems that 1 hard landing will rip it off along with some other important stuff.

My local hobby shop sells the sullivan and dubro tail wheel mounts. I think I'll go with the sullivan because the spring looks like it would keep the rudder from breaking. I just don't want to cut eveything up just to get it installed.

Last shot of the engine.

coomarlin,
I added the tailwheel after I put the stock one on. I had to take a dremel tool and cutoff wheel and cut it off, after reading the posts about the failures. I should have seen that before gluing the rudder in place.
I cut a small rectangle of the covering, peeled it back, and put in a small piece of heavy sheet balsa (lighter than liteply, but just as strong). I drilled and hardened the holes with thin CA. I tried to do blind nuts, but couldn't get access to that part of the fuse to drop them into. I cut a patch out of some white monokote I had, and covered the new piece. If something rips out the tailwheel assembly, I'll have larger problems with the plane .

I also cut an access hatch in the bottom of the fuse, behind the trailing edge of the wing for my battery. I glued in a couple pieces of balsa (same size pieces that retain the fuel tank) to reinforce the opening, as well as something to velcro the battery to. I didnt glue the piece back in, just covered over the opening with monokote. I still have access to more of the fuse if I need to move the battery back further, and the patch isnt noticable at all.

hey guys, had a scarey experence today with my u can do , one of the landing gear bolts came out gear turned thats was a fun landing.. only finished sheering off the gear and lost a prop
was lucky.. now the gear has three bolts not just two..

olmanbruce

How well are everyone's engines running inverted in this model. With the Saitos not having pumps at all I wasn't sure if they were having any tendencies to "load up" at all but I wasn't sure what the tank & engine levels were on this plane (haven't ordered yet )

-s

been having problem with my saito 100. expecally when fueling.
i started clamping off the line to carb.. better.. now.. load up on idle. with out glow,,

Right Thrust! LOTS of them, at least 4 degrees.