freebird1

Hi all

I have been looking at the 120 balsanova ARF. I have not been able to find much on it. I had the 40 size kit and it was an awesome bird with the MVVS 49. I have a 150 saito for the power plant if I get one. Most of the time the bigger ones fly even better than the smaller size. Has anyone flown the balsanova 120 size and how was the build of the ARF.

Thanks
Freebird

65 Chevy

My Feedback: (1)

Hi There,
I have the Balsanova 120 are and the kit. The arf is easy and pretty straight forward to assemble. Not uncommon, but had to re shrink the covering. It was kinda wrinkled. I built new tail control surfaces for it and added 3 inched behind the hinge line. I called Morris and asked them it any mods had been tested for 3D flight with this bird. The extra 3!QUOT! was their suggestion. I, like you, am using the saito 1.50 on the plane. Great engine as you would expect from Saito. It really flys the Balsanova well. Watch your tank position. I had the Saito inverted initially. I could not get the tank low enough to stop the siphoning of fuel. This is easily cured with a regulator and/or pump set-up. I opted to mount the engine horizontal instead. Then it worked well. The throttle linkage was a challenge, but I took my time and ended up fabricating a pivot bar set up for the linkage. I used ball link and carbon fiber for all linkages and Aluminum Control arms from SWB through out.
It flys very well. I haven't done any 3D with the plane yet cause the engine is not completely broken in yet and has not settled down with the adjustments yet.

Just a note on the Saito 1.50. I had to try several props until I found the right one for the plane. The 18!QUOT! are TOO big for this engine contrary to what the manual says. I know that the engine is not 100% yet, but it is just too much prop. The 16-6 in Zinger Pro, or the 16 X 6-10 from APC seem to pull the best for me.

I hope to have the engine fully run in this winter and completely ready for spring flying. This is my first large aircraft, and was nervous setting it up and flying it this summer, so it did not get the running and flight time it should have. Now, after some help and patience from a great club member, I got over the !QUOT! really cant think of crashing this plane nervous nellies!QUOT! I have a very nice looking and flying plane. I hope to start doing some 3D action with it this coming flying season

Hope you like yours as well

dalita

My Feedback: (82)

Move the elevator hinge line forward about 2" or 2 1/2" for better 3D stuff. Os 160 is about perfect for this plane. I have had 3-40 size and 5- 120 size. Dale

freebird1

Thanks for the replys. I was planning on mounting the saito on its side. For some reason I hate to mount any glow inverted. I have a 17x6 apc on the saito now. It was on a 1/4 scale uproar. I know what you are thinking. They do not make a 1/4 size up roar. It was custom built. The saito 150 was a little much for it. it is a true one of a kind. I will try and post a photo of it. I have had the 40 size and it was a really good flyer. How does the 120 compare with the 40 size dalita. I have hitec 475 servos. They are only rated at 60 oz., but have the karbonite gears in them. Do you think they will be ok for the 120 size. What fuel do you run. I have been useing 15 % in my 2 and 4 stroks engines.

Thank guys
Freebird

freebird1

65 Chevy

What mods did you make to the tail? If I understand your reply, you added 3" to the rudder and EL. What about the Al. How about your CG location of battery and Exe. Mine will be an ARF. How about a cable throttle. Most of the time it is a good fix. Also I have Hitec 475 with the Karbonite gearing. Do you think they can handle the load.

Thanks
Freebird

freebird1

Here

This is my custom uproar. It is on a king size bed. in ouu guess bed room that is beside our attic where I store my bird in the winter. Wing span is 80".

freebird1

I have started on my 120 balsanova. She is going together fast. I have built around 50 ARF's. I have to say that it is one of the best all around ARF I have seen. I think I am going to build her to spec and fly her before I do anything to the controls. One thing I have seen as a weakness is the tail is suppost to be CA in place. Get real, 30 Min. expoxy and I even added triangle stock and used the scap that I had to cut from the wing to cover the triangle. I have a couple of questions. I am using 475 hitec servos. should be fine on the AL and EL, (me think) but I am not so sure about the pull pull rudder. What are you using for your rudder servo. The 475 are rated at 61 oz and have the KARBONITE Gears, but at that I do not think they have the Butt for the pull pull rudder. Second, I was in question about the CG. I have had 2 of the 40 size version ( 1 kit and 1 ARF) both flew best toward the tail. What is your CG location and does the 120 fly somewhat like the 40 size. I just know that this is going to be a sweet bird. Feel like a kid!

Thanks UNV.

Freebird

freebird1

anyone[]

freebird1

I called Morris Hobbies and the 475 are not going to cut it on the huge AL. and pull pull. I am going with HS 645 on the AL. and Rudder.

freebird1

Hi

I can not understand why more people are not flying this bird. SUPER quality and flyer. I took her to the field for the first time today and was very impressed. I have a 150 Saito on her and was just trying to get a feel of her. I tried a knife edge at around 1/3 throttle on high rates and she went nose up into a hover. I held the hover for about 30 seconds. A little moding and she will be sweet. She is definitely a keeper. The Balsanova 120 ARF gets an A+. Good luck to anyone building one!

jzinckgra

My Feedback: (11)

Don't mean to cross-post, but I didn't get any responses in the ARF forum. Here's my question:

I am looking to replace my MT Twister (wicked crash). I have narrowed down the choices to :
1) Hanger9 Twist
2) MT Magic Extra
3) Morris BalsaNova

I am mainly interested in learning to do some 3D and funfly. I don't have a plane that can do a flatspin well, so that would be a requirement. I am thinking all 3 will ( I know the twist and Extra will), but not sure on the Morris. Most of my planes are pattern, warbirds, sport. I can't tell from the pic, but does the Morris have a real thick LE, like the Twist? I want someting I can horse around with, does't have any bad tendencies and can slow way down to a crawl. Also, maybe some hovering too. The Morris has my attention, but I am leaning towards the Twist. I'll be putting a Mag 46xls into the plane. I realize this isn't the best, but for now, will have to do.

Don M.

My Feedback: (5)

Here's a couple pics of mine MVVS 26cc gasser on a tuned pipe. Don't skimp on the ail. servos I originally used Futaba 9202, a very good quality coreless servo, stripped them very quickly ( no 3d ) and replaced them with some 5625's, much better. The only real problem with the plane is it is veeeeery heavy, 13.5 lbs and flys heavy. I would not buy another, it doesn't do anything really well, but then again it's not really my cup of tea.




[img][/img]

jzinckgra

My Feedback: (11)

Thanks. I should have mentioned I was looking at the 40 size ARF.

bassman

Hey Balsanova 120 ARF guys. I am mounting my engine inverted. THe cowl is perfect to conceal an inverted engine so that's what I am doing. What about the fuel tank position. The bottom of the tank will be in line with the needle valve. Is that to high? Should I lower the tank?

Thanks

ravenatnm

jzinckgra,
I just built the BalsaNova 40 kit and have flown about 10 times now with it. I have an OS .50 in it. It has unlimited vertical and can do all the stuff I know how to do. The airplane does have a really thick airfoil and will slow to a crawl without stalling. It seems like my engine at idle will keep it in the air. I am having a blast with it.

Raven

bassman

The 120 ARF is a very nicely done plane. Most of the assembly work is good and the wood used seems to be of good quality. I did notice a couple of funny things on 120 ARF. First the aileron servos seem to be mounted 90° form what I consider standard. Servo bodies have a long and a short axis. All of the planes I have built have the servo arm perpendicular to the long axis. This plane has it perpendicular the short axis losing a lot of mechanical strength. The other thing is the tail wheel. They go out of their way to provide great hardware with the is plane and then give you a tail wheel I wouldn't put on a 15 size trainer. Oh ya the instructions aren't very good. But if you have build a couple of ARFs it should not be much of a problem.

Small cmplaints on an otherwise really nice ARF.

Bassman

Norman Soto

just built the BalsaNova 40 kit and have flown about 10 times now with it. I have an OS .50 in it. It has unlimited vertical and can do all the stuff I know how to do. The airplane does have a really thick airfoil and will slow to a crawl without stalling. It seems like my engine at idle will keep it in the air. I am having a blast with it.
Hey... I'm helping a friend of mine to build his 40 Balsanova. Since we live 8500+ft OSL we need to keep it as light as possible. Did you do any mods on the airframe?. We're going for a 46FX for power... I think it'll lack power for 3D, but he's decided not to buy anything else. Any suggestions?

ravenatnm

The only modification I did was put an extra 3/8" piece on the end of the elevator to make it larger. I would do that as a minimum. It flys great like it is now. For 3D I would maybe put 3/4" more wood on the elevator. Otherwise, the rudder has great authority, the ailerons have enough power on the recomended setting to spin the plane very fast. On the high rates it is crazy. I have a Zinger 12x6 wood prop. I tried the 12.25x3.75 APC prop, but I am not really into 3D so the sport prop works well. Both props offer unlimited vertical for me. With a .46 I bet a 12x4 or 5 would work well.

The two tips on the kit build

1) I would give is to not completely sheet the back-bottom of the fuselage until you have routed the pushrod for the elevator. I ended up having to cut open an access panel to guide it through the fuse.

2) When you make the servo tray, they recommend the elevator 1/8" lower than the rudder servo so as to allow clearance for the pull-pull cables. For me this wasn't enough, I needed the rudder servo mounted 3/8" higher than the elevator servo to prevent binding.

-Raven

Norman Soto

Thanx man... have you some pics on this? I'll begin building someday next week now.

ravenatnm

Norman, see this post of mine:
[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_4214661/anchors_4214661/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#4214661]balsa nova post with pics[/link]