RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

Probably the most beautiful afternoon/evening here in mid-ohio for some time today! 6 flights later, 12 total my UCD 46 is still going strong. No evidence of gear failure, she lands so softly itll never be a problem unless i have some rough harrier/ele drop landings! Finally painted the canopy tonight and thats gonna add too much weight for my mid 1980's OS 70 surpass to keep carrying around, its barely + vertical now as it is.........having said that, has anyone tried the NEW os 70 ULTIMATE ??

Second question/comment....why would greatplanes (or whoever) make this plane w/a tiny cowl/spinner, tell you to use a os 70 surpass w/ apc 14x6 and then give you a spinner that has NO CHANCE of working AT ALL??? I dremeled mine down to fit and it looked good untill it broke off today at the mounting lugs! What kind of spinner is everyone using to make fit the cowel AND the width of the APC at the same time?

Thanks all!

Scott

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

Try the APC 12.25 x 3.75 should perform better with that OS 70. My friend has the new OS 70 Ulty on his UCANDO and it climbs out and then some. Any OS 70 should. Yours might just need overhaul, it should have no prob climbing right out of hover. That prop I am suggesting should work better also.

Also dont use a spinner use Dubro Prop Nut. These are good if you need to add 3oz nose weight, then get the brass one. If no weight needed, get aluminum. They are much better then spinners and last as long as you keep it tight on the shaft.

See pic.

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

you guys make me want to 3D.........well i would by one of theese if i was not trying to buy a 2M pattern ship next year......but what i have now is 3D "capable" it is a quest 90........but i have it set up for pattern.........well what i'm trying to say is is it worth it to try this out next year......i would put an tower hobbies .75 in it........well that would put me back about $300 on the 2M fund.

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

berthound,
I run a 13x7 prop with a Saito .72 and a Tru-turn Alum. spinner, their new 2 1/4 ultimate. Nice combo. Try STL's suggested smaller prop, with an engine that old it will be easier for it to turn a smaller prop.

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

If you want to learn to do 3D fast this is the plane. It is very easy to hover, harrier, flatspin, rolling circles and all 3D moves. It's basically a trainer for 33% Edge. It will teach you plenty and you will progress fast with it. It is very nimble and slow flying as well. Forgiving for sure. I have flown this plane with 1/2 wing ripped off, no elevator, no ailerons etc. and have managed to land 3 point. Control surfaces are huge and very predictable. If you are new to 3D this is your plane. It is also what I use as an in-between plane when flying my giant scale planes to calm my nerves or practice moves.

It's a good plane. Especially this 46, it's much snappier and peppier then big brother 60 size. I barely have flown my big one since I got the 46.

I'd say ... get it. Now. Although some people disagree with me, you need to re-enforce the landing gear, V-stab, H-stab. Then you can fly the shi* out of it.

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

To anyone here using the Saito .91, can you post a pic of your engine installation? In order to get the engine back far enough on the mount, I have to take out the top left bolt holding the mount to the firewall. Plus, the throtle pushrod looks like it will exit the firewall almost in the middle. Does that interfere with the tank in any way?

Thanks,

Joe

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

I had to reinsall the firewall there Joe. Due to the engine being upside down, it ripped the firewall out when the motor died at about 10 feet up and came down at a nasty angle. I placed a new firewall in and mounted the motor right side up. I didn't like the idea of the motor being mounted up-side down in the first place, especially with the gas tank being above the carb. I have an iron coming so I can recover this beast and make it presentable. For now, it flies like a dream!!!!

I ended up just drilling a hole for the pushrod to come through and placed a z bend in the rod for throttle hook up. Due to there isn't much pressure on the rod, I just placed another z bend in the cable to step up out of the fuel tank area and to the servo. With this motor, there is no end.

Keith

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

After I looked ast a little more, I found out that the pushrod goes under the tank anyway, so it wasn't a problem after all. I think I'll try and find a countersink head screw to replace the upper left motor mount screw so the carb doesn't hit it. Almost done with mine. All that's left is to pack everything in foam and fit the cowl. Looks like the weight will be right at 5lbs, 12oz dry. Balances at 5" right now with the battery under the tank, rudder servo on pull pull at the back of the wing compartment.

I am REALLY looking forward to getting this in the air. If it's anywhere near as fun as my OMP Edge profile, I'll be happy....

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

Any suggestions to firewall reinforcement? Is it needed? I am reinforcing the landing gear are with glass.

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

Firewalls should be good. Your engine motor mount should go before that. That guy came down on the engine and sounded pretty hard. In all the crashes I have had in my UCANDO's the firewalls made it. Definatley the landing gear. Also not a bad idea for flying wires. I just put them on both of my UCANDO's. Very good idea if you have anything over Saito 72 and want to do some really hard blenders and outside snap rolls.

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

hi all I just got back from flying my ucd today and I had quite the close call. i was flying and all of a sudden I through the prop and since this was the first time this has ever happened to me i diidnt know what to do so I just pulled back on the throttle the instant I saw the prop fall and the I hit the kill switch. I got lucky cause I didnt break the connecting rod. so im happy.

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

I have heard of several UCANDOs having the tail section snap in flight. Beyond tail wires, any options on beefing up the tail section?

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

You can peel back the covering, add tri-stock and re-cover.

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

I'm in the process of putting my son's U-Can-Do 46 together, and have gotten to the point where I am assembling the wheel pants/wheels to the the landing gear. Two questions:

[ul][*] Is it always this tough installing wheel pants? There doesn't seem to be any space left to work in the wheel collar after filling the pant up with the mounting block, 2 washers and a wheel! At best, the collar is going to be positioned at the very end of the axle, which is "just" long enough to make it into the receiving hole on the outboard side of the wheel pant. Maybe is was just that the Yankees were down 5-2 at the time I was trial fitting the wheels on to the landing gear, but it seemed that getting all the parts together without falling on the floor was a lot harder than it should have been![*] Assuming I decide to go ahead and assemble the plane with the pants on (I'm tempted right now not too!), anybody want to comment on how the plane deals with grass/ruts for takeoffs and landings? I've seen a few landing gears ripped off of planes on takeoff at our field, and dig in on landings too, so I would be interested to hear of other's experiences.
[/ul]

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

If you do not re-enforce the landing gear, keep the wheel pants off. I would keep them off altogether. You do have to drill another hole on the outside part of the wheel pants so the axle just barely goes through on the outside. After that it's just like a little bit of figuring out how to put the wheel inside the wheel pant and placing it on the axle. They are going to break or crack before you know it. So my advice is ... save them for a rainy day. They cause more problems having them on. If this is your first UCANDO just letting you know that the landing gear goes very easy on this plane no matter what anyone tells you. No matter if you are a pro or novice, they can easily break. Many people have re-enforced the landing gear and wing dowel wall. It should be done. Here is the post.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_81...tm.htm#1182609

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

Try a 14x6, I currently run a master airscrew 14x6 wide, and it is FAR better than the APC 13x7 I had on previously. The saito turns 9750 with this prop on, running 22% synth, 30% nitro heli fuel.

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

Hi everyone. I am just about to mount the saito 91 on my UCD and was just wondering what the verdict on that was on that. Since the carb will end up being lower than the tank. Is there any type of modifications that i can do? or is mounting the saito 91 upside down out of the question. I prefer not to run an on board glow. Im thinking about running the saito on its side, but with the head sticking out(way out)of the side make lateral balance difficult? My other option is to mount it right side up and have the head sticking out of the top. Im getting frustrated with this engine. Any help or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Santi

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

I started mine up for the first time yesterday, inverted on the UCD. It started on the first flip, ran perfectly. Go ahead and mount it inverted. The UCD needs all the help it can get to look good!:D

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

Everyone I know has Saito mounted inverted without any problems. Definatley safer for external glow.

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

I was just wondering today if anyone has mounted a saito upright in a ucando... that engine is too beautiful to hide under a cowl, at least I could cut a hole and let it stick out the top if mounted upright...

[8D]

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

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RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

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RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

Hi all!
Any idea to fit this machine with a 46 FX????

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

stuk-at-work,
I had similar trouble with my wheel pants. But, I was determined to put 'em on, it just looks cool!. I followed the instructions and then put another plywood mounting plate on the opposite side towards the outside of the pant. Then I ground some of it away with a dremel for clearence of the outside wheel collar. Yes, it's a big pain, but if you do it right, they'll be on for good. I take off from grass runways and haven't had a problem.

RE: U-Can-Do 3d 46?
 

:DGo ahead, mount your Saito inverted, fully enclosed in a cowl, using 30% nitro fuel, with the fuel tank too high, with no pump/regulator and you might get lucky like me and many other UCD flyers who have no problems with this arrangement. Maybe some people got lemon engines, I don't know.

I guess I'm just lucky, my Saito 72 powered UCD 46 with cowl installed has run beautifully from the first day it was flown. It hovers for extended periods without overheating. Lucky me. The cowl has only been off once and that was for the recommended valve adjustment.

It seems I'm living a charmed life because I've been lucky with the following cowled models and they are still flying:
1. Sig Cap 231EX with OS 160 2-stroke and Bisson Pitts style muffler
2. UCD 60 with OS 91 2-stroke and stock OS muffler
3. UCD 60 with OS 91 2-stroke and stock OS muffler
4. Hobbico Extra 300 awarf with Fox 74 2-stroke and old strap-on Simco Pitts muffler
5. Hobbico Extra 300 awarf with OS 91 2-stroke and Bisson Pitts style muffler

On the subject of wheel pants I did get unlucky there. I fly off grass and they crack. I reinforce them with fiberglass and thin Zap on the side next to the landing gear (inside and outside). Good luck came back, the wheel pants are holding up well.

In talking to folks who leave off cowls, wheel pants, and canopies I find that its mostly related to impatience. They just gotta get that new plane out to the field and fly it. It certainly is time consuming to get all those necessary holes in the cowl lined up without making the holes over sized and irregular shaped. Canopies take up precious time too. One person in a UCD thread said he left the canopy off because it didn't add much to the appearance of the plane.

Well, have fun however you build them.