RE: WACO YMF
Dick,
Happy Thanksgiving. We are all probably guilty of overpowering our models, but the 160 twin is not a real powerhouse. When propped correctly, the torque from this engine is outstanding. I fly mine with an 18X6 wooden prop, and it's kind of like driving your car in 3rd gear. The speed ain't much, but the acceleration is fantistic. Too many flyers think that every model is an aerobat, but in the case of the WACO, it ain't so. This is a great scale flyer, and as long as you keep the aerobatics within the envelope of the full scaale bird, the performance is outstanding. I had the pleasure of growing up in an aviation family. Dad was a military pursuit(fighter) pilot, and he also grew up around airplanes. Granddad had a WACO, and also used a Beech Biplane (the one with the negative stagger), and I still remember the sound and the feel of that 7 cylinder 225 Shakey Jake in the WACO. It seemed to take it forever to take off, and the flying was fairly lazy. It was pretty heavy on the controls (no hydraulic or electric boosted controls there), and you were moving 4 big old ailerons in the slipstream. The rudder and elevators were pretty big as well. You didn't do anything in a hurry with that one (other than get this big ol' grin on your mug),
I also have built one of these powered with an O.S. 120 (non-pumped) and it flew about the same as did all the others (with the exception of the one with the Maloney 125) That one is a different story. Remember, this model does not fly on the prop, but still flies on the wings. Proper Incidence settings are the single most important item with this one. Set the Incidences right, and it's a joy to fly. Set them wrong, and you've got a handfull. Enjoy your turkey.
Bill, AMA 4720
WACO Brotherhood #1