ORIGINAL: GaryHarris

Sorry for posting so much, but I just thought of a couple more things while looking my 4* over. Besides, I'm getting bored looking out the window waiting for the UPS guy. [X(] I have a Big Stik 40 coming today.

The filler I used insted of balsa filler is called ''Patch-n-Paint'' lightweight spackling.

I had some problems using the standard push rods. I would highly recommend building the entire plane, including the electronics before covering it. I had binding pushrod issues and wished I hadn't covered the plane yet. I also had to add more lead in the nose than maybe I should have if the plane wasn't covered yet. I read here and I think it was RCKen who builds planes in this way and I now see it as gospel. Build the entire plane and balance it before covering. Make sure everything is nice and smooth with the pushrods.

The 4* is known to build tail heavy. With a Saito 100, I still had to add about a pound of lead and epoxy up front to get the planes CG right. If I could of balanced the plane before covering, I might of saved a few dead weight ounces of lead and as it stands now, Ill never be able to remove the tank or the battery pack without tearing the plane apart. My plane comes in at 8 1/2 pounds but still floats like a butterfly, ans stings like a bee when the throttle is applied!

As heavy as it came out, I used a CG landing gear up front and a Sullivan tail wheel set up. I had alot of bounce and was knicking 15'' props. The CG landing gear fixed that.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXHBP8&P=0

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXFV46&P=0


I had some issues with the rear end set up. The spring was too soft to turn the plane maybe cause it was so heavy, I dunno. I bent a t-pin in half and punched it in real close to the spring part, punched some holes in the covering along the long wire part and CAed the long wire part down to the underside of the rudder. Pretty much eliminating everything but the coil spring part.