fthumma

Ta-Da! Finally! OK, I don't know when, but that top hatch mod is GOING TO HAPPEN! I thought I had the springs outfoxed but it may just be me that's outsmarted myself. Yuck! Thanks to a guy that's being very helpful with all things R/C, the engine got re-sorted out in about an hour of what should have been flying time and since I was already about to have a coniption fit form putting it together at the field, he was kind enough to fly the maiden. I might be premature in saying this but that Cap may have ruined me for all other planes so my judgement of this bird is on hold for now. It seemed mushy. We added more surface travel, especially on the rudder and it helped out a bunch. It is not in any way axial in the rolls dept yet so some attention to airleron travel. The lateral balance is right on though it needed just 3 clicks of airleron to fly level.

fthumma

Hey Ken,

I know it's been some time but do you recall where the CG was on yours? Also the weight and did it have the hatch mod? Just everything....

Fred

fthumma

I did TT2's Hatch mod from Page 13 of this thread. Print the pictures, read his pointers, do the Mod. If you are working the OEM field set up you know how long it takes to be flight ready and, like me, left this plane in the rack. I can now be ready to fuel up in under five minutes with this set up. Thanks Tom! Also got the tank back to the Tube, had already done the Pull-Pull Rudder through the bottom access, CG now at the 130mm mark with a Saito 150 and 10 oz. of lead on the front.

TT2

My Feedback: (13)

Thanks for the thanks! Good memories of a good plane. I still get some mileage out of the stories of the knife-edge spins that this plane was capable of. I've never seen another plane of ANY size do them any better. Too bad the wing blew off and dumped it in the lake. I haven't flown planes much in the past 4 years after getting into helis, but I do still have my 50cc Edge 540 prototype (fiber-lite) ready to fly and have some others almost ready for that day when the helis begin to be too much stress.

fthumma

It's been a while since anyone has posted but I'll update for what it's worth. I wound up putting the Cap in in an attempt to avioe a mid-air. I came back to the Katana in a bit of a funk that I wanted to fly it but had all sorts of excuses why I couldn't fly or just didn't feel like it......last night I squared away all the fuel line and battery issues that I had but that did not change the CG. The original set up prior to the hatch mod was WAY nose heavy to fly hence the mushy feel on the tail. After the hatch mod the CG came out a half in. forward of the prior mark but having moved the tank to the tube it flew sort of tail heavy. I have added a bar of sticky weight to the f-1 location [for most planes] and as soon as there's decent flying weather we'll have at it.

kerwin50

keep us posted

silit48

Hi Folks,

my Katana is flying again after a break of 5 years. Goes still awefull with a Mark 180. User of DLE 30, Moki etc. are quite shocked of the power, the plane shows in the air.
Greetings from Germany

heggen

Just ran into this thread on the Katana 140. I acquired a well used one and have been restoring it.. I have stripped the beat up, patched covering and have a new covering of Ultracoat close to the original color scheme except for using orange, white, and black. The top of the wing fillet is yellow with a tapered black stripe beside it. Power is a MLD 28.with a RCexcel ignition module. I have heard good and bad about the MLD 28 but mostly about the ignition module hence the change. Haven't run it yet so hoping for the best.
Biggest issue in the restoration was redoing the cowl. The hole bottom of the cowl was gone so with shaped blue foam, glass cloth and West System epoxy, I have a new cowl.. The other issue is the canopy. It is tinted yellow and has some cosmetic issue which will be diffilcult to overcome. Does anyone have a spare canopy lying around? I could certainly use it. Other than having to install a new firewall, I found nothing that concerned me structurally.
From the videos I have seen and my one time flying experience of my friends Katana, I expect to be in for a lot of fun next summer.

daveopam

My Feedback: (9)

How about some pics heggan?

Eagle Flyer

My Feedback: (84)

I have one that is mostly ready to go but never flown. It has electronics but no engine. Appears to be ready to receive an engine but frankly its been so long since I built it I can't remember what fits it. But Most likely a Poulan 42 or Poulan 46. I have both laying around with no home. Actually I have several of each. I would sell the bare plane for $150. With all electronics for $300. ANother $250 will get you an engine.

heggen

Pictures? Absolutely. Give me a little time to finish it up. I still have the cowl to paint and trim colors to apply on the fuse and wing. I'm cringing at the thought of the time it will take to apply all the checkerboard on the wing and tail. There must be some color scheme that is simpler and just as striking.
By the way, the engine that was in this Katana was a US 41 and it apparently hung together even though it was designed around a smaller glow engine.
Regarding the available Katana. I would love to take you up on the bare airframe, but distance and a current abundance of flight ready aircraft hold me back. Also, It is a long trip to Ida Grove and I'm sure shipping would be a small fortune. Who knows, maybe we can work something out in the future if you still have it.
Stand by for pictures coming soon.

Eagle Flyer

My Feedback: (84)

Our company and one in Minny travel back and forth quite a bit. Also I need to make a trip to Rochester in the future when weather gets better.

heggen

You are tempting me - and I like it. Many lonely and broken models have come to this safe home.
For location reference, I am about 45 minutes north of Minneapolis. Keep in touch.

heggen

You are tempting me - and I like it. Many lonely and broken models have come to this safe home.
For location reference, I am about 45 minutes north of Minneapolis. Keep in touch.

heggen

The Katana is mostly finished except for a couple of control hook-ups. I stayed away from doing the checker board scheme on the wing thinking there had to be an easier design. The picture shows the results.
It came out a bit heavy according to the specs at 13+ lbs contributed by the gas engine rather than a glow, but I'm sure it will be just fine since I'm not into 3D. I'm from the old school of enjoying seeing the airplane fly on its wings.
Eagle Flyer, I'm still interested in a spare Katana as I have a Saito 180 hanging around with nothing to do.

heggen

Thought I would provide a follow up on my Katana since my last post in January. I have really enjoyed flying it though there have been less than a dozen flights. Flying tIme has been hard to come by this summer.
Originally, I had an MLD 28 installed for power, however, which literally fell apart during the first 10 minutes of break in. Salvaged the carb and the rest of it went to the landfill. Replaced it with a DLE 30. It was a good choice.
One thing I know for sure is that the top hatch modifications will take place this winter to ease assembly and access to the innards. Also, a smoke system will be installed.
It would be fun to know how many GSP Katana's are still around and flying.

daveopam

My Feedback: (9)

Looking good! I have a DLE30 in a 3DHS Edge. I really like the DLE. I have a Xoar 18x8 on it and the throttle response is fantastic. I think it will turn a 19x8 but I don't need any extra speed on this Edge and the throttle response would suffer.

David