Black Horse Pitts
#153
I would never dream of taking my BH Pitts apart after a day of flying. Waaaay too much work! Fortunately, it fits just fine in the back of my airplane truck with room to spare for some smaller toys.
#154
Looks great! I like the diamond pattern on the bottom of the lower wing. I may have to try that. My fits just fine fully assembled in the back of my Expedition but unfortunately I have to take the wings off in order to hang it in my garage. And I put fly wires on mine so there's a bazillion more nuts and bolts! The hour assembly and disassembly is the only reason why I don't fly it more often.
#155
My Feedback: (3)
The diamond pattern is the "Soucy" paint scheme. Easy to do just cut 4.5" squares and rotate them I lined them up on the sheeting under the wing.
Got to go fly Jets for "the man" so won't be able to fly her until next week.....need a kill switch and hook up the fuel tank and I am ready for engine tests.
Got to go fly Jets for "the man" so won't be able to fly her until next week.....need a kill switch and hook up the fuel tank and I am ready for engine tests.
#158
My Feedback: (3)
Ok gents......Happy Memorial day! Went out to the field today....wind was blowing about 20 knots which sucked, but down the runway which is a Pitts drivers dream......so I fueled up and with the help of my wife we taxied out and I put the power to my little "Red Devil" and I felt like I was flying my old full scale Pitts as she screamed to life and was air born like a home sick angel! Climbed out like a rocket ship and turned left into the down wind and climbed up to about 2 mistakes high (always worried about engine failure) I noticed I needed ZERO trim! She felt good so I gave her full aileron to the right ....rolled right.....then full left and she rolled left like she was on rails!!! Did some easy loops.....then some snaps at the top and I was in hog heaven....she is a SCALE FLYING PITTS S-1! My Zenoah was screaming much like a Lycoming at 3000 RPM with a fixed pitch prop. Did some airwork....full stalls upright....no wing drop.....full stalls inverted.....no wing drop.......good! Upright spins right and left....recovery is within 1/2 turn and hands off....same as inverted spins left and right.....did some upright flat and recovery was quick with no bad habits! Also I noticed very little forward stick inverted level flight and no trim needed on a 45 upline roll to inverted she stays put. P-E-R-F-E-C-T.....one happy pitts guy!
Couple of low passes......it sure is windy and bumpy but my little Pitts was screaming around the pattern! Set up for a short final and got lucky with a nice full stall landing and short rollout! Nice!
Again for those of you following my short build thread...I chose a Zenoah G-26 and was rewarded with PERFECT C/G I added no weight and didn't need to shift anything...also not standoffs were needed as the Zenoah is 139mm from backplate to prop plate. Perfect combo very scale and not overpowered....most of my flight was at 30% power.
CG.....again seems a lot of heated debate on this one...but the full scale Pitts is balanced at the LEADING EDGE OF THE BOTTOM WING do not balance her upside down or at 70mm as called for in the manual....I ended up with my C/G right at the leading edge of the bottom wing and she is perfect.
Scale airplane (not a light weight 3D ship) but a very good looking SCALE pitt S-1S. Kit was a little cheap as far as hardware......covering and color is dead on......pilot could be a little bigger, the wheel pant installation is no good.....way too many screws, bolts, washers, nylon bolts, wing tubes....to take apart and put back together! I will leave her assembled as she fits into the Yukon no problem.
Overall a fun project...I wonder if these can be bought anymore (might want another kit to put in the closet!)
P.S....the first pic was with my new UMX Pitts S-1S which is an awesome little plane!
Pics.....
Couple of low passes......it sure is windy and bumpy but my little Pitts was screaming around the pattern! Set up for a short final and got lucky with a nice full stall landing and short rollout! Nice!
Again for those of you following my short build thread...I chose a Zenoah G-26 and was rewarded with PERFECT C/G I added no weight and didn't need to shift anything...also not standoffs were needed as the Zenoah is 139mm from backplate to prop plate. Perfect combo very scale and not overpowered....most of my flight was at 30% power.
CG.....again seems a lot of heated debate on this one...but the full scale Pitts is balanced at the LEADING EDGE OF THE BOTTOM WING do not balance her upside down or at 70mm as called for in the manual....I ended up with my C/G right at the leading edge of the bottom wing and she is perfect.
Scale airplane (not a light weight 3D ship) but a very good looking SCALE pitt S-1S. Kit was a little cheap as far as hardware......covering and color is dead on......pilot could be a little bigger, the wheel pant installation is no good.....way too many screws, bolts, washers, nylon bolts, wing tubes....to take apart and put back together! I will leave her assembled as she fits into the Yukon no problem.
Overall a fun project...I wonder if these can be bought anymore (might want another kit to put in the closet!)
P.S....the first pic was with my new UMX Pitts S-1S which is an awesome little plane!
Pics.....
#161
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: On a Grass Strip,
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You might find one sitting in a hobby shop somewhere, but it has been discontinued for a while now. You will not find anything at Global. If you have a boo boo, all you need is some balsa and ultracote.
#162
One of the very first things I did when I built my BH Pitts was to cut out the cockpit floor from underneath, and remove the tiny pilot head. Looked way too small to me. I replaced it with a proper 1/4-scale pilot bust. The size of the pilot's head is a strong visual indicator of just how small and compact the little Pitts is, imo. An important detail!
#163
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Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Prague, CZECH REPUBLIC
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You did well!
One of the very first things I did when I built my BH Pitts was to cut out the cockpit floor from underneath, and remove the tiny pilot head. Looked way too small to me. I replaced it with a proper 1/4-scale pilot bust. The size of the pilot's head is a strong visual indicator of just how small and compact the little Pitts is, imo. An important detail!
#164
#165
I know it's a pretty nasty pull on mine. It does take a good amount of right rudder on take off. I imagine if you were using a lighter weight carbon fiber prop it might not be as bad. I have to ease up on the throttle through the whole transition. Any sudden jump in throttle with the DLE 30 and it torques hard left.
#166
I was surprised how tame mine is, with the DLE20. I do use right rudder to counter torque, but it is not a big challenge, like some other planes I have had. While the BH Pitts is not a beginner's plane (NOT!), it is really a pretty fun toy, with no teeth (so long as you treat it with due respect, that is.)
#170
Join Date: Oct 2014
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Hi all,
I have assembled my BH Pitts for the first time and I wonder what the wing incidences should be? Could I use them as manufactured or do I have to make some changes? I have learned from CaptRKO's posts that nothing more has to be done than moving the CG backwards to the leading edge of the lower wing. Is that correct?
Thanks in advance for answers and best regards from the Munich region, Bavaria, Germany!
Gerd
I have assembled my BH Pitts for the first time and I wonder what the wing incidences should be? Could I use them as manufactured or do I have to make some changes? I have learned from CaptRKO's posts that nothing more has to be done than moving the CG backwards to the leading edge of the lower wing. Is that correct?
Thanks in advance for answers and best regards from the Munich region, Bavaria, Germany!
Gerd
#172
Join Date: Oct 2014
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dgliderguy,
thanks for the quick response. Sounds great! Congrats!
Close to the fuselage I measured exactly 0 degrees of the upper and lower wing. At the ailerons I got -1.5 degrees at both, upper and lower wing! That is totally different from your measurements. Anyway, I'll try the maiden flight with this wing set up...., but I'll move the CG from the lower leading edge approx. 20 mm forward.
Hope, that the upcoming winter will give me the time to check the setup out within the next three weeks....
thanks for the quick response. Sounds great! Congrats!
Close to the fuselage I measured exactly 0 degrees of the upper and lower wing. At the ailerons I got -1.5 degrees at both, upper and lower wing! That is totally different from your measurements. Anyway, I'll try the maiden flight with this wing set up...., but I'll move the CG from the lower leading edge approx. 20 mm forward.
Hope, that the upcoming winter will give me the time to check the setup out within the next three weeks....
#173
Woah, sounds like you got some twist in your wings there. Mine appear to be straight and true, with no washout twist. It might not be a big deal, if it is the same on both sides.
Why are you going to move the CG 20mm forward? Conservatism? I would suggest that a forward CG can turn a plane like this into a snap-happy handful. I have a buddy who suffered enormously with a cantankerous CAP21 until he finally got persuaded to move his CG back to a more appropriate location, and his problems went away. Dunno if that would be the case with this one, but I mine is balanced right on the sweet spot (at the LE), and I have no inclination to move it. Pitch stability is generous and satisfying, and there is no tendency to do any surprise snaps.
Why are you going to move the CG 20mm forward? Conservatism? I would suggest that a forward CG can turn a plane like this into a snap-happy handful. I have a buddy who suffered enormously with a cantankerous CAP21 until he finally got persuaded to move his CG back to a more appropriate location, and his problems went away. Dunno if that would be the case with this one, but I mine is balanced right on the sweet spot (at the LE), and I have no inclination to move it. Pitch stability is generous and satisfying, and there is no tendency to do any surprise snaps.
#174
Join Date: Oct 2014
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yes, the twist is absolutely symmetrical - on left, right, upper and lower wings. Sure, its my conservatism to move the CG a little bit forward. But, maybe it is better to leave the CG at the position you recommended. So, I am curious how the plane will behave, as the incidences are different from yours.
Anyway, I will check it out and will drop some lines here when I made my experiences.
Anyway, I will check it out and will drop some lines here when I made my experiences.
#175
My Feedback: (3)
yes, the twist is absolutely symmetrical - on left, right, upper and lower wings. Sure, its my conservatism to move the CG a little bit forward. But, maybe it is better to leave the CG at the position you recommended. So, I am curious how the plane will behave, as the incidences are different from yours.
Anyway, I will check it out and will drop some lines here when I made my experiences.
Anyway, I will check it out and will drop some lines here when I made my experiences.
Balance her right at the bottom wing LEADING EDGE. Full Scale Pitts has the CG in the same position as most biplanes do, mine has about 100 flights on it and going strong, still looks new with no scratches or signs of wear.....fun bird to have in the Hangar! Good luck on your Maiden and take it easy on her until you learn her traits!