PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

This plane is easy to fly and land with a good sink rate.

Set it in the sun for a few hours before applying the decals if you are worried about wrinkles. The plane looks good with the decals. Install the cowl and pants if you can fly and land fairly well. For fun I installed baffles in the cowl for engine cooling but it is not really necessary.

I installed lite ply inside the wheel pants on both sides with 45 minute epoxy thickened with microballoons and ran the axle through so the pants are supported on both sides. This makes for a very rugged design and only added a little weight.

I taped the rudder centered, put the tail decals across the gap, then cut it down the middle and worked it into the "V" on each piece. It looks right.

trroscoe

My Feedback: (39)

I finally finished mine today. It balanced on the CG with no additional weight added. I had to shift the battery pack back about 3 inches from the stock position on the servo tray. I had to add 1 1/4 oz of lead to the left wing to get the lateral balance right. This is the nicest building plane that I have put together so far. I hope it flies half as nice as it looks. I ran the Super Tigre G-2300 today and it started and ran great. This engine was already broken in on another plane so it shouldn't give me any problems on this one. I am running a 17x6 APC prop on it and it should pull it very nicely. I also beefed up the inside of the wheel pants with lite ply and some fiberglass cloth. This mod makes the wheel pants very rugged and sturdy. If the weather cooperates I will fly it tomorrow morning. The wind has been very bad all week. I will take some pictures and post them tomorrow.


Rick

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

My plane handles the wind really well at a little over 13#. I do get a lttle tail wag.

trroscoe

My Feedback: (39)

What are you guys using for control throws. I have mine set at what GP recommends for low and high rates. The throw on the elevator does not seem like enough on low rates. I have a smaller extra and it takes very little throw on the elevator. Is this plane the same. I am going to maiden this plane tomorrow and I don't want to have any problems with it. I am not looking for 3D type performance but want to use this plane to learn to fly IMAC aerobatics so that I can compete in some contests later. I have a 9C radio so changing the throw settings is very easily done. What throws do you guys recommend to start with. For all of you guys using Super Tigre G-2300 engines the carb fix is to order the new barrel and swap it out. This mod will take care of the engine running rich in the midrange and makes the throttle response great. You can get the new barrel from Great Planes and check out the support forum in engine threads. Hope all goes well tomorrow. See Ya

Rick

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Rick,
If you are balanced properly the recomended low rates will be plenty for scale aerobatics. Once you figure out where you want them I'd recommend mechanically adjusting rather than soley depending on the readio ATV or dual rates. If you end up at 30% low rate you will be losing resolution and not have as fine of control over the range of motion.

trroscoe

My Feedback: (39)

Basinbum

Thanks for the response. I have the plane CG balanced perfectly at 5 1/2 inches back from the leading edge at the wingroot. I had to add about 1 oz of weight to the left wing to get the lateral balance perfect. I have the low rates set at the recommended throws and the high rates a little more that what is recommended. The expo is set at 35% on low rate and 45% on high rate. I may need to up the expo on high rate. I fly a Vectorflight 66 inch extra so I kind of know how one will handle. I hope this plane flies as good as my smaller one does. I have been flying for 3 years and have had alot of different planes but nothing as big as this one. I want to get into gas but I am afraid to take the plunge yet. I have a 1/4 scale ultimate that I haven't flown yet also. I want to fly this extra first. Check out my ultimate at www.conachenaircraft.com look at the 25% Ultimate page scroll down to the bottom and mine is the red and yellow one. wish me luck I will maiden it tomorrow if the wind is not to bad.

Rick

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Rick,
You sound like your ready. The Vector is a good plane and this one will be similar but bigger is better. Expect it to be able to fly relativly slower and don't be fooled on approach because it may appear closer ompared to your smaller planes.

Keep the maiden short and have a plan. I'd take it high and trim for straight and level at 3/4 throttle. Do a low flyby and chop the throttle to check engine incedence and make sure it won't baloon or tuck on final. Take it high and do a stall test into the wind to see how slow it'll go and whether it'll drop a wing. A full pull loop on low rates to see if it snaps and a quick aileron roll to check the rates. After that I'd land it and tighten everything up.

Good luck and as we say to each other at the Basin before a maiden, DON"T F___ UP!

trroscoe

My Feedback: (39)

I took my plane out to the field to maiden it today but the wind wouldn't cooperate. It was blowing very hard and I didn't want to take any chances with it. On a sad note one of the very experienced fliers had a new GP Soucy out for the maiden also. He took off and promptly lost the plane in the sun. I saw the plane go in very hard and it totaly destroyed it. I am not sure that he had it set up right. He had an OS BGX-3500 engine on it and it was way overpowered. He is a very good flier and I was very suprised when this happened. He was really upset and didn't want to talk about it afterwards. This kind of made me think that I should wait until the conditions are right to fly this plane.

Rick

trroscoe

My Feedback: (39)

Well I took my plane up for its maiden flight today and it didn't fair so well. I had to mess with the engine to get it to run right before I took off. I thought I had it running good so I taxied out to the runway and gave it about half throttle. the plane tracked good on the ground and took off in about 50 feet. I climbed it up to about 100 feet and started to trim it out. It needed 2 clicks of down and 2 clicks of right and it was flying hands off. After about 3 minutes of flying the engine started to lose power so I came around to land. On the first pass I couldn't get the engine to idle down far enough and the plane would just fly by at idle. I went around for another pass and lowered the idle trim a little. Everything was going fine until I got about 5 feet from the ground. The engine died and the plane stalled. It didn't go in very hard but sustained some damage. The cowl cracked and the landing gear bent. All of the glue joints holding the landing gear plate came loose and the servo tray glue joints all came loose. It looked like all of these things were glued in pretty good when I built it but now I am not so sure. I will have it fixed up and fly it again this weekend. I am going to add glue to all of the joints in front of the forward wing bulkhead. I need to go back to the start and retune this engine. I was afraid of this happening on landing.

Rick

BasinBum

My Feedback: (2)

Rick,
Sorry about the mishap. As for the glue joints, the plane is built to fly, not crash. It sounds like you were to lean on the high end and that caused the loss of power. As for the low end idle, get a tach and see what is going on. If you deadstick an Extra you have to keep the nose down and the speed up till your ready to flare. You found out the hard way what happens if you don't.

DENNIS C

My Feedback: (99)

Well!!!! I dont know what marc was talking about needing 45 deg's of elevator to get this plane to a inverted flat spin. i got it to that on low rate's

DENNIS C

My Feedback: (99)

O yea you need to carry a little speed on the landing's like B.B. says, then you can flare it other wise it will stall.

Stik-n-Rdr

Wow, I guess I'll leave mine in the box so I don't have any mishaps. The OS 160 makes a darn good paperweight anyway.

trroscoe

My Feedback: (39)

Yea I know about the landings. The engine quit about 5 feet off of the ground and it stalled instantly before I could do anything. It was running OK on the top end it was when I throttled back that bad things started to happen. I already have it repaired. All of the pieces just went back together like a kit. It has plenty of epoxy on it now. The wheel pants are totaled. I threw them in the trash and I am going to put a set that I have for a 4*120 on it. I just need to spend some more time tuining the engine before I try to fly it again. Well at least I got to fly my Vectorflight extra alot today. I will get it back in the air soon.

Rick

teekay

Hi, guys

Got my Soucy Extra from our Dealer Toy Fair down here in Australia - first in the country! Haven't started it yet, and I had intended to use a Moki 180. What do you all think about a Saito 180 as a milder alternative? Has anyone tried this combination yet?

Tel

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

trroscoe,

Sorry to hear about your plane. Mine has three times as much glue as required, I must have some from your kit.

trroscoe

My Feedback: (39)

Well mine probably has as much as yours now. I have it almost repaired and will try to fly it again on Monday. I ordered a perry carb for the Super Tigre G-2300. That should fix the carb problems. The paint on the cowl cracked and one of the wheel pants was totaled. I am going to put a set of SIG wheel pants that I have on the plane. They are made of very hard plastic and are very tough. I have used them on other planes that I have had. The landing gear took most of the impact so the damage was mostly to the gear plate. It just popped all of the glue joints loose and the servo tray came loose also. I had to rebuild some of forward wing sockets where the leading edge goes in. It was not too bad and only required about 3 hours of work. Once the engine is reliable I think that this plane will be a great flier. I flew nice for about 4 minutes until the engine lost power. It only took 2 clicks of down and 2 clicks of right to trim it out. It was very responsive even at the low rates recommended in the manual. I need to give it more expo before I fly it again. I will be ready next time. Here's a couple of picts of my plane.

Rick

Stik-n-Rdr

Good job with the pics trroscoe. That thing's just beautiful..... Are those pre-mishap pictures or after your repairs? I was really close to going with a new G-2300 for mine, but decided to go with the tried and true OS FX160 to be on the safter side. Just crashed my Lucky Stick becuase the mixture screw assembly on the GMS 47 carb came loose and am having to send the whole carb in for warranty repair. I'm through with cheap engines.

I'm going to start assembling my Extra soon and will post pictures for sure.

Happy flying [8D]

trroscoe

My Feedback: (39)

Those pictures are before the mishap. The plane looks the same after some repairs. The only thing that I had to replace was the wheel pants. The only reason that I used the ST engine is because I had it already sitting on the shelf. I got it from a fellow club member for 50 bucks and it only had about 20 flights on it. I said what the heck lets try it. The engine also came with a new Bisson pitts muffler that cost 70 bucks so even if I have to spend a little $$ to get it to run right I am still ahead on this engine. If the perry carb doesn't fix it I will look for a different engine here on RCU. My next plane will be either the WM Velox or a Goldberg ultimate. I really want another ultimate since I sold my GP 40 size to practice with before I fly my 1/4 scale ultimate. The velox is also nice. I think that this Extra will be a nice flier once the engine is sorted out.

Rick

Stik-n-Rdr

You can't beat the price on your G-2300 huh? I'd have done the same thing if I was in your shoes.

From what I've read on the forums the newer G-2300s don't have the carberator problems the older one's made in Italy do. That was the only reason I was going to go with an ST, but I figured for ninety bucks more it was more prudent to get the OS. This project is many firsts for me which is somewhat scary..... 1st 1/4 scale, 1st scale type plane period, 1st acrobattic type plane, 1st time using high torque servos, first cowling, and 1st ringed engine. Now I'm stoked and need to get started... YEAH!!!

PlaneKrazee

My Feedback: (14)

One of guys at my field had all sorts of problems with his 2300. He installed an OS #8 plug and it runs really well. It may just be magic in his engine, but it did work well for him.

RED DEVIL 300S

hi huys!!
i want to change my os 1.60 fx for a gas running engine, my extra flys great on the 1.60 but i want a more economic engine.

anny suggestions?

manny thanks

Dewey2

My Feedback: (24)

maybe a rcs 140 or 180 or a 3 w24 or a g 23 or g 26 but it won't fly as good . about all . the plane is to small for gas.. lite is good.

Stik-n-Rdr

How much does, say 15% nitro, fuel cost you in Chile Red Devil? We pay about $14.50 here in Florida (I use Wildcat 2 & 4 Clycle 15%).

I agree with prophanger1, this plane's too small for a gasser. You'll end up making the GP 300S too heavy for it's aerodynamic design properties (ie wingloading). Fork out another $399.99 and get yourself a Patty Wagstaff Extra, that's what I'm going to do for my first gasser. Is the fuel consumption of the OS 160 that bad? Oh oh..........

RED DEVIL 300S

thanks guys i think ill keep the 1.60