Has anyone had any experience flying the VMAR Tomahawk? I'm a little nervous about the T-tail configuration. I have installed a new ASP .61 for power. Thanks for your input!

Never flew the model, but the full scale version flys nice. The only problem with the T-tail is it won't pull the nose up till it is just under the stall speed. Hinders short field take off just a bit.

I learned to fly r.c. with the vmar tomahawk. This model flies very solid and is fun even for a beginner. Landings are really nice and steady even in a wind. I like the model. I'm flying it with a Saito .91 4-stroke... more than enough power.

Spacewkr,

Thanks for the reassuring response! I haven't had it in the air yet, because I am having a heck of a time getting the model to balance. I am VERY tail-heavy. With the battery and receiver up against the firewall, I still need almost a pound of weight to get the CG right! And with the configuration of the nose, cowling, etc. I con't figure out how to add the extra weight. As I mentioned, I have an ASP .61 installed - not an overly "light weight " engine, I don't think. Any ideas? Thanks!

Replace the VMAR firewall with 1/4" - 3/8" aircraft ply (more weight, better longevity)
Replace the plastic motor mount with a metal one (more weight)
Replace the plastic spinner with a True Turn (more weight)
Replace the lightweight nose wheel with a solid DuBro (or similar) wheel (more weight)
Move the servos forward if you can
Put in a bigger NiCad battery pack (2000 mah)
Make up a lead slurry (lead shot and epoxy) and pour it into the front lip of the cowl (more weight further forward) Ensure you don't shut off any air access

That should save you some weight in dead lead

Don

Don't force it off the ground. The T-tail will try and lift the plane before it is ready to fly. The wing will then block the hrozontal stab and the plane will sit back down on the ground. You will bounce along a few times before it is ready to fly. LAndings require you to keep a little power and don't flare until you are ready to land. Agin, the wing will block the stab and the plane will sudenly just lose lift and smack down. Not a hard plane to fly, just alittle different. The .60 will be more than enough power when she gets in the air.
TOmmy

Don,

Thanks so much for the great suggestions. All of these sound like good, logical ideas. I just wonder how the folks at VMAR expect the plane to balance with their included hardware...Oh well. I really appreciate your advice!

Tommy,

Thanks for the flying tips! Very logical. Many thanks!

Vmar Piper Tomahawk
Evolution 61 engine with pitts muffler
Standard Hitec Servos

Maiden Flight 7 /08/2005

[link=http://www.selosdije.com/videos/chemahawk.wmv]Enjoy the Video[/link]

Just add a little flaps and come very stable on landing

DocYates hit the nail on the head in his post above ! The full size Tomahawk does what he describes during a spin. Some full-scale pilots have died finding this out !

CJ

Bravo DukeZillo! Excellent video!

DukeZillo,

Thanks so much for the great video! (love Sinatra also) My Tomahawk has been a challenge to balance at the CG. I have to add nearly a pound of weight to the nose! I'm using an ASP .61 with a Pitts muffler. I'm assuming my ASP weighs about the same as your Evolution. What does your Tomahawk weigh? Did you do anything creative to balance yours?

Thanks for any help you can give me...

Patrick

hopfully all the vmar bashers will stay out of this thread

Nop, with the evo and the pitts muffler the balance was perfect, as manual says.

No need to add weight

I am putting one of these ARF's together. I can't find what the deflection of the flaps should be. Can someone help me out?

BillL

Hi Bill,

I have this Tomahawk & really enjoy it. As you know, the instruction manual doesn't indicate the amount of flap defection. From my experience, it doesn't require much at all. In fact, I hardly ever use the flaps. I would think that 30 degrees or so is ample.

I don't fly mine very often, only because my main club's field runway is grass. The Tomahawk is awesome on asphalt.! Very scale-like! It's surprisingly easy to fly. At first I was intimidated by the narrow wing cord and T-tail, but those turned out to be non-issues. (However, be sure to heed the advice of the comments above in this thread.)

Hope this helps!

Patrick

Patrick,

Thanks for the tip. I'll shoot for 30 degrees. It's the first plane I've gotten with flaps. I do think you are right, I probably won't use them much. I see a lot of tips on the plane being tail heavy.

I only fly off grass, I've never had the pleasure of hard surface.

Bill

yeah, 30° sounds good to me

heres a video, first flight, and without flaps ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU92D492_5U

now with flaps

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ooEGh7oWzOA

Thanks for the videos! Very helpful.

Ive just finished and flown the Vmar Tomahawk. I was reluctant, but did use the Evolution 100. What ive
found is that it made the Cg perfect at 65mm and rotation on takeoff is perfect, no ill affects from the
elevator losing lift. because of the power of this motor and 14/6 prop..Nice scale flights so far...ps taking off on grass also...Rich