Craig-RCU

Hi, I thought I would create a thread summary of tips so people wouldn't have to look through the whole thread to find them.

1. Balance point of 4.25" to 4.5" is better than the recommended 5" back from the leading edge.
2. Bend tail wheel wire before gluing in the vertical stabilizer.
3. Move engine mounting holes over right 1/4 and down 1/4 for proper centering
4. Reinforce bulkhead behind engine -especially if you go with a bigger engine in the suggested range
5. Replace ball links with HPI Ball links (PN# A301)---I reinforced mine, see below
6. Reinforce wing spar at the wheel well--- my technique below
7. Use the outer holes on the gear bell-cranks

If I've missed anything, let me know and I'll edit this post.

Craig-RCU

Here is another option to the HPI ball links if you have some carbon fiber and CA.

I flattened the outside of the link so the carbon fiber would seat on the outer rim twisting the carbon fiber as I wrapped it around the link-- CA in place. Next, I fastened the ends of the CF down with another loop of CF at the base. Stress test the link, and if it no longer pops off your done.

daven

My Feedback: (1)

Looks great Craig.

At what field in Minneapolis do you fly?

I have my Corsair just about finished, and hope to fly it with Jett .90 before the season is over at the Grassfield in Brooklyn Park.

Craig-RCU

If it still keeps popping off with stress tests, note the direction it pops off and add another loop of CF on the oppsite side. Do this by removing the ball from the collar. Lightly lube the ball with lip balm or vasaline. Assemble the link on the ball so the pop off direction is to the base of the ball and CA on more CF to the back of the link. Test the retracts and carve off any excess CF that might cause the link to pop off in the retracted position.

Craig-RCU

There is an awfully big gap in the main spar that is supposed to gain support through the landing gear mount and ply ribs on either side of the gear mount, but I stress tested my wing on the ground and found a good deal of flexing here. My fix was to bridge the gap with a 3" long piece of ply. You'll have to remove a bit of wing rib on either side of the gap to get good bonding area to the main spar but the flexing will be gone after this repair. Leave good clearance for the bell-crank to operate and carve just enough of the spar to allow the wheel well to fit properly as below.

Craig-RCU

My stock retacts had alot of slop in them because the hole for the gear wire is a bit too big. I fixed this by removing the wire strut from the retract and soldering the wire shaft at the top and bottom of were it fits into the retract and sanded off the excess solder for a snug fit. A better way might be to CA stips of tin foil on the wire until a snug fit is acheived. I think I read in one of the threads that someone acidently CAed their gear wire into the retract and when they broke the bond by twisting the gear with a wrench, the gear slop was gone. I don't know if I'd have the guts to try that method, but if it works you wouln't have to remove the retracts from their mounts.

Craig-RCU

Thanks Dave.

I fly at Tri-Valley. A Jett 90 should really haul the corsair around nicely. My friend and I have Supertiger 90's in ours with good results so far.

I also balanced the rudder with half an ounce of lead in the leading edge because we observed alot of rudder vibration on the ground and have read about people's rudder linkages coming loose (I think, in part, due to this vibration). My corsair came in at 7lb 11oz

daven

My Feedback: (1)

The Supertiger .90 is one of my favorite engines. I have one in a 60 sized WM Chipmunk, and it hauls it along nicely. Probably the nicest running engine I own.

I hope the Jett works out. I will make sure the firewall is securely fastned to the fuse. My retracts seem to work great (I haven't changed the stock gear).

I have a set of Century Jet rotating retracts from the Pica Corsair kit that I can install if the stock set does not work out.