pettit

My Feedback: (23)

After 2 whole days toiling to assemble this plane, here's where I have progressed to.

So far, 18 pounds with Saito 450 radial. It needs all the engine weight to balance, but certainly not the power.

I wanted to use a Saito 325 5 cylinder, but none to be found. (Anybody got one?)

Probably a good (but heavy) 40cc gas engine would do just fine

No servos, battery, receiver or on-board ignition, so I'm looking at a 20 pound model.

Meesh

My Feedback: (135)

Hey Dick,

That's looking good. You should get an exhaust ring for the Saito from Keleo-Creations for that radial.

I picked up a 325 for mine here in the RCU Marketplace. I'm just finishing up a GP Spacewalker and I think the Stearman is next.

What are you using for onboard glow? I got a McDaniels for mine and will be using a sub C pack to run it. I figure I can move it up front if I need to to balance. I called Rocco at Aero works to asked him how the closed in the engine mount on the prototype with the 325 Radial. He described a clamshell arrangement made of balsa and lite ply that attaches to the firewall.

Kelvin at Keleo-Creations mad me up a semi-scale exhaust for the 5 cylinder. See the pic.
(It's not my plane)

Bob

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

The collector ring from Keleo-Creations should be here today.

I like that clamshell firewall cover. I'll work on that over the holidays.

I built a glow driver using a D flip flop and a nice big FET to drive the plugs from an F cell (7000 mah).

I run it off channel 5 (gear) to turn it on and off whenever I want.

You'll need all that engine weight to balance this Stearman

lbianchi

I'm waiting for my AW Stearman next week (it's a long way to Italy...).
This is my set up:
- Magnum R400 five cylinder with Keleo exhaust system ad McDaniel glow driver. Performance in break in: 8.000 rpm with 20x7 wood propeller and 10% nitro.
- Cockpit from DBalsa
- Decals (cockpit gauge, number, engine and landing gear plate... ) made himself from photographs
- Receiver Multiplex IPD9 with Hitec 5945 x 1 (rudder), Hitec 945 x 4 (2 aileron, 2 elevator), Hitec 5245 x 1 (throttle)
- 4,8 v 2.400ma NiCad battery pack for glow driver,;6.0 v 2.200 NiMh battery pack for receiver.
One question: which is the wheel diameter? If is 4" i can use one pair of diamond tread Robart.

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

The wheels are about 4" and have a really large axle shaft.

Absolutely zero flex in main gear legs and wheels, so land gently.

You can use Robart wheels if you also replace the axles

Meesh

My Feedback: (135)

Well, I have to admit you lost me with the electronics jargon (I did understand "F" cell though, I happen to have a couple).

You'll be in the air lonmg before I will (I live in NH) so please let me know how she flies. Good luck with it. I'll post pics here when I start my assembly.

Happy Holidays!

Bob

Meesh

My Feedback: (135)

lbianchi,

Good luck with yours. I have a Magnum 400 also but decided to use the Saito because of the custom exhaust I got from Keleo-Creations. Kelvin does nice work!

Post Pictures of your progress.

Bob

shepp

"Santa" won't allow me to open the box till Christmas, but I know the AW Stearman is in it. "Santa" also ordered the OS 300 Radial but it is not due till mid January. ( I have a Super wife)

I'm biding my time building some quickies for next spring but I really want to get on the Stearman. Don't know why, because snow is predicted for tonight and 4 degrees tomorrow night. That doesn't sound bad for some of you, but I live in Tennessee. Looks like a long cold winter with only one model to complete.
Keep this thread going so I can find out how all of you are doing and how the model flys.

shepp

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

Keleo-Creations makes a ring for the Mag now.

Meesh

My Feedback: (135)

The pic of the Magnum 400 on his website is mine!

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

I'm always a few steps behind everyone else, but that's a good thing in a minefield!

I just ordered one. I asked for a front ring if he'd make it, rear if not, got one for the 450 also.

MANFRED

My Feedback: (27)

What do you think of the super-transparent yellow covering?

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

I was told it was "Oracover" but unless it is their transparent type, it must be some other brand.

If the woodwork underneath looked better, it wouldn't be all that bad.

But there are angle joints in the leading edge sheeting, lots of wood grain and glue joints everywhere.

For that you need a more opaque covering, which this is not!

It also looks strange when heated while shrinking. It seems to get bubbly inside, but it all disappears when cooled.

Watch out at the rear fuselage covering seams. Very easy to loosen one and then you're in trouble.

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

What's a clamshell firewall cover?

MANFRED

My Feedback: (27)

I'm tempted to throw a coat of paint on her, with the 325 radial the weight should be ok. Mine arrived with several of the stringers on the fuse behind the cockpit cracked. Emailed AW about the problem and asked them to comment on the covering and they have not given me the courtesy of a reply yet. This is the problem with ordering NEW planes sight unseen, for the BIG money on this ship, had I seen the workmanship and the transparent covering before purchase I probably would have talked myself out of this one. Returning is an expensive pain in the ass so now I'll have to compensate. I hope the rest of the airframe is well built.
I had the same problem with the Pitts Challenger from BME. I was very excited about this ship until it arrived with the thinnest red covering I've seen, for $500.00! I sent it back and they were very good about my refund, but what is up with these companies designing HIGH END Arfs with substandard materiels? This Stearman screams for fabric covering.

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

I was thinking about fabric too, but mine is already pushing 20 pounds.

You can read a newspaper through the yellow.

The clamshell cover (not supplied in the kit) is a fabricated fairing that goes between the firewall and the engine mount.

It is basically for decoration, but has to be made in a top and bottom half (aka clam shell) because it needs to be installed after tne engine is mounted, and must be removeable.

Meesh

My Feedback: (135)

Dick,

With the Saito 450 on there I wouldn't be too worried about the 20 lbs.

Bob

pettit

My Feedback: (23)

I'm certainly not concerned about power. It'll have plenty of that.

What I get a little concerned about is wing loading. At 20 pounds, loading is right at 25 oz/sq ft.

I guess that'll be OK, but I'd rather not go much higher.

BTW, in case anyone is interested, the CG point is located at the leading edge of the lower wing.

This works out to be about 5" to 5.5" back from the leading edge of the top wing, so you don't have to flip the plane upside down to balance it

5" is at the 28.6% point, 5.5" is 31.4%.

shepp

Well , I got the Stearman out of the box. I'm not impressed with the covering. Workmanship is OK but the material leaves something to be desired. Not much on instructions either, but that's OK. The airframe looks like is is constructed well with plenty of bracing and good glue joints, other than the choice of covering a pretty good job.
We'll see how it flys. The OS 300 R should be here in a couple or three weeks and we can get down to serious business.

kqutob

Guys
Any idea how it compares to the GP Stearman?

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

I was on the verge of buy one of these, I think I'll wait until they use a better covering material or preferably fabric. If we buy stuff that's not right they will continue to make it that way.

shepp

Regarding the question comparing the GP Stearman to the AW stearman, I have both.
My GP Stearman has an OS 120 w/pump and a Slimeline inverted smoke muffler . I forget the weight but it was very close to the Mfg. specs. Wing Span is 72 inches. It flys great , more than enough power and with the slow speed, the smoke system looks super. The first few shots of this video is of my GP Stearman at our Labor Day flyin.

http://www.vsmaweb.org/(wnw2ef45umkwzm55p2dwldvn)/VS_Video.aspx

I wanted the AW stearman to mount an OS 300 Radial, that I don't have yet. (late Jan.)
I personally believe the GP model is superior the the AW, well thought out engineering and everything included. The only problem encountered was the geometry of the slave struts on the ailerons. However this took only a little while to sort out. You just have to forget the instruction manual and figure it out yourself. (Current cost about $380)
The AW model is another thing. No fuel tank, no pushrods, no horns or hardware. They did include material to make up the flying wires which was a nice touch. However , while the workmanship of the covering is very good, the covering material is substandard in my opinion. It is very thin and transparent, and covered with small bubbles that I can't get out, even in the open bays. The cabanes, and interplane struts are very non-scale and look poor on the airplane. The tailwheel assembly is mounted like a 40 size model with all the weight resting on the cheap CA hinges. I have already changed that by brazing a bearing washer on the tail wheel wire and replacing all the hinges with graupner pin hinges. I did this on ailerons and elevators too.
Now that I have it assembled , and waiting for the engine, I've decided to recover it with coverite fabric, and repaint the struts, and landing gear. It weighs 12 pounds 6 oz. with everything in it except the engine and final balancing, so I figure it will hit 20 pounds or so. Should not be a problem with the OS 300 R.
Keep up the posting. I am interested on how everyone else likes this model.
Shepp

kqutob

Thanks shepp
You put my mind at ease, I already have the GP stearman in the box awaiting assembly.I ordered a Saito 180 GK which should balance the plane w/o extra nose weight.
I plan to avoid this whole business of the slave aileron and use four servos.
I'm looking forward to see what it will do with the 180 and a 16x8prop.

planelazy

Hi Dick. I have a Ziroli Stearman which is the same span i believe 77" and it weighed 25 lbs without fuel and i was concerned about the weight . It has a Saito five cylinder 325 ans it fly's great. I have many flight's on it and love.It has the shock absorbing gear,any way i think the weight helped because it is really solid even in the wind. Tim Karrer .Columbus Ohio.

Meesh

My Feedback: (135)

Started mine this week. I'm in no rush. Can't fly in this D*mned New England winter weather anyway. I was pleasantly surprised with the one piece wings! Only my wife knows how much I HATE joining wing halves together!

Exhaust is by Keleo Creations in Oregon http://www.keleo-creations.com/