iamrandy

I have just purchased this model. It is a very good looking plane, well constructed. I am going to use a new Magnum 1.20fs. The only real challenge here is that the instructions are....lacking in details. I would like to know if there are others out there who would like to follow my build, and maybe some who have the plane and can put their input as we go along?
I would point out the very smallest changes I made, results, etc. This is not a time intesive project, but I can see where some people would have questions. Please, let's have some FUN!!!

Uh-Oh!

I do not have this plane but am very interested in it. I'll be reading and asking a lot of dumb questions as you go... Let it rip! Are you done yet???

Dave

dnocher

My Feedback: (43)

I got one, Started doing hinges. I replaced the CA Hinges with GPS Hinges. Changing metric hardware to SAE. Using 40-40 rods to meet IMAA standards. I Plan to use a Stott Ellington Converted 25CC with Ignition gas burner. I don't have it on hand, not sure how it will fit yet. If not than Mag 120 or YS 120. Instructons? CG would have been nice! Parts seem to fit well. Glued the tail feathers. Bolts might be ok, just hate to think of a bolt dropping out. Put the servos in the wing panels. So at this point I may need to stop till the motor gets here to see where the rest of the servos will go. Most likly in the tail but I'll wait and see. So a build along is not a bad idea. Dan

Plano78

My Feedback: (39)

OK folks I'm on board with this one too. Bought this model in Jan., may not start it until late March, early April. Planning on a Magnum 120 4s for power, should be enough, not expecting 3d. For the price, sure can't go wrong with the quality I've seen so far. The instructions are a bit dicey at best, something akin to "start gluing things together until it looks like a TigerMoth".

Uh-Oh!

This sounds like it might be a "knock off" of the Pacific Aeromodels TM 120. Has anyone seen one of those and can confirm this? The link to their manual is http://www.pacaeromodel.com/TigerMoth/TM120manual.pdf . The manual may also be useful in the Nitro Models Moth build as well.

Dave

iamrandy

OK, here we go. I work on my planes when I am in the mood, so I am not a lightning fast builder. but I do this I can add things that would help others.
Page 1 of the instructions has you glue these 4 BALSA blocks to the wing servo access panels, then mount the servos to them. Personally, I am not comfortable with that idea, so I am going to substitue them with similar sized rock maple found at the LHS. I will even reinforce these with 1/4" tri stock.
I have found a full size Moth online for sale. It is blue and yellow; of course our Moth is all yellow. I have some Plasticote spray paint in that shade of blue. I have tested it for adherence to our covering and it seems good. Will be testing it for fuel proofing, even though with the inverted four stroke fuelproofing shouldn't be that much of an issue.
In putting the main wheels on the avles, I found the wheel collars to be too soft, so I got a pair of DuBro 3/16". Even at that size, I had to use a drill to make the collars fit over the axles.
I intend to use as much as the supplied hardware as I am comfortable with.
As a previous post mentioned, the tail appears to be meant to stay on the aircraft with 2 small screws, coming up through the bottom of the fuselage and into blind nuts inside the vertical stabilizer. I, too, am not comfy with that and will be gluing them in place.
Yes, and givem CG would have been nice. Hopefully we can share information and come up with a range on out own.
I am not super clear on the upper wing mounting. Perhaps others can enlighten me?

dnocher

My Feedback: (43)

Thanks Uh-Oh for the information on the manual. Should help out alot. Motor came in I'll guess I'll play with it and hang it on the plane
this weekend.

dnocher

My Feedback: (43)

Randy tried to reply to e-mail you sent. I had problems getting out. To answer your question about mounting the upper wing and wing panels. I'll be looking into putting a dowels into the wing tubes. Taping it to 4/40 thread and finding out were the tube ends adding hard wood blocks to the wing panels. Or other option is as you suggested glue them together. Adding flying wires might hold them in as well.
Scott sent the Toro 25 it looks great. If I put the 25 in the moth I'll have to hack-up the cowl for the carb and muffler to fit. The Mag 120 would be much easyer to install. So tonight I'll stair at the plane and engine for awhile figure out what to do. Dan

dnocher

My Feedback: (43)

Snow was in the forcast, so got some time to play with the Moth. Mounted The YS 120 to the firewall, built up the fuel tank. Started to put the wings on with the struts. I change the Metric hardware to 4-40 1/2" long and locking nut. Using the Pacific Manual and figuring out how to adapt the Nitroplanes to that manual. First thing was look at was flying wires. Need to go to Wally Word to pick up some Lure swivels. Would have sworn I had some in the tackel box! But aint fished since I took up this hobby. I had some 2-56 thead solder ends and drilled a hole in them to fit the wire. Looks like the picture. With the YS up front the Balance seemed tail heavy.The plane dose have a long tail moment. I haven't put the servos or radio gear in the fuse yet. Looks like that stuff needs to go forward. (I dont think the servos will be going in the tail.) The tiller bar out the side is scale, so I'll make the wires for the rudder come off the side of the fuse to move the rudder back and forth. Than make a tiller bar for pull-pull elevators in the fuse and will see how that goes. I guess this gonna be a Pacific-Nitroplane! Things to get still on board glow driver. Header pipe for the YS.

iamrandy

Sigh. I didn't read real closely the post about referring to the PacAero site. I installed Dave Brown Fiberglass pushrods for the elevators and rudder. I think where the tail wheel goes into the rudder should be reinforced; I shall take a control horn and install it so that the screws sandwich the tail wheel arm inside the rudder.
Now I am going to go and start mounting the wings. Should be i nteresting, now that I have compared the PacAero plans. They are quite helpful. I wouldn't recommend building this nitroplanes kit without at least referring to the PacAero.

cjtyped

My Feedback: (1)

I am now trying to mount the top wing. The lower wing fits without any problem. The cabane struts and wing struts do not fit on my plane;i am having to JB weld the holes in the wood and redrill. Will be setting the incidences up for 0 degrees to each other. Has anyone else had this challenge?
The way I understand the way these are supposed to work, the struts fit over the wood attachment points and are held in place by screws. The holes are not lining up, even when the cabane struts are carefully measured.
This is not a huge deal, but just a small challenge.

dnocher

My Feedback: (43)

Top wing was a custom fit. Played with the struts till the holes were close and used 4/40 socket screws with locking nuts. Doing the rigging myself now. Really not sure how I'll set up the rudder and elevator yet. I don't see doing much on till the weekend.

conchohoncho

My Feedback: (120)

I'm working on a P A Tiger Moth 120. I'm haveing trouble with the installation of the lower wing. It looks as if the slot in the fuse is misslocated as there is a 3/16 inch gap where the front of the wing fits up to the fuse. Has anyone else had this problem?
Thanks

DocYates

My Feedback: (102)

I have one of these (the Pacific Aeromodels TM) and she is one fine flying airplane. Mine is powered with a 1.20 four stroke and it looks absolutely gorgeous in the air at half throttle. The only probelm I have had with it is the covering is more fragile than Monokote and the fitting are all metric. I really need to go thru and do what you proposed here and change out all of the hardware but the thing flies so well I hate to mess with it. if this new ARF flies as well she will be well worth the price and should be a great seller.
Tommy

alburman

My Feedback: (4)

I've tried to get some info from nitro planes about securing the top wing panels to the top center section. After the second email, they referred me to this forum. I ran into the same problems as most of the posters. I glued the tail feathers as well as using the screws. I usually toss all the metric screws into a draw and use sae sockets so when it came to mounting the cabanes, I had plenty of slightly longer screws which enabled me to get the lock nuts to thread all the way through. I decided that when I can get the tubes through the top wing and center panel so that they fit well, (there's about a 1/16 gap right now) I'm going to smear some epoxy on the joints where the tubes go in and make it a one piece wing. At that poing I'll have to depend on the flying wires to hold it all together. I have an OS120 pumper in the nose.
Al Burman

RICHARD BYRNE

Just finished building the Nitro Tiger Moth. After thinking a bit and studing the Pacific Aeromodel Tiger Moth instructions, it became clear how it went togher. Required no mods or parts. I did deside to mod the wing wires, however. I used small springs at one end to keep tight, works well. I am using an RCV 120 for power. Will fly soon.
Also, the CG location is now illustrated on the Nitro Web site.

Dolan

Just a HELLO to all you NITROPLANES "TIGERMOTH BUFFS"...........I've been haveing mine for about 2 years now and she always flys GREAT!! I always enjoy flying this TM. It sports a Satio 1.25 which gives it plenty of power to do loops roll's and even knife-edges.
I'm at 3000' above sea level. She' equiped with all JR electronics and they work nice. If any one needs any help with there's i'll be glad to help. I know the instructions are a little on the wanna-be side, But the price for the TigerMoth was nice. Anyway most avid modelers should be able to figure out the details or come up with some of their own. This plane is realy an easy flyer and most enjoyable at the airfield. At the place where I fly it always a treat for the other R/C pilots to see it fly. It been in front of many camers.
Enjoy.........I know you will because It's all you can do with a plane like this.
Laterzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Dolan ~wingman~ G.
[email protected]

RICHARD BYRNE

I am glad to know that the Nitro tiger Moth flys. I crashed on take off - hard pull to left made it unflyable.
I know why now - I tookk out the firewall off set. It looked like it was way too much. I ordered a new body and will have another go soon. Do you mount your engine with that much offset????
Thanks
Richard

[email protected]

Dolan

Hi Richard!! Leave the offset alone!! OFFSET IS YOUR FRIEND RICHARD!! .......as well as being My friend too. She a Babe to fly and very friendly a real *****cat that loves to take it easy. The most important thing anyone can do for an r/c aircraft is to be real sure the set-up is in good order before initial take-off. These smaller aircraft are not much different that the full size beast that fly everyday. In fact most of the full size aircraft started out as models. My teacher/mentor has been flying r/c for over 40 years. He started out when there was no remote control. Flying only free flight, then later single rudder remote when they came out with it for the first time.
In short your set-up will have the most effect on how your aircraft will fly. The Tiger Moth was born to be a trainer in the full-scale size and so it should be in the scaled down version. I have mine set up so that all the flight surfaces are level with each other. Since the wings swept back and have dihedral in them it is a very stable flying machine. Each degree of sweep back acts like 1 degree of dihedral thus promoting stability. The right angle offset on the engine is just enough and I'd leave it alone. On take off, my elevator, rudder and ailerons are set at neutral. She scoots down the runway for about 15 feet then breaks ground, at that time I use only about 1 degree of up elevator. I hold that at a steady climb as she gains speed then level off at about 100 feet in the air. Then I allow her to gain a comfortable speed. Since she's a biplane she will have some drag to over come as in all biplanes. Mine comes in at about
11 LBS. My CG is at about 8 inched back on the top wing where the rear cabin struts attach. At this point she hangs level with only about 1-degree nose down and with an empty fuel tank. I'm using a 16/6 APC prop and I'm flying at about 3000 feet above sea level.
If you have any more questions be sure to write back and I will help the best I can. Happy Flying Richard and have a good day!!
Laterzzzzzzzzz
Dolan ~wingman~ Gallier

Johnmpa

Do they still sell this plane? I have a Great Planes Tiger Moth 60, flys great on a Saito 1.25, but Great Planes has discontinued it, still have parts though. I would really like to get another large tiger moth and wonder if this Tiger Moth is worth it's weight in gold.

Dolan

Hello!! Yes Sir, this aircraft is still availiable at NITROPLANES!! Here is the link, http://www.nitroplanes.com/timo12076arf.html copy and paste in your address bar and "wala" there you are. I've had nothin but good reveiws with mine. I'm a seasoned modeler of some years. I would not suggest this model for someone just starting out because the instruction manual is yet to be desired. However the price is rite for this size aircraft. If your a modeler with some experiance in setting up CG and checking all flight controls to make sure there movements are sound then this baby is for you My Friend. I like to stick to scale as much as possiable so I went with a PULL-PULL system for rudder and elevator. I had to design some of the linkage myself useing some info from the Pac-Areo TM instruction manual http://www.pacaeromodel.com/TigerMoth/TM120manual.pdf . It sounds like your experianced with TM's allready so I'd say go for it. I like engineering, so a model like this is like dessert after dinner. I enjoy being creative and useing my imagination and this model allows me to do just that. TM's are great flyiers and you can hardly go wrong getting one. If you have any more questions be sure to write back and I'll help the best I can. If you would like pics of the inner workings of my model to help you with your I'll post them. "NO PROBLEM"............Happy Flying My Friend
Untill next time
ADIOS........
Dolan ~wingman~ Gallier
Polson R/C Avaition Group
Polson, Montana.

astro2724

How did you guys set up the flying wires to get the wings to stay on.I have tried a couple ways but cant seem to get them right.Thanks

Dolan

I first flew my Tiger Moth with out flying wires and just added them later for looks. The design of this model is strong enough to fly with out wires. They send you all the hardware you need to set up the wires. I have taken a whole differant approach. I was not sure how my radio would react with all that steel cable webed between the wings so I went down to walmart and got some 1/8 inch 50 or 60 lbs black nylon cord to use for the wires. I installed the nylon cord to the mounted secureing tabs included in the kit with small fishing swivel hooks. I cut the swivel part from the hooks and threaded the nylon cord through the hole then tied a single knot secureing it with CA glue. I did it this way so that I can easly remove the wires when I take the wings off. It seems to work out with no hassels.

My Camera is down for the moment, If want I'll post some pics if you think that will help. It would be no problem to post pics once I unload the pics already have on it.

Laterzzzzzzz
Dolan~wingman~Gallier
Polson R/C Avation Group

Johnmpa

Found a great price on the Tiger Moth at http://www.raidentech.com/timo120giscn.html. Happy shopping.

rideon67

My Feedback: (1)

Great to find a thread on this plane. I have a Quadra 35 looking for a biplane home and with all this wing area the moth looks promising. I see y'all are using a 120 size which is a lot lighter than my Quadra (4lbs) so am wondering if the CG can be worked out with the larger motor. Also wondering about the following:
Is the airframe sturdy enough to withstand the stress of a 35cc gasser, is the top wing able to be modified to add ailerons, how difficult is the field assembly (put wings on), is the cowl wide enough to handle the Quadra (6-1/4").
I imagine all the above can be addressed except the basic airframe strength. I don't want to rip the thing apart doing mild sport flying.

thanks,