TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

We test flew a friends last weekend, with a pair of Magnum .91FSs. maybe just a "shade" overpowered, but it flys real nice. Some stall tests indicated a "really nasty" stall break. You better have altitude when you stall test it. A little upward reflex in the ailerons softened the stall, but it's still pretty nasty. Fly really fast with the .91s, but not really overpowered too bad. Jumps into the air after about 20' if you don't hold it on the ground. Landings were a thing of beauty. At about a foot of altitude, just released the elevator and it settles down to smooth wheel landing. He is using Spring Air retracts with the ASM struts.

TexasAirBoss

My Feedback: (22)

who sells the comet ? Hobby People don't list it anywhere, just the gear. There is a new ad in the September MAN, so it would appear to still be in production.

TCBLightning

My Feedback: (5)

It is nice to finally see some flight reports on this bird.

I had hoped to get mine up this summer but it doesn't look like that will happen. I have started to break in my motors (YS63s) so that all the bugs are worked out of them before going in the Comet.

If I'm lucky it will fly later this fall, if not after the snow melts in the spring.

Thanks for the post.

TCBLightning

My Feedback: (5)

Did you have to use the flaps to land? Thanks.

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

They were were not absolutly needed, but they did help slow the bird and smooth out the landings.

jholc15

I am in the process of finishing mine up and my manual has come up missing. Does anyone have the recommended factory throwes and cg.

TCBLightning

My Feedback: (5)

Aileron - 10 mm up/down
Elevator - 25 mm up/down
Rudder - 30 mm up/down
Flap - up to 40 degrees
Those all seem to be real low rates but that is what the manual says.

CG - The CG for the comet is 115mm from the leading edge measured at the fuselage side. Note: if the optional retractable landing gear is fitted, balance the model with the landing gear retracted.

What if any modifcations did you make to the tail section's setup?

Looking foward to hearing about your first flight!

GaGeeBees

My Feedback: (23)

Finally flew mine after many delays. I have the ASM retracts and twin Saito .56's. That's more than enough power for this bird. The Magnum .91 powered plane has to be a rocket! I agree with TLH101, the stall is exceedingly nasty and you want to keep your speed up on landing. Do NOT try to three-point this one. Wheel landings are the only sane approach as it will drop a wing with absolutely no warning if you let it get slow. Takeoffs are very easy and it literally leaps into the air if you let it. Flight with the gear up is fast and smoooooooooth. Looks great in the air and draws a crowd when it's in the pits. I've not noticed much difference when using the flaps on landing.

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

Let me add a little more info on my buddy's Comet. After a couple of days setting in the sun, at a fly-in this past weekend, he was unable to fly it. Seems ALL the glue holding the bulkheads, and servo tray, in the fuse came loose. Looks like all of it released.[&o]

Cyclic Hardover

My Feedback: (3)

I TOLD YOU ALL THIS WOULD HAPPEN.

GaGeeBees

My Feedback: (23)

Yikes! I've had mine out in the Georgia sun on several days and haven't noticed any problems like this.

jholc15

Thanks for the help. I finished mine but looks like I am going to have to wait to fly it. Moving to PA to go work for Sykorsky, so I packed it up.. The kit was a pain to put together and you all know the problems. Looks good though and can't wait to fly it.

digitalimage4u

IM building the Comet, and powering with twin AXI 46s, run them counter rotating. DM

bladerunner1955

My Feedback: (72)

Electric power is the way to go with these. Check out my buddy Walt flying his.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d1tlX1WHOw

TCBLightning

My Feedback: (5)

Has anyone had to replace the covering on their Comet? I'm just finishing mine up and had a hangar incident and need to fix something.

Thanks!

TCBLightning

My Feedback: (5)

I flew my Comet on Sunday! The first flight was short because of engine issues (which I found out later to be a bad check valve). It is powered by YS 63s turning 12x6 APC props. Take off was at about 1/3 throttle and the plane was very stable. Cornering was impressive, very little adverse yaw.

I dipped the left wing just before it touched down so will need to keep on the power just a little longer. Other than that very smooth.

Really looks good in the air! I have a [link=http://www.rcuvideos.com/item/QQXJSB42TRQNWJ6R]video[/link] of the flight....sorry about the quality. Hopefully it is enough to get a good look.

kram-RCU

Pretty darned impressive!

That puppy really scoots along, eh?

Sounds good with the twin FS's, too.

mt

GaGeeBees

My Feedback: (23)

Just don't let it get too slow when you're landing.

TCBLightning

My Feedback: (5)

[link=http://rcuvideos.com/item/PTC88QD65TRTXJKM]Flight #2[/link]

Nitro2Burn

My comet has now got around ten flights on her and she performs excellently in the air and on the ground, when programming it into my radio (JR 9X2) I mixed seperate channels for throttle, and with a bit of fiddling also managed to mix rudder in on them, so when I have a switch flicked on my radio, the rudder will pick up the rpm on the outside engine for taxying purposes. I must stress I have never taken off with this still active as I would hate to think of the repocussions if I added rudder at the wrong time.
On the initial take off for test flight I had her sitting straight on the strip, brought the throttle up to 1/4 slowly, as it slowly began moving I then gunned the throttle, BIG MISTAKE. As it got to flying speed the right hand wing picked up and pretty much had the plane on knife edge at 6 foot off the ground with both rudder and aileron at full right to get it back, which it slowly did. I hate to think what someone with less experience than me would have ended up with.
Flight test went well, flaps work fantastically, and a big plus is, since I had been wretching over the high stall speed with the wing shape, I was pleasantly suprised to see it fly reasonable slowly before dropping a tip. Landings are smooth which I try and keep to as the retracts don't seem the strongest.
All take offs now are done bringing the throttle up slowly and she lifts off perfectly at around 3/4 throttle.

gdwyer

Just finished the ASM 88"comet, built so wing tips detach.
The setup includes,
E-flite 46 motors E-flite 60 amp controllers, 6S 5200mah in each nacelle, separate 6v battery for receiver and servos, Futaba 3010 digital high torque servo and metal geared futaba mini servos in the wings.
The props are 11x8 and she tachos at
2800 rpm startup / minimum idle
7800 rpm at 50% power
11800 rpm at 100% power

It weighs in at 6.45kg WITH the 2 6S Lipos in, which weigh 480g each ( could get smaller capacity lighter ones if its advisable...)

I have bench tested the model, running at 50-70% power randomly for 8 minutes, Lipos read at 55%

Ran a second 8 minutes and one motor dropped from 8000 to 5000 approx after 5 minutes more so best I could hope for is 10 good minutes and get her down quick.

Any advice? I am hoping to maiden her this weekend, runway test her this evening.
There is a bit of slop in the rudder ( poor design) it seems to wave around a few mm in the prop blast. Here are a few pics, any advice would be greatly welcome.

Nitro2Burn

HI, when I set mine up I mixed the throttles in with the rudder (right rudder increases left throttle and vice versa) specifically for taxiing purposes, I was religious about making sure I had this turned off for take off until I forgot and did the best take off it had ever done, wondering if this was a fluke I tried it again with mixing still in and found this to be a supreme advantage. Take offs with 2x OS46AX is at half throttle and smooth roll out followed by smooth lift off. Only advice is make sure RPM is even through the throttle curve, don't try and force it off the ground, it will lift easily enough on its own. Make sure you land with herbs in hand (power for go arounds) as if one motor drops kiss this beauty goodbye. Though I guess one motor dropping on EP is unlikely.
Most of all have fun and keep us posted on how she goes.
BTW rudder system is pretty dodgy from factory. i made major tail mods as there was very unsatisfactory equipment and methods for connecting the tailplane in the original kit,

FirstCavArmyVet

Just got one of these myself. Thinking about the electric conversion a few posts up.

exocet-RCU

My Feedback: (1)

FirstCavArmyVet - Does your kit suffer the same problems as the ones originally posted nearly 10 years ago? Did you buy it from the dealer/ASM or from a private party? Looking at one of these myself but thinking that with all the issues described above, I could probably build one from plans as well. I don't know of anyone who makes a non-ARF kit of this plane.

Tim

Aldo Rebsamen

HI Tim

If you like to build your own DH88, have a look at the one from Glatt-Modelle.

http://www.glattcad.de/Dokumente/DH.28.02.BB.01.pdf

http://www.rcmovie.de/video/86db37858e080c6bdc8c/glattCAD-Flugmodelle-DH-88-Comet-Spw-270m

Regards Aldo