Iflyglow

My Feedback: (79)

Horizon just emailed me today to. They told me they would try to make me happy. They are shipping out a cowl today. I asked about the retract being the same as the Corasir and I was told they are different. I was also told I must have a fluke, because they have heard of no complaints sofar. The firewall issue and stuff must just be with my plane.

Pit-Viper 1

My Feedback: (12)

I know the anticipation to get a new plane up and going is very great indeed. But as with most ARF's or RTF's for that matter, the need to go through these and touch-up and support any areas that are needed is totally going to be up too us. (the cotumer's) I've done my share of gripping to these companies about this sort of thing. The problem is that most of the time they don't even see there own product let alone know the quality of it. So just a good suggestion, go over it before you start building, and if there are defects they will almost always make good. As far as glueing and such it is up to us to be sure that it is right. These are all great planes and fly very well and a little epoxy or even med. CA will prevent problem's down the road. Even if it looks good, still go over it anyway just to be sure. Besides, the amount of time it takes it too dry is far less than waiting to hear back from them with those type replies. And to me thats flying time wasted.. lol


Shane

Hellcat716

My Feedback: (2)

Finishing up the plane today. Dry weight with the Saito 100 is about 8 1/2 lbs. Using the Hitec 75 BB retract servo. Works perfect. It helps when you know how to set the retracts up correctly so you will not burn out the servo. I would tell you how but since you know it all I won't bother. Do not always believe the construction manuel. Just have to add the numbers and Navy markings and will be done. Balanced with the 1000ma battery mounted on a tray behind the cockpit.

Iflyglow

My Feedback: (79)

I have been in this hobby for many years, and the products will not get any better unless the customers demand it. I am totaly aware of the mods needed to make a good plane out of a arf. The point I am making is we the end users have to let it be known to the distributers that this kinda of construction is not aceptable (hot glue on the firewall). The quality problems I was originaly talking about on here pertained to the fact that the wing did not fit without reworking the wing saddle, and the cowling was wet when it was packaged.[X(]
The fuse is now fixed and a new cowling is on the way. Now I just have to finish building it.

Hepdog

Got my big box O fun today No damage that I could see and the wing saddle area fits really nice. Thing is pretty big too

As to what to expect from an ARF, well it really is only Almost ready to fly and I suppose we get what we pay for. At the price I paid, I'd say I am a very happy camper if all I have to do is re-glue some joints, check some things and install my gear. I specifically bought an ARF because time is by far more valuable to me than the kit cost. To build this from a pure kit would take ALOT longer than the amount of "fixing" you all speak of, so for me, I am very happy and way ahead of the $$$/time curve.

However, it sure would be nice if even more were already ready - but I suppose that we would have to expect a corresponding increase in $$$. It truly sucks for those who recieved damaged goods - that is just wrong.

Now to find time to work on it....(see what I mean about time)

navy fly guy

Did you replace thr retracts? What did you use?? What engine?? YS 110, Will you test fly it this weekend at the Flying field?? See you at the field.

bookboy22

Hi,
So there is a better way to setup the stock retracts. I would like to know how to setup the retracts so I don't burn out the servo. This will be my first plane with retracts, so your advice is valuable to me. My firewall ripped out my H9 P51 PTS tonight while I did a stall landing in the deep grass. One of my wheels fell off while flying. I sould have taken more care with re inforcing the H9 stock glue job. At least Horizon sells the fuselage for $64. I'm thinking its better to buy the hole arf for $120. Replacement parts!

Thanks

Hepdog

For all the experienced people out there, what exactly was the issue with the Corsair retracts? I spent some time looking/playing with the Hellcat retracts and they seem rather well built. They have "locks" of some sort to hold the gear both up and down - presumably over center locks. It takes quite a bit of force on the retract links to unlock them and I hazard to guess wood splitting force to unlock them in any other fashion....so what is the issue? I can see that the ball links to rotate them may shear on a really hard landing - but that is actually good if you ask me - links are easily replaced - structural damage not so much. Now if those links are failing on relatively soft landings that is another story but all the negative info so far is rather vauge...anyone care to describe it in detail???

As an aside, when I was picking it up today, the LHS also had a DVD of the Hellcat flying. It was really windy in the vid, actually a pretty good crosswind on a paved runway. I watched the pilot plant it pretty firmly on a couple touch and go's and while the gear legs flexed pretty good (as they should) it didn't show any indication it was about to collapse. Just so we all know, the vid was continuous with retraction cycles in between, so no chance of any hanky panky there I presume.

Other than the specious gear rumours, upon close examination my Hellcat is very well put together. Honestly I couldn't do a better job of covering if I spent weeks at it. A couple of seams needed a little reheating and I have 1 very small wrinkle on the horizontal stab to iron out - but that's it for the covering! The paint on the cowl lines up perfectly with the fuse covering and the wing belly pan is very securly attached - so far. I also read about the caulk issue but frankly to try and pull it off will most likely cause more damage than its worth. If it vibrates off I'll let you all know and deal with it. I don't care for the globs of hot glue on the firewall but that's an easy mod - with smaller motors it's probably fine.

Can't wait to fly this sucker...

bignasdy

been lookin at alot of hellcat pics online......just so happens, somewhere in my piles of stuff, I have a pair of gear doors that match the contour. Now only if I can find them!
If not, I'll cut the wooden ones in half and glue them to a half round , or something. May even just shape some glass ones. That would be easy.
Theres alot of hellcat resources online, so if ya dont want to settle for the colors.......
After mine gets banged up, Ill panel line stripe it, prime it, paint it and all that.
Cant wait to see what yall do with yours.
I have a ton of pics of different cats if anyone wants em, juuuuust le me know.
And I was wondering if anyone is gonna shell out 325 bucs for retracts?

d

bookboy22

I'm not sure if these guys are experienced, but here are their reviews of H9 F4U. It seems that they all had issues with the retracts.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/product_gu...fm?kit_id=2855

bignasdy

Found the doors! Now...I dont remember what exactly they were for, they were in my jemcocorsair kit...I think,.......( but that was some 25 years ago or so)..................................They are the same width and angle. Take a look at the full scale.
Also found drop tank and bombs in the mess!
I wont be attaching ANany of that until the first flights have been completed.
d

Hepdog

Thanks a bunch BookBoy - very interesting read. They also give their relative experience in the reviews as well. Seems odd that some folks have success and others total failure, even at similar experience levels. Could point to some quality control issues or similar issues ...or not.

At any rate, after reading all that I played around with the retracts a bunch tonight - they now have many 100's of cycles (so far trouble free) It would seem to me that unless the ball link pops off they shouldn't collapse. In fact even if the ball link does pop off, they should only rotate because the locking mechanism is in the slide - however rotating might be worse than collapsing[X(] I am thinking about some form of safety wire on the ball links to limit their outward movement - a kind of safety chain to keep them attached. We'll see.

sbrodie

Does anyone have any sources for the kill marking decals, etc.?

Thanks!

Pit-Viper 1

My Feedback: (12)

Hepdog, just be sure you check to see that the gear retracts fully after each landing. That's where I ran into trouble on my stang and burned up my servo. I was told by a guy at our field that he knows this guy who makes a device used for straightening the gear. Supposedly it uses the leverage of the gear wire to straighten so it doesn't pull the blocks out. I am waiting to hear from him now to see where I can get one. Will let you know if interested.


Shane

Iflyglow

My Feedback: (79)

Bignasdy,
Are you worried about dousing your landing gear with oil running the pitts muffler at that angle.? I would be a little concerned about the engine being so far up from the air exit at the bottom (over heating). I am asking these question because I also have spare new Tower .75 and Bisson Pitts waiting to get hung on the front.

By the way I recieved a perfect cowl from Horizon today. I had to call them again the other day and then they somehow pulled a cowling out of there hat, after they told me initialy they had no spare parts.

Iflyglow

My Feedback: (79)

Whaty do you guys think of a OS .91SurpasII or Magnum .91fs.

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

http://www.horizonhobby.com/Products...ProdID=MAJK8WT

Hepdog

Thanks pit viper, I'm already playing very carefully on end point adjustments. I did find or think that the hole in the bellcrank they use may not be optimal. They use the inner hole for the bellcrank to servo link which I think requires too much from the servo. I'll have to play around some more to see if my servo has enough motion to use the outer hole without getting in to bigger arms etc which would effectively change nothing.....so little time.

Pit-Viper 1

My Feedback: (12)

Here are a couple pics of my retract servo, 1st is gear up, 2nd is gear down. Different plane but same principal. try different size horns, I found the round multi-holed horns seem to have better adjusment. Move the servo manually until you get the throw you desire.


Shane

Pit-Viper 1

My Feedback: (12)

Counter clockwise is up clockwise is down, may need to reverse your servo.. good luck


Shane

Hellcat716

My Feedback: (2)

The manuel is wrong. It says to use one 1" spacing between the servo arm connectors. It needs to be 3/4". Just measure the distance the wire moves from the bellcrank to the servo arm with the gear fully extended and retracted. It will be 3/4". That is the distance you need between the fastners on the servo arm.

bignasdy

motorman.
Im not concered at all man. I have plenty of cooling, or so it seems.......... the engine run up , cowl off and cowl on ,were the same. If it does get too hot, I'll open up the rest of the flaps, no biggie.
Thats not an exit hole at the bottom....its an inlet. For now, mine will be closed.
If needed, I'll open it.
AS for the engine comparison, if I was gonna buy a 4 stroke, it would be a saito or os.
Nutin wrong with magnums.....they been goin strong for a long while. If ya wanna save a buc.....get a magnum.

Iflyglow

My Feedback: (79)

I just got back from the LHS. I scored a Saito 1.00 for $260.00. Now I will have some scale power. Now what do I do with the Tower .75 and Bisson muffler I just recieved from Tower yesterday. If I send it back, I will be charged for shipping and I will have the $25.00 rebate deducted back of the refund because my totat will be under $199.00, plus I have to ship it there. Does anybody need a NIB Tower .75 and Bisson muffler. I allready have another plane powered with that combo and it screams "GP Shoestring". Should I run a 15-6 or a 14-8 with the 1.00. The only bad thing is it will have to be happy on 10% WC since I have 2-1/2 cases left.

bignasdy

youll like that combo.........seems all the h9ers around here have 100s in em.
give ya 50 bucs for the tower motor less pitts.......[X(][X(][X(][&:][&:][:'(][8D]

Iflyglow

My Feedback: (79)

Bignasdy,
Check your mailbox.