Hello to all...

I recently purchased a Yak 54 kit from [link=http://www.willhobby.com]Will Hobby[/link] and received the package a couple days ago. Everything in the kit looks good so far but I was going through the instruction manual and...well..it's not much of a manual. The manual itself is only like 6 pages long, no text, and a few vague diagrams. I was wondering if anyone has put together one of these ARF's and, if so, they have any tricks that worked well for the model. I was also wondering if anyone had any opinions of what type of servos to put in the plane. I am running a JR radio with a Saito 180 engine. I'm not sure if standard servos will give enough power and the quick response I want from the plane. The plane has a 71" wingspan and a flying weight of about 11 pounds. Let me know what you guys think. Happy flying!!

~Adam

If I may ask...
Did you order your Yak from a distributor in the 'States?
Thanks!
JLK

cmejaf30, what about your YAK ?

Are you satisfied with it ?
Can you tell me about this plane, the quality of accessories, the flight, etc.

thanks

Hey cmejaf30 I would use metal gear servos on a plane with control surfaces this large. The 180 should pull her around with ease, I have a OS 160 on a SS 120 at 11.6 lbs and it will hover and do anything else I ask. The 180 FS should be slightly better.

How long did it take to receive it from Will Hobby?[8D]

Gday,
Compare this model with the CMPro Yak 54 140. I think it is the same. Come from the same factory I believe.

cmejaf30

How is the work on your yak going? I,m looking at this plane and would like any info you can give me.

thanks:Matt

Hello, I also have one of these Yak's from Willhobby.com. It was a challenge to build. The manual is good for starting a fire, that’s about it. I am having a hell of a time with getting the CG set. I am running a SPE 40cc gasser and am going to have to add a ton of weight still. I even put my batteries and receiver up front. Overall, the airplane looks great, hardware sucks, and cowl is very brittle. My cowl was damaged in shipping and Jerry at Will Hobby agreed to send me another one. Haven’t flown her yet, but looking forward to it. Does anyone else have this plane? If so, what did you set your CG too? Thanks

gapple12

can you tell me the weight of your plane? I have an O.S 1.60 I want to put in it. But if it is still tail heavy with a 40 cc gasser in it I don't have a chance.

thanks

Matt

panicman, I dont have a scale but will get one tomorrow from work. My gasser is pretty light. It is a SPE 40cc that I found searching online. Check it out on this link:

http://ak-models.com/spe_engines.htm

Any pictures? [sm=72_72.gif]

My camera is not very good, there a little dark..........I will try to get better ones of the engine. What do you think about putting batteries in the cowl with the engine?

I have 2 of these YAK-54's (one unbuilt) I would say that this is a very nice plane for the money, but there are some minor issue with build quality and the hardware is below par with U.S. Mfg's. Some of the hardware such as control horns, and clevises are useless. Another problem is the landing gear. The aluminum gear that comes with the kit is too thin and will collapse even under a normal landing. I reinforced my gear with a 3/16" music wire that runs the entire length under the gear attached with straps to the aluminum, which also serves as the axle for the wheels. The wheels are a little small. OK- now for what is nice about the plane. The overall quality of the plane is good but it takes a little extra time and patience to get things installed and lined up correctly. The YAK flies good! I'm powering mine with an OS 1.60FX with Slimline Pitts muffler, swinging a 20x6-10 TF prop. I have the CG set right on the wing tube, which is a little aft but the plane has no apparent tip stall problems. The yak will hover nicely, knife edges very well, but has some considerable wing rocking during an elevator. The instructions for this plane are basically just pictures and no help to the un-experienced builder, and definitely not a novice fliers plane either. Overall, not a bad plane for price. I'll try to post some pics of mine in the near future.

Here are some pics of my Willhobby Yak-54. Powered by an OS 1.60FX w/Slimline Pitts muffler, TF 20x6-10 prop. Check them out in my Gallery link. I'm not sure how to post them as an attachment.

Thanks,
Scrafe

looks very nice

Just noticed your WillHobby YAK info. Agree the manual and hardware are useless and the fiberglass parts of very brittle. The landing gear is far too light weight for the plan.I heavily reinforced the firewall and installed a Saito 180. In order to get CG at the location specified on the plans, it took 2.3 lbs of dead weight. How did you fair with the CG problem? It seems to me that CG over the wing tube should work but am afraid to try.

Plane looks nice and may be in a new category - "CTFTK" Closer To Flying Than a Kit.

Well, I crashed mine a while back due to an aileron coming unhinged. Make sure you don’t use the CA hinges that come with the plane, they are the wrong material. Use some steel pin hinges or something strong. I do however remember that the CG in the instructions was a little off. I ended up putting my ignition and both batteries in the cowl along with the 40cc SPE gas engine to get her to fly straight and level. This plane is great for the price, but would recommend not using any of the hardware that came with it. This plane just fell apart on me in flight during some simple 3D aerobatics. When I received the plane the cowl was cracked and looked horrible. Contacted Will hobby and they blew me off as long as they could. Once I left negative feedback for them on EBay, the cowl showed up. You get what you pay for. Good Luck, hope this helps.

ok, I got one of airplanes from ebay, the hardware suck, I replaced with dubro hardware for a 30% airplanes, reinforse the airplane with more epoxi and install a pull and pull rudder sistem with a 805 hitec servo, cg was in the wing tube for 3D, I got a brillelli 40 in front, hs645 all arround, results.
I got a video in rc universe in the motor section. The plane crash after the engine shut off in fly in a flat spin, I was so happy with the airplane that a got another one. I will send the videos to you guy's whent a get home. Happy Flying.

ok this is the video I promess, the yak is in the end of the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWN4m9MJtLI

http://media.putfile.com/Brillelli-40GT-and-Yak-54

http://media.putfile.com/Brillelli-40GT-and-Yak-54

you did a exelent job on that gear, I crash my because the engine flame out, but my plane was great, I removed the servo tray that is located on the aft pilot seat. and I did a pull and pull aft of the wing tube. and I install a GP ultimate landing gear, is strong and look scale.

Having heck of a time with cg at manufacturers setting. I have built a platform out over the engine and mounted two of the heaviest batteries I have right over the engine and this sucker is still tail heavy, to the extent I am afraid to fly it. If this plane was designed to fly with a 120 nitro engine I don't see how one would ever balance it, short of a brick in the nose. Would like some info on cg for this plane, from experience.

Mine was the same. I had the SPE 40cc gasser up front and two huge "C" size 4.8 batteries and it was still tail heavy according to the manual. The manual is wrong. When I first took off it flew dead straight and I was no were near the correct CG. I don’t have the correct CG setting but if you put everything up front, you’re real close. Hope this helps.

Ok you are right but it is a fix. I use a pull pull system with a hitec 805 servo you can see the video in the engine section of rc universe, under brillelli 40 GT, I mount all the batteries 3 in total 6volt 2 each for the electronics, and one 4.8volts for the engine cdi
my CG was cain of aft allmost in the wing tube, so I say let's do it anyway, I fly 3D so I will be able to play with him.
The plane was a dream to fly, you will love it. My engine afte 2 week of flying quit and I lost the airplane, but I got a replacement same airplane, is heavy airframe but is way to light the SOB, may shure you going thrue the whole airplane with CA and epoxie, the glue use in this airplane is like buggers. LOL. I love my Yak I will do other soon. And use dubro hardware and trash the one that comes with the plane or you will be sorry.. Hope this help. the CG is in the wing tube you love this CG he will land like a trainer.
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