Flylow

I just got a Kadet Senior ARF. Plan to make it a taildragger. Maybe a larger tank for extended flight times. Power will be a Saito 72. Anyone want to share their experience with this plane?

grimmy55

Boy it.ll go like a jet fighter with that size motor I run a 50 on mine and it scoots along lets know how it goes oh I also put the servos for rudder and elevator in the fuse at rear but it needs about 3 oz s of lead doing that best of luck Don,t fly it in to much of a breeze mine tipped over on its back at about 10 feet up mind you it was blowing a fair ole gale snapped fuse in half so build a new fuse for it thats the trouble with that big a wing area (84inch)

warbird51

My Feedback: (12)

My friends and I have done 3 Kadet Seniors converted to tail draggers and flew them with OS 61 four strokes and they are great flying machine's. Put the main landing gear axles even with the leading edge of the wing and they take off and handle fine on the ground. The Saito 72 will be just fine for you. We aileron servo's in each wing bay. You will have many hours of fun with this combo. We have lights in our's for night flying.

Checklst

I converted mine to a tail dragger and I also use a 72 Saito.....great flyer for those days you just want to kick back and relax............I like to see how long and straight I can make take offs...........lowest possible throttle setting(non wind days of course) and long one wheel landing are a site to behold.....this motor and plane combo flys lite........I tied a 91fs and lost most of the long gentle lazy landings so I think your 72 choice is just perfect. I use a micro servo in the tail for steering.

Hear's a couple of quick picts of the tail ect.......
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...t/100_0197.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...t/100_0194.jpg

JoeyCoates

I have a Kadet Sr using a RCV 60sp and I just love it, it is resposible for teaching a heli flier friend of mine how to fly fixed wing. I fly a lot of 3D type aircraft, but it is still very enjoyable to fly the Kadet like Cecklst said, making long straight minimal throttle takeoff's and one wheel touch and goes. I love bringing it in and setting down on one wheel from a crab approach and seeing if I can run along the runway on that one wheel before taking back off again, it is a blast! And it will help to teach you great multi control coordination. It will also teach you the correct way to utilise the rudder to make a lower speed turn and keep the tail from dragging in the turn.

I will also trim it out for a certain speed and then fly it using only rudder and throttle like the old guys used to do, that is a challenge to say the least as you have to fly way out in front of the airplane to plan on making a turn without loosing/gaining altittude.

I too made mine into a tail dragger after teaching a few people how to fly and having their inexperience fold the nose gear twice, the stock firewall is not very strong as far as hitting on the front gear is concerned. Other then that the only thing that I have done is to mix in some spoilerons where I can reflex the ailerons up to help acheive a bit of a steeper approach, it is definatly a floater. Also it will make for some really cool high alpha approach and landings with the ailerons reflexed, it takes on a 5-8 degree nose high glide slope all of the way to landing at which time it will settle into a perfect three point landing without floating along above the ground, it just plops down.

Anyway I would have to think that you too will love your Kadet. The RCV 60 is comperable to an OS 52 in power and I have MORE then enough power to fly off of water, the Saito 72 should pull it around with some authority. Do not be suprised if you have to add some weight to the front, the RCV is a pretty heavy engine (much more so then the 72) and even with the battery and reciever under the tank I had to put a bit of weight on the firewall. I was able to loose a bit of the weight when I converted to tail dragger though and my wheels are as warbird51 said, in line with the LE. Good luck and let us know how you like it. [8D]

Flylow

Thanks for all the replies. I finally got a chance to look this thing over real good. Seems very well built and the covering job is excellent! Gonna have a lot of fun with this plane. I see Checklst added some tail weight even with a tailwheel servo mounted in the rear. Checklst, how do you keep fuel from siphoning to the inverted Saito?

happypappy

My Feedback: (10)

I do the exact same thing with mine that Joey Coates does in the previous post. Mine has been converted to a taildragger with great big 4.5" main tires and a Great Planes semi-scale tailwheel - kinda has a bush plane look to it. I flew it with a Saito .72 also but have dropped to a Saito .56 now and do my touch and go's for over 40 minutes on a single tank! Still has plenty pf power to take off water when I install the floats also. All in all, probably my most favorite plane! Absolutely the best lazy sunday flyer.

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

Hemostat.

TCrafty

I've got Senior from a kit. It has an OS 91 four stroke on it with a 15X8 MAS prop. I just had it out today as a matter of fact. I love this combo. I had a 72 on it for a while and that worked well also. I've got all my servos up in the fuse and didn't have to add any weight to the rear, just shuffle the batteries around a little. I'll fly just a click or two off of idle but it'll pull like a tractor if I want it to. You'll learn a lot from a Senior if you'll take the time to get to know one. I'm sure you'll enjoy yours.

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

Couple of things you can add to increase the fun; put a "bomb bay" under the c/g, doors operated by a servo, much like retractable gear. You can do candy or parachute drops. Also add a tow hook with a servo release (best spot is around trailing edge on the centerline), and tow gliders. The extra power you'll have with the .72 will make either one a snap.

I've got the kit Kadet Sr, haven't built it yet, but making changes on the plans. I'm installing 3/4 span flaps and leading edge slats, stretching the wing an extra bay each side, and changing some of the tail shapes, plus the above mods as well as taildragger. I have a .65 Saito I'd planned to use. I want to see just how short a take-off run I can get, and how slow a flyer I can make it.

As long as your tank centerline isn't way above your carb spraybar (ideally, tank centerline should be even with to about 3/8" below the spraybar), you shouldn't have any problems with siphoning. I run 3 Saitos inverted and have no problems. Closing the throttle when not running will also help prevent siphoning.

Checklst

I lowered the tank and drilled a second hole for the lines. The tank center line is now on the 72 carb center line.

timothy thompson

My Feedback: (1)

basic question. have you flown taildraggers before. that is way too much engine. you will overpower and may have a structural failure

Flylow

Thanks Checklst - I will probably do the same thing if mine is inverted.
Timothy - yes I have flown many taildraggers. I don't plan to thrash this plane. I have others that I fly hard. This plane is for a relaxing change of pace.

Carlos G

Hi Flylow,

I converted a Senior Kadet kit to a tail dragger and I just run the engine upright. Upright will also help with the idle and low speed running. If you decide to go inverted Id recommend have a onboard glow driver to keep the glow plug hot for low rpms.

I faired in the nose to clean up the front end. I used a Sig Fourstar 120 aluminum gear for the mains ( It fits like it was meant to be). The Klett .60 size tail wheel assembly worked well in the back.

Good Luck and have fun with your Kadet

Carlos G.

scalenutz

My Feedback: (6)

I would like to do the tail dragger mod, can someone post a pic of the tail wheel setup and explain how the steering is hooked up. Thanks

sawdust

My Feedback: (7)

If you do a search on Kadet Tail dragger and my name you will find a picture of my tail conversion.

I used a servo to move the tail wheel. It works great.

Bob