Here is what she looks like.

Gordo-plast
I was going to put two servos in like you did but i figured i would still need weight in the tail so i went with the mod i did. I really wanted to do the pull-pull on the rudder but i was not able to pull it off.

I also put the 4-40 hardware on there to. just personal preference as i am not crazy about the metric hardware that comes with Arf kits.

As for the gear I just replaced it with a gear made by Bob Shatterloe that I picked up at the Toledo Expo last week. It is a beefed up gear with spring absorbers on it to take some real abuse on hard landings. let's just say the original gear did not cut the mustard. this new one looks like it will really do the trick!!!

The only problem I have now is the infamous ballooning some people talk about. I have lowered the wing dowel holes to change the incidence from +3 degrees to +1 degree. Test flight will be upcoming.

Hmmmm, I added wing lights on mine,
They really ad scale!

PS If you lowered the wing holes what keeps the wing snug against the fuse?

thebluemax,
10-4 on the weak gear. I fly off a grass runway so I ditched the wheel pants and placed 3in Dubro wheels. That made a big difference. Do you have info on where to get the better gear you picked up in Toledo? Darth Maul wants a smoother landing Thanks,Pete

Paul,
The gap does not go all the way across the saddle. The widest part is about 1/4" to 3/8" which decreases to almost nothing about 2/3 the way of the saddle to the wing bolts. I also added metal tubes for the wing dowels and the last 1/3 rear of the wing is still against the fuse sides. The main support for the wing will still be the dowels and the wing bolts.

I did cut a piece of balsa to fill the gap and after a lot of sanding and gluing it in place, I used spackle to fill in what gap was left. I just have to cut and iron a piece of monokote on her now to finish her up along with a new roll of saddle tape.

I might put a fillet on it too, but I don't know yet if I want to do the extra work. Plus I would have to get a can of paint to finish it. Don't feel like spending the extra money if I don't have too.

This kit has been a real pain since day one. Between problems with the wing saddle (besides this ballooning problem), the wheel pants and a few other things, this was and is a real nightmare.

I just hope she flies as good as everyone says and like on G2. Then I will be happy. I guess this one must have been built on a Monday or Friday. I do not know if I will ever buy a GP kit again. This is the second GP project that has not gone well. The first was the .25 size Slowpoke. Enough said about that.

Pete,
We fly off of grass, and I also put 3" wheels in it. The 3" wheels fit inside nicely, as I widen the wheel cutout on the sides to be flush with the left/right edge of the pants themselves. Makes it alot easier to get in there to tighten things up. Plus, I see more tire coming out from the bottom of the pants. Don't know if that means anything but I feel more comforatble about it. I also reinforced the wheel pants with strips of fiberglasss cloth and I replaced the hardware that holds the pants in place on the gear wire with Sig's hardware. Big difference there too!! The whole set up seems to be a lot tighter.

Anyway, I got the gear from Bob Shattleroe Custom Gear. GP-5 was the number. Address info for now:

Bob Shattleroe Custom Gear
out of Garden City MI.
Phone: 734/261-9064
Fax: 734/261-4242

I say for now as he mentioned at Toledo they are moving and they maybe out of action for a while. You can try contacting them but don't be surprised if you don't hear from them.

The gear is not cheap compared to the price of a new one from GP, but look at the difference in quality. I paid $33 and from the picture below I think you will agree it was definitely money well spent.

I solved the "ballooning" problem on my SW by setting up a Landing configuration with spoilers and compensating elevator; this give a nice, controllable sink rate without excessive floating. Unfortuantely, other circumstances resulted in RIP.

SV Flier,
I wish mine was like that and I could have done something easier that re-drilling the holes, etc. When we took this thing off, it went about 10-15 feet and was airborne. But it didn't roll out like a normal takeoff with a steady climb out. She acted like she got on an elevator and went straight up (not nose first, but completely horizontal) to the 90th floor!!! Never saw anything like it before in my life. It was really crazy!!!

Sorry to hear about the RIP......

Yeah, I know about ballooning! Seems some do it and some don't. I just used a little reflex up on the flaperons to solve it. Works fine.

Glad to hear you feel the same as I do about this plane. I wanted to send it back! But I did perservere and now I like it a lot! But I only bother on very light wind days.

Well, the weather finally cooperated and I got a chance to fly it with the changes I made to the wing incidence. What a difference two degrees makes!!!

It looks like perseverence can pay off. She flew like a regular plane and not some chopper. No balooning at all!!!! Couldn't believe the difference in how she handled in the air.

However, we have not reached total flying enjoyment yet, as I do have some engine problems left to work out. She is dead sticking before the tank empties out but other than that she flew great!!!


Looking forward to more flight time on this one..... Also, she landed hard one time but the new gear did the trick as it just sucked it up. no problems on that end.