wjcalhoun

Mike
On sealing the hinge gaps, you only need to do one side. One just needs to prevent cross flow from one side of the airfoil to the other. I generally pick the bottom of the wing / stab for ailerons/elevator, and on the rudder I don't think it matters. [Someone else may have a reason to one side or the other of the rudder.] Cut a clear strip as long as the control surface, and 1 - 1 1/2" wide. I generally loosely tape one edge of the clear covering to the TE of the fixed surface. Deflect the control surface fully away from the bottom surface, and seal to the fixed side of the joint. Then maintaining full deflection to open the joint, seal the covering to the LE of the control surface. Takes 5-8 min per surface.

One other question - during your dive, did you see the piece come off before, or after you started to pull? Could you tell if the stab broke away from the fuse first, or if the elevator came loose first?

I wonder if there is a DNE speed on this airframe

microdon2

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WJ - thanks for the joint sealing tips. Think I'll order some clear monokote. And I'm almost positive the stabilizer separated after I started pulling up. And it happened all at once, like an explosion. The suddenness is one of the clues that led to my guess - once started it could have happened very quickly. I don't know about a DNE (Do Not Exceed, I'm guessing) limit on this plane - guess it's worth asking Tower \ Great Planes. I know other's have gone faster in a dive (from this site). Though I do know that Airraptor creates an entirely new stabilizer for his high speed Rev 59's. I don't think I was stressing it any more than normal, though I guess the effect could \ would be cumulative, anyhow.

Eganwp

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I don't seal my hinge gaps as the benefit is very small (but does depend on speed and flight manouvers), plus I'm anal with making all my planes have a 1/16" gap at most. However, here's a quick tip: Seal whichever side will see the majority of the exhaust gas/castor oil residue. Reason being is that if it's the wrong side the oil will seep into the sticky side and cause it to lift a lot sooner than on the covered side. But really in the end, I doubt it matters a whole lot!

microdon2

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I just spoke with some at Tower Hobbies, asking about that DNE speed for the Rev 70, and I told her about my stabilizer separation. She said the Great Planes tech said they had only tested the plane with the recommended engine sizes (and mine was about that). Also, that it's very rare that the stabilizer separate like it did. Guess I'm just lucky!

I also put in a put in a good word for our desire for a giant Revolver, and that we'd been discussing in RC Universe for months now. She said she'd pass it on to Great Planes. (i.e., a flank attack)

jet22b

One thing about Great Planes, they are very tight lip about new planes coming out!! We just have to keep looking at their website!! Go move on the call to Tower!! Now they will have to hear us!!!!!
Hope the weather break for me this weekend!! Rain for the last 3 days!![&o] Now if I can find away to keep my TX dry, I would love to see how this bird like the rain!!!

Sonny
aka
jet22b

Eganwp

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Guys, just use their "Suggest our next airplane!" link on the website. That's the BEST way you can convey the want for a Revolver on gas. And just to let you know, this works! A number of us last year kept suggesting they rekit the Ultra Sport 60 again, and guess what was put back up for sale?! Needless to say I'm building one now. :P

I just submitted for a 30cc Revolver, as I prefer a lot of other planes in the 50cc+ size that are actually allowed in IMAC.

http://www.greatplanes.com/suggest-a-plane.html

microdon2

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Eganwp - What wingspan are you thinking of for the 30cc Revolver? (I was thinking more like 43cc).

Eganwp

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I do see what you're saying on the 43cc. Trouble is, I just want something to run on DLE-30 or similar sized engine. Not a big fan of most of the 43+- engines. If they build it as a 43cc everyone's just gonna stick a DA-50 or DLE-55 on the nose and lose a lot of the planes agility.

To tell the truth I never really put a lot of thought into it. A 77" with a nice long fuse to straight tracking would be perfect. That, or make a V2 of the current 70" with a different motor box and servos in the tail. Just tossing around ideas. What would you guys prefer for size? Heck maybe an 80cc would be sweet!

microdon2

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A friend of mine has an 82" wing Yak with a 43cc in it and it's a nice combination. That's the scaled I'd love to see in the next Revolver. For me a jump from 70 to 77" isn't enough of a difference. I want a giant sized gasser. Just my thoughts.

pryor808

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Hello Eganwp,

This is Paul with the 30% Peakmodel Edge 540. I just went on the Great Planes Site and, recommended a 30cc Revolver IMAA legal size 80" WS. I just got the 70"WS Revolver. Still waiting for parts. Will use a OS 91FX for power.

Paulie

Eganwp

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Nice dude. You have the same 30% Edge 540T that I do. I think there's 4 of us now with the plane! How's yours running?

Ya I agree with you guys that's its not much of a jump, but like I said I just want one that more easily accepts gas, but any size would do. I love the plane but if they made a 1/3rd scale I'm not sure I'd spend the $$ to buy it as there's plenty of other giants out there I'd likely want instead for IMAC specific flying. But in the end, I think we'd all be happy with anything larger to accept gas a lot more easily!

poorwboy

Hey micro, sorry about your loss. Do you mean the elevator half came off? I had a Great planes escapade that this happened to and great planes replaced the plane.
Upon further investigation of the Escapade There was not enough glue at stabs.

Goodluck

Slow and Steady

Taping all control surfaces takes no more than an hour and will reduce the risk of flutter. Taping the gap also allows for a larger gap, which will reduce binding at full throw. Additionally, the elevator conttrol rods on this plane have alot of flex, particularly with a single servo. I am using a dual servo set up and have attached a short length of 4 40 rod to the length of 2 56 rod outside the tube (within the fuselage), which has made them much more rigid. This has removed all flex.

microdon2

My Feedback: (47)

S&S - do you also use clear monokote to take the gaps? For the elevator servos, are yours both installed on the servo tray? If so, where exactly do you attach that extra length of rod, as the rod tubes start 9" behind the center of the servo tray holes. Do you attach it to the section of exposed rod?

microdon2

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Sorry, just saw that you said you add it to the rod outside of the tube.

wjcalhoun

As another alternative, you can slide your 2-56 rods into a carbon fiber tube, CA in place, and have a control rod that is both light and stiff

pryor808

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The 30% is basically finished, I am doing the finishing touches. Running all servos wires ect! ect! I just asked Dan (you know on FG) regarding servo arm lentghts. I have the Hangar 9 1.25" arms and, the arms hit the servo arm opening in the horizontal stabs. Either I need longer arms or reduce the travel on my trasnmitter??

pryor808

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I tought that the stabs on the Escapade were bolt on??

microdon2

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Pryor - Can't you just open up those arm spaces a bit with a dremel? I've done that for the elevator servo covers in the Texas Hurricane I'm building.

pryor808

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Yeah! I can and, that's exactly what I am going to try next. I just priced out servo arms and, I NEEDto stick with what I have. I am not spending $55.00 + shipping on 4 servo arms for Hitec's. I have to much $$$ invested in this freaking plane already. No wonder I am not ghetting laid.

pryor808

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microdon,

The Texas Hurricane you are on, is it the Kangke Model?

microdon2

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Yes, the Kangke model - 78" wingspan. Got it at the WRAM tradeshoff in White Plains in February. Could not pass up the $250 tradeshow price. Do you have a Kangke?

pryor808

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No! but, know the airplane well. The rep for Kankge lives out here on Long Island, NY. We go to his house to pick up planes. We have a few in our flying club using Brisson engines, due to Kankge being the distributor for them also. The last time I went to the house he was building a 116" WS Tiger Moth and, it was beautyful!!!!!

Slow and Steady

Microdon, The two elevator servos are in the tray next to the rudder servo. WJCalhoun's suggestion for inserting the free portion of the 2 56 into carbon fiber tubes sounds like a better idea than adding the 4 40 as a splint, but either will work. I attached the 4 40 with 2 wheel collars; one at each end of the overlap. Regarding the use of clear Monocoate, you can use Monocoate or Ultra-cote when taping the existing Monocote, but you cannot use Monocote as a tape on Ultracote, because of the higher temperature that must be used to properly adhere Monocote to the Ultra-cote . Incidentally, Ultra-cote comes in two thicknesses, with the thinner one less likely to contirbute to binding as the control surface is moved. Hope this helps.

Slow and Steady

REgarding the use of carbon fiber tubes for stiffening the 2 56, I would butter the wire with epoxy and then slide the carbon over it. This will provide a more unified connection between the tube and the rod, than using CA.