RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

To Dick Pettit, et al;

I am wondering about the lowering of the fuel tank. The manual says something like ..."this is a pain in the .... Just take your time and do it right." (Well, not exactly like that.)

Anyway, any problems? Any helpfull hints after your experience?

Jim K.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Great flight, A little hot on landing, so I can't wait to use the barn door attached to the bottom wing. I had to put 6 oz in the nose with the moki 2.10. I can't wait to fly it again. Sorry about not reporting back, Go fly your staggerwings ASAP and put that fly-by smile in your memory bank for later reference.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Itdzworld - well, you are the better man for apologizing first. Accepted, and please accept mine. We both had our say, and our methods for correcting a problem. Nuff said, let's fly and have a cool one (after flying is done), and smile as you say, remembering that fly-by.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

The only real problem in removing the tank floor to allow the use of the OS FT-160 is getting your hands inside there and pulling the floor out.

It's really tight!

That's all you do, just grab the floor and pull!

It'll probably crack in half but pull it all out by hand andclean off the remaining pieces from the sides of the formers.

Now you're ready to install the same tank on a piece of foam on the floor. Lash it in place with a few zip ties loosely.

You'll have to drill some holes in the firewall to get the tank hoses out to the engine in a straighter line.

Be sure to put some foam between the tank and the firewall to keep it from jamming forward and pinching the lines.

You can also put your battery just behind the firewall on either side of the formers if added nose weight is needed.

I put my 7000 maH F cell (glow driver) on one side and the 5 cell 2500 maH receiver battery on the other side.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Is the tank lowering issue pertain to all 4 strokes, or just the twins with the carb on the bottom? I want to run my Saito 180 inverted.

Ted

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

You have to see where the center line of the tank is in relation to the needle valve on your engine.

I don't have a Saito 180 in front of me so I can't tell you.

Then mount your tank so the tank center line is at or a little below the needle valve center line.

The OS FT-160 has a really low carb, under the front of the engine.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

I have a Saito 180 inverted in a World Models P-51. The 180 has a pressure port on the muffler. You could also use the one on the bottom of the crankcase althought it does not produce as much pressure as the one on the muffler. I then used a Cline Regulator. Have not had a problem. The tanke centerline is about 1 1/2" higher than the carb.

The other thing that you might be able to do with the FT-160 is use a Keleo-creations custom muffler for the 160. He puts a pressure port in the muffler system and costs about $65.

[link]http://www.keleo-creations.com[/link]

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

The crankcase port on a 4 cycle engine is only a vent to the outside air.

On one stroke it "sucks and the other stroke it "blows" .

Therefore it does not generate any usable pressure and it also acts as an outlet for excess oil which will clog up any pump really soon.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Dick,

You are absolutely right. Don't know what I was thinking about. You must be getting close to flying this bird.

What is the 7000 mah F cell that you are using for the glow driver?

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

The F cell is a NiCad single cell rated at 7000 maH. I got it from DigiKey online. Costs about $8.00.

The "F" is industry standard, like AA, C, D batteries. F cell is really big! Perfect for nose weight too.

I am getting close, just waiting on the air cylinder for tail wheel retraction, a second air tank and mainly some time.

There's 3 other planes ahead of the Staggerwing that needs to be completed and flown.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

I installed the gear last night. They fit like a glove (not OJ's). I am noggin scratchin trying to figure out where to mount the air cylinder for the tailwheel. Either way, the gear went in without ANY modification. Happy, Happy

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Pictures pictures![8D]

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Sorry, here you go.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

.............

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

I'm planning to put the tail wheel retract cylinder in the same place as where the servo would go.

Some sort of a connector arrangement between the cylinder and the rod would be necessary, but that't the most practical place for it.

BTW, I put the entire plane together last night except for the retract cylinder and the servo for the retract valve.

Using the OS FT-160, 5 cell receiver battery just behind the firewall and F cell in front of firewall, the Staggerwing weighs 18 pounds 5 ounces.

It balances near the recommended 5 1/2" point, but well within the stated CG range.

The interior finishing kit (pilot, floor and instrument panel) may add a few ounces, but it'll be ahead of the CG.

Those using a lighter engine will probably need to ballast to balance.

Those using a larger gas engine will need to adjust positions for batteries and receivers.

The fixed main gear weighs about 8 ounces less than the retract system

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Biggest problem with the one I'm assembling is getting the gear doors to fit properly without a huge gap at the front. Took a lot of fine tuning, shims etc. but once you get it they look and work great. I used a 645MG servo on the retractable tail wheel and mixed it with the air valve servo all works great no need for a air cyclinder on the tail wheel.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Just got a tech note from the product manager. The holes in the wings are drilled to the fuselage at the time of manufacture. The printed marks are for reference, only, but don't mark where the holes are supposed to go.

The tech notice is on the website:

http://www.top-flite.com/techsupport/topa0905tech.html

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

As I was running the rods and pull/pull system, the plastic tube that run down the fuse were too low. The servos were too high to the tubes. I needed to cut away some of the wood so the tubes would be aligned to the servos. When I did this, the tubes were under pressure from where the original holes were drilled.

John

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Just came across another small glitch in the manual. Actually, I think that is just a typo. On page 23, Step 32 calls for installing two #8 flat washers on each side of the axle to the keep the wheel centered. The axle is acutally a #10 size. The kit did have #10 flat washers in it.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

I received my new wings today from Top-Flite. They are drilled the same as the old ones with the tech notice attached about filing the fuse. Anyway, they sure did not waste any time shipping the wings out.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Lear 31,

I got my two new wings with the same misaligned holes too. I think that I will just fix the old ones, per the new flyer, and save all the work I did in hinging the flaps.

Jim K.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

And... you both now have a spare set of wings! :D

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

I just received my two bottom wings today. The fit is better but still have the same problem with the misfit of the leading edge from the wing to the fuse. Talke to Top-Flite today and they want me to send the fuse and the wings back to them so that they can show their vendor. As I expected, Top-Flite will make good on this. Just some more time waiting. Not really a problem here as it is getting to cold to fly anyway. It was 11 degrees here this morning and expecting snow tomorrow.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

I'm considering getting one only if the Saito 170 definitely fits.I know its the right lenth,6" from the firewall to the hub.Has anyone installed one yet?I like to see a pic if possible.Thanks Steve

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

What does the trailing edge look like with the leading edge fitting that way?