RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

I'm using only the three screws and have had no problems whatsoever. I drilled 1/8" holes in the cowl and inserted black rubber grommets in each hole. I use a #6 flat washer on each screw to keep the head from pulling through the grommet. After drilling into the hard points on the fuse, I threaded the screws in and then took them out and hardened each threaded hole with a half dozen drops of thin CA. Works great and haven't had anything come loose in many flights. If you're going to be running a high vibration engine, you might want more fasteners.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

From the ashes ....

A fellow club member lost the 2+ lb lead ballast mid flight. He said it became rather unstable and at about 10' it nosed in. Makin them fly again has always saved me money in building up my fleet. For $60 I thought it would be worth the effort. Sending $40 to Tower, I've got new windows and cowl. On a trip to O'Reily's with a scrap of covering in hand, found a perfect match in a "truck and van" paint. Years ago I swore off that so-called MonoKote match stuff.
I too was thinking of the 2300 as a replacement to his Saito 180. I'm using a 2300 on my Midwest 72" Giles which gives it decent power, but after lifting the Beech, I'll be going up to the 3250 or a CRRC gas to cut the lead req'd down to a few ounces. This thing must have flexed like a pretzel on impact since ALL the bulkheads were broken or separated from the fuse walls. Since I fly off grass, it was good to read here that the gear doors might not survive. Guess they'll be a static display feature only.
Hope the photos aren't too large since I'm learning a new digi camera and laptop. I think I missed the resizing step and can't seem to backtrack and correct.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Thanks grassroots! It's always been a favorite of mine too. Watch the marketplace and you'll see 'em come up from time to time. I bought mine in the bones and had to do quite a bit of work to get it in flying shape but it was worth the effort. You're right about the Stinson too. Perfect for a G-38 and a sweet flyer to boot. That one is still on my list of planes I gotta have before I die :)

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Here is my on and off switch and my remote glow starter. My engine should be in tomorrow, I will post pictures of that once it comes in.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Wow Randy! You've really got your work cut out for you. Be sure and post pics of the repaired bird. Glad it's being salvaged instead of going to the Great Hangar in the Sky.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Lookin' good rowdog. Hope your engine gets here on schedule.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

As I said, my cup runneth over! You can see (sort of) the Staggerwing in the background of these pics.
GaGeeBees. I agree w/ your thinking on the two-piece top wing. But one (more) advantage to making it a one piece wing is that I can get rid of that ugly seam on top of the two-piece setup. Still thinking about it tho.
Al

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Here it is. All I have to do is balance it out! Good luck to myself trying to keep it lower than 17lbs :). LOL

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

mobyal that plane looks nice.!!!

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Dang Al! Nice collection of planes ya got there! Looks more like your cup AND your workshop runneth over! That FW 190A is a beauty. What are you using for power?

Regarding the Staggerwing, I do agree with you about the seam.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Congrats on getting your engine mounted, rowdog. The installation looks good. Hope it balances for you at your target weight.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Right now I am at 15.4 lbs. I moved the engine up .5 so instead of 6 inches from the firewall it is 6.5 this should help with the balancing. I am also going to put the battery above the engine. I will probably balance it next week.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Thanks
FW is powered by an OS120AX. That should be plenty, but it's going to be heavy after I get it balanced out. Probably in the 17lb range.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Nice job, Rowdog. Be interested to see what you come up with for weight.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

The OS120AX is a sweet engine. Tons of power and a great runner. I've got one in my Stinson Stationwagon (82" wingspan, 11 lbs... holy unlimited vertical Batman!) We've clocked it at 89.9 mph. Not bad for a high wing plane with as much drag as a Cub :)

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

I actually weighed it again it comes out to 14.4 lbs. I weighed it with three different scales. This is with everything engine, servos , battery, etc.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

14.4 Geeze that can't be right !! with this plane usually comming out between 18 to 20

What did you do to keep it light ????


Denis

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Is it balanced yet?

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

No I have not balanced it yet. I moved the engine up about 1/2 inch and I am going to put the battery above the engine. The battery is a 3000mah jr. I should be able to keep it right at 16 or 17 after it is balanced. I do not have retracts installed so this is saving a lot of weight I do not plan on putting them in yet I want to fly it first. I am taking it out to the field today to run the engine. Most people with a 16x8 prop are getting about 19lbs of thrust out of the super tigre 2300, and top flight states that it will fly it, and on the review the gentleman said that the OS was almost to much power. Yes, I would rather have to much than to little, but I do not think top flight would advertise the super tigre with it if it would not fly it, and I am on a really tight budget with this. So far I only have about $600 total in the plane.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Helium filled micro-balloons mixed with his epoxy? :)

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

There is a dude that has a OS 160 that I might get. So I will be replacing the Supertigre with it. LOL

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

You won't regret that change. The OS is a fantastic engine.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Yall talked me in to it. I just purchased a os 160fx.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

After running the ST 2300 and the OS 160 there is a night and day. The OS running sloppy rich turns a 18X10 MAS like it is not even there, the ST 2300 on the 18X6 sounded like it was trying to get more. The ST 2300 rpms with the 18X6 was about 7800, I did not tach the OS but it sounded like it was swinging it a lot faster!!! Thanks everybody, my wife finally talked me into it. She said better more than enough than just right.

RE: Top Flite Staggerwing
 

Your wife is right, you can always throttle back. Always good to have a little in reserve. I think I bent the left stick when I was flying mine with the 1.70 radial. Takeoff with anything less than a perfectly tuned engine getting optimum rpm was a true test of one's commitment. You're gonna really like that OS.