Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Ordered this one late Sunday night and just took delivery of it moments ago. Iowa to central Mississippi via FedEx ground in about 48 hours? NUTS! (Apparently it's already had its "maiden flight" as part of the "ground" shipping!)
For a 40 size plane, this thing is BIG. Much larger than I anticipated. I'll put some pics up later today. This is the third transaction (second ARF) I've had with Alex at AK-Models.com, and they've all been a great experience. He's got quite a variety of models at really good prices, and right now you won't believe the cost of the shipping:D. I highly recommend you check him out!

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

is this an electric?

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

plus free shiping. i got mine in 1 day. let me know if you had any problems puting it together and what engine is in it. russm

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Had the maiden flight of the Quickie-40 just the other day. I'm using a Saito 56 mounted inverted on the supplied mounts, and it is PLENTY of power. A few suggestions:

1) Bend the tailwheel wire up to lower the tail of the airplane. It won't want to nose over quite so easy on the taxi and takeoff. CG as published in the manual worked fine, although it did want to climb at 1/2 throttle and higher, so I dialed in some down trim for the flight. Problem was with the landing. Still had the down trim in the elevator, and on final approach I ran out of elevator. Not enough to flare the landing, so the plane just barely flipped over when it hit the ground----problem revealed!-----and I'll take some pictures of this mod and post them here----is that when the plane flips over, the first thing to hit the ground is the high point of the canopy assembly, and it WILL shatter! I've pieced mine back together and made a modification to the plane that includes a light ply former that fits from the cockpit floor up to the canopy in a semi-circular shape that will support the canopy. It is attached to the cockpit floor that the one screw removes to reveal the radio compartment.

2) When you hinge the elevator, make sure you have a LOT of throw before you glue the hinges. I had maybe 3/8 total throw and on final that just wasn't enough. So I cut the hinges and rehinged the elevators. Now I have a lot more throw, maybe 3/4" but that comes with the downside of a pretty good gap between the canard and the elevators. I'm going to try it as is, might have to make a monokote hinge to cover the gap. Looking back, it may have been easier to simply cut more of an angle on the bottom leading edge of the elevator and recover than cutting the hinges. Oh well, you think, you do, then you re-think about what you could have done!

3) The thing you won't find in the manual, much less more than 1 place on the entire Google search......just like the Long-EZ, the elevators go down for the plane to go up! (so now it is offically available more than once upon a google search of the WWW)!

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

thanks a lot for all the imfo and keep me posted on how its going. russm

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Picture time!

Note addition of former to support the canopy, Saito 56 mounted inverted---need to build a skid plate for the valve covers, and last but certainly not least, Rube Sr.----his first model was whittled from pine and held out the window of the model T school bus, circa 1927. He's still very active and still designing bridges in his late 80's.

Green masking tape to mark the location of the design CG. I honestly think the CG is too far forward resulting in a nose heavy plane, and will probably experiment by moving it back in small increments. Upon landing, the right wheel pant caught the pavement and came off. Luckily it came of clean and didn't result in flipping the plane or anything drastic. The instructions suggest using epoxy to fasten the wheel pants to the canard, but for reasons like a rough landing as happened, I decided to use canopy glue instead of the epoxy. Simply glued it back in place yesterday afternoon.

Takeoffs are pretty straight forward as well as flying. Make sure you have a LOT of throw in the surfaces, and keep the power on for the landings. The landings by far are shall we say "challenging".

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

thanks for the pics. that is a nice looking plane. looks a little chilly there. at least you don`t have a foot of snow on the ground like i do. keep me posted and thanks again, russm

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Hey Russ,

I'd say a foot of snow on the ground would definitely aid in my landings!:D

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

ZHUHAI, WE HAVE A PROBLEM.[[/b]

Test flight #3 happened this afternoon that included a 10-15mph 60 degree crosswind. The CG was moved back 1cm from the factory 65mm to 75mm behind the trailing edge former of the canard by removing the forward screw of the tailwheel assembly and repacing it with a longer screw holding a pair of 1/4 ounce lead weights.
Takeoff roll about the same, perhaps a bit shorter. With the elevator and ailerons now on high rate with probably 3/4" throw each way and the CG moved back the plane flew MUCH better. Turns were much tighter and the elevator actually had good response in slow flight. Exponential set at -10% on both elevator and aileron, down from -25%.
Landing much slower, much smoother. Didn't lose a wheel pant but........

After flight #2 I noticed what appeared to be either a crack in the bottom of the canard under the covering, or just a "trail" of thin CA from when I cut and rehinged the elevators. Sr. and myself felt it over, and dismissed it as probably thin CA.

Taxi back from landing of flight #3 and things aren't looking too good!. In fact, the canard has broken, and whats more it has broken right where we thought the "trail" of CA was....which in this case happens to be right at the edge of the fuselage.

Rube Sr. is anxiously awaiting the canard, pocket knife in hand. I told him we were going to shoot some photos before cutting into things. But what appears to have happened is that the factory, for some reason---perhaps not having a structural engineer on staff, has built the canard with a joint in the sheeting at you got it.....right at the edge of the fuselage!

Here are the pics, autopsy pics to follow in the next few days......but we are contemplating the "unthinkable" and removing the wheels from the wing tips and going to a tricycle landing gear or traditional fuselage mounted main gear/tail dragger setup. Saving grace being there was a tricycle landing gear version of the "real" Quickie.

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

can that area be reinforced during asbly. russm

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Here are the "autopsy" photos and a brief description of what was found and repaired.

But first let me say that this thread is NOT directed towards Alex and AK-Models.com, but rather pointing out the observed construction by the Richmodel factory with regard to this particular part of this particular model, a model that can be bought at several places on the web.

Ok, what we have revealed is that the construction of the canard is al built up of light ply formers, an upper and lower spar that are about 1/4" X 1/8" hardwood with 1/16" balsa shear webs that originate at the point of anhedral and sweep back of the canard. The center section of the canard, which is the width from the inside edge of the ailerons uses a much larger plywood joiner. Everything is sheeted top and bottom with 1/16" balsa.

What has happened, as a result of the first 3 landings, none of which were particularly smooth[:@] has resulted in the lower spar seperating from the upper spar via the shear webbing between the ribs and hence structurally failing at the wing joiner. In our (Rube Sr. the Civil P.E. and myself)opinion, the construction could have been better by having the grain of the 1/16" shear webbing (that joins the upper and lower spars) between the ribs vertical rather than horizontal.

In repairing the canard, we simply brought it back into position and using a piece of 1/8" light ply we put yet another web plate over the one that had sheared. Filled in the 1/16" sheeting we removed, sanded and covered. Should be good to go....at least until the same spot on the other side of the wing, er, canard fails!

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Those trees sure have a lot of leaves on them for dec. in RI. I live in ala. and all the leaves are one, but anyway nice looking bird............

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Hay Rube G.
I have been reading your adventures with the Quikie-40. Your review of the plane is exactly what I have been looking for. Thanks, it has been very helpful.
Back in January I bought one of these Quickie-40s and I’m finally in the process of putting it together and I’m about ¾ of the way through.

The construction of this plane is suspect and the instructions are ridiculous. I’m glad they at least provided the comic book version. My 6-year-old granddaughter well…you know. If it weren’t for the fact that I’m fascinated with this canard style, I won’t even bother with it. It would be nice if someone would put out a better version. Years ago I saw one that was larger and made out of fiberglass in one of the modeling magazines but have not been able to find it again.

Did you have a lot of fit up problems? I’m having trouble with the landing gear and the wheel pants; they don’t fit, not even close. I’m thinking about leaving off the wheel pants altogether.

The front lower wing didn’t fit right so I had to grind the leading edge opening on the fuselage and just noticed that I’ll have to grind out an opening in the cowling too, also the 2 wooden dowels didn’t line up very well. The provided dowels weren’t even round. So I drilled out the locating holes and made my own dowels using ¼ round dowel stock. I also had to drill out one of the wing hold down holes to get the screw to fit.
I’m using an old OS 46FX from another plane disaster; it’s about the same size as the 40FX, and immediately noticed the angle of the firewall is raked backwards a few degrees. I hope this is normal.

Don’t know why I waited to glue the hinges in but after reading you comments about increasing the throws I’m glad. A trick I learned from an old timer, is instead of sealing the gaps with covering material, tape the elevator or aileron in the up position and from the bottom run a thin bead of silicon in the gap, wipe it smooth. Then before it dries release the elevator or aileron back to the normal position, keep wiping both sides smooth. Clean up the excess with alcohol. May not be the best way but it works for me.

Reading you post about the wing breaking is interesting. My thought is the wing may be to weak for hard landings, something I do often. At this point the only thing I can think of doing short of rebuilding the wing is to change the wheels to a low bounce type that Dubro makes.
I liked how you added the insert and pilot for realism. I had been thinking of doing the same.
Sorry this was so long. Thanks again for your input. I’ll be back…...
Bern
[8D]

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

i`m about to put one together. really appreciate the advise from both of you gents. thanks russm

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

No, I can't recall any "fit" problems with my Quickie. It all went together real smooth. When mounting the wings and the canard, I bolted them down just to the point where the wingtips could be moved forward/aft and using a long hardwood stick and ink pen as a measuring stick made measurements to the vertical fin where it exits the fuselage. Get both measurements even and then used tape to tape the leading edge down. Then without moving the wing I was able to insert the dowels from the front of the formers with the holes into the wing/canard. Made double sure it fit good, took it all apart and then mixed up 15 minute epoxy after taping a piece of wax paper around the leading edge of the wing/canard where it fits the formers. Put the glue in the holes, put the wing/canard into position and again slid the dowels through the formers into place. Measure and make sure it is correct and it is done.

The landing gear---yes, I did have to rebend my landing gear in a vise to get that right. They were originally bent with toe out---and thats NOT a good thing! I rebent them forward/aft in/out to get them right. Takes a bit of patience and several trial fits.

Hope to fly the Quickie again this weekend----will post back the results.

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Rube G.
How did you attach the wheel pants Epoxy or screws?
Also what kind of covering are you using to recover your plane? I think they used Coverite. What you think?
Bern
[8D]

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

To attach the wheel pants, instead of using epoxy as the manual suggests I used the CRC56 or whatever canopy glue. Make sure everything fits right, then put a pretty good bead of the glue around the wheel pant. Let it sit for about 10 minutes or so in order to start to "skin" and then put the pant over the landing gear and onto the wing. Use lots of tape to tape it down left/right/forward/aft. Let cure for 24 hours. One of them did come loose on a not so good landing, but it came off clean and didn't tear anything up. So I just glued it back on.

Ok. Back to the flight adventures (IF you want to call them that!). Flight #4 was yesterday. Before the flight I had added yet another 1/4 ounce lead weight to the 2 pieces of 1/4 ounce lead weight at the forward tailwheel bracket screw.

Using a piece of 1/8"X1/2" spruce, and placing the 1/8" thick side up and under the fuselage at the CG is how I am balancing the plane. Right now it balances right at 78mm behind the trailing edge of the canard. This makes the plane fly MUCH BETTER than the manufacturers stated CG of 65mm. The neutral setting of the elevators is to have the top of the elevator at the trailing edge line up with the bottom of the canard at the trailing edge. So about 1/16" or so of "up" elevator which means they are lowered. It's the same situation with my 46 size Long-EZ.

So flight #4 went the best so far. Landing was much better, but had a bit of a bounce on touchdown on the pavement. Plane still had "springiness" to the canard. Ok, let me explaing "springiness". When you push down and release on the top of the plane near the front and over the canard, it should rebound a couple times, like a bad shock absorber. If it doesn't, rest assured, something in the canard is broken.
Upon turning the plane over we noticed the patch of covering was split.[:@]Called it a day and yesterday evening once again cut into the bottom of the canard to see what was going on. The sheeting had broken, and this time it was the lower spar that broke in the first "bay" outboard of the center wing/outer wing connection.

Rube Sr. PE Structural Engineer determines it's time to get serious with this thing. So we cut out the 1/16 balsa webbing between the upper and lower spar as it is split, and cut a piece of 3/16 heavy plywood to fit in the bay from rib to rib and between the upper and lower spar. So now we have changed the design from the shape of a channel [ to the shape of an I beam. Furthermore, we cut a pair of 1/8" light ply webs and placed them rib to rib to the sides of the upper and lower spars forward and aft of the spars. So now we've got a lIl shape and mixed up epoxy, glued it all together and used a small pair of vice grips to hold things in place and left it to cure over night.

"It aint gonna break there again, guaranteed!"

Spliced in the 1/16" sheeting, sanded to fit and recovered with a new patch. White Super Monokote is what we are using. The factory covering SUCKS. Did I say the factory covering SUCKS?. When you try to remove the factory covering, you will pull off a top layer of clear, and then have to SCRAPE off the white part from the airplane. It IS frustrating.

Flight #5 was this afternoon. Flew from a grass strip. Trick was to find the shortest/no grass spot for about 10 feet, hold full up elevator and go full throttle. If it manages to roll 8 feet it is going to take off. Otherwise, like the 3 or 4 attempts just prior to the flight it merely noses over and prop cuts a slice of earth.
So the flight was uneventful, other than the engine began surging and just didn't sound right. So I wheeled it around and slowed down on final to a flair about a foot or so above ground. Landed, rolled out and then just tipped over on the nose.....

NOTHING IS BROKEN!:D:D

Found out de-fueling the plane that the engine mounting bolts had come loose and the engine surging was due to the throttle cable doing its job on a moving engine.[&:] Need to use longer 6/32 socket head bolts with nylon locknuts on the bottom of the supplied engine mounts. Guess all the nose overs had unbalanced the prop as the screws certainly backed out.

Good luck with yours, I'll be back next weekend to report if anything interesting happens. Other than that, if you guys have more questions I'll do what I can!

Rube

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Hay Rube G.
Were and how did you mount the fuel tank. The cartoon in the instructions shows it behind the wall that is behind the canard wing. But it doesn't line up because there is a brace in the way, unless I mount the tank upside down. Or did you mount it behind the firewall. In that case one would have to trim the engine mount bolts, but that still doesn’t seem right for this plane. If you can show a pic it would help.
Thanks
Bern
[8D]

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Huh?

The fuel tank that came with my kit fits perfectly. It goes into the fuselage from where you screw down the access plate under the canopy--not the canard---and sits atop the plywood "plate" that has slats in it. The stopper part of the tank fits right into the bulkhead of the first former behind the firewall. You wind up with fuel lines that are 6" or so long that go through the center hole in the firewall. In my plane I put 3 brass lines into the tank---1 for the clunk, one bent upwards to the top for vent and the third is bent down to the bottom of the tank to fuel/de-fuel. It is the line in the photos with the fuel dot.

I put a piece of foam rubber under my tank, and used one of the two supplied plastic wire ties to loop around the tank and through the slats in the plywood plate, then pull it up snug. Then I took my Futaba battery (square pack type) and wrapped it in foam rubber, then used the other wire tie to secure it to the plywood plate slats behind the tank and in front of the servos.

The fuel tank location on this model is important as it centers on the CG.

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

I think I understand what you did. The only way to install the tank in the manner you stated is upside down, unless the tank you have has the stopper located on the centerline of the tank. The stopper is off set from centerline on the tank I have. If the stopper is in the down position below the centerline of the tank, the tank is installed upside down. I have never installed a tank this way so I don’t know if it matters but I do know that the tank’s centerline should be 1/2 in. to 3/4 in. BELOW the needle valve. If the tank is too low the fuel will NOT clime up hill under full acceleration. If too high, the engine must be leaned to compensate for the high tank pressure and will quit, lean in the vertical or under acceleration.
Maybe they do want you to install it upside down. I’ll have to give it a try. Either that or modify the former behind the firewall.
Thanks for the input!
Bern
[8D]

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Whoa.....hang on......time out!

I want to say the tank that was supplied with my Quickie was a 350ml tank, as it has the numbers "350" on the tank. You are correct that the stopper is offset in end of the tank, being higher and closer to the top.....but that is how mine fit in the plane----with the stopper closer to the top of the tank and then the stopper lines right up and through the hole in the former.

Somethings not right here.......my plane isn't here or I'd look, but does it look like that former could have been installed upside down at the factory?? Would it even fit that way?

I'm still running the inverted mounted Saito 56 in mine, and it is running like a top. Flew it just this afternoon and didn't manage to break the canard on the landing!:D

I'll take my camera to the office/airplane factory tomorrow and take some photos of the tank installation.

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Hi,
My tank doesn’t have 350 on it just a serial number HYPL02080119. It measures (approx. outside dimensions) 47mm wide x 56mm ht. x 113mm lg., rounded on the top and bottom. A 12oz. or 360mL tank measures 64mm x 64mm x 143mm so I’m assuming it is a 350mL tank.

I think you right the bulkhead/former must be mounted incorrectly for this tank. As I said before this pane has some obvious mistakes. I also have heard that it’s not good to mount the tank more than 6 in. from the throttle control. It has to do with tank pressure, etc. So I have decided add a piece of wood behind the firewall with hole in it for the tank stopper and mount the tank up front. And I’ll try to put the battery as far back as possible for balance. As long as the plane is balanced about the CG without having to add to much weight to the plane it should be okay.

All of the planes I have built before have the tanks up to the firewall. With all that space up front it doesn’t seem right to mount the tank that far back. I don’t really know how they calculate the CG on a canard so I guess I’ll find out if it will affect the planes flight or not.
Gee I’ll have to get on it and finish this plane, and see how she flies.
Also, I think I mentioned this before; I changed the wheels to a low bounce type to reduce the stress on the canard.
Thanks again,
Bern[8D]

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Hello Aerosman and Rube, sounds like maybe your arfs were from different batches. I 've found this be fore in several kits/arfs. where mine doesn't match that of another at the flying field.
Can each of you tell me your date of purchase? Thanks in advance

I'm insterested and I want to ask Alex about the current inventory. I've purchased 3 arfs from Alex. I've only built one so far. Over powered it and, ah, well, she's no longer with us, I liked so well I bought another it's the .15 sized Sukhoi. I don't see it on his website. the 3rd is an Ultimate bipe 40 size.

DSD

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Hello,
That's what I have been thinking. Also the instructions are the poorest I have ever seen, so it's kind of hard to understand what they want you to do. Even if there was some decent pictures it would help to see how things are installed.
From what I understand from Rube G. experiences, I have the feeling that one hard landing and this guy is a gon'r
Needless to say this is the first and last I will buy from this company. Other than the Quicky canard style, there is alot of other better built planes out there. I haven't even flown it yet and I would only recommend this to someone like Rube G. who seems like to rebuild the plane after each flight. (No disrepect intended Rube G.)
I'm just hoping for a few fun flights.
I bought mine at the AMA Convention in Onterio, Ca last January 06.
Good Luck and Good Flying!
Bern
[8D]

RE: Richmodel "Quickie-40" from AK-models.com
 

Wow,
I just went to the AK-Models web site. I paid $150 right before the closing of the AMA show last Jan. It wasn’t AK-Models I don't think who I bought from but they were asking $199 and now they are down to $110. I wouldn't doubt they aren't selling that well.
Also when I said that I wouldn't buy from this company again I meant Richmodel not AK-Models.
Sorry for being so negative guys but this one has been giving me a lot of problems.
Bern
[8D]