RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Narly,
On my TF B25 I've found that 12x8 APC 2 blade props seem to work best up here in Denver on the OS 70 fs II engines (the ones with the black valve covers). The three blade MAS just didn't give me enough pull to make me feel comfortable. I do however have MAS 12x8 3 blade props on the older OS 70 FS that are mounted in a Wing MFG B25 and it fly's fine...it is probably 6 -7 lbs. lighter though. One other thing...I sometimes wish the OS70's were louder. The wonderful sound of the synced engines often gets drowned out by the other aircraft buzzing around!:) The 13x8 Evolutions should be fine...Next time you're around try RC Hobbies in Littleton or Aurora. They usually have a good stock o' stuff.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

I switched from the Mas 12x8 three blade to the APC 14x6 two blade and it is a vast improvment. Takes off well instead of struggling into the air. I have 5 flights so far and am really enjoying my PBJ.

regards,

dave

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Got the Callie Graphics decals and will post pics later tonight, aafter I paint the tops of the vertical tails yellow, for the final touch...she did a GREAT job overall. The set for converting the TF B-25 to "Heavenly Body" includes the new serial number on the tail, the shield, the "Crusaders" logo, the mission marks and kill markings on the nose and the "Heavenly Body" script and the Vargas pin up on the nose. Well worth the 25 bucks shipped.

One minor complaint I have about about TF picking "Executive Sweet" livery is that the vertical tail was too boring......HB has a nice set of tail markings.

The only minor glitch was that the "Heavenly Body" script was a little too wide and tall to fit well on the nose, in between the mission markings and the Vargas girl. I am going to write her and see about a small redo on that one decal.

Now doing the final door adjustments, the final buttoning up and the radio programming. Still need to add the lipo mounts in the nacelles and a battery mount for the redundant second RX battery, which I will do after the CG check...looking good for a maiden tomorrow.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Go Thomas Go!! Can't wait to see the pics of "Heavenly Body". Good luck on Maid'n your Maidin! Post some pics for Us?

"Fur Ball" made her 1st public appearance at our clubs annual fund raiser RC show last Sat; pic attached. Talk about an attention getter!! I still have to a run several pretend 10 minute flight stress tests (On the Ground) running all 15 servos to see if I have solved the overload / FIRE problem; then break-in the OS FS-70's and then.....

I.B. Narly

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

B 25 ONBOARD CAM VIDEO

Guys,

this is flight #3 for my plane, the camera didnt work on the maiden. Tim (krproton), these are the stock wheels and they work fine on grass. I was waiting for the Lado retracts to become available but Im not sure when that is happening so I think I will just go with the robart gas version. It really needs them for looks, though it flies just fine with fixed gear. I was surprised how much rudder you need in the turns. Very important to keep the speed up when turning, too. The plane looks way cool on a flyby and it lands really well. I have 4 flights now and I am going to take off the cowls and tighten everything that has loosened from the vibration. Time to break out the loctite.
You and top flite did a great job on this plane, Tim, its a real crowd pleaser at the field! Thanks to Normand and everyone whose posts contributed to my build.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y99Rz_YVPW8

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

I hope that B25 got a chance to LAND.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Ok, folks..here are the pics of my TF B-25 converted to "Heavenly Body" and to electric. Not the greatest photos, but will get the idea across...:) All that is left is to make the lipo mounts for the nacelles, latches for the battery hatches on the bottom of the nacelle and the final CG double check. Wish me luck for the maiden on Friday.

(The weird looking "Heavenly Body" writing on the nose is a temporary painted vinyl decal, to use while Callie resizes the white cut vinyl version a little bit.)

I think the correct OD color in the interior looks a lot better than the stock green...and the H9 1/9 scale pilots look a lot better than the stock profile pilots....:)

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

very nice let us know how she flys

I will be going up this weekend at chatfield if the wether is not windy or raining. 1st flight after the rebuild
tom

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Tom,
Looks like Saturday may be a bit cloudy/rainy... Sunday looks like the pick day of the weekend. I'll bring my B25 and if I can get Clark to bring his, let's practice some formation after the remaiden!

Doug

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Just finishing the pods. Installed the gear to the rear as suggested but had to add to the back of the pod before the door clevis would clear the air cylinder. (Orange arrow).

BTW a big thanks to Michael Krug for making the metal door cams. As you can see it makes for a much more robust cam that the gear is not going to break. I think the original cam should have been made with 5 or 7 layer ply not 3 layer ply.

Adding Twin Sync and the Twin Sync Glow driver. For CG should I try to get the Glow driver battery forward or back in the pods. IE I am using the OS 81s and wonder if I need weight forward or toward the rear.

BTW the Robart 4" wheels with their new brake system fits perfectly. I didn't need to move the pod covers at all. Thanks for the suggestion to use wood inserts for the pod covers.

Thomas, you are really right about Heavenly Body. Think I might give her an order too.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Doug
sounds good sould be there sunday afternoon. I would love to practice with you and clark Got the warbirds reg. I will have 8 planes there this year.

tom

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Craig,

Hi, a noval idea to prevent the cam from hitting the actuating cylinder. Another idea that I used was to turn the brass bushing around and place it between the pod and the cam. Still gave plenty of room to secure the screw and when the gear was actuated the arm and clevis cleared the cylinder. Very nice job, post some more build pic's when you have a chance. Try to keep your glow driver batteries FWD of the CG, when you finish your bird to include balancing, you can always move the batteries to help with your CG.

Brad

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

RCGuy - Thanks for the info. Does seem like most planes do need everything moved forward. I did have to use longer screws but that was the only consequence of adding the spacer. All the door levers work fine. I am using the Robart 4" wheels and brakes. The pods were mounted 14 to 15/32 away from the notch for flaps (pic 1). This put the tires in the middle of the pod so the tires do not interfere with anything. Picture two shows the mounting of the Robart brakes into the Robart scale 4" wheels. Picture three shows the mounting of the tank. I did not glue the tanks in. Rather I used screws to hold the wood and added an extra popsicle stick. Then the screws were painted with fingernail polish. Finally, I used inserts to mount the pod cover (pic 4).

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

I reversed the bushing as well....looks like the TF mod to mount the gear as far back as you can in the mount makes it hard for the clevis to clear the cylinder

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Had today off and after doing the final odds and ends, I took Heavenly Body out for a maiden flight.

One awesome model...love the way it flys. Landings are nearly effortless.
My electricsetup is delivering nearly crazy amounts of speed and power.....:)....I will have to stay well below half throttle for something even close to scalish speed.

With5S 5000 lipos in the nacelles, one RX pack in the nose and one under the pilots, it took abut 3 oz under the noseto balance.
Flight pics as soon as my buddy delivers them via email!

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

After just one flight, I am thinking about improvements...:)

The landing gear doors, as you likely know, do not stay open on the ground on a real B-25. It has sequencing doors that open after takeoff to allow the gear to retract and then the gear doors close again, with the reverse process when landing. Some little tiny aux doors stay open for the struts, when the gear is down.

I have a nice air valve that can sequence gear doors both before and after strut retraction and am thinking about a conversion to sequecing gear doors. I think the small strut doors can likely be made to work by spring loading them and I have some suitable air cylinders for the rest of the doors...5 of them.
Here is a pic of a real B-25 at rest...and one right after takeoof, with the doors open, for that brief gear door cycle.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

hello thomas</p>

here is a post just for what you need .</p>

http://www.rcdon.com/html/top_flite_...ll_proje6.html</p>

he did exactly what you are planing .</p>

my b-25 is allmost ready for test flight ( just to do "set-up"), i have 2 RCV-91cd on but no retract yet only fixed gear .</p>

in time i will put the retract's on .</p>

cheers - cobi</p>

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

I had seen that servo based solution...and that might be the better way to go, with micro servos so cheap these days and with the electronic sequencers that are available.. But, I have the sequencing air valve on hand and most of the air cylinders I needs, so I might go that route.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Hi all,

I am completing my B25 with OS FS 80s. I would like to add a glow driver set and would like some advise from the group.

Thanks!

Jaime

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

If the OS FS 80 runs as good as the FS70, you won't need Glow Drivers.

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

www.c-tronicsinc.com make a very good unit. Also www.42-percent-products.com make a nice one. I have two of the 42% units in my PBJ(B-25) and they are working perfectly.

Regards,

Dave

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

<font size="4">B-25 Tail Cam Video</font></p>

 Guys,</p>

I tested out putting a FlyCamOne on the vertical tail of the B-25.  Crosswinds were pretty gusty, so the flying wasnt pretty, but the concept works.  Skip the taxiing part unless you have some dramamine handy.  </p><div>  Now I just need to find someone with a Zero or an Me109. </div>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymFeGA67qYI</p>

David</p>

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

David,

Very nice video - did look a bit windy. Looked like you were making a bomb run on the farm house! I think I will need to pick up one of those cameras.

Steve

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

Hi all,</p>

i asked many questions over several months et receive a lot of very helpful answers.</p>

Lot of Thanks !!</p>

my b-25j project is now almost completed and i'd like to show you some pictures.</p>

So, one more question : how do you upload pictures on this post ? </p>

RE: Top Flite B-25 ARF (Tecnical, tips, suggestions)
 

elojim,

Try these simple steps:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_52...tm.htm#5218588

Works best if pics are of lower res; ie smaller file size.

I.B. Narly