Hi, can anybody advise me ona sutablebattery to use in my very first project?
It is a cub with a 73 inch wing span & made by flair, i will be installing a futaba (fp-r138df) dual conversion 8 channel receiver to opporate 4x futaba S3003 Standard Servo's.
I have a 8.4v 650mAh/8c battery taken from my trashed chopper!!! Would that be a sutable donner??

the 8.4 would have to be regulated down to at least 6.5 volts. Futaba does not reccomend using more than 6volts on those servos, but
even a fully charged 5 cell reciever pack is over 6 volts when fully charged. I use LIFE reciever packs (6.6volt nominal voltage)
with all my servos standard and hi torque digitals and haven't had any problems.

An 8.4 volt pack may be too heavy, any 4.8-6 volt rx pack over 1000mah will be more than enough.

Thank you for that i will go throw some more cash at it lol.

It shouldn't be all that bad. 4 or 5 volt NiMh or NiCd packs are fairly inexpensive compared to your probably overall expense so far. I would opt for a 5 cell of around 1800 mah capacity. I would advise you to stay away from a regulator.

CGr

Dick, are you going to fly this year? I was out today Didn't feel like strapping the big stuff in the back of the truck, so I took the old Tiger 60
out, 5 flights. Windy but not too bad.

I think you could be fine for 3 or 4 flights on a fully charged 4.8V 600 mAh battery....but I like some insurance so I'd probably get a 6V 1100 mAh Nickle metal....

Heck when the radios came with 4.8v 600mah, we could fly all day on a plane with only four servos. On some of my basic planes today I fly with the Hobbico NiMh 4.8v 750mah and never have a problem.

ive found a 6v 2600mAh Nimh so hopfully that should get me going!!!

This will be my first time so i suspect there will be more crashing than flying

is there any way i can save posts i have started so i can get back to them next time i log on?
At the minuite i have to serch threw the pages to find the ones i start!!

More than likely true if your very first flight will be with a Cub. I really enjoy mine but they are not beginner planes by any stretch of the imagination. The ground handling is tricky (especially on takeoff), they are corks in the wind, they are easy to stall if your throws are too hot, and they have very little self-righting characteristics. Are you going to be working with an instructor? If not, you can go ahead and back over it with your car to save yourself some time. Whatever you decide though, best of luck to you and I hope you have a great time.

All the clubs around me only take fixed wing so i will have to be my own instructor!! For the first few times i will just try to get wheels off ground a little then back on the ground so i can try to get a feel for it!!

Last time I checked Cubs are fixed wing! Your plan is destined to fail and cause a lot of frustration as well as wasted money. I will pull no punchs, jestor is correct the vast majority of cubs really suck as a first airplane and especially those who refuse help almost all fail.

Network find a Mentor Oh alright yes I will use the evil word instructor.

John

'Tired old Mentor who gets tired picking up the pieces'

Ahhh Dude get an instructor...this hobby will kill ya without help to get started

There won't be a first few times. With a Cub built by someone who's never learned to properly set up a model plane, there will likely be one quick ground loop, possibly followed by a cartwheel or a nose over. Then it's repair and repeat. That's of course assuming everything is built correctly. You have no idea the value of having an experienced pilot help you on your first few flights. A good instructor will do a thorough "new plane" pre-flight inspection and will maiden it and trim it for you. He'll also help you get the control throws set right so the plane has the right amount of response. That's the first big hump to get over- having a properly flying plane. Then the instructor will start working on your piloting skills which for a Cub need to be fairly developed. If you skip the instructor stage, you'll start out with a plane that likely needs some tweaking to fly right and no piloting skills. That's a bad combination if you plan to bring the plane home in the same condition you left with it in.

Ok it sounds like my understanding of fixed wingmay bewrong! the wing is held on with rubber bands and not permantly fixed to the plane thats what lead me to think its not fixed wing!
As for refuseing help i can assure you thats not the case i know the more i can get the greater my chances, its just that thinking my cub's not fixed wing ment theres no clubs around me to help!
With that in mind can anybody confirm that this cub is indeed a fixed wing, if it is i will not hesitate to join a local club.
I have added a photo of the work in progress mayby this will help to determin if its fixed wing or not, i really hope it is coz like i said i know i need help and realy want the help.

Fixed wing aircraft are Planes, Rotating wing is a helictopter.

Ahhh all becomes clear!! Cheers for that. Damn i feel stupid now

It appears you are doing a fine job on your Kit.

Here is a link to your national modeling association. If you are wise you will seek out your local clubs through them and get involved as well as finding a mentor.

http://www.bmfa.org/

John

Ditto on the craftsmanship on your Cub. The covering job looks really good. I will suggest putting some light colored numbers or some kind of design on top of the wing to make it a little easier to see at a distance.

already looked on BMFA & a club not too far away, now ive been put right about the fixed wing issue i will be calling in to see the guys with a veiw to finding a instructor.
Top of the wing will have white stripes & body will be white with a red stripe.

Outstanding 1-2-b excellent choices and will be looking forward to hearing of your future adventures in this wonderful shared passion in which we all are afflicted

John

The only suggestion I have, is to hide the credit card...... After adding a room on the house to store all your junk, er, I mean modeling supplies.

It sounds like you have your ducks in a row. Gook luck on your first flight. Oh, Your Cub is looking GOOD so far.

Ken