CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

I need some suggestions on removing some of the wieght from the tail of my Tiger 120.

I built it light (or I tried to build it light) and added nothing at all to increase the tail weight, but I need over a pound of nose weight to reach the CG, and it still flys slightly tail heavy.

Here is what I did in the build:

1. I used a Sullivan tail wheel gear (lighter than the rig that Goldberg had in the ARF) and a smaller, light-weight tail wheel.
2. I used only one elevator servo and used light-weight Sullivan Carbon Composite control rods for the elevator.
3. I used vinyl coated kevlar pull-pull cables for the rudder instead of the metal cable provided.
4. I used light-weight carbon gear for both the rudder and elevator horns.
5. I am running an OS 1.20AX engine with an APC 15-10 pattern prop.

I used the original hardware for the vertical stab supports, but I have a plan to remove that metal and replace it with the vinyl coated kevlar and vinyl tubes with nylon attachment 'hardware' (remove the metal eye bolts and replace them with vinyl tubes through the vert stab, horizontal stab and attach underneath with the nylon 'hardware').

Other than that, I don't really have any more ideas on how to remove some of that weight other than removing covering and chopping wood from the horizontal and vertical stabs, but I really don't like that idea, but may have to if it comes down to that.

Ideas would be greatly appreciated.

DS.

horace315

My Feedback: (15)

I haven’t seen the 120 version, I have the 60 kit version. that was a little tale heavy but shifting the radio and battery equipment forward did the trick for that. if the tale section in the arf is made like the kit there isn’t much to chop up back there, mine is a built up tale group. the fuse already has lightning holes in it top bottom and sides. I even added the triangle stock to the vertical stabilizer and mine came out almost right. I set mine up as a tricycle gear. the only suggestion I could make is maybe shifting your engine forward on the motor mount and trying to get the radio gear shifted forward as much as you can. the fuse on the tiger 60 is very long and a little added weight at the tale can account for a lot, you might try adding a heavy spinner washer also. for some reason every arf I have purchased always came out tale heavy. I had a super stick that came out heavy like that and had to shift the motor way out front it looks funny but worked out good, if I hadn’t shifter the motor I would have had to add almost 11 oz to the front. you might even try to add heavier/larger wheels.

bigedmustafa

My Feedback: (2)

Super Tigre G2300 with an aluminum spinner? The G2300 would give you an extra half a pound of weight out on the nose.

overbored77

My Feedback: (11)

Dick where is the reciever and battery in that monster, Can you pull out the tank and slip the battery under it? Also where did you add your nose weight (cheeks, under engine, weighted prop nut,)?

bingo field

I used the void under the tank to put my battery right behind the firewall. Still room for more ballast up there if needed.

CGRetired

My Feedback: (1)

Hi guys.

Thanks for the suggestions. I have the engine just about as far forward as I could get it. As for the wieght, well, it's anywhere and everywhere I could put it to get it to balance. The battery is under the tank and as far forward as I can get it (I should say them.. a pair of 1500 mah NiMH's. Also, the thing uses the DX7 system so the RX only weighs about 10 grams. Won't matter much where it is, in the scheme of things on this bird. This is a tough one, that's for sure.

I have a weighted spinner, by the way.

Keep the suggestions coming, though.. one or more that I have not tried may just solve the problem for me and others that have this plane. It's a great plane except for that stinking weight issue.

Dick.

KC36330

an oz in the tail is like 3 in the nose, start taking some weight out of the tail. I've not built a 120 but I've built several of the 40s and 60s, move the servo tray forward, put two servos on the elevator and have them both up front and most of all NEVER add dead weight, i guess i get that from building things that go fast but i absolutely refuse to add any dead weight to a plane, I'll fly it tail heavy or nose heavy before i will.

kc