ok, im still trying to get my spitfire set up and still have a ton of questions. first, i bought a trainer thats a four channel and it made me wonder. how do i hook up the aileron servos? doi make them independently operational, or do i hook them up together with a y junction, and use them as one output on my receiver? im using a spektrum ar7000.also, what % fuel do i use? i have an os .46 sf in it right now. also, i heard a guy at the rc show talk about mixing the fuel with oil, what kind do i mix, and how much? id really like to try to start this engine to make sure it runs. i read the directions and it tells me where to set the needle valve for new engine start up. will that work to get it started now? see, sooo many questions. good thing is its getting nice outside, so my local clubwill be doingthings soon,and i can get out and bother them instead of everyone on here! lol

O.K. First go here http://www.gettingairborne.com/Read thru this sites info , It well answer most if not all of your questions . Tons of info for just the type questions your asking about.

great! thanks for the link. ill start right now.

Hey tlojak38. Your computer has a neat little key called shift- Hard to read without caps. Is that ill or I'll. No offense, just makes it easier for us old guys to read

Hi!
Some advise from one who has flown R/C for 35 years.
Just forget about that Spitfire for the coming 2-4 years. It's too complicated to build/fly for a newbie, and newbie you'll be the first couple of years, both regards to building and flying.

Fly that trainer until you are certain how to the basic maneuvers like loops, rolls and inverted flight without crashing, then go to a low winged sport airplane, there are lot's of them to choose from, and learn more precise maneuvers and learn how to fly low and fast.
A Q-500 racer with a 6,5-7,5cc (.40-.46) two-stroke engine is a ideal choice.

It's also good to build more models before you build that Spitfire so you have some building experience to rely on before attempting a semi scale model.



To answer your questions.
Use just one servo for the ailerons! Hooked up as the picture below shows.
You can also use two servos , one in each wing for the ailerons that you mix together in the transmitter, but that is not common practice at least not in a high winged trainer. Remember ! It's vital that you keep things simple, to avoid crashes!


No extra oil is needed in our fuel!!!! Just use 5% nitro fuel! Castor oil or synthetic oil doesn't matter! Over here in Europe many of us use 10-15% all synthetic oil, mixing our own fuel. But easiest for you is to use commercial fuel from a hobby shop.
In the US it's common to use 15% nitro, but it's is just overkill and only makes your wallet thinner.

Some advise:
Always mount the engine on it's side so that the tank level is according to the tank rule! See picture below!
Use a 240-300cc tank for a .40-.46 engine..
Use a "Uni-flow system in the tank (Two clunk lines) for best performance!
Use a 11x6 or 12x4-12x5 APC or RAM prop on the trainer (if you fly at sea level that is).
Use as short servo arms as possible!
Use as long rudder /aileron/elevator arms as possible!...all this for having stiff flying surfaces. see picture below of the aileron servo linkage.

well, the spit is built, just need to know about the servo setup. seems like everything went ok. i have ten official , and many more unofficial years as an auto tech. so, this wasnt a hard task for me. i understand the mechanics of building, just not flying. thats why it'll sit on a shelf tell im ready to handle it. it was just too pretty to pass up! i have always loved war birds and bombers. thanks for all the advice jaka, i take everything i get on here to heart. i know it will be a couple of years till i fly anything but trainers and so far, ive had a really good time with everything i have done.

Have someone at your field help you. Many folks are 'experts' so make your choice by observation, first! Make sure your control throws are as per the instructions. 'Eyeball' your airplane from top and rear to make sure the wings, etc look true and square. You can use a non-stretchable string to measure how 'square' wings, tail and prop are to fuselage. Weight your plane onto your bench and check incidences and thrust lines. You can use the Robart Incidence Meter or home made items that work very well (long sticks taped to bottom of wing and stab for flat bottom airfoils). Put the c.g. at a foward location as indicated in instructions. I would induce washout by making the trailing edges of the ailerons be above the trailing edge of the wing by about 1/16 to 1/8" for first flights. I would also make sure the ailerons have differential. Make sure your engine is broken in and has reliable throttle response. Have good batteries! Roll your Spitfire on your driveway or another smooth and level surface to make sure it tracks straight. You don't want it to go veering off in one direction. Hold it by the tail and push- pull it to watch the mains. If they flex in-out then one wheel doesn't track with the other. I hope these little tips help. The Spitfire is a nice plane and will fly well. Keep the airspeed up and control inputs 'low' and you will not have any nasty suprises!

ive measured everything, and the plane seems to be as square as im going to get it. my big question right now is do i hook the aileron servos up to work independently, or off one output, and opposite of each other, like my retracts. they run to a y connector, and i have a connector that the lhs told me to put on that reverses polarity to one servo.  i have two servos to work with, one in each wing.

To get your servos to work independantly connect one to the aileron channel on your Rx and the other to Aux 1.

Programme your Transmitter for flaperons (use the menu you get when you switch on with the buttons pressed to select this). There is also a flap setting that you will need to change. This is in the menu you get to by pressing both buttons with the Tx already on. It controls the way the flap channel responds to the switch on the top right of the Tx (at least is does on my DX7!)

Terry

ok, thats what i was thinking. looking at the rx, there are two aux. inputs, so i was looking at putting one in ailerons, and the other in aux. 1. someone told me that flaperons are hard to use, is this true? thats why i was asking about splitting them up, or tieing them together. thanks for the help.