Simular to a bad boy problem.
 

Hi I have this plane, It kinda looks like a Precision Aircraft Bad Boy but probably isn't.

http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/a...ps1a737a5e.jpg
http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/a...psbd2724e6.jpg
http://i953.photobucket.com/albums/a...psf7e83c21.jpg



I flew it for the first time earlier today and most of the time all it wanted to do was prop hang.

My thoughts are "its too heavy in the tail". But not have much experience with this type of plane would like to know your thoughts on where the COG should be.

Thanks for your assistance.

Rich

RE: Simular to a bad boy problem.
 

First of all, it's a "profile" plane using the side view profile on a flat surface fuselage.

It looks like one of the varieties of "Sticks" out there. Since it has the huge elevator/rudder/ailerons, I would say that it was intended to be for 3D. It looks light enough for that, especially with your "prop hang" comment.

We say that nose heavy flys terrible where tail heavy flys once. If you were able to land it, then it may be teetering on being tail heavy, but the Center of Gravity is most likely right at the center point, meaning neither tail nor nose heavy.

If you want to get rid of that, shift the battery pack forward a bit and check it. You don't show the bottom so we don't know where the battery is on that model. But, move it forward slightly - say a half inch, then fly it and see if it "improves" to what you prefer. If not, shift it further and try it again until it is right. If you cannot shift it further forward, then add some lead weights to the front, as far forward as you can, say an ounce, and see if it helps it fly better. You can get sticky lead weights from your local hobby shop or via Tower Hobbies or other mail order sites.

CGr

RE: Simular to a bad boy problem.
 

You can also get stick on weights from tire stores.. It is the same weights that they use to balance Mag wheels.. My local tire store where I usually buy my tires always gives me enough stick on weights to keep me well stocked...

RE: Simular to a bad boy problem.
 

that looks like an old 'HOTS' profile airplane... lemme see if I can find any info on that one ;)
CG and BikerBC are both spot on tho..

RE: Simular to a bad boy problem.
 

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_44...tm.htm#4484346
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_28...tm.htm#7797783

yep, I think that's a Morris Hobbies HOTS... perhaps four to 4 1/2 inches from the LE .....
(but that's only a semi educated guess :) )
those are some of the original 3D machines... :D but will certainly fly 'nicely' if 3D isn't your thing.

RE: Simular to a bad boy problem.
 

Yeah.. I had a Goldberg Wildstick a while back. I built... ahem... assembled it - it was an ARF... ha.. sorry.. anyway, I built it as a sport flyer but it certainly was 3D capable. It was not a profile model, but a full fuselage. But it looked something like the OP's picture from the side (profile view) that is. I started it off with an OS 46 FX I believe, the one before the AX version. It flew just great as a sport plane. It had flaps.

I would fly it up high, then put in full flaps and pull the elevator to full up and it would just about flip over in it's length. It would do about three full rolls per second in high-rate. I never flew it as a 3D model.

Later on, I put an OS 50 on it and it was even more radical. Fun to fly, no doubt.

If you iron/heat-gun out those ripples on the leading edge, it would look much nicer.

CGr.

RE: Simular to a bad boy problem.
 

I think Jim Buzzeo got the it right on the ID. only thing is its a 'fun fly type' at least that's what they were called back in the eighties at my hood. No one had ever heard of a 3d plane then.

Fun flys as opposed to Fly in's were competitive events that evolved with that type of airplane and that involved all sorts of strange stuff like how many inside and outside loops could you do in one minute.

My favorite of those Fun Fly types that I built were published plans called Ricashays, an aeroshaft thing that I used a Wankel .30 on. Fun Stuff;)


John

RE: Simular to a bad boy problem.
 

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RE: Simular to a bad boy problem.
 

Thanks for all the great replys .. Looks like identity has been nailed ..

So I will try and set it up with the COG 4 1/2" from the leading edge and see how that flys.

I will let you know how it goes.

Rich

RE: Simular to a bad boy problem.
 

Rich the reason it flew like it did when you flew it is you surmised correctly the CG is typically further back in those kinds of airplane and there will be a distinct demarcation in the change from flying on the wing or prop hanging. It may be back as much as 33%.

For more fun with that airplane especially if you just want to fly it is to try it at 25%, it will fly much nicer for you. To acheve 25 just measure the average cord and divide by four to make that you target distance aft of the leading edge. Actually I did that just mentally by looking at one of your photos and it appears the 25% is right at the rear edge of the spar.

John

RE: Simular to a bad boy problem.
 

Hi John, I have just had a quick measure of the cord where the wing attaches to the body and it measures 16 1/2" Its just balancing at 4 1/2" from the leading edge at the moment after screwing some lead to the front. I will try it like that probably tomorrow.

Thanks

Rich

RE: Simular to a bad boy problem.
 

Sounds as though it will be just right and already was close but that extra bit of lead for "Mother and Country" will make it more enjoyable.

Not to many years ago I did a buyout of a fellows stuff and in the grab bag was an old no name Fun Fly airplane pretty close to what you got there and the workmanship was just horrible and looked like the barn paint on it was done with a roller. After fixing up just a little and nursing the old Magnum 40 back to life that airplane just flew the britches of everything for a while. It was so Ugly I had some large graffics made for the top of the wing "The Flying Turd".

One day a young fellow who I had been mentoring a bit flew it and just loved it. He was fixin to go off to school over at Embry Riddle so I gave to him. He has graduated now but seems he flew that thing right outside the dormitory for his whole tenure there.

John