_Tommy D

My Feedback: (20)

Hey Guys.

I just ordered the Kaos ARF from Tower. If I may, I would like to ask a couple of questions about the model.

It's red and white. My guess is I can peel the trim covering off that separates the red from the white. Is the Red covering installed over an all white covering job? I would like to remove all the red from the wing <Its on the leading edge> and it sure would be nice to have a nice white underside!

Do the landing blocks in the wing need work, or are they ok "out of the box". I expect to go to a 3" foam wheel all the way around.

My last question <for now> is in regard to the use of a single servo for the ailerons. Can I substitute say 2 HS 225 servos side by side <to get a little flexibility and differential>
instead of the 1 standard size servo.

Thanks much for the help!

Tommy D

scottrc

Hello Tommy.

I have a few of these Tower KAOS's because of the price and since they fly so well.

1.) As to the covering, it is the only defect in the kit. My first kit had the red peel off the wings like a bananna peel. It is easy to seperate the covering from the plane, brush some Balsa Rite on it, and recover the plane in what ever trim you want.

2.) The landing blocks are very solid and will take hard landings. I use 2.75" rubber DueBros on the mains a 2" on the nose.

3.) I have kept all mine with single servo ailerons. The roll rate is plenty fast enough and a standard ballbearing servo will hold up just fine to the pressure. There is not a lot of room where the fuse and wing meet. Even the extra length in wire cause by either a Y harness or two leads for dual ailerons would make a tight fit under there. Having the two servos side by side would really make it too cozy and may not allow for the rudder and elevator linkages to move without interference.

Scott

_Tommy D

My Feedback: (20)

Thanks for the heads up Scott. Your right, being a mid wing ship I can see it getting tight fast. So tight infact it looks like my battery will have to be well forward of the wing saddel. Yes mine is going to be electric powered.

The covering stripped right quick off the fuse. Only the red on the tair fethers was difficult to get off. Not sure if it was self stick trim paper, or had some nasty spray stick-em on it.

Recovered the tail in white Ultracote and red solite. Not very big on translucent, so I ordered some red Ultracote.

Going to go with 2 servos for the ailerons, mounted in the wing. Not in the stock location, but out further in the wing.

Funny, its actually a pretty darn light model. The firewall is so lightly built I added some triangle stock and extra glue. Hard to believe it dosent pop off with the vibrations of a 2 stroke and a nose wheel out front.

Has been a fun project so far, and if it flys 1/2 as good as my last glow to electric conversion Ill be very happy!

Tommy D

mred33

I love the Kaos. I have had three over the years and every one of them flew GREAT. I got every one of mine to do a knife edge, it's just a down hill knife edge. Didn't care about that though. It is one of the most forgiving pattern plans I have every flown and I love the way it lands. I am in the process of building a Super Kaos from RCM plans right now and am going to put two servos in the wing just out board of the sheeting. I also made it a tail dragger instead of the trike. I'm a slow builder, so it should be ready in about a month or so. Looking forward to flying another Kaos. I just love them.
Ed

Chondar

Did you have to do anything special to get the covering off, or did you just find a seam and start pulling?

I'd love to re-cover mine, and it seems like it'd be a good candidate for a different covering job. I'd love to give it something to make it stand out a bit at the field.



J

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

Tommy, that's kind of brilliant. At $99 it really does make a lot of sense to get one of these, strip off the covering, inspect the structure and then do your own covering job. The factory covering is probably the main thing that keeps me from buying ARF's (I like my planes to look like mine). I wonder how hard it would be to remove the covering from a GP Venus or a Cermark Javelin?

It's funny, when the ARF craze was first taking off several companies offered ARC's as well as ARF's. I only know of a few still doing it.

David

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

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I used to enjoy the Model Tech ARCs. The hard part was done (framing/sanding) and I enjoy covering models, so that was fun. I still buy some of their products, but they aren't as much fun to assemble. I would gladly pay the same price for a well sanded ARC as what they are charging for their current ARFs. Anyone else?

Ed Cregger

cllaurit

I agree wholeheartedly, I loved ModelTech kits (can you call them that?) and I always did like covering. I would love to see the ARF planes available in ARC form.

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

Now, if we could just get Model Tech to offer ARC versions of Kaos, Dirty Birdy, UFO, Daddy Rabbit, etc., foam-wing equipped clones!!!


Ed Cregger

_Tommy D

My Feedback: (20)

I'm going to try and get back on the Kaos tomorrow. After being out of work for 5 months <on the job injury> I'm trying to get used to working again! So while I have found time to fly, building time is limited.

In all fairness I did remove the Kaos from the bench for 2 days to assemble <note I did not say build!> a new electric Multiplex Gemini sport bi-plane. Guys, this little chunk of foam is going to be my pattern primer for learning! Fast to repair <with good old CA on foam, who would have thunk it!> and easy to fly in small quaters this thing is a dream to fly!

Back to the Kaos, my club field just changed the runway orientation to keep from over flying a trailer sales lot. So while the approach is longer on on side, its a LOT shorter on the other. Also the runway is shorter. So back out with my Graupner pattern conversion to help with landing. Guess I'm just used to landing these little 2lb electric models at my feet. Not so easy with a 6lb+ pattern plane.

Nice to see the thread is alive and well!

Tommy D

bobybayo

Does anyone knows the recommended CG for the Tower Kaos 40 Kit ( about 10 years old) that was listed in the manual?

modegrande

C.G. is 4 inches back from the leading edge holding the plane upsidedown.

DRonland

Here is a loud Kaos everyone....Eagle One.

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/gallery/galleryItem.cfm?itemID=117362&dummy=5944.699084446479&opener=/community/profile.cfm%3Fsection%3Dgallery%26memid%3D224806]Eagle 1[/link]

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/gallery/galleryItem.cfm?itemID=117361&dummy=3964.2217243706377&opener=/community/profile.cfm%3Fsection%3Dgallery%26memid%3D224806]Super Kaos[/link]

Totally Original - 30 years old this year...Aerogloss Dope (buffed out of course)
Happy Flying!

Free Bird

Wow! That Super Kaos is very cool! What does the bottom of it look like?

DRonland

Thanks Free Bird,

A real special plane to me...call it my "Holiday Plane"
Any weekend that ends up having a holiday in it, ok to fly then However last weekend I did fly it...to cheer up my uncle, after a surgery.

I was 12 when my grandfather was finishing it...sat next to him remember him glassing in the wing.
And putting the nose wheel in...

I only saw it fly once before I flew it, so there is a pretty big gap in years of storage.

Here is the bottom, easy to see when rolled.
[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/gallery/galleryItem.cfm?itemID=117642&dummy=1979.9756086087622&opener=/gallery/galleryCat.cfm%3FmemberID%3D224806]Super Kaos...Bottom View[/link]

Happy Flying!

Dave

Free Bird

Thanks for the pic Dave! I really like the scheme. The contrast between the upper and lower surfaces must make it pretty easy to see. Continued good luck with your Super Kaos!

FB

roncoleman

My Feedback: (14)

Dave,

Great looking Super Kaos. Love the look of that Fox Eagle and Semco muffler.
Everything still looks near new, would make a nice addition to a museum.

Ron

juggernaut47201

Did anyone see the article in the October AMA (page 12) Talking about the Simla. Look at the size of that thing and it is powered by a Super Tiger .60. Wow! I think over the years we expect More POWER! [>:] After reading this I am really considering a Birdi Chaos 60 with a Super Tiger G51. Anyone out there ran this combo? Any advice?

DRonland

Thanks Ron,

I really enjoy the Kaos. It flys a bit on the heavy side, due to all the hand painted Dope on it, but I think that has made it last this long. Recently, I had to polish it out to remove some yellowing going on with the white paint, came out real good.

Happy Flying!

Dave

NM2K

My Feedback: (14)

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It will be underpowered with the ST .51, but if you are happy, I am happy.


Ed Cregger

roncoleman

My Feedback: (14)

juggernaut47203

You might be happy with that combo if the total weight is around 6lbs.
The Super Tiger G51 might put out as much power as that old Fox Eagle
that Dave has in his SK. A pipe might work wonders for that combo also.
But I'm with Ed so you might want to use an adjustable motor mount and
have a 61 standing by.

Ron

juggernaut47201

Ron and Ed, thanks for the feed back. The reason I was considering the ST-G51 is because I am currently flying a Tower Kaos 60 kit with MDS .61 swinging Master Airscrew 11x7 and have very good verticle performance. I thought the MDS was a heavy engine and the G51 weights in close to a .46 and can still swing a 11x6 prop around 12K to 13K rpms. Just an idea. Thanks once again.

JCINTEXAS

I just finished a Tower Kaos 40 last week and have 12 flights on it. The instructions say the CG should be 3 & 1/8th inches back from the wing leading edge at the center. I balanced it exactly at 3 & 1/8th and it was waay nose heavy in flight. I put weight in the tail to move the CG back to 3 & 1/2 inches and it flies much better. I'm thinking of moving it back some more. I sealed all the seams in the covering I could see. Minwax clear polyurethane seems to be working.
Regards
JC

_Tommy D

My Feedback: (20)

I'm getting back to mine after a LONG layoff. I'm thinking of building it as a tail dragger. Now that said you must understand I think the KAOS looks all WRONG as a dragger. Then it occured to me to move the canopy rearwards. All of a sudden it has a golden age racer look of sorts. Thoughts anyone?

Tommy D

http://tommydsblog.blogspot.com/

_Tommy D

My Feedback: (20)

Did some covering today. Not my best work, but I really don't like covering.

Wings next.

Tommy D