RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

Agreed. I've been flying my classic Atlanta with a YS and the challenges that Ihave faced with it convinced me to make my next endevor electric.

Getting close to the maiden.

www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php

A classic pattern plane flies great regardless of what powersit.

Doug

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

Hi Guys.
I am glad they are bring back some of the planes we flew back in the days. Like I post before, I had one back in the mid 70's and love it. Yes we had to build it, but, and winter was a great time to do that. I think I read that the cowl was not part of the fuse, so you could mount the engine on the side or up-right. Some one out there is already thinking of away to go electric or stick a four stroke in her.
A classics plane is back and I want to see more!!!

Sonny
aka
jet22b

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

Cool. It might just make me dust off the box for my DB kit and the Rohm gear.... And then there's the MK Arrow kit too with Supertigre RE with pipe for the tunnel..... Might be a busy winter next year.

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

What website, I cannot get the Hobby Lobby website to run! Ithink Hobby People used to have a version of the Kwick Fly. But itwas not a very good ARF.

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

For me making a glow motor run is easy. But the constant charging, replacement of burned out batteries, the poorshelf life,and the somewhat rare but always exciting burned battery makes electric a very poor choice.

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

Looks spectacular! I'm getting one. O.S. .75 or .91, stock muffler, fixed gear, plug and play.

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

Sweet, now I want one.

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">Hobby Lobby is no longer the US distributor for Graupner</div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font color="#0000ff">http://www.v-eastonline.com/products/WP-KWIK-FLY-MK3-.html</font></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt">out of stock at the moment though.</div>

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

Hi,
Charging I can not see any problem with, just a thing one must do with batteries. Even to charge at the field with 12 volt (marine or similar)battery is no problem (I do it often with 80 Ah Pb battery).
If You store LiPo with about 60% capacity they have rather good shelf life, at least the one I use (from Hyperion, ThunderPower and DesirePower).
Burned batteries is not that common I think but any LiPo batteries should be handeled with care. And always leave about 20% capacity in battery when running, never run it empty since that is a rather certain way to ruin LiPo batteries to soon.
I would not say electric is a poor choice even in classic pattern planes if cooling of motor, ESC and battery is taken care of. In moderna 2x2 M pattern machines that is designed for electric there is no problem really and trend since many years is towards electric motor in them (not so many that use glow in these planes today). I have absolutely nothing against glow engines (and with pipes), especially in classic pattern planes, but electric motor today is really an usable option for those that prefer that.

/Bo

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

It takes too long! You have to buy extra packs if you want to fly right away. Eventually you will overcharge, either from your error, or charger malfunction.

I tend to get out and back intoof the hobby for various reasons. Been out more or less for about 5 years and most of my battery packs are no good. But all of my engines and most of the fuel tanks are good. Batterys won't sit for more than a few years before going bad and engines will last indefinately.

Maybe not but I burned the first electric plane I bought. And I damaged a Sig Kadet with burned reciever batteries many years ago. I don't hate electric, but I hate batteries with a passion. Maybe if they come up with model fuel cells I would go electric.

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...used_smile.gif http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f.../cry_smile.gif http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f.../msn/72_72.gif http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...what_smile.gif http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f.../msn/tired.gifhttp://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/js/f...n/sleeping.gif

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

I don't care who powers their plane with what. You can power your plane with rubber bands and elephant farts for all I care. To each his own and God Bless freedom of choice.

What I DO care about is Great Planes, Hangar 9, World Models, etc, offering great classic pattern planes in ARF format to further reduce my ambition to build and paint model aircraft. [&o]

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

Sport_Pilot,

Some plus and minus things with electric powered planes butI do not experience much problems.
LiPo batteries has been rather stable regarding quality today and shelf life is hard to be longer then a couple of years probably (I'm not sure what self life that should be reasonable to expect for normal quality LiPo today). There is a limit how long you will be able to use a LiPo battery, eventually they will loose some performance but on the high quality LiPo 500 cycles should probably be no problem.
A glow engine will also eventually be worn out (but can be reparied of course).
I do understand Your points and it is a matter of preference also but I do not think a user of electric driven planes today face thatmuch of the problems You describe, at least I do not see that much of them.

Jeff Walker,
I Agree 100%.

It will be very interesting to see the assembly and hear flight reports when the new DB 60 ARF is released.

/Bo

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

The 500 cycles is not the problem, the problem is when sitting on the shelf slowly discharging. I don't think any type of battery will last more than 5 to 7 years, and that is if it was fully charged from the beginning. Yeah I know they would last longer if you recharge, but missed that with most of them. Engines last forever (if protected)when you are not using them.

I have no problem if you want to electify a classic pattern, you can do what you want.I will not stop you and would not make a complaint in person.

However, if someone flys one in front of me, I will have to be carefull to stand away from people, or run to the bathroom to avoid a mess.

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

Jeff,

I couldn't agree with you more and I apologize if my comment offended anyone. Electric is not my only option. I also have a YS60SF with a new header and Hatori pipe I could use as long as I made sure the wing attachment would withstand the power.............LOL

David

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

No one shouid be offended by your choice. I may be nauseated but not offended. Actually the only problem with other flying electrics is that when someone overcooks their batteries on the charger, the smell makes me double check my reciever batteries. And actually I guess that is good.

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

I'm wondering if it will be possible to up-right mount the engine on this plane.
When I built my Bridi wood kit, I remember trying to stuff my NovaRossi 60 in the nose up-right. The case was too wide to fit the NovaRossi, Rossi, OS 61FSR or SF I had on hand. Of course, the wood kit has balsa cheeks and you can only remove so much material before it becomes too thin. This ARF has a composite cowl, so one may have a better chance of getting an engine to fit up-right. I have a Bridi Glass/Foam kit that is essentially in ARP form. I never got around to mounting the engine, so I don't know how a big block .60 will fit in the nose of the fiberglass fuse. I'd sell it if someone is interested - with no bias based on intended powerplant. ;)

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

Wow Jeff, That's nice.

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

Installing the engine upright is going to require a fair amount work. Looking at the manual, the nose is very narrow as an original glass fuse was used for the mold. So a large case engine may have the same issues. Also the tank would probably be too high, again look at he pics in the manual. I dont think there's much room to move down as it looks like there's a floor molded in for the retract bay. Another issue would be the throttle servo's location as it would have to be moved. Lots of questions that can't be answered until we get one in hand.

FB

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

When Bridi was selling this kit in the 70'smany serious competitors were building this with the engine mounted sideways, so I don't think this is all to far from the mark.

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

I like electric guys; I have gotten some great deals on engines they just wanted to dump.

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

FB,

We'll see soon enough whether or not an upright engine configuration will work with this GP version. If you go back to my post #33, you'll see that my two vintage DB's had upright engines. They also had retracts. But if it's based on an original glass fuselage, then this GP version should be essentially what I had in the 70's. Those were Webra Speed .61's up front, which is what this new airplane will also have.

Greg

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

Can't wait for the Dirty Birdy ARF. It will look great side by side with my EZ Suprafly 60. It's on it's third engine and second set of servos. Original retracts! Best flying plane I've had in 40 years, and there have been a LOT of them.

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

Here's a picture of the Suprafly...

RE: Dirty Birdy ARF
 

Greg,
Now you are talking!!! That was the same engine I had in my DB Back in the 70's One thing I know I am going to do from looking at the manual, is to go with a two servo set up for the elevators. Just don't like or care for the way they have it in the manual. Now if I can not find a Webra Speed .61 to drop in this plane, I think I will go with the Evo .60NX. A 60 size engine in a .40 size case.
With all the talk on this forum, this is going to be a hot seller.
Sonny
aka
jet22b