Hi all,

I am just finishing a ARF Flite Streak and it is quite nose heavy ! Any suggestions for materials to use for ballast and where in the tail/fuselage to secure it? I have access to a Home Depot but the nearest Hobby shop is a 100 mile rountrip.

Thanks

Rickster

If you have a tire shop close, get a few wheel weights from them. They can be melted down in a tin can and formed in many shape and sizes. Be careful, this stuff will burn deep if spilled on the skin.
Lee TGD

What do you mean by quite nose heavy? George Aldrich's original Flite Streak plans show the CG right behind the leading edge spar, ie about 1 in back. Different people like the CG different places, of course. If it is noseheavy, you can rebalance it. If it is tail heavy, you may be able to repair it.

Jim

Jim-

The plans say 3 1/4 inches back from the leading edge- Seems I read somewhere this was a misprint in the instructions and it should be something less but I can't remember. Guess I should do a search. The instructions say that their prototype Streak needed 1 oz. in the tail. I'm guessing mine would need 8 oz. to balance it. Any help would be appreciated.

Rick

Where, actually, does yours balance?

Jim

Mine balances at 1 5/8 inch back from the leading edge.

Rick

You may find it to be a little sensitive with the CG that far back. Do not add any tail weight! Take the airplane out and fly it. You should have no trouble flying the entire stunt pattern with it balanced there. The general rule of thumb for older airplanes like the Fightstreak, even the Sig Twister and Banshee, is that they will fly fine with the CG 15% of the mean average chord behind the leading edge.

Incidentally, I just started a Brodak kit. There are starting to be Flitestreak stunt events around my area. I don't care to have an ARF, but several of my friends have them and they fly very well.

Jim

Thanks Jim,

I had the feeling it shouldn't be that far out of balance. I'm interested in building a Twister. I bought one in the late 70's from a friend of mine who purchased it from a CL pattern Champ in Washington State. Boy did that plane handle well. I'm just getting back into CL after 28 years and having built only profile planes in the 60's/70's I need to practice my building skills too. I think the Twister would be a good follow up on this ARF Flightstreak. Any other suggestions on .25-.40 size kits that can help me progress my building skills.

P.S. the dental floss hinges on my 1/2A Skyray worked very well!

Rick

As Jim T. says, fly it where you like it. What kind of engine do you have in it, must be pretty heavy. I am flying an ARF Streak with an OS FP 20 and have moved the balance point back to about 2 1/2 inches. It is a little sensitive but really turns great. I had gone as far back as 3 inches but it was a little uncomfortable there. I started out with the balance point at about 1 inch back but to me it seemed very sluggish. Then one day the muffler came off (in flight) and all of a sudden I had a quick turning airplane. Replaced the muffler and started adding tail weight, 1/2 oz. at a time.
Jim

I have the OS 25 LA with muffler. I don't think it will be unflyable at it's current setting, maybe just really "interesting". Nose heavy is better than too tail heavy initially. Thanks for the advice.

Rick

I now have six flights on my ARF Flite Streak with OS LA25 and tank built by John Bender. Flies great. Had to replace landing gear as it was too short for 10 inch prop. Been flying 10-4 Top Flite prop. John says my LA needs more break in.

Doc,

Have you ever tried a 9-4 or 9-5 prop with that engine / plane combo. I've got three of those engines I picked up this winter. I will be putting the two NIB ones on a twin I am building. The used (almost new one) will be going on a scratch built flight streak wing with extended nose and tail. I will be putting a 4 oz. sullivan on it and use uniflo. I have some 9-4 props to use but found a bargain bag of APC 9-5s. BTW I like my streaks to balance just in front of the spar.

Tight lines,

Tom Perry