Shoestring1958

Im running a Rim Fire 32, tower hobbies

Hutt-trooper

Dwhall - I have a scanned copy of the instructions. I'll load them up once I get to my other computer (if i can work out how to load PDFs).

BTW - for anyone else watching, i figured out the motor mount, etc on my predator. Will find and post photos anyone interested in future

dwhall47

Hutt...thanks a lot!
Hopefully that might answer some questions..

Hutt-trooper

Hi Dwhall... Here's the manual. I hope it helps.

dwhall47

Thanks Hutt...I really appreciate it. There's another thread that details how a steerable nose wheel was added, and I think I will add as well.
At least I have a starting point, thanks to you...and God Bless Al Gore for inventing the internet!!
Best wishes,
Dave

dwhall47

What prop are you guys using on your predator?

JAMESDONOHOE

Hi, all nice to be back.
Does anybody have the manual for the Predator?
My model was badly damaged moving house. I am particularly interested in
the spar.
Any information will be welcome.

Jim

Hutt-trooper

Hi Jim. Sad to hear that the predator suffered in the move. If you look a few posts up you should see the full manual that i scanned and uploaded for someone else?

what were you wanting to know about the spar?

JAMESDONOHOE

Hi,
Thanks for the reply.
Came across the scans and printed them out.
Doesn't adress my main query though, which is
the wingspar.
What's the material from which it's made?
The spar was lost so I'm going to build a replacement.
From what?
The wingroot has an opening appx. 7x4 mm.so it must
be substantial.
Thanks again for the help,

JAMESDONOHOE

Hi Hutt,
Looking at some photos,the spar looks like its carbon.
I am planning on cutting a spar with my laser with a slot
to fit a carbon rod, Will send you some photos.
Jim

JAMESDONOHOE

Hi,

I'm rebuilding a damaged Predator and the question I have is
regarding the spar. The original was lost and I'm faced with replacing
it. The problem, specifically,is I cannot remember what the original
was made of.
The ope in the wingroot is rectangular about 7x4mm .
I attach shots of my solution.
I cut a spar with a rectangular slot (with my laser) and "filled " the
slot with a carbon rod.
Feels fairly rigid-the proof is in the pudding. Will let you know.

Razomatic

This is a long-dead thread, but I received one of these as a freebie (NIB) when I bought a 2nd hand plane about three years ago. I finally got around to putting it together, making it pretty, and flying it... what an interesting plane. The ground roll was long, but when it decided to fly it jumped-up and flew beautifully. Landing was a challenge as I assumed the weight would require some speed, but even with zero throttle I took-up the length of the runway before it decided to settle. Definitely a unique aircraft that gets lots of attention at the field. Despite the heavy, sheeted fuse, and a bunch of lead in the nose for balance, it was a much more nimble and responsive flyer than I expected. I avoided any high-G maneuvers as the wings simply don't seem to have enough stiffness to support anything but gentle loops and stall-turns. The roll rate doesn't give me confidence that I could get it all the way around either. Apart from the length take-off roll, it was a docile bird. It's a shame everything is foam these days... balsa planes seem to be a lost art.

Turbobearcat

I just picked one up myself, maybe we can bring this bird back from the dead on the forum?

Shoestring1958

Sounds like a plan.

Razomatic

I flew mine several times with much success. I recovered it in gray and added lots of scale features, but the last change I made was a disaster. I went to a 3-blade prop (as on the real one), but I must have miscalculated the size or pitch because it had become very underpowered and I lost it when it stalled as I was trying to get it back home. A real shame. It looked great in the air and it always turned heads on the ground too.

Turbobearcat

I was trying to setup my programming wit my NX8 Tx and using a AR620 rx, what I noticed it the rudder and steering with backwards, if I changed it then I ran into the controls flipping around to elevator from rudder.

Does this plane really need rudder control and just fly with elevator and Alerions or rudder has to be used?

I want my steering to be controlled by rudder and not alerions.

Razomatic

I found this model benefitted from coordinated turns — otherwise is was skidding around like crazy. In this way it reminded me of a glider.

Should be easy to reverse your servo in the tx. Just need to put it on its own channel and then combine it with your rudder using mixing.

Razomatic

If you're looking for a good power solution, I found the Eflite 480 to be a good match. I used a 40A Eflite ESC mounted at the air intake of the cowl. I had some standoffs from the Eflite Shoestring which turned out to be the perfect size. No fiddling required.

$6 new on ebay for those standoffs... search for "shoestring standoff set"

Turbobearcat

I mixed in the rudder and gear together, now it's working and the CG seems to be right at 53mm, so I should be good there, what throws did you guys use in programming.

This the factory travel correct?

Razomatic

I recall the factory throws being adequate. I programmed a switch with hi/lo rates. At low speeds the small control surfaces on the tail need more throw -- especially with no prop wash. At cruise it was more comfortable to reduce throws to 60-70%.

When balanced correctly, This plane was very stable in the air. This required a long battery extension from the nose back to the ESC in the tail. I used a 3S 2200 along with several ounces of nose weight. I was worried the weight would make it fly poorly, but getting the CG right made it rock-steady and very easy to fly and land.

Turbobearcat

Mine the other day and I have a video but it was the second flight that knocked off the landing gear.

Turbobearcat

Razomatic

Turbobearcat, looks like you've got ample power... mine did not leap off the runway and climb like that. Nice flight too!

The appearance of the plane can easily convince you it will float down the runway and land like a glider... but that's not how it behaves.

I'm sure you'll have that landing gear back in place in no time, and the dents buffed out.

Turbobearcat

Landing gear is back on and the rear stabilizer has been repaired as well using Gorilla Tape!
One of the wheels is near the end of it's useful lifespan so I will look for some low bounce tires next.
next time I will bring it down with power still on!!

Turbobearcat

Well the new tires and the reinforced landing gear area is working very well, now to change the color of the plane from black to light grey, last night that bird was hard as hell to see once it dropped below the tree line.

outside of that a very good flyer, still tuning it for the best flying but it seems happy at half throttle.