snowman44

My Feedback: (5)

Hey guys, I received the Caelus today and wanted to get started on the build thread, unfortunately I will only be posting pics and giving general views tonight as I am leaving early in the morning headed to South Arkansas for Thanksgiving with my family. However I do plan to get started first of the week getting it ready to go.

First of all, the package arrived in great shape and surprisingly only took about 8 days to get here. A very nice touch from the guys at Top RC Model was an email that I received on Monday letting me know that the model had arrived at customs in San Francisco and would be clearing customs there very soon. So to say the least I was surprised when I got the call from my post office this morning that they had a large box they needed me to come pick up.

Following are pics of the unpacking of the different components.

snowman44

My Feedback: (5)

As you can see in the pics above, every component was neatly wrapped in foam and then individually sealed in its own plastic bag. In regards to the finish, the pics of the airplane we all seen initially does not do the finish justice and I fear that the pics I took doesn't either. I can tell you first hand the finish on the airplane is very and I will add another (Very Nice) also the colors in person are really vivid. The plane is painted out of the mold so there are no seam lines.
Next I decided to slide the parts together to see how things fit and lined up and this is where if I wasn't already happy with the finish I really got happy.The wings slid on the tube and snuggled up next to the fuse easily and perfectly. Next came the stabs, same thing, tubes fit perfectly not too tight not too loose but just right..



I am really looking forward to getting this model going.

snowman44

My Feedback: (5)

Sorry, last pic didn't load.

jetmech43

My Feedback: (9)

Looks very nice

funflyr

My Feedback: (78)

How's the weight seem? Also; what equipment are you planning on using?
Thanks
Troy

ltc

My Feedback: (3)

There is another thread on this plane over on the other place ...

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2261723

bondtasha

We received our first plane today also and can echo snowman's comments on the finish and fit very pleased. Will post some weights and pics of the inside of the fus and tail incidence adjuster which moves the joiner up and down. While you are waiting you can take a guess how long the main wing tube is

bondtasha

Weights in grams Bear in mind the fus has battery tray and adjusters already fitted


[TABLE="class: MsoNormalTable, width: 191"]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"]Starboard wing panel
[/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"]Starboard aileron inc hinges
[/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"]Port wing panel
[/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"]Port wing panel inc hinges
[/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"]Starboard tailplane
[/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"]Starbard elevator inc hinges
[/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"]Port tailplane
[/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"]Port elevator
[/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"]Rudder
[/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"]Caneliser
[/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"]Canopy
[/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"]Fuselage
[/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD="width: 191, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[TD="width: 64, bgcolor: transparent"][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

snowman44

My Feedback: (5)

Funflyr,
I am using Pletty Advance 30-10, Falcon Spinner and prop, by the way Spinner is ( 3.25" or 82 mm ) I am using the 9411hv, 3421hv and 8411hv JR servos. Nothing on weights yet I will get to that first of the week.

STEVE HOSNER

What is the current pricing and delivery now?

snowman44

My Feedback: (5)

I was able to get some building time in this past weekend so here are some pics of the progress

Engine Mounting and Front Air Venting


I made attachment points out of FR4 circuit board material, next I installed the motor onto the mount, I placed two washers between the mount and the motor to get the spacing I wanted between the nose of the airplane and the spinner backplate. This eliminates the need to cut a spacer to go between the spinner and the nose of the fuselage. Next it was just a matter of sliding the mount in place and using a couple dabs of thick CA to connect the ears to the fuse.
Once the CA has dried you can gently remove the motor and final glue the ears. ( I used Hysol )

For the air vents I just followed the outline of the cheeks and cut a couple of openings below the engine.

Main Landing Gear



Okay, this is normally the easy part but in my case it took almost a full day to complete this task.
I noticed when I first looked inside the fuse that the battery tray and rudder servo tray were already installed, I also noticed that the landing gear plate was drilled and blind nuts were already installed so I didn't think much of it until I took the gear legs out of the package to bolt them up and found that they were not drilled yet.
I am sure there is an easy way to make the holes I need to drill match up with the holes they have already drilled but I guess I missed that lesson along the way.
Long story short, I took 64th ply made a template that matched up to the pre drilled holes, placed it over the holes and then tack glued my template to the landing gear block. Next I slid the gear in place lined up the axle and tack glued the landing gear to my template. Once that is done you can pop the template away from the landing gear plate and it will be stuck to the landing gear. Then it is just a matter of marking the holes and drilling them. Like I said earlier, there is probably an easier way but this worked for me.

I am waiting on a response from Henry asking if the gear are normally pre drilled also. This could have been an oversight on the model I received. I will let you know once I hear back.

I hope to get started setting up the wings and stabs tonight.

Russell

snowman44

My Feedback: (5)

Sorry, not sure what happened with the pics. if you need an upright view hopefully your picture viewer will allow you to rotate.

griff7166

My Feedback: (2)

What type of control horns come with it. also can you show a pic of the supplied hardware or the lengths of them .

thank you

Matt

snowman44

My Feedback: (5)

Matt,

The control horns are typical composite type horns, pretty much like the BJ horns if you are familiar with those. The Caelus comes ready to install the horns, so all of that work is done for you, simply insert and glue.

As you can see in the center picture they have already prepared the cutouts and placed a cap piece over it before they paint the model so it looks nice once you glue the horn in place.

snowman44

My Feedback: (5)

I wanted to also let everyone know that I received an email back from Henry in regards to the landing gear mounting. He allowed that on future models produced they would address this to make the final assembly much easier.

griff7166

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks I have one that is in shipping right now . so I just wanted to know what to expect. are the servo linkage nice and could you measure them so that I can get secraft replacements if needed.

thaks again

318scott

My Feedback: (1)

Snowman44,
do you still have the templates you used to drill the gear legs?? I would have thought that they would be pre drilled.

MAVROS

Its so good to see that good quality 2m Pattern airframes are coming on the market at such affordable prices.
The others are so out of touch with reality that eventually they will drive people away from Pattern.....and themselves out of business
I can't see the value in a $6000 airframe......they are all made in china

Hope I didn't offend anyone my thoughts only

rgds

griff7166

My Feedback: (2)

After reading all of the online posts and available literature, the one statement I am constantly seeing is that it is a copy of BJ Park's Episode. I have just received a Top Model Caelus and while the planes are similar in a picture, they are quite different. The Caelus wing is 1.7 inches wider from the LE to the TE. Also, the fuselage is 1.96 inches narrower. The rear horizontal stabs are .35 inches longer. The Caelus' vertical stab and rudder are a conventional pull-pull rudder design while the Episode has a counterbalanced rudder and stab. The T-can has a thinner wing chord and has no partial vertical stab on it.

The quality of the Caelus is a good or better than any other 2m plane that is valued at $1,500.00 and up however, the area just shy of the wing tip is in need of a rib. This is something that needs to be fixed in future releases of this model because it has the potential to de-laminate and cause wing failure. The way I'm fixing this is by adding 1-inch wide clear tape down the leading edge seam to prevent the possible wing failure. As I continue to build this model, I will post updates along with any changes I've made to the aircraft. When completed, I will use Brian Hebear's triangulation trimming method to trim the plane. Thank you in advance for reading.

griff7166

My Feedback: (2)

I have had my plane for 3 days now. I have been building for 6.1 hours and I am all but done. This plane is the best buy on the planet. The other planes that are in its class has nothing on the caelus. My plane had a neck of time getting to me. It was shipped within 12 hours of them receiving my payment witch was 900 to my door. With the holidays my plane was dropped by ems . Then FedEx. But the guys at top model they staid on top of it. And finally dhl picked it up and I had it in 3 days. Top models professional attitude and commitment to the customer is second to none . Thank you so much

woodie

As it comes from the factory, what are the relative incidences of the wing, canalizer and stab?

thanks
Woodie

griff7166

My Feedback: (2)

The stab is at zero. .5 on the wing to the positive. the tcan I do not yet ,because. I will fly with out the t can1st. After I get it some what trimmed. I'll add the tcan and then I will complete the trimming . I will post pics soon. Thanks

rcflying007

Happy new year everyone, is there any update about the Caelus?

318scott

My Feedback: (1)

There is a Caelus for sale on the pattern side on RCU as of last night. Good Luck

rcflying007

Hi Scott, any link?