E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

When I first saw the E-Flite Taylorcraft, the first thing I thought was Wow! they finally came out with a really neat small scale ARF! Then later I found out that it was for electric only! What a mixed up world this is!
Well it looks like I will have to do it myself. I convinced a freind who only knew electric to go with the conversion too. We both bought Taylorcrafts and started the changes. The model is made very nice, but it is also made very light.
There is an electric motor mount that sticks out of the main firewall/bulkhead that we removed and replaced with a new firewall of 1/8th plywood. Also there is a horizontal structure behind this firewall that was removed for the fuel tank location. Two balsawood straps were glued in at a new level to support the 4oz. fuel tank.

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

Here is a pic of what is left of the original firewall, and fuel tank supports.

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

And the new 1/8th firewall to be epoxied in later.

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

This plane is so light I thought it would be great for a .10 size engine. I have some old OS.10FSR's that needed a home, so I went with that for my Taylorcraft. My friend has a .15 for his. Here is the OS .10 with engine mount and fuel tank tubes through the firewall.

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

This is what it looks like on the model.

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

Once the thottle pushrod was installed I epoxied the firewall assembly on. Then I built the rest of the plane per instructions.
I did have to cut a little into the bottom for the muffler but filled that in with a balsa block hollowed out for the exhaust. I hated cutting the cowl for the muffler and other engine parts, but I could not find a Pitts style muffler for a .10! I also cut out a little on the bottom for air exit, and blocked off the intake hole opposite of the engine head.

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

Here they are done! Are'nt they cute!

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

But will it fly?

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

That os .10 got it in the air very quick. No wind and a little cold. Just a few flicks of the rudder to keep it straight and she is off!

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

This model is so light! only 2 pounds! For me, that is really light. It just glides along like it has helium in the wings!

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

With that OS .10 it has the power to loop and roll with ease!

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

And so easy to land, it comes in so slow, it is easy to land really nice every time! As long as the wind is light, because when the wind comes up it does get bumped around a lot, but there is lots of control to keep right. My friend with the .15, his plane is even faster and has a steeper climb out!

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

The construction on the Taylorcraft is very light, so it would not stand up to a crash very well. I treat it like a rubber band model, very carefully!

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

scale dale:

Thanks for the posts! I was thinking of doing the same conversion, but didnt want to be the ginnie pig LOL. I think I will go with the 15 because I fly off of grass and would like that little bit of extra power for take off. Thanks again! Pat

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

Scale Dail, she sure did fly nice. I was caught off guard by how fast she jumped off the runway and clawed for the sky. The nice thing about a plane this size is that the performance area needed to do aerobatics is small and easy to appreciate from the ground. I know it's a Taylor, but it does the scale maneuvers pretty darned good.

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

Did you have to add any weight to balance? I have one too and keep trying to get started putting in an old OS 20 4 stroker in it.If weight is an issue, I will resort to digging out a saved nib OS10.

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

This airframe is built very light! I am not sure it would do very well with the vibration from a 4-stroke:eek:. Maybe with a few more stringers or internal shear webbing in the front section.
I did not add any weight. I have a 1000 mil batt. pak made of AAA batts for power. It is about 2 inches back from the firewall for balence.

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

It's not a mixed up world at all. It's a world that realizes RC is moving towards electric. There's no reason for them to target the glow engine crowd because so few people fly small glow engines compared to .46 and up. I fly with a club of about 70 members and I don't know of anyone who flies anything below a .46 size glow engine. Everyone is the club that flies small models flies electric.

I fly mostly electric except for my DL-50 powered 1/3 scale Spacewalker. I'm also in the process of building some 1/4A and 1/2A models. I'm working on a TD .020 powered Littlest Stick and a TD .049 powered Mach None. My motivation isn't because glow is better for these small models because it clearly isn't. It's nostalgia driven. I flew these engines as a kid in the sixties. I'm also working on several C/L models, classics such as a Li'l Jumpin' Bean with an .049 and a Flite Streak powered by a Fox .35 Stunt. Now the Fox is not the best engine I could use but again, reliving my childhood.

Nice job with the T-Crafts BTW! I had one a few years ago, of course it had an E-Flite Park 480 brushless on it. It flew really well but it just wasn't my cup of tea and I sold it last fall. It is a beautiful airplane though!

Again nice job woth the T-Craft. You'll love the way it flies.



Mike

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

Good Job on the TaylorCraft!

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

That's awesome, Corey!! :D[sm=thumbup.gif]

Don't you have any video??

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

scale dail,
I'm impressed and also converting my Taylorcraft into nitro OS .10. Any updates or new inputs, videos on your Tcraft?

Dan

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

She still fly's great! very good flyer. I really like the way it fly's on GLOW! The small engine does not make much goo to clean.

It is hard to fly and video at the same time. And it is hard to get someone to run a camera right.

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

Great! I'm almost done with my nitro conversion on the TCraft, surely its gonna be a remaiden on thursday with the new power house. It is really hard to capture the flight without a dedicated person taking shots or film. I only got lucky a few times when a friend is sharpening his skills with his new cam at the same time I'm doing a maiden flight on my cub 20 and flying my warhawk :D

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

Corey, let me know when you want something filmed and I will be happy to help. As long as it's not HOT outside. :eek:

RE: E-Flite Taylorcraft conversion to GLOW!
 

MMMM I'll keep that in mind! Thanks.