Has anyone built a Dynaflite SE5? What did you think of the finished product. How about your work to make it more scale in appearance. Thanks a bunch, Brian

double post, sorry............grrr dial-up

I've only seen pics of it in Tower............is it just me, or is the whole scale outline out of proportion? It looks like a cartoon plane!!!

-Matt Bailey

It's probably the photo as the plane itself seems to be right on. It does look a bit off I agree. It's a fun scale, but I'm going to add the detail to bring it up a feww notches appearancewise. The cowl grill is kinda funky and will have to go. Bet Dynaflite hears that a lot, The kit itself is really nice.

Sorry to be posting late, kids and a home move keep me busy.

Anybody actually built and flown one of these SE5a ??

Cheers, Brian

I have one in the box. What are you going to power yours with? I was thinking of a Saito .91

Mines in the box too. Going to use a nice Fox .78 twin plug from the early 70s, mounted on the scale thrust line a bit below center of cowl, and try to build in more of a scale appearance wherever I can. Going to cover it with Sig Koverall and dope.Those little ex pipes gotta go, I'll make my own, one bank piped off the engine. I like the 64" size, it will be a great flyer. Kit quality is superb. Got a nice Dynaflite .40 size P51 fun scale that's a lovely kit as well. Thanks for your post, have fun, Brian

I have mine still in the Box too. I plan to start building mine this winter when it is to cold to go out and fly. I plan on using a Mangnum or Thunder Tiger 91 4 stroke for power on this. The kit looks like it will go together real easy. I like the size of the WW1 fighter. I hope she will be easy to fly for she is my first Biplane.

Post some pic's of your progress on building. I will post mine when I can get started.

Thanks Jim, will do when able. Got a lovely SE5-A quarter scale set of plans to refer to for adding realism. Have fun, Brian

Mine is in the box as well. I hope to build this winter but it looks like a very nice kit, especialy for the money. I agree about the gril work, yuk! I am planning on a Magnum 1.2 4 stroke for mine and coverite. Finish color I will use the polyurethane paint from the hardware. Built a full scale Nieuport 11 a few years ago and used the urethane paint, worked great, looked good, lasted and passed the real avtiation test--it was less expensive. Also have a BUSA Nieuport kit. The 1.2 should work well in that to.

JEB

I have a good flying buddy that finished his up this spring. It flies AWESOME, but has some small problems as most kits do. He started off with an ASP .75 and that engine really sucked, he couldn't get it to run right. He then went with an old Trusty OS .91 Surpass and it flies very scale, plenty of power. I think a 1.20 would be Awesome! I have flown it a few times, and enjoyed it. As with all WWI tail-draggers you have to be right on the rudder on take-offs. It lands very nice, floats in. He has had a TON of problems with the tail wheel/skid, he kept tearing the whole thing off including the rudder on landings. When the small wheel/skid hits anything on the runway, small hole, rock, etc. We have a very rough field, so I am sure that is the problem. You wouldn't have this problem on pavement or smooth grass---- But be sure to pin your rudder hinges and use good 1/4 hinges-DO NOT use CA type hinges, unless you love them! LOL I am not sure about many scale things he did, except for the options on the plans. He enjoys it, and here are a few pics. He used the Flat Monokote, and it is OK, it is very brittle, and in cold weather it will break like glass, if you get a rock or bump the thing. It was a builders kit, typical of Dynaflite , very nice. He had no Real problems building. I would love to build one in time, but I already have my winter project already dusted off! Hope the pics help. Good Luck! Happy Building and Flying!!

Mine is almost done. Just putting the radio in tonight. I wasnt real happy about the parts in the kit. But then I am not a great builder. Most of my "Die Cut" Parts had to be cut out and sanded. everything else comes in bulk sizes and you cut them down to size. One sheet of balsa 1/6 inch is used in many many places. Be carefull when they say "Put the remainder aside to be used later" They really mean it. But again, I am a lazy builder, I like having all the parts cut out and waiting to be glued to my fingers. One real issue I had with the fuse was that the stringers on the port side where shorter by 1/8 than those on the right (die cut) and this gave me a fishtail after glueing up. Cut cut cut and reglue and its fixed. Hope it was just my kit that had that problem. The top wing is way to high, I did the math once compaired to a full scale ( there are many out there, Chile still has many leftovers from WW1 sold to them by the british in the 30's.) it should be about an inch and a half lower. I tried something new (for me, like bathing) I tried BalsaRite and Polyester cloth. Boy was that fun. I have found that I have no talent for it. It looks good now but next time I am going to throw down the money for Solartex. The power is comming from a RC Universe used ASP80. We will see. I have an ASP120 and it is a great running motor. I will keep my fingers crossed. (As soon as I get all that CA off them, hard to type with them stuck together). Thanks for the tip on the tailwheel. I might just take the wheel off and leave the skid. This might help as the rubber wheel might be what is catching on the grass. I have a good angle on the skid itself though. Well, I will post some pictures when I finish it, or after I crash it. Or maybe both at the same time. Time will tell. Have fun.

Prop Nut

Looking forward to seeing your pictures. Please take some before you fly!. I am stating to build mine this weekend. I am going to be using a Magnum 75XL with a diesel head on it for power. I have a Friend that has a Tower Hobbies 75 with a diesel head and it turns a 15x4 prop. I think that size prop will look more to scale than the 13x6 prop I would have to use with the standard 75.

Keep the info coming and think positive on your flying.

Thanks

My wife says that I am an Optimistic Pessimist. So, if I crash, I am not dissapointed. If I dont crash and have a great flight on the other hand, I am pleasently surprised

Sounds like your wife and mine have something in common. She is always surprised when I come home with a plane the I have not broken in some way. I always fell like I have accomplished a great feet if I come home with the plane in the same condiction I left it with.

I always try and think positive in saying I can do this. Most of the time I am right, but some times my judgement is a little off.

Have a great time with you SE-5.

Thanks

Prop Nut
Hope you will fly it great.....and not crash!
Post some pictures of yours and tell us about
the engine power of this baby.!
Regards
Hisham

Great stuff guys, just what I was looking for. Yes that top wing IS a bit high. I'd sure love to see the full scale item. How'd you hear about the Chile connection, Propwash? The Fox 78 red head twin plug can swing a 15x4 quite smartly, it has a square bore/ stroke ratio. I was also thinking of a Tiger Shark .91 that I recently bought new from a friend who had 2.

With a slight correction of the formers in front of and behind the cockpit, the fuselage could be made to install the Vickers m.g. and give this area its characteristic upward slope.

Love to see some pics too. Cheers, Brian P

I've seen it advertised in a variety of mags and your description is how I see it as well. I love SE-5A's, but this one doesn't do it for me.

I posted something on this 2 years ago asking about the kit. One member replied that the strut hook up was a very poor design and he sent the kit back. They recommended the Fun Aero or Bulsa USA versions, I almost got the FA kit but a the time it was well ahead of my flight experience. Also, I don't think I could take building two wings......I'm sure I will be bit by the Bipe Bug at sometime but I decided to save it for later.

RJM


"Anyone can fly when it's calm!"

I caught the bipe bug bigtime. In the last couple of weeks I have gotten a CG Ultimate bipe (with a 25cc leafblower conversion) and finished this SE5a. Well, here are some pictures. I did mention that I wasnt a very good builder.

Hey Prop Nut. Nothing wrong with that plane a little more color wouln't cure. Do you recall where you read or hear about the Brits selling SE5s to Chile, I'd like to read up on that and maybe check out some articles or whatever. Thanks, Brian P.

http://www.fach-extraoficial.com/ingles/se5.htm


Here you go, I am not a big fan of Silver but a little more research could turn up more color schemes from other nations. By the way, that is the 5th coat of paint on that SE5a of mine, lol. The last was a color coat over the sealer..............the sealer made it look really shiny. I know, I know. I did use satin not gloss. But I used Polyester cloth not solotex or coverrite. So I did a final color spray......looked good for the first couple of days, then it must have cured. By the time I had everything else on the plane it looked tiger striped. Live and learn. Oh, well, I am likely to wreck it anyhow

Actually it would look fine if the streaks were in a different direction. Wings streak with the airflow and fuselages streak vertically. In both cases yours is backward, but you can always sand and spray another coat or two. That's the nice thing about paint. You can always work on it later as long as it's fuel proof when you fly it.