qballdmd

I've got a few simple questions (simple for someone who knows the answers ).

1. How the heck do you get the wheels to spin free on the 3/16" axle shaft. Drilling the wheels with a 3/16" bit leaves the fit so tight, the wheels will not turn. A 13/64" is too loose (or it seems like it would be.) Do I do the 13/64, or is their a metric that is just right? Should be simple right? Do I use the 3/16 and try to wiggle the wheel while the bit is spinning to get a little extra room?

2. Are the fiberglass specialties wheel pants and cowl one piece and trimmed or is there gluing and shaping to be done, like with the plastic ones?

3. The engine I plan on using is the 1.82 saito. I know it's thirsty. The plans call for a 16-24 oz tank. Will a 32 oz fit ? What is a good size of smoke tank to use?

4. The plans have you mount the wing, then mount the stab parallel to the wing. Then they have you go back and with the struts make the washout correct. Should I get the washout right first and then line them up? I am a little confused on setting the washout. What's a good way to do that. For an idiot like me I mean. I read somewhere that someone wished that had made the struts functional. Are they not the way they are designed? How would someone recommend to reinforce them?

Thanks for any hints. Qball

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

I had this kit once, but traded it unbuilt. i can't answer all the questions, but I'll have a lash at a couple.

1- axle tightness-- I'd take sandpaper or emery cloth to the axles and sand them until the wheels are a snug, but freely turning, fit. Overdrilling the wheels by 1/64 larger would work, that should't be too loose. I'd try the sanding first.

3- tank--thirsty or not, the 24 should be plenty. 32 oz is a whole quart of fuel, a lot of weight, and you'd probably have to land and recharge your batteries before you ran the tank dry.

4- washout should be built into the wing as it is framed out, you usually set something under the rear of the wingtip ribs to raise them a set amount, usually shown on the plans. As I remember, the Super D has a large wing tube, which is capable of supporting the wing, but it doesn't hurt to mount the struts in such a way as they are capable of taking their share of the loads. When I mount the metal tabs at the end of the struts, I always drill holes in the metal so that the epoxy penetrates them and helps hold them in the slots. Then I drill them and pin them to the strut as well, then wrap each end of the strut with 1/2 oz fiberglass cloth and epoxy so the metal tabs are locked in good. Spruce, or basswood, is fine for strut material. The in-flight loads are longitudinal shear, and the ones in the plans are plenty big.

2- Can't answer the Fiberglass Spec question.

RCVFR

My Feedback: (7)

1. try running the drill bit back and forth to relieve the hole a bit.

2. Fiberglass cowl is a good idea and lighter than the plastic. The FG wheel pants are one piece and heavier than the kit pants. With a glow engine up front, you can probably use the extra weight.

3. You would have to make it fit. That is a lot of weight up front that will be changing as you burn off fuel. Consider positioning the fuel tank back in the cabin area with some sort of pump to get fuel to the engine to minimize the balance changing.

4. Just build the struts as the plan calls for. They are functional. On mine, I put blind nuts all around for the strut mounts. The plans call for wood screws, not a good idea, in my opinion. The wash out is built in as you construct the wing. Notice on the plans there is a 1/4" square balsa stick under the rear part of the wing. That is where the wash out comes from. Mounting the struts to the wing is done with the plane inverted so as to not let the wings sag while you are fitting the struts. Do it as the plans call for . It works.

beepee

1. Good previous advice. Go with it.

2. One piece, two piece or nine piece, the fiberglass has got to be better than the plastic stuff in the kit.

3. No comment, I run gas.

4. The struts, as designed in the kit, are not functional and will not influence the washout. As said above, the washout is built in during frame up of the wing halves.

Have fun!

Bedford

qballdmd

I did build in the washout correctly during the wing construction. The tube is pretty heavy duty, so I guess the sag would be minimal. When I fit the struts, I had the fuselage balanced on the nose, tail straight up. I guess my concern with the stab mounting was that I wanted to be sure that the wing, sitting on the saddle, was perpendicular to a vertical midline throught the fuselage. I know that the struts cannot affect washout, but they could tilt the wings from their perpendicular position. I like the blind nuts for the struts. The front one is inaccesible because of the sheer webs, but a small access hole would not change anything. Thanks for the advice. Any more?

beepee

qballdmd,

I changed my strut design completely. The leading strut is built around an aluminum flat bar with a flat bar across the belly of the fuselage for attachment. The attachment points in the wing are strengthened. The rear strut is of the kit wood spliced into the front strut flat bar at the fuselage.

The strut does not pull on or modify the wing on the ground. Hope is that it helps control the flex of the wing in flight. I have not had any wing issues develop while flying.

Bedford

WILDCRASHWILLY

Here is a great build thread on the Dynaflite Super Decath that you may want to read. Very informative and detailed.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_2294315/tm.htm

rogerswin

My Feedback: (2)

If you want to use a 32oz fuel tank, the 32oz Du-bro tank will fit in the fuselage (I just tried it). With that much fuel I would place the tank at the center of gravity, that way it won't effect the trim as fuel is used. You may have to pressurize your fuel system or use a pump to get the fuel to travel the distance to your engine.

Roger

AirmanBob

My Feedback: (14)

That Saito is lighter than a gasser. I used a US41 and the plane balanced good with the servos in the rear. With the Saito you might have to move the servos forward to keep from adding useless weight. The struts are functional and you should build them strong. I would never consider flying mine without them. Mine came out at 18 pounds. The wings have to support that.

Good luck...Airman Bob

maynardrupp

I just completed mine...I have a Saito 150 for power. All up weight is 16 lbs. It required 19 oz. of lead up front. I poured 2 10 ounce. lead cookies using a muffin tin and a propane torch. I drilled and tapped the sides of the motor mount and bolted them down. I covered 1 side of each strut with unidirectional carbon fibre. They are stiff and strong. I covered them with white Ultracote film. I also did the landing gear mod found elsewhere. This uses a formed 3/16" wire held under the factory aluminum gear with 3/16" wheel collars that are mounted under the gear with allen head screws replacing the set screws. 2 collars on each leg and 2 on the flat area below the fuselage. The wire floats in the six collars. Should work good. I do hope I have enough power.