bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

I finished it yesterday. This is my first Balsa plane, and my first kit build. I didn't document the build since I didn't want anyone to see the pig sty I call my workshop. Unfortunately, weather sucks, and I probably will get to stare at it for another 2 months before I fly it. (damned obsessive compulsive disorder - I just had to finish - no, I couldn't wait). [:@]

The pictures don't do my crappy covering job justice. Power Plant is a Thunder Tiger Pro 46 that I've been flying on another plane for a year and a half, so its all broken in and ready to go.

Cowl and wheel pants are the stock ABS parts that came in the kit. A collosal pain in the behind to get rid of the seams, but I think it turned out pretty good.

I had to add 2 ozs of lead at the nose to get the COG in range, although its still at the back of the plan specs. Should be OK.

Compliments welcome. Criticisms will be read, carefully contemplated, and then ignored!

Brad

tashley

My Feedback: (9)

I think for your first kit building effort is looks Fantastic!

Keep it going.

huggins

Looks good. I used to have one and enjoyed it very much. You might try moving the rudder servo to the wing area and going with a pull-pull. Then move the throttle servo to just behind the firewall. That will help your nose weight problem. That is what I did on mine and was able to get it to balance without extra weight. Enjoy!

Mike

gbfan

My Feedback: (3)

Brad


Your Cap looks great. I can appreciate all the hard work as I am building
one right now. I have a Chinese arf version, so I didnt get any instructions.
I am putting an old super tiger 60 blue head that I had in my last plane
because it purrs. I have a couple of questions and it sounds like you may know,
because you had the Great Planes version. How did they have you connect the 2 elevator
control arms where they meet the servo in the plane. Did they have you solder the two arms
together, and use one servo, or did you use two servos to control the split elevator.

Did you just bend your rudder control arm to meet the control horn on your rudder.
it is kind of hard to see in your picture as it looks like two arms ( picture looked a little blurry on my computer) They sold me the pull pull system at the hobbie shop but that looks like a pain in the you know !!

Thanks David D

Kostas1

HI!
I am planning to built my first kit,a tower Uproar 40 that just shipped to me and then this kit,CAP!
Because you say it is your first kit,what do you think?
It was difficult?

bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

gbfan: I connected the elevator control rods using two 5/32 wheel collars. One rod is cut to length to reach the servo, and one is cut shorter. The rods are then held together inside the fuselage just before the servo with the wheel collars. No solder, but I'll probably add some locktite to the set screws once everything is trimmed out. The rudder connection is just a singe piece of 2-56 all-thread using the kit supplied ball link on the servo arm and a 2-56 threaded metal clevis on the rudder end. What looks like a second control arm in the picture is really the rubberband connected to the antenna wire and the tail wheel. Its not a pull-pull system.

If my explanations are not clear enough (and they probably aren't) you can download the entire instruction manual from [link=http://www.greatplanes.com/manuals/gpma0232-manual.pdf]Great Planes[/link]. It has very clear instructions and good pictures showing how everything is set up.

Kostas1: It was not difficult. It did take some staring at times to make sure everything was correct. Take your time, and follow the directions exactly. If I had it to do over again, I'd probably spend a little more time sanding than I did, particularly the wing rib cap strips. The hardest part for me was the fact that I purchased the kit second hand, and the original owner had already completed most of the wing assembly, but hadn't properly used the dihedral guages. I had to do a little fudging to get the wing correctly assembled. I also had to cut a couple fuselage formers that were missing, but the original pieces they were cut from were still in the kit, along with enough extra pieces of ply. There are enough instructions included for the beginner, particularly in how to properly center and cut hinge slots. Assembly of the stock APS cowl and wheel pants was a pain, but with some care, the final product is quite acceptable.

Brad

Spoiler

Looks great - easy to see colour scheme. I used an OS 50 sx in mine with std servo locations except rudder which I side mounted instead of underneath. I took out all the nose weight and the elevator is sensitive but manageable. Heres a pic. Prop is APC 13x4. Power is good and she will harrier and does great blenders and elevators. Am thinking of a power upgrade however...

Test005

That cap looks great bkdavy! Nice job.
The TT46 is a sweet engine, I've had one and it was reliable.

So what do you think of your first build? Did you enjoy it or found it to be a pain in the a__?

FlyingPilgrim

My Feedback: (26)

Brad, Nice job! So are you hooked on kits now?
Let us know how she flies (maybe some in-flight pics).

Pilgrim

tuwood

Good job Brad, I think the covering job looks great. As the builder you can always pick out the flaw's but to everyone else it looks great!!

red_guy

Nice job on that plane. Just finishing mine. 60" span with a brand new ASP 75 on the nose. BTW, what prop should I use with that engine?

bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks for the feedback.

Test005: Building with Balsa was far easier than I anticipated. I found it to be a BLAST building my first kit. In fact, it was so enjoyable I'm now thinking about a scratch build next winter. I've also got some ideas about building some experimental control surfaces from the scrap balsa I have left over and using them on my SPADs.

As for the maiden, I'll have my video camera as long as I can find someone to operate the camera. Unfortunately, I'm out of town for another few weekends. I'll get video posted when I have it.

Brad

bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

No announcement of a completed plane is finished without a flight report. I'm happy to say that I successfully maidened the CAP 232 today. It flew GREAT. Unfortunately I only managed to fly it on Low rates. On takeoff for the second flight, one of the wheels lost the nut, resulting in a noseover. No damage however. So, weather permitting, it will fly on High rates on Monday.

Yeee Hawww!

Brad

Test005

Great! Good things...
Flying on low rates is not bad, especially on a brand new plane, good to get some room to find out how she moves.
I recently finished my second SSE, some radio stuff still. Always exciting to have a new plane ready to go
[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3540270/mpage_4/tm.htm]My new SSE[/link]

Kostas1

Can you make a video of you new CAP?
Thank's
Kostas

bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

I'll try to get video. Gotta find someone to make the 30 minute drive to the field with me. And weather here this time of year is always a guessing game. We got lucky on Saturday. This weekend is not looking good.

I'll post video if and when I get it.

Brad

bkdavy

My Feedback: (1)

Its not video, but we had a photographer come out to our fun fly this past weekend. He got several good pictures of my (now repaired) plane in action. Here they are.

FWIW, I added a couple degrees of down thrust after the rebuild, and it flys MUCH better.