dsumner

Ed,

I've designed a few models and have had real good luck with 0-0-0 so may do the same with the Aircoupe. My Avitar is a Bellanca Cruisemaster that is set up 0-0-0 and flies great. It's a little smaller than the Aircoupe but should work fine. Spent most of the afternoon redoing the formers. I've got a build thread over on RC Groups, although not much there right now...

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2289081

WacoNut

Hi Guys,
My Coupe is long gone and it was too long ago for my memory to be reliable. I do not remember having an issue getting the incidence set on either one of the planes I built. The plans and instructions do leave a lot to the imagination for sure. Anyone that has a few models under their belt should be OK.

My plane was not pitch sensitive at all and would track very well.
Anthony

dsumner

Anthony,

Thanks for your reply and information.

Ed provided his incidence readings so that gives me something to go by. I am going to change some of the fuselage construction to allow for a hatch where the canopy is at. With that in mind I have changed the formers to allow the fuse to be built upside down on my building board, then add the turtle deck formers.

The instructions for the fuse do leave something to the imagination....

Homer712

My Feedback: (17)

Anthony, I'm well into the build and it's challenging to say the least. I'm going to have to move the firewall back a bit and the cowl forward a bit to make the Saito 62 fit correctly. We'll see how that goes. Also, I see nothing on the plans or in the "short" instructions about down thrust/right thrust. I have yet to build a model without these and was wondering if you remember what you did?

The good news is that the support from Leisure RC Models is great. So far i've only had one small piece that was messed up and they replaced it immediately. I also suggested that there should be four of these supports (rib doublers that support the landing gear blocks) rather than the two shown/supplied with the kit. They agreed and are sending me the additional pieces. Good folks. Now, if I could only find a online source for a better set of the plans I'd be in heaven.

WacoNut

I don't think I built in any side or down thrust.

I would also recommend you pay close attention to the nose gear position as this is mounted to the firewall. I had an inverted 4-stroke on mine and had to install a remote glow driver as the nose gear prohibited access to the glow plug with a glow driver.
Later!!
Anthony

Homer712

My Feedback: (17)

My Saito 62 will be inverted but for glow I use an on-board glow system in all my builds. Lose a prized airplane to a dead stick and you get cautious. Here's a few photos of my progress so far.

Henry

WacoNut

It is looking good,
These kits are a lot of work but you wind up with a nice unique plane.

Homer712

My Feedback: (17)

I spent all yesterday morning (OK, into the afternoon) and came up from my work area to show my better half what I had accomplished in that time. I attached the nose gear. That's it! Five to six hours and I get a nose gear attached. Today I drilled for and installed the Saito mount. Looks like moving the firewall back a 1/2" and moving the cowl forward a 1/2" should do the trick. Not sure if I'm going to build the right/down thrust into the firewall, or just wait to see how it flies and then adjust with washers under the motor mount if needed.

Didn't like the idea of cutting the ailerons loose once the wing was built so I ended up building ailerons separately,



. . . and adding to the wingtips.

WacoNut

You will be amazed at how strong that wing is once it is sheeted.
They appear flimsy and weak with those thin spars but the sheeting makes a world of difference.

Homer712

My Feedback: (17)

Anthony,

I'm getting to the point where I need to plan the locations for servos, fuel tank, receiver, etc. Looking at some of the photos in this post it looks like the fuel tank on the Aircoupe gets buried in the structure. Not something that I'm a fan of. I'll spend tomorrow morning trying to see if I can come up with a design for a removable hatch to have future access to the fuel tank. Something along the lines of what I built for a used Sig Hog Bipe that I bought a couple of years ago.

WacoNut

Yeah it gets tight in there,
I was able to pull the tank for service but it was no joy.

Homer712

My Feedback: (17)

Got a few more things done over the weekend (few pictures tonight). Finally figured out the firewall placement. On the plan sheet it does say that the formers placement depicted is not exact and they should be positioned for best fit. It also states in the title block that the recommended engine is the Saito 50 Golden Knight. My current day Saito 62 has exactly the same dimensions as the Saito 50 GK. Yet, I had to move the firewall back 1 1/4" (actually, I moved the firewall back 5/8" and will move the cowl forward 5/8") to have the front of the engine backplate positioned correctly just ahead of the cowl front. I also adjusted (best I could with the limited tools I have, basically an "angle finder") the firewall for right and down thrust. Normally, at the maiden of a winter build, my heartbeat stops, all breathing is halted and the throat is as dry as an Arizona lawn. With the modifications I've been forced to make, somehow, I think this one is going to be even worse.

KaP2011

My Feedback: (17)

I'm happy to see that this thread is still getting a little activity. I just purchased a JS Aircoupe from a fellow modeler. My dream plane was the BUSA 1/3 scale Ercoupe but I've come to the conclusion that I'll never be able to build that plane so I've decided on the JS plane. I'll power it with a nice Saito .56 that I've got stashed back.
I am wondering if anyone has considered a more scale - like landing gear setup? Something similar to this one? http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...ting_Pin_.html
Maybe the guys who've built this plane can give me some insight as to what might work.

Thanks,
Keith

WacoNut

Keith,
Those struts look interesting but are too small for the Ercoupe.

If you could find them in the proper size then I would say go for it.
Later!!
Anthony

KaP2011

My Feedback: (17)

Yeah, I was pretty sure they would be too small. I don't have the kit yet to get measurements from but the picture gave me an idea. I've got a friend with a small machine shop so it would be pretty easy to make a set that would be the right size.

I hated reading about the loss of your Aircoupe, it was a beautiful plane, you did a fantastic job on the painting.

WacoNut

Thanks,
They all have an expiration date you just never know when it is coming. My buddy is still flying the #18 plane. I have moved on to giant scale for the most part. I may wind up building the Balsa USA version one of these days. I am currently building a 1/4 scale Stinson Reliant SR-10 from Wendell Hostetler plans. I have a thread in the scale forum.

If you go with the Struts I would increase the gear wire size a little and have the strut slip over the wire. The stock wire size does bend a bit easy.
Good Luck!!
Anthony

KaP2011

My Feedback: (17)

This one might be a better fit. But again, I won't know till I get the kit in my hands.
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...s_Jet_2pc.html

The Stinson is another of the planes I would love to build. I have thought of getting the Top Flite kit, I've got the Gemini 1.60 engine that would be perfect for it. But when I see those small wingtips the first thing that goes through my mind is tip stall.

WacoNut

Yeah I thought about the Top-Flite but I wanted a bigger one. The Hostetler design is 125" span. I will be using a 70cc twin gasser. I don't think you have to worry about tip stalls with this plane. The gull wing design should help eliminate that. The wings are a lot of work as I am finding out.

If you go with the Top-Flite kit you will need to beef up the landing gear mounts, this seems to be a weak point with the kit.
Later!!
Anthony

KaP2011

My Feedback: (17)

Leisure RC Models must have really loved your Aircoupe WacoNut. :-) They used a photo of your plane for their website.

http://leisurercmodels.com/jack-staf...dels-kits.html

Jaime Colon I

[QUOTE=bassman;3910634]I am very interested in this post. I am in the middle of building one of these. I agree that with wing built fairly easily. The fuselage is an adventure. It was mating the wing to the fuselage that became such a difficult alignment that I put it aside and may get back to it some day. I'll be watching to see how it goes for you. Maybe you can show me a method that will get my coupe finished. I came up with a linkage that works very well. Let me know when you get to the rudder linkages and I will post the ...>>>

During the 60's I rebuilt 2 full size planes, one Erco and the other an Alon, one 85hp and the second was a 90hp both continental engines. During the 70's. I was working in Long Island, and found a hobby shop (Arlo's Hobby). I purchased an Ercoupe RC model and a T-36 model with HP .60 motor, both beautiful models and very easy to build. Due to extensive travel I could not complete either model. However, my son Jaime, an expert RC model flyer inherited them. The aircoupe model, I wanted to build as close to the full scale ( meaning exactly as the fullsize plane).. I had started by making the landing gear by milling aluminum blocks to scale. Travel again held up the project. The Aircoupe model with split elevator and differential rudders can be built with hidden linkage if the elevator is fabbed in 3 pieces. Well, my dear son, an aviation nut like me surprised me by bringing me the aircoupe model as I left it many years back..After 40+ years !!!!....I might just get to finish it yet.......after I return from San Francisco. My son has a Piper Cherokee RC model, probably because I owned a Cherokee 160 which he flew with me when he was still very young. Lots of fun completing your RC models, the full size plane is still a popular plane flying in the US.

ekir

My Feedback: (1)

Jaime

I still pull the Aircoupe out now and then and take the model for a spin. I decided when I built it I would not put workable rudders on the airplane. Looking back this was a mistake. I fly pattern and use rudder quite a bit. In south Florida we have some pretty strong crosswinds. I feel I would fly it more often, if it had the rudders. I think while I am staying at home, I will see if I can install workable rudders at this point.

I am a current private pilot. Still fly a Cessna 172. Use to fly a five year old Archer III. Love that airplane. I have never been for a flight in a real Aircoupe. I am 71, so not sure if that is going to happen.

Let me know if you have questions on the aircoupe build. Yes, the fuse is not the easiest one I have ever built.

Ed

airsteve172

I also fly a 172, but I have been taken for a ride in an Aircoupe. Apparently just sticking your hands out of the cockpit will slow down the plane. On short final the pilot was yelling at me for messing up his airspeed! LOL

ekir

My Feedback: (1)

That is funny Steve.

I have some hours in a J3-Cub. Top speed about 80 mph, Final about 65 mph. I hope my memory is correct on the J-3, it has been 10 years since I flew one.