rica1

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Good to hear there's no clearance issues with the stock gear and 3" wheels. Did you have to change the cg some?

danpos

I didn't change the cg when I switched engines. I do know it is nose heavy by the way it flys.
How do you guys find the aileron rolls? I need to begin with a healthy nose up approach and need to give it a push down on the stick when I am inverted or I do more of an ugly looking corkscrew.
I'm hoping by moving the cg back a bit it will do nicer aileron rolls?
Next step is to actually measure where the cg is. I'll do that tomorrow.
The Chipmunk is in my car now waiting to go to the air field in the morning.

Since switching the engine from the Saito 80 to the Saito 100 the Chipmunk has become the plane I never go to the airfield without.
It's funny how just a little more power has transformed this plane.

rica1

My Feedback: (32)

Danos, I first flew the Chipmunk with my cg at 4 1/8 inches (mid cg), after awhile I moved it back to 4 1/4, later to 4 5/16 ( in small steps each time), as I got more used to it, and kept it there. That's a little tail heavy and more sensitive on the controls but I really liked it then! I don't think I liked the roll rate when I started and it was more like a cork screw (barrel roll).
I wanted the rolls to be more axial (sp) so I tried more throw, and differential to see what would work. The manual recommends pretty mild control throws. Ailerons at 11 degrees normal and 13 degrees for aerobatics. I have triple rates and my 2nd rate is probably about 13 degrees, my 3rd rate is probably about 15 to 18 degrees (but I'm guessing some there).
If you have dual rates try the recommended rates 11 low, 13 high and see how you like it. I would definitely check your cg first! If your cg is near the front of the range, start with moving it back (one thing at a time). Also, make sure your down aileron has slightly less down travel then your opposite up aileron travel (aileron differential). Maybe 1 degree more up than down and see how it does. You only really need differential if the nose of the plane yaws the opposite direction as your banking/rolling. If it doesn't, I don't use it. Shouldn't really need it with a semi-symmetrical, tapered wing. Also, if you increase your speed your roll rate should increase,
My Chipmunk was my favorite plane for 4-5 yrs! It is a really a nice flying plane in that, it can do many things well, is very forgiving, no bad tendencies and a bunch of fun to fly! Let us know how it goes and what cg you have been flying it at.

kevthomp

It's funny that this thread has recently become active. I subscribed to it about 6 years ago when I started building my Super Chipmunk. I finally finished it last week! I was going to go for the maiden flight on Saturday, but the weather didn't cooperate. Hopefully Wed. this week will be good. It weighed in at 8lb 5oz. Here are the modifications I made:

• Pull-pull rudder
• dual ailerons
• flaps
• fiberglass cowl and wheel pants (from Fiberglass Specialties)
• carved wingtips
• strengthened landing gear blocks

rica1

My Feedback: (32)

Looks very nice and detailed. What eng do you have in it? You like to take your time building! Please give us a report on the maiden. I hope it goes well and you have a lot of fun flying your plane once you get used to it. There is a lot of good information on this plane in the build thread, let us know if you have any questions.

danpos

Nice looking plane kevthomp. I'm going to recover mine this winter, The silver makes it very difficult to see on a cloudy day.
It was my first "kit" build and at first I didn't like the plane all that much. All I wanted was Warbirds.
However this plane flys so well that it's become one of my favorites. Funny how this plane has changed things.

When I recover it this winter I'm removing the flaps. They aren't needed at all. In fact it acts odd with them.
It will reduce the weight a little.

Most of this video is just over half throttle and I didn't do a single full speed low pass. 3/4 throttle at best. It was very windy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ppz1...ature=youtu.be

I crashed on the flight right after this video was taken. I'll post the video of the crash later. The engine quit at the far end of the field. It was so windy that I could barely control the plane. There was no chance of gliding it in at all. It went down from 100' or so. I did my best to dive and glide it in. but it went down stright in on it's nose. Broke the fusilage clean in half, propeller snapped both blades, the receiver case was even smashed, the canopy was destroyed, and the cowling was beat up bad.

The good thing is that the wing suffered no damage at all? Amazing!

I got it back in the air today and it fly's great. I can't believe it wasn't totalled.
I was flying at a small field today so for the first time I did most of my flying at a much slower speed than usual.
Once again I was impressed with the handling of this plane. I was even doing low speed alieron rolls. I need to give the stick a good push upward when I am inverted to get a clean roll. Once I got the hang of it I was doing nice slow rolls looked very cool.

kevthomp

Thanks rica! I'll give a report on the maiden. I have an OS 61 in it. I can't wait to fly it. Every post from an owner of this plane says they love how it flies.

I suppose I like to take my time building, but it's also that I have very little time to build! I hope my next build takes much less time.

kevthomp

Thanks, danpos. It looks nice flying. I can't believe you got it back in the air so quickly after breaking the fuse in two! How did you have the wing mounted? Did you use the supplied metal screws or modify that to use nylon bolts?

acdii

This is sort of what happened with mine, the wind kept stalling it, dropping a wing and spinning it away. It does not glide well into the wind.

Lucas45

I found that dead stick the only thing to do is carry on straight and try to keep up flying speed ...easier said than done as most cases you do not have height or speed!!!
Here is mine ready for its next flight!

acdii

I had the height, but could not get the speed, unfortunately when the engine quit it was high up and away. I had tried to bring it around but it was too high and too close so I was trying to trade altitude for glide, and it didn't work. When my other plans dead stick they glide in nicely, this one though, without speed the wind just pushed it over. It is also much smaller than the LT-40 and 4*120, so orientation was a pain, which complicated the issues since I had a hard time discerning the direction it was traveling. Add in the fact it was my third flight with very little time on the first two. I never got the experience the joy of this plane others have said. Someday though it wil be back in the air, and with a properly running engine.

danpos

acdii it will be well worth the trouble of the repair to get the Chipmunk back in the air.
Mine is alive and well. Flying as well as ever. Although it dead sticked on me again since the rebuild. Dead stick was sourced to the high speed needle pressing hard up against the cowling. The pressure on the needle during flight was causing drastic changes in the high speed mixture resulting in dead sticks. Providing more clearance solved the problem.
Also a windy day, but I was close enough to the runway that I brought it in for a fast landing instead of picking up the pcs.
I used the rudder to keep the wing as flat as I could, instead of a quick alieron movement to turn. I believe that helped me maintain speed.

Here is the video of the crash and a picture of the broken fusilage and canopy. I removed the audio at ny wife's request, so you can't hear the engine quit. Not on account of cursing. She thought she sounded like a nerd. ha ha
I replaced the canopy with a Top Flite P-51D canopy and it looks ok enough for now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jARNrdFBk3M&feature=youtu.be

kevthomp

My maiden flight was completed without any issues. We only got one flight in because when the wind finally died down there wasn't enough good light. A club member with a lot more experience did the first flight and said it flew great and only needed a few clicks of trim. I can't wait to get out and fly it myself later this week (once the weather and my schedule cooperate!). Here is a pic of it on the runway, ready for takeoff, and one after landing (I couldn't find it in the view finder for an in flight picture -- besides, I was too busy grinning and being nervous )

harlanb

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I have a CG Chipmunk on the shelf. I think that will be my next build.
How did you get the cowl color (red) to match your covering so well? what paint did you use?
Thanks

rica1

My Feedback: (32)

What a great looking plane! You will enjoying flying this plane so much that you will want to sleep with it at night! And dream of flying it all the time! You just had your first date. Hope you have a long term relationship. The plane is very stable, has no bad characteristics and will do many things well. Let us know how it goes.

rica1

My Feedback: (32)

Harlanb, If it's ultracoat covering, don't use ultracoat paint (it didn't hold up well for me). If you have a spray gun you can get (custom matched) two stage auto paint that will hold up well.
There are a number of paints that others like and maybe they will say what covering and paint they like to use. Buy the aftermarket fiberglass cowl and wheel pants, use the plastic ones in the kit as templates. Break out those plans, it's almost Fall.

LesUyeda

"I couldn't find it in the view finder for an in flight picture --"

For what it's worth. What I do, is hold the camera in shooting position with both eyes open, then track the plane for a little, close the eye not associated with the view finder, and I an right on.

Les

kevthomp

Thanks rica1! I hope to get out and fly it tomorrow evening.

fordy8

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I don't think I've seen a build thread with so little building.

Twin_Flyer

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Maybe life got in the way of the builder...

Bill S.

rye

My Feedback: (10)

hi guys
i am building three chipmunks ,i have one done from a freind who had the formers and ribs and the plans ,i forgot to mark the hole for the wing dowel on the former any one know where i drill the 1/4 hole should i center it on both axis ,and does anyone have a uncut abs cowl to sell i need it to make the cut outs so i have a pattern for the new fiberclassic cowls i going to use thanks rye

heres # 1

rica1

My Feedback: (32)

Rye, I have an ABS cowl. Do you have the wing plan handy? Let me look at the wing plan I have, I think it may have blocks on each side of the dowel, (can't remember). Rick

rye

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hi rick
i been looking at the plans there is 1/8 plywood on each side i think it should be centered on both axis ,as for the cowl please email me at [email protected] under chipmunk cowl so we can talk ,thanks rye

rica1

My Feedback: (32)

Rye, I think the plans will give you an pretty good idea of where the dowel should go. Also, look at the other Chippys you have. Worse case, you may have to open below the wing LE and be able to see where you want it to go. I'll email you on the cowl. Rick

rye

My Feedback: (10)

hi
its the hole in the former on the body i found that it is center on both axis atfer going throw the parts that were left from last years midair of our two chipmunks thanks rye