Deadeye

Just finished #3 SSE last weekend. Here's a list of modifications:

1) Enlarged tail feathers and control surfaces
2) Used pull pull cable for tail braces
3) Sullivan tail wheel
4) Robart hinge points through out
5) Rear mounted elevator servo
6) Sheeted turtle deck
7) Shortened canopy
8) Dubro super strength landing gear
9) Flaps added with independent servos
10) Nylon bolt wing system
11) Scratch built fiberglass cowl
12) Side mounted Saito 82 on vibration isolation mounts swinging an APC 15X4
13) Rear mount for future float addition
14) 2-3 degrees right trhrust built in
15) All hand cut Monokote

I think that covers it. I reduced the weight several ways with this one, and even with the flaps it only came in 7 oz heavier than my #2 SSE (which is still flying). Can't wait for the weather to break around here for a maiden. With the flaps, and crow mixing, it should be capable of some really cool slow manuevers. I had to add 3/4 oz of lead to the left aileron servo for lateral balance. CG is 1/2 behind main spar. Blue and white chord wise stripes on the bottom for orientatiion.

Thanks for looking.

outdoorhunting

Awsome covering !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How did you get the darker stripes going through the red & white? did you use Monocoat? Did you put the white down & then put the red & blue over it? I'm just starting to learn how to do the graphics. I really, really like the way your's turned out !!!!!!!!!!!!!

blueline

My Feedback: (6)

All I can say is WOW!!! Exceptional workmanship you've accomplished on the cowl and covering, I can only to achieve that level at some point. I understand your comment regarding the weather as my father lives in Livingston.

Take care and be well,

Steve S
SF Bay Area, CA

Deadeye

Thanks for the compliments. Here's the method for making a 3d American flag: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_60..._1/key_/tm.htm

I used platinum instead of dove gray for the shadowing effect. It's all Monokote.

MasterAlex

Awesome bird Deadeye!

iron eagel

Very nice!!!

What was the all up flying weight?

Deadeye

Thanks guys. AUW is 6 pounds, 14 oz. As mentioned, my #2 SSE is 7 oz lighter at 6 pounds 7 oz. With my 7 channel RX, and my 9CAP, I've mixed in my wing controls to work together as a full span aileron, or independently. I used a covering iron on med heat with a sock to iron on the painted cowl and wheelpant graphics. I then dusted a few light coats of Lusterkote clear, and then sprayed on several heavy coats to seal everything. The motor mounts are SSE stock, with the mount holes bored slightly to accomodate J-Tec snuf vibe bushings. Worked real well on my #2 SSE. Sides of the mount are reinforced with a brass strip. I had several break before I did this.

Deadeye

I fly off a grass runway, and I love the way wheel pants dress up a plane. So I came up with a way to mount them that makes them more resistant to damage. I attached a paint drawing that should give you the jist. I poly glue 1/8 ply squares to the inside of the scuffed up pant. I fiberglass that after the poly dries. The axle extends into the outboard 1/8 ply to give the outer side support. I use washers to space the wheel away from the inboard side. I use a 6/32 1/4 cap screw instead of a grub screw in the Dubro wheel collar, and of course grind a flat spot for that screw to sit. The inboard ply not only gives more support, but is also used to screw the landing gear to. I've got pants on at least 6 planes in my fleet, and I hve never damaged one mounting them this way.

iron eagel

Thanks for the tip about the wheel pants, I like the outer support idea.

Good luck on your maiden!

butch47

My Feedback: (2)

Your plane is a work of art ,excellent craftmenship.You have done a beautiful job I hope that it flys as good as it looks and from the attenntion to detail that you have shone I know that it will.I do not know what the weather is like where you are but it is in the seventies here in central Louisiana with a slight eastery breeze perfect weather for a maiden flight. Hope all goes well////Butch Carter

Deadeye

Thanks again, guys. Weather here is in the 40's mostly, but the wind blows this time of year. Today is actually calm and sunny, but the air is cold, and the road to our field is 1 mile of mud. I should be in Louisiana I guess.

outdoorhunting

Hey, Deadeye-- Thanks for the link-- AND the idea !!! I'm building a Super Chipmonk & putting the old Red, White & Blue on it. I'm to far along to change it now, but I GUARANTEE you the next plane I build WILL have that flag or something awfully close to it !!! Thanks again-- Ain't this a GREAT HOBBY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SeamusG

Deadeye - you set one heck of a standard for the rest of use hackers! Thanks for settin' the bar high. I've got a SE NIB sittin' in the corner ...

Enquiring minds ...
What kind of performance criteria did you set before you decided on your mods?
What did ya use for your servo inventory?
Battery?
You mentioned mounting a float plate for future use. I'm assuming that it's just aft of the wing box. What spec of ply? Basic tri-stock reinforcement? Did you cut away the bottom balsa sheeting so that the float mount won't crush anything?
What are the specs for your prop?
Sheeted turtledeck - 1/16 or 3/32?
Nylon wing bolts - that the approach referenced in other threads?

tia,

SeamusG

ILB - intentionally left blank

Deadeye

You guys are giving me an ego! SeamusG, let me see if I can answer everything.

This is my 3rd SSE. First one was lost to a broken crystal in mid flight. That's when I decided to build #2 with vibration isolation. All three had enlarged tail surfaces, but this one has the most. I wanted better tail control for 3D, which is why I also relocated the elevator servo. #2 needed more tail CG, but I couldn't move my battery back any further without major surgery.

I also had read another thread where a guy had built flaps in. Since I like challenges, and flaps, I decided to give them to this one. Servos are my trusty Hitec 475's, but I may swap in some digitals on elevator, rudder, and ailerons. Battery is 1900 ma NiMH I had laying around.

Float mount is 1/4 aircraft ply, and it's just butted in there ahead of the turtledeck bulkhead. About an inch wide, and as long as the fuse is wide. Haven't drilled holes yet, but it's there when I want to. 15X4 APC is the prop. T-deck sheeted with 1/16. The nylon bolts are the same as referenced in other threads. Bolts in the same place the J hooks normally go. I also used a carbon fiber arrow shaft for the anti-rotation pin (stock is not enough).

SeamusG

Thank you very much ...

What size of dubro landing gear allows ya to land with a 15" prop? My local talent (Denver area) has recommended a 12.25 x 3.75 APC only AFTER I learn the landing characteristics of the SE - avoid damaging the prop.

somegeek

My Feedback: (2)

Why do you say the stock pin is not enough? The shearing forces required on a properly mated wing would have to be pretty high to break it I am thinking.

somegeek

Deadeye

On my first one, after a mind blowing flat spin, one of my wings rotated off the pin. The servo extension kept it fairly close, but it was a handful getting down. I just don't trust the stock setup.

And SeamusG: http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXNM65&P=0 < that is the gear I have. Awesome gear I have on several planes.

SeamusG

Deadeye - thanks - using one on my 4*60 and have one in the build bin for my Hog Bipe - I see a pattern ...

Cheers,

Cyberwolf

My Feedback: (4)

Nice plane looks like it should be a winner.
I used gear from the GP 60 sized extra to gain more ground clearence on one of mine. I have some of the dubro gear but I find it to be fairly heavy.
I have wheel pants on both of mine well lets face it I have pants on almost everything except profiles *L* Your idea of the outboard support is a good one. I also used cable and not the supplied wire in the kit for the flying wires. I inhanced my tail feathers 25% and wished I had of gone more. I went 2 stroke a 55 AX seems to handle this plane great with a 13x4W.
Let us know about the Maiden flight.

iron eagel

I am building an SSE myself right now and am planning to use a 55AX on it, glad to hear it has worked out on yours.

Red B.

Congratulations on a superb SSE build!
You will have a lot of fun with those flaps. I had them on my SSE and they add enormously to the flight envelope.
One word of advice though, the flaps are rather powerful so start out with small deflections at first, gradually increasing them to suit your style of flying. IMHO the most useful flap mixes for the SSE are elevator-flap mixing as used in CL-stunt models and crow-mixing for extremely short and steep landings. Using the flaps as ailerons is O.K., but does not add very much to the performance of the SSE except when hovering. For very slow flight I have found that a small amount of spoileron mixing is advantageos.

Red B.

The stock pin is certainly enough. I have flown SSEs for several hundreds of flying hours. I have never experienced any problems with the wing fastening method using a wooden dowel anti-rotation pin and 2 #64 rubber bands to attach the wings. Just make sure that the dowel is long enough (mine protrudes slightly less than 3/4" on each side of the fuselage. Lately I have been using a 1 ft. piece of cotton-covered elastic shirring (ask your wife about that) instead of rubber bands.

Unless hovering is your only interest I would stay away from the 12.25 x 3.75 APC prop. IMHO the SSE performes better with a propeller that has more pitch For everyday flying, using a .46 two stroke engine I have found that 11.5x6 or 12x5 APC propellers to be just about ideal.

MasterAlex

Hey deadeye, I covered a Mid-Star like this last fall (haven't flown it yet). I am curious about the Lusterkote - how does the covering react to it? How does it react to the Sun? I wanted to seal mine too, but was concerned about the monocote reacting.

Thanks!!

-MA

Deadeye

Shouldn't be a problem. I've flown the pictured Extra 300 all last year in the hot sun and never saw a problem. The monokote on that cowl is just as pretty as the day it maidened. It got hot enough one day to wrinkle the covering on the dash under the canopy, but the cowl is good to go!