My CA Models Extra 24% Extra 300L arrived yesterday, and this thing looks phenomenal. This is my first quarter scale airplane, and my first kit that uses foam. Everything came presheeted; wings, tail surfaces and turtledeck are beautifully sheeted foam. Over the coming month or so (hopefully I can have it done that soon), I'll detail my building progress here.

The things I forsee being difficult:
-Cutting out the control surfaces
-Attaching the canopy
-Hinging - I'm going to use Robarts, and I've never used more than 3 per surface (a smaller model). This requires 8 or so per surface, so I'll be seeking help for those steps.

The cowl is gel coated fiber glass too! All for $189.00. Pretty great deal if you ask me.

Other than that, everything is laser cut, so I anticipate a smooth ride. Here's some pics!

Reid

A shot of the elevators...

Plenty of rudder!

And the cowl. I always thought the cowls on extras make the airplane look sad.

Some tips from the get go. The plane will come out tail heavy with an OS 160. Dont know what your going to use but I am thinking of selling my 160 and buying a RCS 180 gasser. The cowl is too short. I plan on adding about a 1/2" to the length of the cowl. This is the reason the plane is tail heavy. The firebox has to be cut off , all but about 1" of it that is to accomodate propshaft length. adding some fiberglass or looking for a new cowl would allow you to push the engine out further and balance the airplane better. THE GEAR IS WAY TOO SHORT. an 18-6 prop will only have about 1.5" prop clearance even with a 1/4" spacer under the gear. The small cowl also makes my 160 overheat when in a harrier. You might want to consider a baffle in the cowl (my next mod) if your going to use a side mount motor.It's a good flyer but a few fixes could make it a great flyer

Use a bandsaw to cut the surfaces out.

You can attach the canopy using some Monocote trim sheets. Just cut out one inch pieces and tape it down. This way you can take it off later if you need too.

Robarts is probably the best hinge to use. You don't need 8 per surface. I'd use 4 per elevator, 4 on the rudder and 5 per aileron. That is more than enough for this model.

It's a great kit to build... I've built a 24% and a 27%. Smallfly owns the 24% I built and my 27% is almost complete.

Here is my 27%.

I was planning to use a Moki 1.80. I don't know if that'll be too much or not. I think it's a little heavier than the OS 1.60. Thanks for the tip on the motor box. I asked a friend at the field for some help with the surfaces and the hinging. He said he would help me out. I assume he has a nice way of separating the control surfaces because I think he's built about 5 Cardens. He'll also probably show me an effective method of hinging.
The first thing I noticed when I opened the box was how short the gear was. It doesn't even look right! I thought with a little bending that would change. I assume you guys have considered that, why doesn't that work? Clearance isn't a huge deal. I fly from a grass field, so a strike isn't the end of a prop, but it's definitely not something I want to encourage.
Thanks for the tips guys, I hope you'll be free and open with them in the future, because I'm sure I'll need them!

Thank you!!

Reid

My 27% has plenty of clearance with a 20" prop however I could see where a 18" prop on the 24% might be a problem.

BTW, if you look at the series in the AMA magazine lately Mike Hurley is building a 35% Extra and you'll pick up some good tips on building with foam parts.

The Moki 180 is probably a very good choice. heavier than the os 160 so that should help eliminate the balance problem. I kind of feel like the os 160 underpowers this plane too, of course Im getting used to 50 gassers on 27% airplanes and everything else seems kind of underpowered now. I have CF gear that a guy made for me coming in very soon. (this week).
He said he wasnt real happy with them cosmeticly but they should add a little over an inch and a half to the gear. He made more for sale and when I get mine in, and can look at it I'll let you know about it.

Here's tonight's progress. This manual is a killer. It took me about an hour just to put these longerons in because I had to decode the instructions. Nonetheless, progress continues. The picture on the wall came with the kit!

Reid

Hey Wreckman and Smallfly-
Do I have these longerons in correctly in the tail area? The only ones that I'm not sure about are the ones on the top. I believe that is F9, which according to the manual, the longerons should overlap by 5mm. It seems to obstruct the stab mounting bracket though. Is that just supposed to be trimmed away, or do I have it in the wrong place? I haven't glued anything yet because I wanted to ask you guys about it.

Thanks!
Reid

My "out" markings on the fuse are wrong. They're old. I'm definitely NOT building two sides of a fuselage! Although I have done that in the past...

Just trim it the shape of the stab cutout...

Also if I were you I'd assemble the wholw fuse before gluing anything. just ue rubber bands to hold it together then go back and glue it all.


PS. You think your instructions are killer and you have the updated version. LOL


You can get it to this stage without any glue.

http://www.********.net/caextra27/dcp_0632.jpg

BTW, Here are some build pictures of my 27% and a couple threads about it...

http://www.********.net/caextra27


http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...463&forumid=38

http://www.********.net/forums/showt...&threadid=3614]

I had planned on glueing the longerons in, and then doing the "3D Puzzle" until the step you showed me. Thanks for the tip! I'll go glue the longerons in now, and then cap off the glue bottle for awhile.

Reid

Your right, it's just like a puzzle.

That 24% for $189.99 deal is unbelieveable! I wish I had a truck and didn't live in an apartment! I'd get one in a heartbeat!

Think that's unbelieveable, the 27% was $199 in November...

I got the CF gear yesterday and got it installed. I went from about 2" prop clearance (with the gear shimmed 1/2"in the well) to 5"
Awesome. I can even hang a bigger motor on it now if I choose and use a 20" prop. I'll post pics soon

Smallfly, How does the CF gear look? Have you weighed the difference with the stock gear? How about cost? I'd be interested if they are well made, strong and lighter or at least same weight.

Tiger

I did not weigh the CF gear. It is longer but they felt like they weighed the same just by picking it up. The guy let me try the gear without paying for it (good guys are still out there) and he hasnt given me a cost yet but I would assume it would be in the 35-40 dollar range. The gear looks good. It has what I would describe as intermittent small foggy spots in it that was probably caused by high humidity while he was making them, but it is only noticable on close examination and has no effect on strength. Heck I might paint them anyway as the black CF doesnt really look all that great on my blue/white covering scheme. Similar gear that I have seen runs between 45-50 dollars elsewhere but no one had any to fit the CA specificlly.

pic new gear vs old

pic of plane with old gear

New gear on : I still have a 1/4" shim under the gear that I will probably take out
e mail me If you want the contact for the CF gear

Damn... looks like you gave it some Viagra!