ARUP

You will have a nice airplane! There are 2 fullscale ones that fly around locally- I always look up to watch them go by! Put some 1/4" balsa sticks diagonally from the corner of one bulkhead to the corner of the next. That will 'lock' the fuselage so it won't twist. Do this on the sides, top and bottom. Since you have the fuse jigged- do as much bracing as you can while it is in it. Look at fullscale structures to get an idea how it is done, too! Also, put some 'hard points' (hardwood or 1/4 marine ply blocks) to have something to attach bracing wires/ rods for tail.

Kellermann

Ron
I´m Marcus and I am on the Hostettler 33% Scale Super Decathlon and the AMR 42% Scale forums. I stumbled over this thread today and have two words:

- PILOT-Kit
- OUTSTANDING

Excellent workmanship, beautiful colorscheme. Congratulations. Any flying shots of this beauty?

If you have the time take a look at the mentioned threads
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9812005
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9802099
lots of information there...

Also take a look at my 30% Super Decathlon page: www.marcusmodelfactory.com


Although I settled on 30% scale for my production models, I would love to build one of these Pilot Kits, if I could find one - those became real collectors items...

Have fun
Marcus

McPhantom

Hello everyone. I am new to the forum, in fact I found it looking for the plans of this beauty. I'm from Argentina and I was wondering if anyone has a chance to send me the plans either digital or paper as it had one of these to buy used and ended up crashing after an engine failure at a low altitude pass .... I would pay for all costs means send that copy. Thank you so much and those who are building one .... not going to regret ever because it's a really beautiful airplane flight of this kit in particular is highly scalable. I had it decorated like the box (yellow, black and white) with a Super Tigre 3250 engine and it took him very well. As you find them I'll upload some pictures.

Ignacio

do335a

When you look a bit further, you'll find that here is where you can get a great digital copy of the plan - from your Uncle Willie, comlete with all instructions and all the paperwork that came in the original kit:


http://www.myunclewilliestoo.com/about20.html

And here's the description:

Pilot Decathlon Kit plans

I took this plan in on a trade from a buddy in Japan.
It is a Pilot Kit plan which is one of the best kits makers in the world.
Lots of pictures and instruction in Fraction and Metric.
Kit plans 96" wing span.

These are 4 high resolution PDF files containing 200 x 200 dots per inch.

McPhantom

hi do335a... thank you very much for the tip .... I'll see if I buy that. Now the question is this .... these are the complete plans?? were only those leaves? I think that something is missing but if anyone has the originals and I can confirm I will appreciate.

do335a

I had one of those kits many years ago. Let me assure you, what Uncle Willie has is the total of what came in the kit. The minimalist building instructions and a bunch of construction photos were on the drawings, as you'll see at his site.

You'll also need to figure a few things out since not all the parts are shown on the drawings. And some sections show only half the part.

The only other thing that you will need to help simplify things is a windscreen template. I believe that lynchr has that. That's something that I would also not mind having.

With all due respect, perhaps if you need more info than what is shown on the drawings and cannot fabricate what is required from them, this would be a project which is presently a bit more ambitious than you could successfully tackle on your own. In that case, just someone else with the required ability and experience to guive you a hand with the difficult stuff.

Too bad the kit is no longer available. It was very nicely engineered and manufactured. It did however use that low grade ABS for the cowl. UGH! Epoxy fiberglass would have been much nicer. I believe that FG cowls are available from Fiberglass Specialties.

Kellermann

For all those interested, here are the two main sheets of Uncle Wilies plans (pix taken from his site). The Pilot kit represents a Bellanca Decathlon (150HP), a Super Decathlon can also be done by making louvers on the left lower cowl.
If someone wants to replicate an ACA Super Decathlon, it is basically the same airplane but the cowl must be modified a bit in the oil radiator area as well as the wheel pants changed to the new model.
Marcus

McPhantom

Hello do335a. Thanks for the tips, I'll see if I buy the plane of Uncle Willie or there is a chile colleague offered me a copy of theirs.
With respect to Parts I tell you. I have this same plane but crashed or whether many of the pieces I have them whole.
Regarding the windscreen which had had it done myself Polycarbonate, giving way to heat carefully so that it would not get white.
The engine cowl is broken but repairable, so I planned to fix it, make a plaster cast and redo it in fiberglass.
Here have some photos of how he had been completed and how it turned out after the accident.

drola

My Feedback: (170)

OUCH !!!!
Super Tigres are better used for paper weights, not to fly precious airplanes. dead sticks are almost guaranteed with any and all super tigres that i've ever seen. i know some people swear by them but i personally haven't seen one yet that doesn't die in flight. i have heard of people swapping out the carb on the larger st's for an o.s. carb (7b i believe) which make them reliable.

Kellermann

The problem aren´t the Super Tigres...they´re world champions, they have a good reputation worldwide.

The secret of getting ST´s to run reliably is easy: large props and a little rich carb setting. Period.

The problem is that most modelers tend to tweak out the very last rpm of their screamers and that makes the ST´s to overheat and eventually die. Larger props and richer settings make them run cooler and they won´t stop.
Just remember that giant scale models aren´t pylon racers, and there is no need for screaming engines...

NUff said

Marcus
P.S. a correct cowling and airflow will also contribute to keep´em cool. Wrong cowling and bad airflow will make them overheat too.

Kellermann

McPHantom

that was a beautiful model. Sorry for your loss. I hope you get the plans shortly so you can rebuild her. Mine was in almost the same condition after a crash in 2006...
saved whatever was possible (rear fuselage and empennage, wings, etc) and rebuilt her to fly again...

Marcus

do335a

Your highly biased opinion on the large cats is clearly based on nonsense and not any direct experience, just watching clueless people who do not know how to run these engines. Unfortunately, you've never seen any of mine.

BTW, the carb which you mention is an OS 7D, no longer in production.

Any engine which is not operated with the correct fuel, the correct mixture, proper cooling, correct prop, within the correct rpm range or any combination of those factors will not run properly and will fail in flight. It makes no difference what brand it is.

drola

My Feedback: (170)

what i'm saying is that i've personally never seen one that runs well. obviously there are a few select people who can make them run properly otherwise they wouldn't have been in business for all those years. but anytime i've ever been at the field and seen someone start one up they always land dead stick.
again, this is just my personal observation. and you are right, maybe i've just never seen anyone who actually understands how st's need to be tuned to run properly actually get it right thereby swaying my bias in the wrong direction. and since i fly a gasser in my decathlon i really don't care enough to find out for myself.

Anyway, back to the bellancas..........

lynchr

Hi Marcus,

Thank you for your kind words. The full size is owned by a retired doctor in Houston, Texas, and was the ACA show plane for 2003. The kit is a joy to build as in typical Japanese fashion, the parts fit is inpeccable and plans details are awesome. The plans must be studied and completely understood prior to glueing anything together. I could write an assembly manual after building this plane. Do build one if you ever locate a kit.

I looked at your site and am very impressed with your operation. Too bad I can't read it but the pictures tell the story very well.

Ron

Kellermann

Ron thanks
yep the page is in portuguese which is the local language - but guess the pix are worth a thousand words, right?

Do you have any flight shots or vid of you SD?

Marcus

rcaston

My Feedback: (65)

Hello everyone. I just wanted to let you all know that I have a 1/4 scale Pilot Bellanca Decathlon that is NIB listed here on RCU.

Junkboy999

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks Rick


Terry
Junkboy999

Jusdustin

Sir, an impressive build, should fly as beautiful as look. I started flying rc in the mid sixties , my first 4 channel rc unit was ek logictrol reed system. In those days everything was kit or scratch build. Have not built or flown in nearly thirty years. Just received my super decathlon kit. Would like to consider you for any pointer I may require. Thks steve

lynchr

I sent you a PM.

lynchr

Question on building wing:

" I notice that if I build the wing like the way it is on the plan then I will have 8 or 9 degree dihedral , and it only call for 1 degree."

Solution:

The thick root rib upside down. (W1). Been there, done that. It tapers top to bottom. Logic tells you that it should be wider at the bottom so that the wing has dihedral. It has to be wider at the top because the fuselage sides slant in at top. The plans show you correct position. The problem is that they put this important information on the fuselage plan sheet. Look to the left of the spinner in side view for front view of wing root.

If you have already framed the wings, ( BTDT) here is how to correct them:

Measure the thickness of M1 on the top (which should have been on the bottom). Now make a line on the bottom of M1 the same distance (from the wing side).

Measure the thickness of W1 at top and bottom. The difference is the thickness of added sheet that will be required

Glue the piece of balsa sheet to face of rib so that the combined top thickness is same, or a little greater bottom thickness of W1. Do not use CA as it makes it too hard to sand. If added sheet is thicker than required, draw a line on the top (as you did with the bottom) equal to W1 wide end of taper (now on bottom of wing).

Hold the wing over the edge of bench, and using medium sandpaper on a long block, Sand the added sheet to the airfoil profile of W1. I put a sheet of foam on the bench to rest the wing on.

Next, sand the taper so that the bottom of the rib is down to the line you drew, and also to the top line of W1 if necessary,. Be careful to keep the rib face square front-to-back.

Check each wing on fuselage to make sure the dihedral is equal and correct and that it is square to the fuselage. Adjust as necessary with sanding block. If you sanded too much, just add another thin balsa sheet.

Finally, add the cap rib from kit that butts against the fuselage and you're good to go.

Jamestat2

Oh my god! What an awesome plane! I just bought one. It is somewhat put together. I just took it to my friends house today. He is a 40 year veteran of RCing and he thinks it is just as awesome as I do. So much so that he gave me an engine for it! It's a 50cc converted Goped engine made by Zenoha! LOL! This thing is gonna zoom! I need to get some pictures up here soon.

lynchr

FYI - Due to issues in my life the Decathlon has never made it out of my shop. As much as it hurts me, I am going to put it up for sale on RCU. It is just too awesome to not be entered in high level scale contests. Please PM me if interested. Price will be commensurate with quality. Engine never seen fuel. Transmitter included. Truly RTF, just charge batteries, start engine and adjust needle valve and on-board glow.

jaycam

I am very interested in your Decathlon, it's the best Pilot Decathlon I've seen yet, can you email me the price you're asking at [email protected] ? Thanks, Mike

JGrc

My Feedback: (29)

Hi everyone,
I was given a 1/4 scale Pilot Super decathlon all framed up and ready to start the finish process but no plans nor main landing gear legs and came with it. Also the cowl is one piece that does not have a tight fit, rather than the 3 piece cowl this kit originally had.

Any help or tip specially regarding the landing gear is appreciated.

JG

RagwingFan

My Feedback: (31)

Finding an exact gear may be tough due to age and collectibility of the original kit. You may try TNT for landing gear. They have some kit gears as well as can do custom gear. I have aluminum gear from a Nosen Citabria kit but it is wider in design I believe. Bill Hemphill makes couple birds that you may be able to interchange the gear with minor mods. One version is aluminum. The extreme version is carbon fiber. However, legs are wider and taller than typical Decathlon/Citabria. Depends on look you may want.

start a build thread. we always enjoy pics.