Looking for a Biplane
 

Hello all,

I'm looking for a GLOBAL's Biplane kit called TECTE (Don't know if it's spelled rigt). Has anyone ever heard/built one of those? I need all the informaion I can get.

Thanks in advance.

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

It's a "Tecate". It is also junk.
Extremely overweight bipe. Takes at least a .90 to fly at all and not a good flyer even with a .90. Save your time and money and look elsewhere. I never met or heard of a happy Tecate owner. Just my .02 worth

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

Hi,

I thought it was meant for a 46-53 engine... do you have the specifications of the model?

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

I've been checking here and there and found this review:
http://www.people.vcu.edu/~rhklenke/rc/tecate.html

It seems thet the Tecate's wing area is 50 sq. inches shorter than the GP ultimate 40. they both have the same fuselage length and looks like the same wingspan too (altough I don't know for sure). The Tecate's weight in the review was 7 lbs, about 1 lb heavier than the average ultimate. I'm pretty sure I could find some ways to modify and reduce weight.

Anyway, It could me a nice challenge to build this model light.
What do you think?

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

Looks like a challenge to both build and fly. Nice looking plane, though. I don't think I'd try it with a 4-stroke.

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

I was thinking of a 50 size 2 stroke

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

A .50 2 stroker will not fly the Tecate. It is a brick. The last one I saw had a YS 91 on it. It would fly but that's about all and with the wingloading it had extremely fast landing speeds. I think they were still using what they called "balsa-ply" for the fuse structure.

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

No reason for building it that heavy. If you can bring it in at 6 1/2 pounds, I can't see why it wouldn't fly on a .50. BTW, I don't see anyone offering this kit. Is it still available?

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

There's a guy who has an old one here and wants to sell it for 90$. I was looking for it on the internet too and couldn't find.... It's hard to find interesting kits over here, so this one looks like a good oportunity.... I think of it more for the building part than the flying part, but I also think I could make it light enough...

Thank you all for helping

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

Shop eBAY until you find a Bob Dively, "Nuthin' Honey" bipe. Small enuff for your front seat but a 40 powered acrobat.

Foam core wings and balsa/ply. I picked mine up for $45. and it's gonna be one sweet little airplane.


Point Magu

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

I had a Tecate and it took a lot of work to make it fly right. I balance my stuff with a plumb bob and the center of balance was so far off that I challenged my calculation. I flew it witha como 51 which ran well with a tuned pipe, but it acted like it wanted to fall out backwards, so I began adding nose weight. after about about a lb and a half, the plane was sluggish, so I went to a S.T. 61 but it still needed a pound to balance. it came in at 7.5 lbs with 690 inches of wing it wasnt loaded to heavy but the chord was a little thin, hence the hot landings. The plane flew pretty well but I tended to pull out of spins a little low and with all that lead in the nose i think created some cyclical inertia and that was it. I think it was an engineering disaster although it was a neat looking plane with double taper in the wings and the rake to the fuse, I just dont know how Global thought they could market this sort of thing and not get bit. Others suggested I move the nose out a few inches but then the look changes and the fuse tapered into the cowl, not an easy job to just throw an extended firewall on it and go. anyway that's my experience with the Tecate biplane

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

I'll jump in here. First of all the Tecate WILL fly with a .46. I have one! Yes a .50 would be better for it but it does fly on the .46 which is a Thunder Tiger btw. It's a nice looking plane, maybe not the best plane, but still a nice looking one. It also flies pretty well. Mine had a lot of lead in the nose, but have rempoved most of it. Yes it's a little heavy, but for $100 for a just add tx and fly, can't be beat. The tx was included but I told the guy to pull the crystal and antenna and use it for a buddy box which he liked.

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

I brought the kit over today... Looks good; good balsa, many parts included (looks like the wheels r too small..), primitive instructions, nice fiberglass cowl, fiberglass wheelpants etc..
Things I didn't like:
Only one servo for the ailerons, ailerons are too small, and the landing gear looks very thin and soft.
Also, the fuse ply is a bit crumbling, especially when you cut it, but I know this type of wood from my Golberg's Eagle, so I'll handle it..

I think I'll modify the tail a bit, surely going to add another servo to the wings, and I don't know if there's a way, but maybe I can switch the ailerons to a bit bigger one's.

I'll be happy to hear some comments. (:

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

Those "small" ailerons do a good job for this plane. Remember, there are ailerons on both wings. Yes, going to two servos would be better. Try something like the Hitec low profile aileron servos.

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

Do yourself a big favor and get rid of the it while its still new in the box...I agree the Tecate is a neat looking plane but please belive me, you won't like it. Not only do they come out heavy and are hard to balance, but the design has some big flaws...The airfoil is almost flat bottom, so it hates to fly inverted. You would think by looking at it that it would be a really snappy, fun little bipe but it just doesn't do anything well!!

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

Try the Ultimate Bipe form great planes I am running it with an OS .46 she handles great, I'm thinking of throwing on the OS 70 surpass II Just for the sound and more power of course, the verticals on the .46 aren't that great but she does fly great with it, very easy to handle after the first flight jitters. this was my second Bipe, the first one was so long ago I can't even remember what it was, I'm still flying this baby today, this is my 3rd season with it.

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

Waldopepperaxel,

[sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif][sm=thumbup.gif]

WOW!!!!!

Great looking Bipe. You should be proud of your bird there. You did a great job.

I've got one that is about 80% done. I just need to sand it and cover it to get it in the air. This is one of those projects that always seems to get pushed to the back of the table for something else to start. I'm hoping that I can finish it up and have it ready to fly this summer. Got fingers crossed here.

Ken

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

I built the Tecate years ago and flew it with an 46sf. It took lots of weight in the nose to balance. If you have the kit make the mods to lighten up the tail section as much as possible. Dont bother using the wire landing gear they are to flimsy, get some aluminum ones. It can be made to fly nice, it just has lots of good competition with GP, DP Ultimates.

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

RCKen,

I'm building the same Ultimate right now and I'm hoping to have her done by May. Do you have any pictures from your build?

Thanks,

tychoc

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

tychoc,
Sorry, I don't have any pictures. If I get a chance over the weekend Ill pull it out and take some pictures for you..

Ken

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the GP Super Skybolt. All the surfaces are rounded and almost fully sheeted (not at square corner on the aircraft). Also it only takes 5 min to set up once you pull it out of yor car (no screws to fumble with). I'm in the covering stage with mine now. Once I saw it, I was hooked!

Here's my thread:[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3561097/mpage_15/key_/tm.htm]CLICK HERE[/link]

Mods

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

Thanks RC, Yes I am very happy about the way it turned out, it is always the talk of the field and everybody always wants to see it fly, it took me from March until October to complete because I built it with the "Glue a piece on, every time I walked by it method" then in October I decided that wasn't quick enough before the end of our season, so I buckled down and finished it off in 2 nights, but it too was one of those get to it when I can type things, I normally build a plane from scratch in about 2 weeks to a month just because I love to build em, but I was very busy that year, Another reason for the purchase was a friend of mine was building a Tri-folker so we could re-inact the Waldo Pepper Ernst Kessler dogfight, Unfortuneately I couldn't find a good kit in my price range at the time that Waldo was flying, so I bought this one, I wasn't dissatisfied at all except that it doesn't really look authentic next to my Buddy's Tri, he did an awesome job on his, it took him 3 years to build it. the pics are in my Gallery. The Pilots head even turns with the rudder direction. Very cool.

I wished I put all the cabane in before I closed up the nose and fuel tank area, it was really hard to get those little nuts on the screws inside the tank area, so if your not that far yet, its something to consider, and the OS 46 can't extend as far out on the nose As they say to put it on the motor mounts supplied, so I just mounted it at the farthest point forward that I could. it still balanced out fine.

This is the 3rd great planes plane I've seen with the same problem, I owned 2 different GP planes and a friend just bought one that had the same problem, If you want to use their Measurements, the front 2 engine mount holes are right off the engine mounts. leaving you short between a 1/4 & 1/2 " whats up with that I say??[sm=confused.gif]

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

Mods- Nice job on the cowl, Great Planes are notorious for terrible cowls too, Cheap crappy plastic, they need to change that. And I didn't have any luck with the Pitts style Muffler either, the whole bottom of the cowl had to be cut away because no matter what I did I couldn't fit it on there, I see the trick was to use 2 cowls. Very Clever :D Good job. I originally had the Pitts on the US Bipe but it kept falling off, then I finally stripped it, so I just put the stock muff back on and it hasn't given me a problem since, I also tried for a smoke system, But I never used one before, (unbelieveable as it is for the years I've been involved) but everyone kept telling me it wasn't worth it in a 40 size aircraft cause it wouldn't produce enough smoke to be worth it, but I'm still researching that. After all,,,, whats a Bipe without smoke. [&o]

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

Thanks. Have you thought of using a preheater? I moded a pitts style muffler for smoke in my thread and have video of it in action.

Check it out: [link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3561097/mpage_9/key_/tm.htm]CLICK HERE[/link]

Mods

RE: Looking for a Biplane
 

No I haven't thought of anything for it yet i was looking into it but I wasn't sure what way I wanted to go, What do you think would be the best solution for an os 46? Your test run links and smoke links were great Thanks...

Keep em flyin and good luck on the maiden