Giant Aeromaster
 

After digging through my 'storage locker' at the local mini-storage place, I found a Giant Aeromaster that I had started some years ago. Decided I'd better go ahead and finish it up, before it turns into kindling. Got a question on it i'm hoping somebody could answer for me. What's a good engine for this? I'm not looking for unlimited vertical, or 3d, but something that will provide enough guts for some good vertical penetration before petering out. Any suggestions?

thanks!
mcmike

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

I have one with a US 41. Nice match, I think it will give you what you want.

Or a Quadra 42 - basically the same engine.

Neither one is fancy. They're basic magnetoed 2-cycles, but for the Aeromaster I consider them appropriate technology. It handles aerobatics very nicely, but you won't get anywhere near 3D type stuff, nor unlimited vertical. With an 18 x 6 prop it's a nice match.

BobbyG

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

Wasn't my plane but I got to fly one with A Brison 2.4 40cc engine and it was outstanding. Most any of the mid size gas engines work fine.

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

I was thinking more like a 3.2 or a g62 something along those lines, but I guess if you're having good luck with the smaller engines, I can save some $$$!
thanks!

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

I have a zenoah G45 in mine . Plenty of engine for it. It depends on the pilot but I think that a g62 is overkill on power.:D

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

You are right about "It depends on the pilot". I have a G-62 with CH Electronics Jump Start in my Giant Aeromaster and I don't think there could be a better combo. It weighs 21 pounds and has unlimited vertical.

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

I was wondering about weight. Framing up the fuse yesterday, and wonder where I could get rid of some weight. This thing is built like the proverbial brick ___house. I'd love to get the weight down to less than 20 lbs. Any suggestions?

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

You could find a carbon fiber gear, cut lightning holes in the fuselage, use light weight foam tires, replace some of the heavier wood with lighter wood, don't use wheel pants, cover it with Monokote, use NiMH batteries. I used 2 NiMH 700 mah 4 cell packs. At 21 pounds with a G-62 it is a real hotrod. Just the way I like it.

If you want to read about the mods that I did, see this:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_38.../tm.htm#380757

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

Big Bird... Thanks for the thread, exactly what I was wanting! Luckily, I haven't done much glueing up of the fuselage yet, so it's gonna get some major ventilation here soon, along with some bigger tailfeathers for sure. thanks again!

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

Good, I think you will really like the mods.

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

Since you said that you weren't looking for "unlimited vertical" and that you wanted to build it light, the G62 sounds pretty strong. I have a G45 in mine and I think it does a fine job. Here is a movie of some lazy flying....

[link=http://www.wings-of-valor.net/uploads/media/SmokeDreams.wmv]"Smoke Dreams" (Hi Res)[/link]
[link=http://www.wings-of-valor.net/uploads/media/SmokeDreams_medres.wmv]"Smoke Dreams" (Med Res)[/link]
[link=http://www.wings-of-valor.net/uploads/media/SmokeDreams_lowres.wmv]"Smoke Dreams" (Low Res)[/link]

http://www.wings-of-valor.net/upload...omaster07b.jpg

One more thing, if you do use the G62 and build it light, you are going to have to add a lot of weight back into the tail to balance it.

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

I'm already being pretty liberal with the dremel and a sanding drum, taking out a LOT of weight. I'm pretty sure that if the fuse is built per the plans that Barry Bonds would find it pretty appealing! Servos in the tail, Servos on each aileron, and I just picked up a Brison 4.2 for power. I'm hoping to get the weight just a bit south of 20#, but will be happy below 22#. In the process now of framing up a new rudder and elevators, adding quite a bit of area to each.

Another Question... I know this thing will have a Ton of drag, and I'm pretty good with the throttle, So i don't see any 'high speed' passes with it. Has anyone used standard i.e. S3004 BB Servos on the Ailerons. IIRC, they've got pretty good torque on 6 volts. I'm more curious about any aileron flutter problems that might occur with these servos. Or should I just bite the bullet and spend the $$$ for some Hi-torques?

thanks!

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

Well let me chine in here as I think this a good point to do so. You are right the Aeromaster is framed like a Brick Waste House and as such it could use a lot of lightening. I am in the process of building mine and here are some of my work overs you might want to consider.

-Like Big Bird I put lightening holes in the fuse sides
- All ply formers for the upper turtle deck and lower fuse formers have been filled with lightening holes...as long as they are not to large and not to close to the edge of teh former no strength is sacrificed.
- I replaced a lot of the heavy balsa with light balsa
- I enlarged the elevators 1" from fore to aft
- I enlarged the Rudder 1.5" from fore to aft but also included a Balance tab on the top of the rudder (looks like the rudder off an extra). The really increased the size of the rudder
- I also sanded both the rudders and the elevators to a taper using my large belt sander. So now instead of them being basically a half inch thick throughout, they taper from 1/2" on the leading edges to 1/8" on the trailing edges, they look so much nicer this way.
- I am running JR 8411's all over the plane with the exception of the throttle
- 1 Servo on each elevator, one on the rudder, one on each aileron with a four aileron setup
- I am running NiMH battery packs for both reciever and ignition and last but not least
- I am running a ZDZ 60 for power, lighter than a G62, a sachs 4.2 or most other engines
- running standard landing gear and wheel pants at this point but may change to CF gear once she is airborne.
- also chagned the "N" struts on the wings to a one piece light ply configuration using pins and snap pins to hold them in place

All in all, after all the lightening holes, I know I have shaved off at least two pounds in construction phase as I weighed each piece I drilled before and after drilling and added up the weight. The turtle deck formers, I removed 7 ounces alone. Will post picks shortly.

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

Hooked... sounds like we're both of the same mind. I'm a bit surprised that you could cut that much out of the fuse, but then I looked at the formers again. I'm drilling a bunch of holes in them, and have thought of possibly replacing the turtledeck formers with 1/8" balsa, since they really don't provide any structural strength. Definately post some pics! I've looked at the wings, with an eye towards lightening them up, but haven't done anything, mainly since they're already built. I think i'll keep the N struts as they are, just like the look and this thing really doesn't need any more side area with that sail of a turtledeck.
I'm sanding down the elevators and rudder also, but i don't think i'll do the 'Extra' thing to the rudder, just add 1 1/2 to 2 inches to it, and 1 1/2" to the elevators.

I'll try to get some pics posted soon, just to compare holes! :D

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

Hooked, sounds like you did all of the things that I did, amost exactly, with the exception of the counter balance on the rudder. I've been flying gassers since 1982 and this is one of the best biplanes that I've ever had. Sure wish GP would kit them again.

Mike, the Brison 4.2 is a good choice. The Giant Aeromaster has a lot less drag than you think. Mine is very fast. Keep up the good work.

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

Big Bird,

Since I have the Luxury of access to an engineering copier, I always make a copy of the plans for anything I build prior to starting construction, so I''ve still got the original plans... and the last time I checked, great planes still has some of the GiantAeromaster parts, i.e. Ribs, formers, Canopy... Wouldn't be too hard to scratch one. Let me know if you're interested!

mcmike

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

Chevelle, that has to be fabric and dope. They just look too good to be plastic film. Nice models!

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

McMike,
I did do a lot of the things you did as I talked to you about this a while ago. I have just not had teh time to get my all complete yet, I have all the parts, the servos, the reciever and battery packs as well as a 1 hour old ZDZ 60 ready to go into it, I just have not had the time to finish it. I am looking to finish it in stitz covering with paint, love the look and the durability of paint. I have flown two of these planes and loved both of them, real sweet hearts to fly. IF GP had any sense they would reengineer this kit and re release it even up size it a bit and it would be really cool, say around 84 or 96 inches.

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

FYI, if anybody is interested... Found a GA new in the box...

http://cgi.ebay.com/Giant-Radio-Cont...QQcmdZViewItem

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

If you can wait until the end of June 2006, you'll be able to buy an ARF Giant Aeromaster from Tower Hobbies or your local hobby shop.

http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXMKB5&P=0

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

hmmm. interesting, they're advertising a weight of 16-18 lbs for the ARF, wonder what kind of diet they put it on? That would be about the weight i'm trying to get to with mine.

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

Airplane manufacturers have always been overly optimistic on weight as have engine manufacturers on horse power. Sells better.

That looks like a great deal on the ARF. I think they will sell a bunch of them.

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

That diet would be called CAD design, laser cutting and a bunch of years of evolution since the original kit was produced.

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

Thanks for the heads-up Dick. I guess it's a sign of the times that the kit on ebay is going for almost the same price as the ARF will sell for at Tower....

RE: Giant Aeromaster
 

What's a diet? You lost me.