Test pilot checking out the cockpit....wait, something is still missing...

THATS better!

Keep it up Tom. I like your style. With any luck at all I'll be seeing mine again in a few days.

Pat

Pat,
Thanks for the kind words. Great news that you are heading home!!

[If only it was possible to get our antagonists interested in flying R/C instead of blowing up innocent women or children...]

Where did you get that instrument panel?

For those of you applying the Honda graphics scheme, please be smarter than I was...

I knew the wings inserted into the fuselage!!!!!!! but as I started putting on the graphics, I did not double check by how much...

Boy, do I feel smarter now...

I got lucky on mine, they barely stick out from under the wing receptacle. But the big HONDA on the sides, a little to far in front of the wings. I already had servos and arms mounted and didn't take them off. Hopefully your motor will run though...

Nice job on the build.

Thank you for the feedback...helps to know I was not the only one Hopefully we can help others not to waste their $50 with an enthusiastic error. Gee, is that a truism? When everything seems to be going well, stop and re-consider the situation?

tom

Japan 3d:

Sent you a PM with the info.

tom

Thanks

Tom,

AFTER I get to see it fly, remind me, and I will laugh at you for the graphics thing.

I am curious what stab position these planes are being flown at, has anyone tried both? The video on the WH site looks like that one is in the rear position, but I can't tell for sure. Mine is in the rear position and the plane is very stable in a harrier, elevator, hovering/torque rolling. Harrier landings are easy with this plane also. What would moving the stab forward do for the plane? I just can't imagine it getting better? I have no roll coupling with rudder, but do have some pitch coupling. Maybe this would improve with the forward position.

Thanks.

Due to engine un-reliability, I only have one 3-4 minute flight on mine in the front position. Mine is balanced a fraction ahead of the middle of the wing tube. It is very pitch sensitive. When my engine gets back, I may try to move it back to the rear position to see if it will stabilize a bit. I can't wait to get more time flying this thing, it looks fantastic.

You read my mind - I believe most of the reports to date have from from folks who got the early production models and the two-location option was not available (the rear-most location was the only one available). I intend to use the rear location for mine (once I get back to the assembly table that is...)

I just finished up the baffling and prop balancing. All left to do now is connect control surfaces and program servos. I've mounted the horizontal stabs in front position. Hope to maiden this weekend. Will report on how the front position performs then.

Anyone know the weight of the stock tail wheel and wing tube?

Thanks.

Any news?

I did not have the proper length titanium turn buckles to finish up. It requires 3 and 1/2 inchers for elevator and ailerons. Will maiden this weekend now!

If you purchased the hardware kit you already have all the stuff for the pushrods and they work perfectly. Since you're not ganging servos there's no need of a right and left hand thread to adjust length. Just follow the directions that Tom provides for making the pushrods. It will save you close to $10.00 and you'll be done before the afternoon is over, ready to go. It took me just about an hour to make all the push rods for the ailerons and elevators using the components in the hardware kit. That included making up the rudder cables.

I bought the hardware kit with my Ultimate and agree; it is very straightforward to make the pushrods to just the right length. I bought my hardware kit for my Sukhoi for the very same reason. Besides, I am a notorious "return-tripper" when it comes to R/C and the LHS!!

Got mine almost done here as well - just need to fit electronics, balance, and final test of radio gear.

RXfish - any pics of your baffling? I didn't do it and not sure if it's necessary where I'm at - we'll see once it's airborne where the temps are at.

Jason

Regarding the weight of the tailwheel. I don't have a specific but it doesn't appear that it has any effect on anything. It's a bit heavier than an RC Blimp unit but the weight of the plane will come in between 16 and 16.5 pounds if you don't do a bunch of redundant stuff. A little lighter than that if you use a DA 50. The difference between stock and carbon wing tubes is minimal. A max of 4 ounces. The new stock tubes are a lot lighter than the old ones. I can't see a weight much under 15.3 pounds if you want to spend a lot of extra money. It flys great all stock so the benefit may not be worth the expense of the optional carbon stuff.

I flew mine last weekend for the first time. If you're a 3d person balance at the back of the wing tube for starters. If you're more precision balance at the front of the tube. You'll likely go back a bit from that. I went a little heavy on low rate control throws and had to de-tune the elevators from 20 down to 15 degrees for low rates. More than 15 is twitchy, and even there I used 40% expo from my usual 35 to make it nice and smooth. An IMAC flyer might consider 10-12 degrees for low rate elevator. 15 max for low rate aileron. More than 40 degrees of rudder is too much, but some like to use it all. 50 degrees of high rate elevator was killer for anything, as was 35 degrees of high rate aileron. I'll be taking the high ailerons down to 30 degrees for slower harrier rolls. There's a lot more of everything available from what I've noted as high rates here for those that like living on the edge.

Oh, I have one of the early prototypes so I only have the aft position stabilizers. Works just fine the all the way back. Perhaps tumbles might be a little tighter with a more forward stab but I don't see how. Flat spins can get crazy the way this one is. It will do a flat rotation and never violate it's wing span if you try a little. Flat out nuts!

Thanks for the info on the weight of those items. I'm at 17.2 lbs and have another muffler that weighs about 6oz less than the one I have installed. I was thinking about swapping mufflers and adding a lighter tail gear to keep the CG about the same. While I was doing this I also thought about the wing tube. But I may not do any of it, the plane is a great 3D machine as is.

Now you're thinking in the right direction. If it flys the way you want it to or better why fool around with what works[sm=thumbup.gif]