Ok, just ordered my first fun fly plane this morning. A Morris TopCap ARF. I will put a Saito 72 engine on it, and use a JR Radio with Hitec 225MG servos. Does that sounds good so far ?
Now, what suggestions or experience do you guys have with this plane ? Is there anything I need to consider/change while building/flying it ? Does the CG has to be moved (if yes, what will be the best way) ? What prop should I swing, etc. ? Oh yeah, is the hardware and pushrods supplied any good ? Any input will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

I tried mine at 5 1/4 and it was a bit to far back for me. Ended up at 4 1/2" and that seems to work pretty good. insall everyting on the plane except DON'T drill out the motor mount, withspinner and prop on slide the motor to balance . latterally balance while you are at it, this one seems fussy about that .
Enjoy
John

I agree with John, your gonna love this thing, and the engine is the very last thing to go on!!! you balance it by putting the engine in the correct spot, I have mine at about 5.25" and it seems fine though.

try a 13x4W or a 13x6 prop, both seem to work good for me, get better knife edge out of 13x6 for some reason

The supplied hardware is good, the tail is all pull pull, which is simple and works great!! but get a better tailwheel, and your gonna need to make a special throttle linkage, take the carb off and flip it around before you mount it up too.

Thanks for the input. Looks like I will have to move the CG. I have also a a new OS 50SX. What do you think of this engine for it ? Is it heavy enough (only 13.76 OZ compared to 16.8)? I think it will be powerful enough (1.8HP). Or should I stick with the 72 Saito or 70 OS Four strokes ? How did you guys moved the CG ? Did you moved the battery and engine forward ?
Thanks

Ive been told a 4 stroke is better on a hovering type plane from others, personally, I dont know, my .72 is pretty flawless.

and read above again on how to balance

some have trouble with the Hitec 225's, they strip, maybe consider getting standard or the metal gears

The Hitec 225's I have are the metal gear ones. I think I will try out the .50sx first due to better response on the 2 stroke. Thanks for all of your input so far. Give me more.

stuka ,
ive just got this plane and ive had 2 others knife and sudukoi arfs.
both with 225 mgs and only powered with tt 46 ,gms 47 2 strokes . WITH APC 12X4 and 12.75X13.5 both planes were at 4 lbs
NO PROBLEMS WITH POWER!!! NO PROBLEMS HOVERING i just got the 50 sx and it should be even better !! THESE PLANES ARE TOOO MUCH FUN

Before I get into all the negative things about today I want to say that I haven't given up on my Top cap yet.
Ok Here Go's

As I completed final assembly I tried to fix what I think is weakness' with this kit.

I went out to the farm shop and made a new tail wheel wire which will actually last more than 1 flight.
I threw all those low quality hinges out and replaced them with pinged hinges, which by the way i managed to get CA on as I pushed them in and now I'm fighting with stiffness.
Put in a new fuell tank which I am kicking myself for not putting on the opposite side of the engine
I also put a eye screw in the top of the fuse at 4 and 3/4" to balance the plane by. When I tied it up however the screw ripped out of the plane.
Ok so now I'm ready for first flight after playing with trim settings and all and I realize that the 46 fx I bought on here a while back has seen better days and needs a new sleeve. It dies shortly after takeoff and as I try to turn back into the wind the plane stalls and comes down with a little more authority than i would of liked. Bent Landing Gear
Gear is straightened in the vise and fx is replaced with an old loyal supertigre, mounting holes need to be reamed out a bit.
Start up the Supertigre and realize the crankshaft is bent and even thoguht she purrs like a kitten she needs help so that is another 1/2 hour wasted. why didn't I notice the bent shaft?
Meanwhile the pull pull wires seem to be loosening up in the fuse and need attention.
What else....you mean that's it? I must be forgetting something.


Anyway this is where I stand now, cleaned up the plane and checked everything over. Pulled out the supertigre and I'm trying to decide if I should ream out new holes yet again and mount my Rossi 45 which has a wider case by the way. Also it is alot heavier than the previous 2 engines (feels like it anyway).
Has anyone actually laterally balanced this plane and if so how?
I also need to put clevise on the servo end of the pull pull wires which is opposite of what the instructions (Sue Do Koy, by the way) tell you to do.

Can someone remind me why we love this hobby? I'm hearing it from the wife for spending all day and most of the night "playing" with my plane. Good thing her and the kids are asleep now, anyway back to the basement...

Thanks
Jerry

I driled a 1/4 inch hole down the le on the light wing (from the outer edge). used some pencil lead fishing weight in it to achieve balance.
glued it in and all done. The covering on the end of the wing tip peels back pretty easily so when done I just ironed it back down.

Jerry, I can only agree with your tailwheel statment.. I used the stock tailwheel, and it bent to meet the bottom of the rudder after the first landing. And that's where is stayed!!

Other than that, it sounds like you're holding a *****en plane accountable for a fleet of miserable old engines!!!! Go to towerhobbies, order a new TT pro 46 for $80, and couple of APC 12x4 props.. Until that Arrives, spend some time with your wife and kids!!

Top Cap ARF, TT 46 Pro and an APC 12X4 prop!!
Click here for Pic.. http://www.rcuniverse.com/attachment.php?postid=29586

Other than that, it sounds like you're holding a *****en plane accountable for a fleet of miserable old engines!!!!


Easy Now... I'd like to be able to sell an engine here from time to time and this is going to be bad for buisness.
I am not intending to rip on the plane itself, (although it has it's faults) I just felt like typing today's events and getting it off my chest.
Serenity Now!!!

I can't believe that Morris can't make an instruction booklet to match each plane they make.
Kinda like buying the new Ford Thunderbird and getting an owners manual for a Taurus. C'mon,What are you doing buying a T'bird if you need a manual? That Taurus manual should be fine...

Also I find it funny that I need to ream out the motor mount area and even the mount plates included with the kit to fit an engine (Rossi 45) that the same company sells. Their competition's engine's fit in there just fine???

Thanks John for the balance tip... I'll put that on the list.

Jerry

Ok, The Morris TopCap just got here ! Since I live in Houston it only took one day shipping
I just looked thru the box, and everything looks in place and there. Even the manual is actually for the TopCap and not the Sudo. They must have changed that.
I will start working on it as of tonight :devious: and see how everything fits. Should probably be ready and flying by the upcoming weekend (hopefully).
How long did it you guys take to put it together ? Any final recommendations before I start building ? Let me know
Thanks

it only took me about one day to put it together, it goes very fast!! Its an Arf!

I have not seen the new instructions, wonder how diff from my SUDO ones are

Ulf
I guess that I will see ya at the field this weekend with a ready to fly TopCat?
We have to get practice on the events for the Bayou City Flyers/Fort Bend RC Fun Fly Challenge.

We are going to have a rally start event so get used to hand starting your motor.

We will also be doing the fly between the uprights like we did at their field last year.

I think that the third event we submit might be the drag race, so the 72 will be fine and the 50 will honk.

Take care Jim

PS overall weight is also important, not just CG.

Morris put my review of the topcap on their site, when he emailed me to ask if he could use it. he told me they would fix the manual problem. glad to hear they did.

Just to let you know the manuals are starting to go up on the Morris site in PDF format for easy printing. Only the TopCAP and Knife are there now, we are reworking the rest of the manuals and they should start appearing there shortly.

Also just to keep you informed, we have a new line of Warbirds including the A-26 Invader, A6M5 Zero, AT-6 Texan, Mig-3, P-39 Aircobra, P-40B, P-40D, Macchi, and the P-51 Mustang all in ARF form.

Happy flying,

John Brandom
Web Developer
Morris Hobbies

sweet!!!

just read the manual , the show balance point a 4 1/2"

well i downloaded the manual and looks great! the only thing funny is the plane in some of the pics isnt the top cap, its the knife! hehe

I hear that the TopCap can't have a prop with a pitch over 5... because of flutter when going to fast. Why does flutter happen on the TopCap when it goes too fast?

Thanks
-Brian

well, Ive got a 14x6 on mine with the saito.72, never fluttered yet, even had it 3/4 to full throttle a couple times, forgot!! Its not my style yet to fly slow

Hey Bayou Boys....send me an email or call me before the fun fly. I'd like to bring our latest design.

Please call!

Thanks,
Matt Jolley

i like the new manual, glad to see it finally done!

Does anyone have the new manual