SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

A friend of mine built a spad 3d to play with. When he flew it, he called me up and said "This thing is a blast." He also said after 10 minutes with it he could hover and hairier with CONFIDENCE... I flew it the next day and MAN!!!! Its hovering with out a thought. I have flown and hovered many different types of 3D planes and this one is like cheating.

For all you newbies out there that want to learn, this is the plane for you...Heck I even built me one to play with. I have found that it doesent do much else but hovering, hariers, and tourque rolls. But, it will teach you the propper inputs...
Shane

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

It'll do a lot more than hovering, harriers, and tourque
rolls. If not, then you haven't got it balanced/trimmed
properly. Since my motor is old/weak, I get tail slides instead
of torque rolls.

One of the real benefits that I've seen is that it has
really sharpened my usage of the rudder, something that is
carrying over to my other planes. I used to understand the
benefits of rudder usage but found it difficult to implement
because by the time I thought about it, it was too late to
do anything. Flying the SPA3D has made rudder usage much
more instinctual.

And, if you get tired of "... hovering, harriers, and
tourque rolls", try flying it inverted.

Live long, and prosper
Jerry L. Gubka

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

Inverted flight is a handful, but try inverted flat spins. My Sp3d is what taught me how to do them with my ucd 3d 46. You get real brave, cause its cheap. I can't seem to do anything with my rudder, and definitely not a knife-edge. It still won't hover, so I have to adjust some things.

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

I agree with Shanes300

It hovers and harriers well (probobly the best of any plane)...Torque rolls arnt that good b/c it wants to fall out on its back a little bit but they are "doable". The plane will also flat spin well...Its a good confidence builder for the hover and harrier but when you move on to something else dont expect to just jump right on the hover like you did with the spad.

As far as rolling harriers, Knife Edge flight, and precision style 3D goes you can forget about it. It will harrier roll for a few rotations but I cant get it to sustain the roll for the full length of the field. I think harrier loops are all but impossible with this one as well (but I cant do them well to begin with so maybe I am off base on that one).

I will say to go out and build yourself one. Its a lot of fun and a blast to fly. A great knock around airplane that will have you hovering inches off the ground within a few days of flying it (if you can sorta hover then it wont take but a few min to be Down on the deck.)
Everything you hear about them is true, they really are the easiest plane to harrier and hover.

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

Yeah aren't they cool !!

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

I know:D:)

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

They are a blast! I just enlarged one to 40" WS & length and installed a Magnum 65gp/se. Haven't flow it yet but I'll report on it later!:D

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

Ditto to all that. Great way to get the feel for the stalled flight!!!

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

I've got a SPA3D with a OS .46FX with a mousse can muffler spinning a 12.25x3.75 at 13,470 rpm. This thing will harrier until you get tired, flat spins, loops, roll and I can even get it to torque roll, but the rolls in the torque roll are so fast that you have no time to react to what is happening. I was the first at my field to have a SPA3D and it got so much attention. It won most unusal aircraft at our last fly-in. When people ask me about the SPA3D, I tell them it flys horribly, but hovers and harriers better than anything on the market today. The pucker factor is so low with this plane you really just don't care.

It is a great plane to play around with.

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

I cant wait to get mine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dan

Im getting three for 35 so not that bad of a price

=)

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

I love my Spad3d. Unfortunately, coroplast isn't too condusive to the cold (below 30*). I had a dead stick, another result from the cold, and tried to get it back to the field and land. I came up short of the runway, but usually this isn't too bad of a problem. I didn't even break the motor mount this time, but the bottom part of the wing split back to front almost to the LE right at the middle. I will have to put a new piece of cp on it for the wing. The temp was about 15*, and the only reason I was flying is because I am addicted, but it was coooooooooooooooooooooold. [:-] Does the mouse can muffler give you that much of a boost or not really?

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

The Mousse can muffler I made gave me a hugh gain. I was using the stock muffler first with the inner baffle removed spinning a APC 12.25x3.75 at 12,100 rpm at first. I put the mousse can muffler I made on using the same fuel and prop and would spin the prop now at 13,470 rpm strong. That is a 1370 increase in rpm. It would spin a APC 12x4 at 13,680 rpm. I have a Super Stick with a 46fx with a mousse can muffler onboard spinning a APC 11x5 around 13,690 rpm and this thing is fast. Take off and immediately go vertical until you stop it. My Super Stick is on the heavy side weighing in at 6 pounds even. The 46FX with the mousse can can hover this plane with pull out power. It won't blast out of a hover, but will pull it out being a 6 pound 40 size plane.

The performance difference is really really noticable. The first time I flew the SPA3D and the Super Stick with a mousse can I was literally yelling and shouting for joy in amazment.

You have got to try one. I can't see spending $80 for a pipe that gives the same performance. If it gives that much power compared to the Mousse can. The mousse can may be a little stronger of a muffler than an aftermarket muffler. It isn't as pretty, but "who cares" is my motto. In the air it is the performance that counts for me. I am not knocking aftermarket tuned pipes. They have their place and the mousse can has it's.

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

The MCP actually gives a better boost than a Pipe (for 3D). The effective range of the MCP is better, whereas the Pipe only gives a boost at the "tuned" RPM.

But I don't like the trouble of the MCP personally, and it's a bit pricey (Macs header, etc). I like the Tower muffler. Pretty close to the same performance and only $15. It's lighter than the stock but heavier than the MCP. I run the Tower muffler on all my 46fxs and the 50sx.

Personally I like the 12x4 prop on both of these, but there is a wide grouping of props and we all have to find our own.

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

Gordo, I don't use the mac's header version. I use the OEM header with an inner stinger and the mousse can over the inner aluminum tube. The exhaust comes out on the side near the front of the mousse can.

$1.00 Mousse can
$2.00 Aluminum pipe
$2.00 RTV
$1.50 Rod and bolt to hold the can together

$6.50 total cost plus labor

See below

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

The can is very simple to make and gives very positive results. The Mac header version to me is the harder version to make.

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

Well there you go. Never saw that one before. I'll have to compare you results with those listed on Dave McD's site to see which is more effective. That is certainly easier and cheaper than the ones I did!!! Good on you!

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

How do you secure the aluminum tube?

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thats aweosme...should i geta nice muffler for mine...im doing a TTPRO 46 or do I have the pwer needed...thnks guys

Dan

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

The inner tube (1" Outside Diameter) is put in the OEM header and mark the exhaust slot and the pressure nipple hole, then remove the material for the pressure nipple and exhaust to pass from the engine into the inner aluminum tube. Purchase a 5.0 oz can of hair mousse (not 5.5, 7.2, 4.5) and drain the tube completely (make sure the can is purged), now take your pliers and pull the top off to remove the top cap to allow the aluminum tube to slide into the can. You only need the empty tube. Drill a 1/8" hole in the rear of the mousse can to allow the 4-40 rod to come through. There should be roughly 2.75" - 3.0" of space between the end of the aluminum tube and the rear of the mousse can. This is the expantion chamber. The exhaust hole is placed on the side of the can near the top of the can, roughly 1 1/8" from the top of the can. A 1/4" diameter exhaust is plenty. Place a generous amount of high temp RTV in the bottom of the OEM Header while holding the header like a cup, then push the inner aluminum tube into it, be sure to align the exhaust cutout with the exhaust port on the OEM header. Place another generous amount of RTV around the end of the OEM header and the aluminum tube (may have to hold the header horizontal now). Clean out any RTV that may have clogged the presure nipple on the header, this will still be used. The inner tube will be sticking out. Move the tube around slightly to seat the RTV. Make sure this is sealed tightly with no leaks. The aluminum tube is 6" long. The inner tube is held in place by the RTV, then slide the mousse can over the inner tube and the neck of the mousse can will go into the RTV around the inner tube and the end of the OEM header and seal up the inner tube. Put the 4-40 rod through the header and come out the end of the mousse can and secure it down with bolts. Be sure to set the exhaust hole on the can where you want it. Use locktite on the 4-40 rod threads to make sure the 4-40 rod does not come lose. I think that is all that I did. This gave me 1370 extra rpm from a OS .46FX.

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

The TT Pro46 will have plenty of power for the SPA3D. Just make sure it is running good and won't lean out on you while you are hovering. The tuned pipe or MCP will only enhance the performance of the motor. The OS 46FX had plenty of power to hover, but the MCP really woke up the plane.

Have fun,

BTW, I have my throws set up for barn doors.

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

Thank you so much DTB! I guess I will have to buy some mousse now. Hmm, will it work on the dog? I wonder if you could use acetone or something to remove the paint on the outside, that way you would have a polished aluminum surface.

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

I tried removing the paint and it didn't work too well for me, but I didn't try acetone. I just used high temp black paint and painted mine.

Work on the dog?

Here is a cheap photo of my MCP on my Super Stick

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

you could use the mousse to make the dog look strung out. :D;)

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

How's the performance increase in the OS 50 SX??? I have one, and I want to know every possible way to increase it's power should I need it (I don't have the plane ready, nor the engine broken in, but it's nice to know thing sin advance:D)

RE: SPA3D!!!!! This is cheatin........
 

I used elbow grease and sanded off the paint. Then polished the can with Simichrome. Took longer to sand and polish the can as it did making the rest of the MCP.