ME-109 House of Balsa - CG and throws
 

Hi,

I picked up a House of Balsa ME-109 Kit K-08 on the weekend with no radio or plans. I searched the web for the manual, but no luck.

Can anyone help me with the CG location and what the control surface movements are?

Thanks for your help.

Wayne Miller

RE: ME-109 House of Balsa - CG and throws
 

The c.g. is at or just forward of the spar.
Control throws with a normal arm on the servo and a normal control horn (1/2A) at the surface can use the end holes on each arm.
You don't need a lot of surface motion on these tiny airplanes.

RE: ME-109 House of Balsa - CG and throws
 

Hi Tall Paul,

Thanks for the information.

I was wondering if I could something a little more specific, mainly because I know that different makes of servos have different amount of travel.

I'm hoping someone can tell me how much up and down movement I should use for elevator and aileron.

Thanks for your help.

Fly4Fun,

Wayne Miller

RE: ME-109 House of Balsa - CG and throws
 

Measuring mine, I have 3/16" on the ailerons, 5/16" on the elevator.
It's a sloper, not powered.

RE: ME-109 House of Balsa - CG and throws
 

Hi Tall Paul,

Thanks for taking the time to measure the throws for me, I greatly appreciate it.

This one is powered with a .15 OS Max and the previous owner said it flew very well, but I should back off on the power for a while.

The only documentation I have is the ad on the House of Balsa web site, it states a TD .051 - .10 for power.

I'll have to read up on slope soaring, I'm not sure how it is done.

Fly4Fun,

Wayne Miller

RE: ME-109 House of Balsa - CG and throws
 

The House of Balsa "scale" kits, in either size are not beginners airplanes, they demand a lot of attention for takeoffs and landings when they're powered. (P-51, Me-109, T-6)
Taking off too soon, before the plane has really reached a good flying speed results in a tip-stall and snap roll.
However, the ground handling is relatively poor especially without a steerable tail wheel, so the direction of takeoff can be random once the plane is released.
On landings, if it's slowed down, it will tip-stall.
These things need to be flown fast.
Takeoffs are best performed with a high wind! The wind makes the vertical surface more effective early in the takeoff run so the plane will track somewhat straight..
.
For sloping OTOH, they're ideal, as there's no heavy motor or landing gear to carry around.
And they look really neat!
The T-6 uses an K&B 28, also an OS 25... very good performer..
The P-51D,and the F5B (P-51 with a camera, which this does have!) are the 44" span kits, the red/yellow P-51D is the "1/12th scale" kit, which uses the same fuselage and wing as the Me-109...

RE: ME-109 House of Balsa - CG and throws
 

Hi Tall Paul,

I fly off a grass field, so typically I have to hand launch my smaller planes, both glow and electric. Since I fly Mode 1, hand launchin is not normally a problem as long as I'm careful and know a little of the plane's flying characteristics. The combat "fun plane" I fly, and my electro streak, have no landing gear and so I normally hand launch them and just grease them in on the grass.

However, the airframe on the 109 looks a little fragile, so I plan to leave the gear on hand launch with just a little nose down and "try" to land carefully.

The ME-109 only has 3 channels (no rudder).

Any more suggestions or advise would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your help.

Fly4Fun

Wayne Miller

RE: ME-109 House of Balsa - CG and throws
 

Wayne, for handlaunching, and more so for landing on grass, landing gear is a handicap. It catches on the grass and turns the plane over. Greasing it on is the way to land.
ps. if you can fly an ElectroStreak, you can fly anything! :)