carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

My experience with a Saito 150 and 180 is that they are real shakers. The whole airframe with retracts comes in at 8 lbs or so. Light can be stiff and heavy can fall apart. I just don't see the need for such power, others do. I know I have been spoiled by radials that are as smooth as silk so this is just my opinion.

Much worse than all that is the engine and or parts hanging out of the plane. May as well just get a sport or 3D ARF.

I do miss flying this Macchi, it flys great at 11 lbs all up.

Kostas1

Nope, the 150 is not!

centauro

Carlbecker, i just emailed Laser engines wondering if either the 160v or the 200v would fit in the cowl of the Macchi. They said the 200v is the same size (height) as the 100 single.
Since you flew yours with a laser 120, I assume the 200 will fit well in the the Macchi cowl. The 200v is only about $15 more then the 160V well worth the additional investment!
What is your opinion ?

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

Each Laser is a different height. I believe the 120 is 93mm high but you need to check on the web site to be sure. I think the 100 is taller(same as the 200 just two cylinders), stroked while the 160 may be 1mm shorter. I am not sure how much extra space there was under cowl. Note that Laser has the carb(s) at the top of the cylinder. I like to have the center of the fuel tank a bit below the carb venturi center. Twins and ARF's can make this difficult to do. The Macchi does well inverted if you like doing that, the tank level then is important. I would probably do the 160 if I where going laser twins. I don't have a real need for speed.

centauro

What happened to this forum.
My BH MC 200 should be ready in 2 weeks and it will be powered by an OS 120 4 cycle.
Don't plan to do 3d with it. if it has flown well with a laser 120 it should likewise with the OS.
Will describe first flight when it occurs.
Hate to see enthusiasm for this plane seem to wane.

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

The price went down so I purchased another. I plan to finish building my Bates 1/5 Brewster Buffalo (RCSB) before I assemble the Macchi again. The OS 120 is more powerful then the Laser by a good bit. Should be a real nice combo if the engine is completely inside.

centauro

Congratulations Carlbecker.
You knowledge has helped us a lot in putting the Macchi together.
We figured if it flew well with the laser it should do well with the OS 120 (w/out pump), most RC aircraft are way overpowered anyway.
I was not ready for gas yet...tough everybody seems to like the DLE 30.
I should be flying it soon, weather permitting and have a spare one in the garage...life is good!
Wish you the best of luck on your 3rd MC 200 ARF, third time is the charm!

Veltro

My Feedback: (1)

Hi Centauro. Glad to hear your BH Macchi is on the bench. Things have finally slowed down enough for me to get back to mine.

I chose to replace the landing gear with a set of Robart 631s. They fit nicely with minimal modification to the wing. The wheels are from Hobby King. They are very light weight and high quality. I like them a lot. The largest size I could fit are 3.25 inches.

I also modified the tailwheel design so that it would be separate from the rudder. My flying site has a light but steady cross-wind from the left, so I need all the rudder I can get. The problem is that too much tail wheel travel makes a plane squirrely on take-off. I've had really good results on all my planes by using 20 degrees of tail wheel and max rudder throw. Twenty degrees of tail wheel travel provides good taxi control, but doesn't over power the rudder on take-off, so I can keep my take-offs nice and straight.

I'll post photos of that modification this weekend.

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

I hope the 3rd time is a charm. Small issues with the plane but not the reason for my bad luck-have to blame the mechanic or pilot for all problems!

JazzboneCuit

Where did you see the price drop?


Jazzbone

NoFlaps

My Feedback: (131)

No kidding, I thought Hobby people stopped carrying these... Are they still available someplace ?

JL1

My Feedback: (93)

http://www.gravesrc.com/BH_MODELS_Ma.../glo159604.htm

Veltro

My Feedback: (1)

They're not on the Hobby People website any more, so if you want one now is the time to grab one wherever you can find it. Hobby People never sent them to their retail stores.

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

On the web site that orginaly carried them. Starting price was about 480 as I recall. I had noted some price drops and purchased the second for less. I paid 350 + shipping the last time, few months back. That is an OK price and they should have left the gear out (trash IMHO).

centauro

Update on MC 200.
I have decided to give the original gear a try BUT I purchased a device from 42% Products "Air Jokey" that is plugged into the air line and the receiver and will power the gear down automatically when a certain air pressure is reached. You can set the psi you choose on the "jokey" it's a little over $100, but I think great insurance !
Also painting and keeping same dummy radial. The wheel are new 3.25 and the pilot has been adjusted following Veltro advice, and looks good.
the OS 120 fits entirely in the cowl! Should be able to fly it before 2013.
Am I missing something with the gear, it seems to be working well and holding pressure for a long time. So far I am the only one using it...hmm

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

My main issues with the gear where lack of connectors. Need two per side and the size of the tubing plus the valve. I had Robart laying around so in they went. I would like to try the electronic valve for a cleaner install.

centauro

Carlbecker,

I used another valve, not the BH one and the tubing I bought fits.
By electronic valve , do you mean the 42% "air jockey" ? I guess it's used a lot on jets and TAM use to make them, but no longer so .
42% Products makes them. The fellow that owns 42% is a modeler at our field and his co. is in Sacramento.
Looking up on the net and there is a toll free #. He gave me "dealer cost" at about $110 +-. If you are interested and the quote is higher send me a PM and I will call him.
It appears to be an easy way not to ever have to belly land !

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

Centauro, I am not sure that is what I saw. I had heard about electronic switches that combine the air valve and servo "together" ie hook up the air lines and plug the wire connector into the receiver. Very interesting and cleaner and about $100 or more. I have yet to move on this and the next build will be a Ryan PT-22 with Sierra Precision "down and dirty" gear.

Thanks for the info!

centauro

Had first and (second) flight on the BH Macchi 200 today.
Take off was quite exciting as I had to use full right trim to keep wings leveled and almost full down trim to achieve normal climb, once things got sorted out,
I made a couple of trial approaches and landed without incident. Second flight all was trimmed properly, and there were no surprises
The plane takes of without drama and flies very well, it tracks well and is docile.
Landings are a bit tricky. If you spec the plane as the manual says, I find the elevator way too sensitive and ailerons a bit too.
On final it tends to baloon up, right before touch down, and once its finished doing that it comes back down very rapidly , so it takes some throttle management.
I did not use flaps, so it might land better with half flaps.
I am going to make it a bit nose heavier then the specs, and I have reduced trows by 10 on ailerons and 15% on elevator from the specs.
The wheel are back to stock, as the 3.25 in proved problematic as the gear would sometimes get stuck.
The landing gear doors are poorly designed, and I can't think of a way to fasten them so they wont come loose..I will probably take them off permanently unless I find a solution..and glue does not work in the long run.
All in all it is a very charming, unique fighter. The kit is quite good (except for gear doors) and it flies very very well.
I heard from "Piccole Ali" (which is the company that commissioned the kit from BH) that the MC 200 is still in production, and there is also a almost ready to cover (ARC) version, and they have both kits in stock as well as some spare parts.
I used a O.S. 120 without pump and a 3 bladed 14.9 prop. Power is more then enough, the sound is great in it all fits nicely in the cowl with a muffler adapter.
Will write about future flights and fine tuning in the near future.
If anybody has ideas about the gear doors the are very welcomed !

Kostas1

Centauro,
could you please post some pictures of yours?

I'd like to see how the airframe looks like in real life!

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

I did not put much throw into my first C200 and it flew great on the maiden. On my second C200 I had a bit to much aileron which made it very twitchy. I had no problems at all landing with the CG as per book. I even had a perfect deadstick and one gear up landing that where the best I have ever done.

centauro

Once I reduced the throws a bit it got very smooth, but Carl you are right the ailerons (and the elevator) can be touchy if you are not careful. As I said my on second flight, take off and flight were nearly perfect, and it does handle very well. I don't like touchy controls, so I find myself most of the time reducing throws from factory specs on almost all my models. I fly opposite of 3D, as scale and as smooth as possible, and the Macchi tends to fulfill those wishes. As far as landing I still don't know what happened, it was not terribly bad or extreme, just a bit annoying. I would make almost a perfect approach (speed and glide angle just right) and than about 2 feet from touch down it started " flaring" and heading upward with out such commands" kind of like a "ground effect". Who knows throttle idle could have been to high, cross wind etc. but it did do it 3 times ! I will find out how to neutralize it in future flights....Carl, dead stick might have been better then motorized !!
I love the plane, and the OS 120 has plenty of power and sounds good!
I still would welcome suggestions on the wheel pants as I have glued and re glued mine and the are still loose at the end of a 8 min flight.
Veltro whats up?

centauro

I will post pictures in the next few days.

carlbecker

My Feedback: (3)

Centauro, I like to fly the same way, smooth and scale like. You might have the problem with a high idle. My Laser 120 is not very powerful and I think the C200 is a real floater. I always use a onboard glow driver and usually have a very low idle. I love the way this plave flies! I wish I would stop crashing them.

Lifer

My Feedback: (1)

Can you mix a little down elevator with your flaps? I do this on most of my flap-equipped planes and it seems to prevent what you describe.