CO_GTS

My Feedback: (3)

Well I'm down in my shop looking at my 1/4 scale BUSA Fokker DVII and a new Zenoah G38 I bought for it; getting ready to mount the firewall.

Then I start thinking.... (I know, its trouble when this starts)
Can I go electric with this?Wouldn’t the weight of all those batteries (mounted way up front in the cowl) help to balance the plane?

So I started to search the Forums to see if others had done this. It seems like a reasonable thing to do... But I could not find anyone who had done this to a BUSA DVII or for that matter a similar scale plane. I did find one thread where it looked like someone was looking to do this with a DR1.

Can anyone point me in the right direction? Any ideas on what this would take in terms of a motor, esc, prop, LiPo's, etc?

I have experience with electric heli's but only up to a 450 size. I do have a charger that can handle large LiPo's. (Hoping to get an Align 600 for Christmas!).

Looking for some help and advice here guys.... THANKS!

Ron101

My Feedback: (22)

would be a great project


I would think a simple e flight power 160 and a CC 120 ESC would do you fine on 10s 4000 - 5000 mah
something like an 18x 12 prop to start with... would be a real nice flyer

here is a video of a electric Balsa USA 1/4 scale sopwith pup I found on youtube...looks to flies nice:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AnoGSyNF2g[/youtube]

TLH101

My Feedback: (90)

I converted my Ziroli DrI to electric with a Power 160 and 6s 5000 batterie on 22x8 prop. Nice combination. A friend did his Balsa USA SE-5 with same combination.

paladin

My Feedback: (9)

well it looks like i can't post pic's tonight, maybe later.

i converted a GP Fokker DR1:
60in wing span
Turnagy SK4260-500 turning a 14x10
plush 80 amp
2x 6s4k20c batteries in parallel

the new owner has reduced the no of cells and increased the prop dia., decreased the pitch.

Joe

foodstick

I am fairly certain someone on rcu DID build one electric, and posted video somewhere. it was the red and white Ernst Udet plane I think?

foodstick

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maFq7fuo60c

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppiETfUaP94

jeffEE

My Feedback: (5)

After the turn of the century
In the clear blue skies over Germany
Came a roar and a thunder men had never heard
Like the scream and the sound of a big electric war bird?

Something about a WWI bird that is too quiet... I like the "thunder". And I can put up with the mess to get the sound.
But hey, it's your plane. Its a cool project and it would be a one of a kind at most fields.
I thought about doing it with my on going build, but I have nothing electric and the cost of changing over is a bit much. Plus I learn very slow and it would take forever for me to get up to speed.

foodstick

It would sure be cool to have a big onboard sound system to replicate the original motor... watching the full scales on youtube makes me want that sound

kahloq

I fitted a BUSA 1/4 scale DR-1 with an e-flite power 160 on 10s 5000. Prop....turnigy type E cherry wood 20x10 I had originally used a 22x6 topflite wood prop, but performance wasnt as good. The turnigy type E has a wide wide and lloks nice while producing a ton of thrust.

Very good setup...in fact more power then needed, but balance wise...I didnt have to add any dead lead weight.

Gtarling

Just add a sound system - that way you get an authentic engine sound! https://vimeo.com/42216630

BobH

My Feedback: (2)

Nice build. Very convincing sound airborn. Difficult to get that particular sound any other way. Those engines have a specific sound all of their own.

CarreraGTSCS

My Feedback: (2)

CO_GTS-- How did you end up powering your DVII? I'm hunting about for the right set up. I've seen video of Terry's (TLH101) AT-6 and Spacewalker flying on the Power 160 and they look great. I've been working the numbers on ecalc to see how many cells I should go while allowing me to use a larger diameter prop. I don't like the big cowl/small prop look.

Thanks,
Mike

CO_GTS

My Feedback: (3)

I ended up going with gas and a Zenoah G38 on the DVII. Since I contemplated using electric over a year ago on the DVII I have added a couple of smaller electrics to my hanger. I really like electric but its just a little too easy; go figure that logic out!
If my next giant scale turns out to be a Uravich 100" OV10 then I will go electric since its a twin. I have never built a twin before because I was leery of trying to get two glow or gas engines to run well enough together.

I run very long props on my 3D electrics because I like the thrust they provide; they can get you out of trouble very quickly. They also keep the overall speed of the plane down compared to a smaller prop.