Byron Hellcat
12-10-2005 | 07:09 PM
#2
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From: Muskego,
WI
RE: Byron Hellcat
I have the instruction, I could make a copy and send it to you. Just email me your address. I had one last year, bought it without instruction, I went with the old proven 15 degrees low rate 20 degrees high rate, I use 45 degrees for the flaps. Use as much rudder as possible.
Pierre
Pierre
12-17-2005 | 08:13 PM
#3
RE: Byron Hellcat
Popierre helped me with my Byron Hellcat. I picked up one of the Byron Original kits a couple years ago - everything still in the shipping boxes.
If you have one of the newer kits from Iron Bay, the following may not apply. Or, if you're a seasoned large scale builder, you may already have made these changes.
If you have one of the kits from Byron Originals, you might want to consider:
- replacing all the 2-56 threaded hardware on flying controls with 4-40
- replacing the nyrod for the elevators with carbon fiber tubes
- replacing the nyrod for the rudder with a cabled pull-pull setup
- replace the single servo/sloppy flap linkage setup with a dual servo/direct linkage setup
- wrap your plastic air bottle with duct tape (its already old - if it busts, you'll have shrapnel flying through the fuse)
- add an 1/8th inch spacer inside each landing gear main, for additional preload on the springs (helps prevent prop tips from hitting ground on hard landings, rough fields - it works!)
- if you're running the Precision Eagle 4.2/PurrPower Muffler and having trouble getting spec RPM out of it or its running way too hot (e.g. the dummy engine cover is deforming because of the heat), cut the header off the PurrPower and install a JA Engineering Pitts style muffler
- save the scale prop/hub for later - learn to fly the plane on a 24x10 2-blade or a 22x10 3-blade (I'm using a Mezlik 3-blade - the extra ground clearance is welcomed, though it is more than twice the price)
- replace the Byron wheels/tires with Robart Tuff Treads; the outer coating of the Byron tires doesn't look too tough, and I've heard that the tire tends to peal off the wheel if you get the airplane going a bit sideways on landing (if you've already mounted the Byron wheels/tires on the Robart gear that came with the kit, then you've probably also cut the Robart axle too short for use with any other manufacturer's wheels - you'll need to order some new axles from Robart; when I called, apparently I was not the first one to do this - they knew exactly what I had done, on what kit and why I needed new axles).
I made all of these changes after the airplane was complete - a much harder job - wished I had met Poppiere earlier. However, it was all worth it - the plane flies great and it got very good reviews at its first IMAA fly-in last September.
And, somethings I've learned on my own:
- fly without the main gear doors - one hard landing will bust 'em if you mount them per plan (even with the extra preloading spacer) - the gear can compress a greater distance than there is allowed between the top of the gear door and the underside of the wing - or, just never land hard!
- CH Electronics makes adapters for the Precision Eagle 4.2, so that you can remove the scale prop/hub from Bryon and then mount props from other manufacturers - you will need to provide them with some dimensions from your prop shaft when ordering, as over the years Precision Eagle used a few different prop shafts.
- If you have a CH Electronics ignition, check with CH regarding known issues with one of their older ignitions; I don't know for sure which unit they had an issue with, so please check with them.
When you get a chance - post a picture of your fighter!
If you have one of the newer kits from Iron Bay, the following may not apply. Or, if you're a seasoned large scale builder, you may already have made these changes.
If you have one of the kits from Byron Originals, you might want to consider:
- replacing all the 2-56 threaded hardware on flying controls with 4-40
- replacing the nyrod for the elevators with carbon fiber tubes
- replacing the nyrod for the rudder with a cabled pull-pull setup
- replace the single servo/sloppy flap linkage setup with a dual servo/direct linkage setup
- wrap your plastic air bottle with duct tape (its already old - if it busts, you'll have shrapnel flying through the fuse)
- add an 1/8th inch spacer inside each landing gear main, for additional preload on the springs (helps prevent prop tips from hitting ground on hard landings, rough fields - it works!)
- if you're running the Precision Eagle 4.2/PurrPower Muffler and having trouble getting spec RPM out of it or its running way too hot (e.g. the dummy engine cover is deforming because of the heat), cut the header off the PurrPower and install a JA Engineering Pitts style muffler
- save the scale prop/hub for later - learn to fly the plane on a 24x10 2-blade or a 22x10 3-blade (I'm using a Mezlik 3-blade - the extra ground clearance is welcomed, though it is more than twice the price)
- replace the Byron wheels/tires with Robart Tuff Treads; the outer coating of the Byron tires doesn't look too tough, and I've heard that the tire tends to peal off the wheel if you get the airplane going a bit sideways on landing (if you've already mounted the Byron wheels/tires on the Robart gear that came with the kit, then you've probably also cut the Robart axle too short for use with any other manufacturer's wheels - you'll need to order some new axles from Robart; when I called, apparently I was not the first one to do this - they knew exactly what I had done, on what kit and why I needed new axles).
I made all of these changes after the airplane was complete - a much harder job - wished I had met Poppiere earlier. However, it was all worth it - the plane flies great and it got very good reviews at its first IMAA fly-in last September.
And, somethings I've learned on my own:
- fly without the main gear doors - one hard landing will bust 'em if you mount them per plan (even with the extra preloading spacer) - the gear can compress a greater distance than there is allowed between the top of the gear door and the underside of the wing - or, just never land hard!
- CH Electronics makes adapters for the Precision Eagle 4.2, so that you can remove the scale prop/hub from Bryon and then mount props from other manufacturers - you will need to provide them with some dimensions from your prop shaft when ordering, as over the years Precision Eagle used a few different prop shafts.
- If you have a CH Electronics ignition, check with CH regarding known issues with one of their older ignitions; I don't know for sure which unit they had an issue with, so please check with them.
When you get a chance - post a picture of your fighter!
