rc-sport

My Feedback: (12)

OK.....my TF Seafury is ready to be maidened this weekend, I have a few last questions.
1. The manual tells you to balance the plane with the gear extended. Being that the wheels will swing slightly aft, won't this create a slightly tail heavy condition in flight?
2. Should I mix a slight amount of down elevator in when the flaps are deployed?
3. Are the rates called for in the manual good?

That's all for now.

US185Damiani

First off always balance the plane with the Gear retracted. I don't know what kind of non flyer wrote the balancing instructions, but you are correct to balance the airplane gear up. Don't worry yet about mixing in elevator with the flaps until you have the plane at altitude and experiment with the flaps. you can manually trim them as necessary until you get a feel for how much elevator you need. Personally I don't mix any in on my flap equipped planes. TF Corsair, TF P-40 and TF Yellow Box P-51

yes the rates are good.

daw

My Feedback: (6)

This is a very nice flying warbird. Make sure your CG is correct, mine took several (18oz.) on the firewall. The plane finished at just over 11lbs but still flew great with an OS 91 Surpass. As far as throw rates, they are fine as suggestted. You will use all of the high rate elevator on the flare and taxi out but not during the flight. Ailrons seem fine at low rates. This plane is great at full flaps and a little throttle it will roll on it;s mains the length of the feild if you let it. LET IT!! It really is the easiest flying warbird I have flown.

rc-sport

My Feedback: (12)

daw, did you balance yours with the gear extended?

daw

My Feedback: (6)

I did mine with the gear up. I did play with moving the CG a little each way with little effect. Meaning, it is not the critical on THIS PLANE as long as it stays within the recommedations.

Scott G

I balanced the my Sea Fury with the gear down as the instructions specify. Top-Flite seems to have their stuff together so I don't really have any reason to think they got it wrong. It took about 4oz of lead to balance mine with a Saito 1.00. Total weight is 10.25 pounds. With this balance point it takes high rate elevator to flair at touch down. Don't bother trying to three point it. Just bring it down on it's mains and let it run out.

As for elevator mixing, I mixed in about 5% down with the flaps. That worked well for my setup. Also, the trim changes a bit with the landing gear deployment. I set up my radio to switch to the landing mode on the same switch as the gear. This way I have one trim setup for gear down, and one for gear up.

A lot of people seem shocked when plans/instructions specify to balance with gear down instead of up. This all depends on where they draw the CG mark on the plans. If the instructions specify down then they just draw the mark a little forward. Now it's possible that that guy drawing the plans meant for the gear to be up and the guy writing the instructions got it wrong, but that seems like it must be the exception, not the rule.

scott.

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

Top flight told P40 owners to balance with gear down [:@], yes they are good kits but some of the people who worked there dont have a clue , its gear up , espcially considering (seafury) they swing back on an angle .
If you find you need to add nose weight , try this first
1)use a bigger battery
2)Move the easiest servos( ie throttle) as far forward as possible
3)use scale light weight wheels
4)more work -but you can easily move the airleron servos ahead of the cg , its takes some basic cutting and small amount of building a new servo base but its all functional weight without adding weight
remember wing loading can make a great warbird into a brick - I just hate adding dead weight

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

anyone update what actullay was best with this plane , up or down ect ????

US185Damiani

On this thing it's not as critical as on a P-40

the gear doesn't go aft more than maybe 2"

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

My battery , receiver plus foam are 6.2 oz , looks like I will have to build a battery box in the cowl , at 4 3/4 " suggested CG plus 1/2 for plastic radiator scoops I am so tail heavy , trying despertly not to add any weight but it looks impossible

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

Ok , added battery box to firewall , moved receiver as far forward as possible at this point with wheels up its a disappointing 16oz of dead weight to get it to balance .
Anyone know if a glow drive is worth it , and how much I can gain ?
I may be able to move the two servoe inside slightly up but that wont gain me much , they weigh about 1.4 oz , any suggestions would be great

saramos

Is there room for a spinner weight under the spinner?

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

yes , but that is a major no no in my book , dead weight is one thing but why tax the motor into working harder to turn dead weight .
I figure 1)glow driver
2)see if moving the servos internaly subtracts a few oz ,
3)already useing a larger battery

kochj

???
How long did the TF seafury kit take to put together?
Thinking about puting one together

WhiteRook

My Feedback: (38)

WHATS the biggest engine that will fit this plane? THE TF seafury really has a long tail moment and alot of wing area, mabey thats why its hard to balance.

LDM

My Feedback: (15)

I did not build the TF seafury but a ARF 66" copy of the seafury , fiberglass fues ect .
The problem with balaceing the arf is that the gear retracts past the Cg , and most of the wing servos are on or behind the CG , so I went with a saito 125 , large battery on the firewall and now waiting for some kalvin light weight wheels that should save about 2,5 oz on the wing .

I have also seen many people use the Dave Brown light weight wheels on there 12 to 14 pound KMPs but no one will answer if they actually work ...
I am still traying to balnace mine without adding more the 8oz to the firewall

Chad Veich

My Feedback: (60)

Back when I was building for money I had many requests to build TF warbirds so, as a test, my Dad and I framed up a TF Sea Fury just to get a good idea of how much time it would take. The result, if I recall, was about 80-100 hours to get it ready for glass. At that point it became quite obvious that building TF kits for others was not going to be profitable! The Sea Fury is a fairly complex build. Not difficult but time consuming.