First post here. I picked up a Dynaflite 1/4 scale PT-19 that needed a new home and some TLC and I'd like to give it a new different look. Two things I could use help with , I want to go gas with it (my first )
and was wondering how a 38 to 45 gas engine would suit this plane and second would anyone know who makes or where I can get a 1/4 scale canopy for a PT-26 ( thats the different look ). Any help or
advise would be appreciated. Been reading the posts for some time and theres some good stuff here. Many thanks in advance.

Jim

Hi Jim,

I've been flying my PT-19 for about 2 years now. She is powered by a Magnum 120 4-stroke and flies scale plus a little bit more.
Not under powered by any means. If I was going to go gas on this model, I think I would go with a 26cc.

The model has a nice long nose forward of the cg and even with the 120 up front, she wants to nose over every now and again,
with a 38 up front, some tail weight would be in order (I think). As they say around here, "your mileage my vary".

This winter season I am going to strip the old covering off and recover with sig coveral and dope. Keeping the same yellow and blue
colors and maybe a new cowl from fiberglass specialists.

Wish they would re-release this kit, its a sweet flying ship and I would not mind building another.

Mike

I fly a very battle tested Dynaflite PT-19 with a Zenoah G-26 up front, turning a 16 X 8 prop. Shifting servos and battery around inside will enable you to keep the CG where it should be. Nose overs are typically corrected by re shaping the landing gear so that they are kicked out a bit more forward....it worked well enough for me. I use Robert struts too...that absorbs some of the impact force when your landing is harder than you would like. We usually fly a number of them in a gaggle during warbird or big-bird events. We had 13 planes up at in a gaggle one time. All of them in the standard yellow/blue scheme. Some guys would add a very large number on the fuse to help identify their own plane. It's a sweet flying plane...no bad habits...kinda like a low wing Cub. I have been lucky enough to buy a new kit online...but it cost me $300. That's my backup in case I lose my current plane. It's amazing how these things have become so much in demand. You'd think Dynaflite would reissue it. Even Great Planes should consider re-issuing their ARF version.
hope this helps you guys.

I'm flying one with an Evolution 35GT and it is, of course, more than ample power. I did have to put almost two pounds of lead in the tail but the airplane is still so light that it flies like a Cub. The Evo fits in the cowl with no problems as well. You could certainly use less power but I don't think that 35cc's is too much.

Chad Veich

Jim, I have one of these with a G-38 turning a 20x8 prop. The prop is bigger than the scale of the plane. As the guys previous its an absolute *****cat. I have flaps on all my other stuff and with the Hugh prop disk this one acts just like it has flaps. Top speed is about scale maybe a little faster but low passes wont burn any worms.

I don’t remember what the firewall thickness is in the kit, mine is 1/2in thick. I glassed that to the light ply fuse. box structure. On the inside of that box structure I ran 1/4x1/2 pin in each of the corners running as far back as it can as a solid unbroken peace. My E and R servos are mounted right under the h stab. I cut the struts off the torque rods that cam with the kit and stuck century jet oleo’s on the stubs.

Here are some pic’s of mine.

Joe

Paladin/Joe, do you remember what you had to do to correct anything cg wise with the G38 up front (ie, add any tailweight, etc)?
Ive got one of these all framed up and have a Sachs/A&M 38cc gasser sitting doing nothing
Thanks,
John

John, I remember my cg is forward of center, other than the two 70in-oz servos for E and R. i added two oz in the tail in the holes for the servos. that wt was added after the first 10 flights, and before i realized moving the cg back would not make it fly better. sort of like dressing up a duck in studs and leather, when all is said its still a duck.

I also did a covering job like the real one would have had with coveral doped on, a number of coats of dope andaluminum and talc powder. then painted two coats of laquer. that added alot of wt to the tail, i figure i had 10oz in the tail over a std build with monokote

4oz - in servos
4 oz - in covering over and above what monokote would wt.
2oz in lead.

Joe

Mike
I have an OS-120 but it has reserved seating in a Hellcat I have waiting. The 26 is an engine I was considering but didn't know if it would be too small and make it fly like a sperm whale. I need to replace the cowl so you answered a future question about where I could get one. Thanks !!

Capt. Jim
You confirmed Mike's suggested engine size so I guess I was thinking just a tad too big. I also want to get the struts Robart makes just for this plane. The 6" flotation devices that are on it now look out of place , do you think 5" tires would be more scale looking ? Are these 6" tires what came with the kit ? To me everything about this thing is " BIG . would have loved to see 13 of these flying together at one time. Do you have any video of it ? Where is the recommended CG located at ?

Chad
Did your 35 fit inside without too much hacking on the cowl? And are all of you running stock or Pitt's muffler's ?

Joe
What can I say - Looking at your pictures makes me want to jump all over this thing. You have one nice looking plane !!! How far forward did you kick out your struts ? NICE field to fly from too.

Sorry to answer you all in one reply , to be honest I really didn't think I would get much response . You all have given me good information, I got my feet in the blocks . Still need to find that PT-26
canopy . Thanks for the help !!!!!

Jim

The Evo fits entirely within the cowl, nothing sticks out. However, the Evolution is probably a bit more compact than something like a G-38. I have to confess I am using a custom made muffler. Not sure if there is a commercially available one that would fit or not, I didn't bother to check.

I've had 2 of these. The first flew for 3 years as a PT-19 with a G-23. Flew fine, but very deliberate. Rebuilt it as a PT-23 with a US 35cc. Flew for another 2 years. Built the second as a PT-26 with a G-26 spinning a 17x8. This I feel is the perfect engine/prop combination for this plane. I added flaps to this plane as well. Unfortunately I hit a tree in 2007 with this plane and haven't had the chance to finish the repairs.
Good luck finding a canopy for a PT-26. I finally gave up looking and made my own. It's a simple canopy and isn't too tough to make.
It also worth looking into the fiberglass cowl available from Spychalla Aircraft for this plane. Leo's glass work is beautiful and he incoporated a little more scale shape into his cowl. Worth the money in my opinion.
Here's his website: [link=http://www.spychallaaircraft.com]Spychalla Aircraft[/link]

Warbirdpilot

Sounds like the 26 it's going to be, I'll start looking for one. My PT-19 doesn't have flaps. How did yours fly both with and without them ?
The wing is so big (89" ) and thick I would think it would be a floater unless I had a basement brick up front for an engine. Did you change
tires to something else other than what came with the kit ? Your yellow PT-26 I've seen a picture of before someplace . I also saw one in a
Canadian museum . That's what got my juice's flowing about changing this one over when I got it. I like the color. What is it Cub yellow ?
I'm setting here with a smile on my face looking at something that's going to be setting in my garage when I'm finished. I'll go with Canadian
markings like the one I first saw. The fiberglass cowl is on my list to Santa. " GOTTA LOVE THIS TIME OF YEAR ".

Jim

The flaps are effective, but not neccessary. The first PT landed fine without them, just a little faster. The tires I used on the PT-26 are Sullivan Skylight wheels. The cheap ones with plastic hubs. I cut hubcaps out of "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter" tub lids and screwed them to the hubs with spare control horn screws. I am using the Robart struts on it. If you plan to use the shock absorbing struts, I suggest you change the mounts. Don't use the bent wire per the kit. It's too flimsy and will flex. I actually bent one back far enough to hit the wing before I remounted the gear. The original yellow finish was Cub Yellow Coverite 21st Century fabric. It lasted 2 years before the seams starting coming loose. I had almost every seam taped with packaging tape when I hit the tree. It's now refinished with Stits Lite fabric and painted with latex paint. I redid it in the Army Air Corps. blue and yellow scheme.

The one in my avitar is powered with a Saito 1.50, which works well. I covered mine with Coverite 21st Century fabric, which I really liked. There was a club member years ago that had one powered with a US engines 41cc. His flew nicely with the big heavy gasser, but the muffler hung out the side of the cowl quite a bit. There is really no need for flaps on this plane, as it lands nicely without.

Warbird pilot

Are the Robart struts your using the offset ones they make for the Dynaflite kit , Looking at the specks for them it's 2 3/4" from the
axle to the top of the offset so I guess you used 5" tires. What size wire did you change to ? Where I fly there's not that many PT-19's
large or small flying , but when you see one it's always blue and yellow. I've never seen a 26 there and I'd like to have something different
from the rest of the heard. My needed input list is getting filled out. Thanks for the help.

Jim

Flying pilgrim

Thanks for your input "PILLLLGRIM". Sorry I couldn't help that. Have you all started your winter projects or out building snow men ?????

Jim

IF any one needs a set of those Robart Struts for the PT -19 Dynaflite Kit please PM me

I have several for sale.....

Yes, I am using the Robart struts designed for the Dynaflite kit, with 5" tires.
I did away with the wire mount all together. I made a bracket that the struts can mount to that mounts to the wing the same way a retract mechanism would.

Jim, I'm also using the Robart offset struts specifically for that kit, and for tires used DuBro 5" tread-lite, which I like. I custom made wing fillets and changed the hinge line for the elevater, but otherwise is stock.

Oh yeah, not enough snow yet for snowmen, but too cold for me to fly for a while. The building season has begun.

War bird pilot
I'll see if I can copy your set up when the time comes. What size stock did you use ?

Flying Pilgrim
I'm not trying to rub anyone , but I was out this morning at 8:00 am , and came home at 2:00 .
Transition day , high pressure moving out, low pressure moving in. 70 degrees clear blue sky
very little wind. Just a perfect day to fly. My attorney and I fly together and he played hooky
from the office . Wheels of justice grind to a halt when it's time to fly.

Jim

Hircflyer

Save me a set . Let me know if you got my pm.

Could this plane be built entirely from the plans?

I've looked over the manual and see that there were diecut parts. Just wondering if they were shown on the plans.

Mike