zipnz1

My Feedback: (2)

Your not on any kind of time schedule. When you feel the time is right and are ready, make the call and i will be there.

mike

jeffie8696

Hey big boy, just messin with ya, lighten up its a hobby. Like Ihave told you several times by now.
Ishowing your wife the photos, you are off the rug , yer gonna get it!!
Ya know if we hung plastic from under the deck we could make you a paint booth, Ithink Igot a really, really big roll of it here,,,,, somewhere.

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Well, I'd hoped to have an excellent post-flight report and associated video to share today, but it was rainy all day here in eastern Iowa, so re-maiden has been put off until this coming weekend.

Good, bad or ugly, I'll been back soon with a report!

Noah

jeffie8696

If you need help you have my number.

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Yeah, maybe you can bring your glow ignitor and your collection of 8x4 props, Club Saito!

Ha.. just joking! I'll call you later this week, Jeff, if the weather looks better for a mid-week/evening flight! Appreciate the offer to help out, too!

Noah

jeffie8696

Iwill bring the props and glow ignitor if you finally fix your Little Extra. Touche beeotch
You order that carb part yet?
Didnt Ijust give you an 8X4 prop? you loose it already in amongst your HUGEplanes.

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Success!!!

The re-maiden flight went perfectly! Couldn't be more thrilled!

Got confortable with the model relatively quickly and actually put it through it's paces, fast and slow flight, barrel rolls and immelman, air show passes, etc...

It's VERY fast, and has tremendous power with DLE 111cc engines. Overkill on the power but highly impressive in the air. And that sound... the motors ran really well today, and they sounded great with the Giant Scale Twins scale exhaust collector rings with 18 individual exhaust exit ports! Really cool.

Thanks to Mike Kaas, John Biondo, Dr. Steve, Scott Booth and Dave Jensen for helping me prep the model for today's flight, and thanks to Mike Kaas for shooting video. Mike will not be up for an Oscar anytime soon as a cinematographer, but the video gets the point across:

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

The plane is very stable, no bad tendencies, and it settled in great for landing (all it took was for me to NOT chop the throttles, and for me to set it down close enough to actually see!).

Last, a very special congratulations to Jim Oosterhuis, owner and proprietor of Giant Scale Twins located here in Iowa. The F7F is an incredible model, and anyone looking to get into a giant F7F should call Jim and learn more about his company and his kits. Website here: http://giantscaletwins.com/

Quick review:
116" wingspan
69.5 lbs all up weight
DLE 111cc engines, 27x10 Xoar props
Robart Mains and nose gear
Hank Likes wheels
JR 12x radio and 12 channel power safe receiver
13 servos: Hitec 7955 TG all-around, except throttles (JR Ultra precision 8231) and air valve
Fully functional flaps and gear doors (gear doors pneumatically operated with UP3 sequencing valve)

A few things to change for subsequent flights: 1) I will go back to 3-blade props as there's too little ground clearance using 27 inch diameter 2-bladed props. My prop tips got chewed up biting through grass and maybe even some high spots on the ground; 2) heavier compression springs in the Robart Mains and nose gears. The oleos were bottoming out, surely contributing to the issues with the props. 3) Some mixing of flap and elevator. The flaps are very effective and significantly increase lift (some ballooning upon deployment).

More flights this coming weekend!

Thanks to those who subscribed and stuck with me through this project, and thanks for all the words of encouragment, particularly after my first flight landing disaster!

Regards,

Noah

Scott Prossen

What a great story of success Noah. The plane is beautiful and you flew it very well. Wishing you endless sorties! Thanks for putting the time into the build thread. The kit and finished product look fabulous!

ATB,
Scott

All Day Dan

My Feedback: (5)

Noah, it's not better than sex, but close. Thanks for sharing it all with us. Dan.

jeffie8696

Good job Noah, wish I could have been there. Unfortunately I lost the pylon racer today, lost the radio contact and it plumeted into a grove of trees.
Glad your day went better than mine.

wulf190

My Feedback: (19)

Bravo.....definitely greased the landing this time around...NICE job. That's a lot of plane up there flying around...but it sure is nice and pretty for those watching.

jaooster

My Feedback: (19)

Excellent job, Noah!  Wonderful build and terrific flight!  Very good speed on landing... grass is good!  You'll be able to slow the approach and landing down a little as you get used to it. 

Hope to see it in person, soon!

Of course this means that I will have to get my F7 demonstrator built and flying so I can keep up with you..... dang, looks like you just planned my winter project for me

Jim
Giant Scale Twins

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Thanks everyone!

I can't wait to get it out to the field again. Ordering some new props today, and I should have everything ready to go for more flights this weekend.

Jim... get to work, buddy!!! That way we can fly our f7f's together at one of the events next year! The question now is, what will you use for power?!? 100cc engines are overkill. Two good 75-80cc singles would fly mine just fine, even at 70 lbs.

Speak soon.

Noah

Scott Prossen

You need to bring that down to Mac Hodges next weekend and then slide on down to Monster Planes the following weekend and hang out with Sammy and I. You could stay with us and fly for a week and a half straight. To heck with work and family. Do it Noah. JUST DO IT!!

Then you will know where Top Gun will be in spring when you come back for that!

Oh yeah, you''ll also know where 12 O'clock High will be held the first weekend in December when you come back for that too.

Scott

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Scott, YOU'RE KILLING ME!!!!

I really wish I could, but it's not nearly as simple as you make it sound! Next year, though... I'll make it priority!

Say hi to Sam for me. Wish I could hang out. Your guys are the best!

Noah

rprouty

Noah,
you stuck that landing, great job. as I mentioned I will be using DA 100's and had planned on 27x10 props? What size three blade are you going to use? and THANKS for your help thus far with my Big Cat build.
Richard Prouty, III

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Thanks, Richard.

I'm going with 25x10 3-bladed props. That's what I originally had installed, but the crash took out both props. Not sure if you'll have the clearance required if you use 2-bladed props that fit the 100cc DA engines. Plenty of clearance between the props and the fuse, it's just the ground that get a little close when you use 27 inchers.

Noah

rprouty

What size wheels are you using? I planned on using 5 1/2 - 6" mains and 3 1/2 - 4" nose wheels?

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

I'll have to double check that, but I think it's 6 on the mains and 3.5 or 4 on the nose.

Will get photos and measurements tonight (RE: radio install)

Noah

jeffie8696

Noah has a really really really important job and doesnt get much time off. Lifesaving type stuff.

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

All I do is save lives, Jeff

I now know how to edit/splice videos together at home using a PC with standard Windows 7 utilities, so I have replaced the separete You Tube links with a single video file:

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

As flights continue and more photos and footage is captured, I'll update.

Noah

zipnz1

My Feedback: (2)

Noah, I have a friend whos cousin knows a guy that can edit vcr tapes. Will that work? -maybe your idea would be better.

mike

jeffie8696

Dude, Windows Movie Maker.

Brad330l

My Feedback: (1)

Yes, congratulations butlern!!![8D] Awesome.
I dont know half of what you have been through making this beast mate but I know that after a few initial flights with my ASM one and being my first twin I could not get the smile off my face for a week at least.
Your vid shows a great maiden with a picture perfect landing to finish off. Good luck with her for many, many more flights to come.

Cheers,

Brad

butlern

My Feedback: (15)

Yeah, thanks, Brad!

I'm pretty excited about my new Tigercat project... it's clear the F7F means business when I fire up those two 100cc engines. Sure gets my heart racing!

Thanks for the encouragement, too!

Cheers,

Noah