I've got a spinner coming from tru turn so I'll post some more shots after I get it on

A couple more...I'm happy with the results and hope it's a keeper after flight

Do you think it will require any baffling ?

I really don’t think it will need it....lots of air will escape and with past radial experience the key is the outlet air as is with any engine😃

Jimmy one question:
do you have balance the plane in reverse position (upside down) ? As in post #341?
Many people do not balance low wing plane with this position, but it is still the once that give a right result...

I do not think that a baffling is necessary, if your air can escape easly, the baffling is to much. But it is interessant to see if the Evolution 160 will run without problems.

For me, the maiden is annonced to next wednesday.

Some news about my La-7. I will make the maiden next wednesday, so i have time to add some scale accessories. in follow picture you will see the antenna (removable) and the pitot tube (in progress).

So Jimmy, the weight of 44 lbs is as i planned for your setup. You have enough power to fly it at this weight, and your plane is definitely a winner, what a look !! I love it.

Very nice detail work warbird!! I agree with you on my power to weight ratio, with the wing this model has, 44 lbs shouldn’t be a problem. After adding weight to balance your La-7 what was your final weight? My La came in at 41.8 lbs before I added the batteries, I’m just curious. Either way you should have a great flyer and plenty of power

Hey warbird, you're correct about the balance procedure....with a mechanical balancer I would have balanced the plane inverted with the landing gear retracted however, with the XICOY electronic balancer, I only need to set the plane up in a level flying position then set the plane on the weight sensors. After dialing the required measurements into the XICOY, the device will tell me how much the plane weighs to the tenth value and how much weight I need to add or subtract to get the plane balanced at the pre determined CG location. Its basically a miniature version of a full scale weights and measures machine used on full scale aircraft.....makes balancing very easy:)

My final weight is, as i mentioned in this post, 15.4 kg (34.65 lbs) dry and with lead. It lacks, for best scale, a pilot and the cockpit, this will add some 0.6-0.8 kg as i hope... but for the first flight, i go without this setup. Important for me, is to check the correct CG, and if possible i want to remove the 250 gr extra lead. Must see and probe.

Jimmy, i hope that your balance method will be ok. I have a friend that make the CG balance with the same method, especially on big jets... but his last jet is going near to crash, the CG was wrong...and this was caused be a lack of precision in the calculate procedure.

No worries warbird, this will be the ninth plane I’ve balance with the xicoy...as for your friend if he has the older version like mine, Great care is needed with positioning the sensors under the tires. The sensors have been upgraded in later versions. Also, three measurements must be made and the first two must be very accurate Anyway, I live mine very much and hasn’t been a problem so far 😜

Right retract was not smooth so I took it apart and found some gaulling.....brand new gear too😜

All cleaned up👍

Today I have made the two first flights with the Lavotchkin... It's a sucess!
I give you more info in next time, and an video will be posted on Youtube...

Trying to load video

Awesome warbird!!! When’s the maiden👍👍

As I say yesterday, here the link for the maiden flight, and the second flight. Sorry, but my camera setup was wrong, and the sun make the job a bit difficult...


I am happy with the La-7, it seems as a good model. I see that the elevator and aileron throws are to high, it mus be reducted for scale flying. I do not have test the full flaps seting on approach, that's why the Lavochkine comes with to hight speed on landing. I test this on next flight.
The flight characteristics are good, looping comes with no difficulties, inverted flight with an little amount reverse elevator, and barrel roll is a must. The take off must be accompanied with a little down elevator in the first meters since the tail is coming up, and let it roll, stay on line with the rudder, hold full gas, and you will see it is airborne!
Th CG seems to be good, i try to make a little correction on it for the next flight. In the landing configuration, with this CG, you have full control on the elevator, and you can manage it easy for the final, here is no stall problem. The ground handling is good, with no nose over problems.
The next job for me is to make the cockpit, and install the pilot on it.
The Saito FG-84 R3 will be modified next month one more time, i am not 100% happy with the settings on middle throttle. Will see what i can make. In flight, the Saito and Keleo exhaust gives a good sound, it's a pleasure.

Jimmy, have you planed your maiden ?

Hi Warbird, I like your setup. Congratulation for your maiden. I am closely following your construction from Jimmy and you since a few time. Both of you are making so great job !
I am working on the same kit an plan to fly with an old radial engine Seidel 70 cc that stayed in exposition since too much time. Not sure if it will be powerful enough but want to try at least.
I've also modified the gear fixing, taking inspiration from the David Andersen design, making a 3D CAD modeling and CNC cut of new ribs and gear support. Gear is now quite close to scale. I have now to reinforce the fuselage in the gear retracted area.

Total weight dry is 12,2 kg but need approx 1,5 kg in front for balancing. Means a little less than 14 kg finished, but without scale details. I have to take care of power/weight ratio...
Which propeller do you have with your saito and which rpm ?

It looks like a sweet flying Model warbird.... congratulations on a great job of flying and a good looking Model 👍👍👍the Saito does a wonderful job pulling the plane. I like it man😃

Here’s first run

I think that 14 kg is difficult to goal, you must also complet the tank... If i look my setup, i have only behind the CG, 2 mini servos on the elevator, a retractable mechanical gear, and any extension cable, i had to put some lead on the nose...
You can save weight with Kavan superlight Wheels, weighting 100 gr for a 150mm Wheel. If you put the elevator servo in front of CG, and do not take a retractable rear gear, and you implant all the rest in front of CG, also you have a chance to obtain a light Lavotchkine.
Actually i think that the Seidel 77 will be to underpower for this size of plane, specially for a warbird, because if you would like fly scale, the plane must be able to make maneuvers in the vertical plane! This engine would be good on a 2.1m warbird, as the topflite FW-190.

My Saito FG-84 swing a Mejzlik 24x12 2 blades at 6100 rpm.

Nice Lavotchkine, do you have more pictures, and setup?

How many rpm have you after 20 seconds at full throttle ? Which prop do you use?
It sounds good, nice engine, and with 7 cylinders is a eye stopper !

the break in for this engine is 2000 rpm five minutes at a time until a full tank is used....in my case that’s 50 oz. That will take arbor two hours to accomplish. I have only gotten to run the engine for 15 minutes because the ignition failed during the third run. I have sent the engine to Horizon for repair and will update you when I get it back on the airframe

All the ground work will be with a 27x10 prop but the flying will be with a 28x12....I hope to have the engine back by the end of next week

Ok, you're probably right. Just ended some more trials with the Seidel and it swing 26x8 Menz 2 blades @ 4800 rpm. I have to try a 24x10.
I will post some more pictures later on.
Setup is with retractable tailwheel Robart (with lado actuator), electron retract ER40 for main gear, all servos savox, emcotec dual bat, redundancy bus frsky with 2 receivers.
Which torque do you have in your miniservos on the elevator ? I have actually selected SA-1258TG 12kg which are probably oversized.
I will look to implant rudder servo in front of CG and all batteries in the cowl (not lipo).

12 Kg for each elevator is oversized. But today we have choise on many different brand, and prices.
Take care at first of the elevator servos weight... each gramm is to gain. Same thing for the rear retract, better a mechanical retract with the servo in front of the CG, as a electric! On the La-7, each gramm on the elevator, is to compensate with 3.5 gramm in the nose...
I have on each elevator Graupner DES 678 BB MG, with 7.5 kg torque @ 6.0v, and they weight 28 gr each.

Warbird, since I am using the same CG as you, 195mm, how much throw did you set your elevators after the first flights? I can tell that you had them a little too sensitive for the maiden, so I would like to get mine set the same as yours after you adjusted them. Your La-7 flew awesome and when you get the flaps dialed in its gonna land nice and slow...good job man :cool:

My Evolution 160 came back yesterday but, the fedex driver went to my neighbors house. I called fedex to let them know where my house is so hopefully the driver will deliver it to my house today....my fingers are crossed:p

Ok I got it bolted on this morning and in process of hooking it up....should have it outside and running in a couple of hours 👍

It’s ready for break in once again😃

Bad news !!!! Another bad ignition....I’m bummed🙁

Ignition leads not melting and shorting out on exhaust collector are they?

no that would be too easy....electronic malfunction in circuitry They’re sending me another 😜

Not a confidence builder

Seems like the bad ignition is due to a bad batch of Rcxel made ignitions..... i bet the next one is bad too