Fast Freddy

Charles, I beg to differ with you. I might be wrong, but after speaking with the Hobbico rep for 20 minutes, I predict there will be a shortage of these planes in the near future. They are very popular amongst the seaplane crowd / freaks, myself included. (Like I said, I'd buy one right now but my funds are low.) The Grumman flying boats (Albatross, Widgeon, Mallard) are classics and when does one see Grumman flying boat ARF's on the market? Never until now![8D]

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

Been around for a while at a slightly different price point and level of completion

http://rcairplane.net/
http://rcairplane.net/index3.html

Fast Freddy

Scale only 4 me,
Yup, I'm aware of G&P kits. But these are not ARF's by any stretch of the imagination, they are builder's kits. Even though the they come with an unpainted fiberglass fuse, there is a tremendous amount of work to bring these planes to completion. IMHO these are not in the same category as the G-44.

handyman 220

My Feedback: (54)

Fast Freddy

I have to agree with you, comparing these two kits is like comparing apples to oranges. By the time you read the directions for the G&P kits you can have the GP Widgeon assembled and flying.

Avaiojet

scale only for me,

Have you ever considered changing your Avatar?

Charles

Avaiojet

OK,

I went through my engine stash. I have a cute little GMS 25, NIB. Perfect if I had another. Anyone got a GMS 25, NIB?

Two of these could promote interest. Possibly.

Charles

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

LOl,
I just changed it to that a few weeks ago, that's the best pic I have

Freddy,
I was just joking,,

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

.15s would be a little too much. I bet a pair of OS .10s would do the trick. Getting fuel tanks into the nacelle area would be pretty tough...would require a major wing mod to make room for the tanks under the nacelles. The nacelles are also too flimsy for glow power...would vibrate and crack apart in short order.

Then you would need weight in the nose, since there would not be a good size lipo in there..

Electric is really the only way to go on a twin model this size, however.

handyman 220

My Feedback: (54)

The nacelles in general are way to flimsy. My original set arrived cracked. Tower sent replacements, they arrived today, also cracked. Contacted Tower, they are sending another set,we'll have to see if I finally get usable nacelles. GP should have used a thicker gage plastic IMHO. Hopefully when they are installed on the wing they won't be as prone to cracking.[X(]

Avaiojet

Thomas,

The model could be beefed up.

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

Windloading is already up there for such a small plane,, you really need to have video rolling when you maiden that with glow motors

chistech

Got mine today from the LHS. I checked my nacelles after reading an earlier post and sure enough, they are cracked on the sides where they are glued together. They are just small cracks up the joint but still shouldn't be there. My LHS called Great Planes right then and there and told them I had just opened the box because I had read a thread about the nacelles and they said they have had "no previous issues" with the nacelles. They will send my LHS new ones as soon as they are in stock! It seems right now the nacelles are the only parts out of stock. I wonder why! I have ordered all the electrics from HK and hope they are here before next weekend and our club float fly. I will post pics and flight report as soon as I get it in the air.

chistech

Started putting it together today. Made pretty nicely but there are areas on the wing where it's just bare balsa and I used thin CA to water proof. Where the wing dowels go is a very exposed area to water. When lining up the stab it moves so freely that I used a couple T pins to help hold it so I could measure. Without them every time I tried to use a rule it would move. Goes together very fast and I hope my electrics get here before next weekend or I'll have a built plane just waiting and it will miss the float fly. There are lots of pull strings provided on the wings for leads but I guess the price of string must have gone up in China as you really couldn't tie most of them as they were too short. Maybe with a set of tweezers and dexterity I could make the knots. I ended up fishing the taped together motor leads down the wing with a L bent piece of music wire. Went much faster than the time it would have taken to tie every thing off. The hole in the center of the wing is small and after having the six motor leads coming through it is not easy to get the servo leads past the wires. I recommend folding the servo extensions about 3" from the end and tying off the pull string at the bend. When you pull it through past the motor leads it's easier to get the plug by. I ended up gluing with CA the piece of string in the wing to another piece I had so I had the length to tie it off. Had to do this for both sides of the wing. Mine were really short, kind of odd! One thing I'm not happy with is one of my outboard wing panel joints was not that good. The panel wanted to rock on the center section so out came the sanding block. Doing this stinks as it ends up cutting the sealed over edge of the covering. Currently working on the fuse right now but should have it done and waiting for all the guts in an hour or so. I'll try and get some pictures.

Avaiojet

Maybe I should open the box and take a look at mine?

Nah!

Charles

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

No structural beefing up needed, at all. The model is more than strong enough for small glow power. In actuality, the fuse is too strong for glow OR electric...overbuilt...
The only weak parts are the plastic motor cowl fairings and they are too weak for electric, much less glow. The only real mod needed for glow is to redo the motor mounts so that small glow will fit and figure out a way to gt a couple of 2-3 oz tanks in there for the .10s.

Go Pens

My Feedback: (1)

Just pick up a G-44 @ L.H.S and was wondering what prop brand everyone like? Should I go with the Great Planes slow flyer prop or can I go with the common APC 8X6E prop? What is slow flyer anyways? Also while I"m here, I have noticed there are only three holes for the motor mount and I was considering using a motor from Hobby Partz which has a four hole config. Will a "after market" motor line up to the predrilled holes on the motor mounts?

chistech

Are the new Supertigre 400 motors big enough for this plane? The ST 400 is 10 less watts but is the same size physically and the recommended prop sizes are the same. They use the same mount and my local HS has them in stock. I do not think my order from HK will be here for Friday and our club float fly is Sat.

Avaiojet

I still have no interest in mine.

Brand new in unopened box.

Charles

handyman 220

My Feedback: (54)

Charles, you should at least open it to check for cracked nacelles. After receiving the original set plus a replacement set broken, the third arrived with very minor damage. I'll fix it rather than try to get another replacement, definitely a weak point on this plane. Everything else seems to be above average quality. Maybe GP will re think the guage of plastic they used on the nacelles with all the replacements they will be sending out no charge. [&:]

Avaiojet

If I open the box I'll get less for it if I sell it.

Charles

efurche

mine is at roy's to pick up. what motors and ESC's are you using? would like to sve some money...

Ed

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

Hey, Ed...it's Tom. I have a low cost setup for the Widgeon listed on post number 46 in this thread....am finishing mine up today...

bladebender

My Feedback: (5)

Chistech
what motors and speedcontrol did you order from HK
could use some input

chistech

Here is what I ordered from HK. All of it will cost less than $100. Order the batteries from the US warehouse and the other parts from China. The shipping saved is worth it. So far all looks good with the fit. I wanted everything this past Friday for our club float fly on Saturday. Of course, everything was delivered on Saturday when I was at the pond.[:@] I have put the motors in and they fit well with just a tiny amount of sanding with a sanding drum around the front hole of the cowling. ESC's and batteries seem good. I will be done with it this morning and hope to maiden in the next day or two.

Couple of notes: The motor shafts are slightly long and I will cut back to put props closer to the nacelle. Motor mounts are 4 leg VS. the 3 leg mounting already provided for in the firewall. I used the bottom T-nut already installed in the firewall and then drilled for the others. The top screw ends up in a lazer cut relief hole. Wood needs to be put in with a additional T-nut to use a screw in the top mount hole. I will have pictures on soon to explain.

30a Mystery ESC $12.69ea
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...idProduct=9483

2830 1100kv Motor $9.33ea
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...dProduct=12921

Turnigy 3600 mah 3C 30c Lipo Battery $24.13ea
http://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/s...idProduct=9505

Thomas B

My Feedback: (4)

Have done some work on my Widgeon, with the alternative components I listed in Post 46.

The motors will work well, but they do require a firewall modification to the nacelle, if you want the prop in the proper relationship with the front of the nacelle. The BP motors put the prop abut 7/16" too far out in front of the nacelle, due to the X mount (about 1/16" thick) and a longer prop adapter that is collet style. No problem in hollowing out the exisiting firewall to clear the motor (And maintain the fit of the firewall to the nacelle) and then adding a sub firewall/motor mount to the nacelle crutch assembly. The design of the nacelle assembly with the twin longitudinal members makes this mod very easy.

Will post photos when I get a chance.

I used the HXT900s for the two aileron servos, but decided to use a slightly larger servo for the rudder and elevator, as the servo bay was a little too wide to fit the HXt900s without adding more plywood. I happened to have a couple of spare Hitec servos, an 85MG and an 82, for the elevator and rudder respectively.

The servo mounting hole in the aileron servo hatch is a hair too small for the shoulder of the HXT900 servo, but a quick pass with a small Dremel sanding drum inside the hatch hole made things fit perfectly in a couple of minutes.

I customized my model a little with a red N number on each side of the fuse, N28682, based on my AMA number. Looks MUCH better than the ugly black N numbers that GP supplied and that way mine is at least a LITTLE different than all the other Widgeons out there.

We actually had TWO Widgeons show up for show and tell at our Club meeting Monday night (F'ort Worth Thunderbirds), mine and Gary Alpins....

I love the look, size and style of the Electrifly Widgeon, but I sure wish the fuse was lighter. I am more than tempted to do a scratch built balsa fuse and fin covered in matching Monokote. Bet I could save well more than a pound in all up weight. The only compound curves are the front and top of the nose and the windshield area. The rest of the fuse would be very simple.