would a tiger 2 make a good candidate for floats?

thanks

In my opinion, after 20 years of float flying with everything from trainers to pattern ships, electrics to gas, I would say that the Tiger 2 is the best all around float plane there is.

It is light, so you don't need big floats (32" work the best) and the weight of the floats won't hurt performance.

The tail area is large so you don't have to add a ventral fin for good tracking.

The air rudder is big enough that you don't need a water rudder.

The low wing means it won't blow over in a crosswind.

The fully symmetrical airfoil helps make it neutrally stable, even with floats, so your aerobatics won't suffer. (Inverted and knife edge maneuvers are actually easier to do with the floats on.)

It is small enough to transport easily, but big enough for good smooth flight performance.

A cheap engine and cheap servos work great so you don't have to worry about dunking expensive gear.

Do it! You won't be sorry!

Jim

thanks jrf, i'm trying to figure out a good sport plane for floats. i have an arrow trainer with gp floats now and love it. i was looking at the kyosho calmato, wm super sports 40(narrow w.s.), tiger 2(wing monted servos?), or four * 40 etc. for a second float plane.

the tiger 2 does look like an excellent plane.

thanks alot

craig

All of the ones you mentioned are very good float planes. The Calmato and 4* are semi-symmetrical, so less aerobatic, and the Super Sport has a higher wing loading than the Tiger.

Don't worry about the wing mounted servos, unless you are flying from salt water, the splashes won't hurt them. It you want to be sure no water gets into the wing you can make a small shield over the servo arm slots that is open at the rear. They sell them for use on sailplanes.

Jim

The plastic bubble pack that Great Planes and I think DuBro spinners come in make good servo covers. I leave them open at the back. They keep water from splashing in on take off and landing and if any does, they drain easily. I use canopy glue to stick them to the Monokote/covering. Never had a problem.

I agree with JRF about the positive features of the Tiger2. I would put one on floats in a heartbeat.

I built one for my son about 12 years ago, and kept the plans so I build an all-balsa version. It was sweet. It had the Best pilot figure I ever used: A John Goodman/Fred Flintstone action figure from K-Mart, sawed off about armpit level and glued into the plane. Williams Brothers pilots always looked like somebody who would get beat up on his way to chess club, but I digress.

If you have the Kit version: varnish the airframe, since it is all Lite-Ply. I love to use water-based polyurethane as a sealant.
Since it has a bubble canopy it will get fogged up so put a couple of breathing holes in the canopy floor. They don't have to be big, but it is important for air to be able to get in and out.

Mount your radio gear low and rearward. If it ever flips over, it will float on the wing, nose down, so a lot of the forward part of the fuse will flood. You want the radio stuff to still be floating out of the water.

One thing about Goldberg kits designed while Carl was alive: The tank is too low. You might find the motor leaning out as the tank empties. If you rotate the engine around to have the cylinder horizontal, you'll get better fuel flow. If you're too far along for that, a perry pump will fix it.

thanks for the reply's.

just an update: i put an offer on the tiger 2 here in classifieds and was rejected so i bought these from ultimate hobbies, free shipping

calmato sport 40 94.95





thunder tiger pro 46 84.95





this package is 70.00 less then the tiger 2 arf. w/tt pro 46 @ t.h.

here's what i been flying an alprow





thanks for all the reply's. i had to inquire about the tiger 2 before i made an offer, after i was rejected i found great prices and free shipping at ultimate hobbies.

now i have to get the floats

thanks again.

craig