Minnreefer

Very pretty, That may have to be one of my next planes to build

chinehamgeorge

Nice one Scotty

I now wish I had come up to see her fly

Cheers
George

PS Still should have gone electric [8D]

siddus74

Just been emailed some slightly better pictures . . .

Mustang Fever

My Feedback: (2)

Scott:

How did the bird handle when transitioning from displacement speed to planing? Any tendency to submerge?

Lovely job.

siddus74

Bob, I take it you mean from taxing out to actually on step? Normally you would hold elevator in to push it on to step then release the evevator to then progress up to take of speed on full power . . . thats way I did it on the first couple of take off's with no tendencys to submerge, then I realised that holding the elevator in had no effect, but the plane still jumps up on step and takes off the same . . . I had the biggest grin I can tell you . . .

Build one!, build it light (mine was about 4 .5 lbs), build it with ailerons and run with 2 x .10's - I flew it half a dozen times and loved it every time. I wished I had used skinning epoxy and light weight cloth over the forward section of the hull as I sheeted my Cat with 1/16 balsa not 1/64 ply and I may still do, but apart from that i'm well chuffed !

Mustang Fever

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That really sounds great. I think I might get the plans after my Arrow is finished.

Is anybody building .10s other than the OS 10 LA these days? I don't know if two of those would be enough. Maybe two of the 15LAs.

siddus74

I think that the 10LA is just a new version of the 10FP both are plain bearing engines with the same displacement, if I was building again and failed to find these 2 at a swap meet I would have just puchased a couple of 10LA's instead . . . I have 2 .15LA's and 4 x 25LA's all are very good engines . . .

Mustang Fever

My Feedback: (2)

I'm glad you knew that, as I was not familiar with the FP series.

I really like the LA engines, as well. Properly adjusted, they refuse to quit. I have a 65LA on an RCM Ugly Stik that is a real champ. I've lost track of how many airplanes it has been on. At least 3, maybe more.

Just a couple questions:

Your throttle servos look like sub micros, is that the case?

2 or 4oz flex tanks for fuel?

I'd like to go the micro/sub micro route on throttles and ailerons, but I got burned once using plastic gear micros on a glow plane. The vibration ate the gears. Ever since I've used the HS81MG (metal gear) on small glow models. They are heavy, tho.

siddus74

I actually used some metal gear servos from Air-Craft World, very good price, good quality and excellent delivery both cost and time, also no import duty

Waypoint 092MB for the throttles (metal gear)

Waypoint 150Power for the Ailerons (metal gear)

[link=http://www.aircraft-world.com/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=50&cat=radio+%2D+SERVOS]Air-craft World[/link]

The tanks are 2 once slant as suggested on the plan . . . I also put in about 3 degrees of out thrust on both nacels.

Go on, build one - you wont regret it . . . [)]

I have used the Ripmax SD200 in glow models with good results and I dalso use the HS 85BB and 81 BB for throttles, although if I had to buy them for a job as apposed to having already had them instock then I would def go for the way point servos . . .

I have just bought another 4 x Waypoint 150Power for my 72" span Canadair water bomber, that is going to be powered by 2 .15LA's or .25LA's - I have both piars on the shelf but at the moment can not decide which way to go with it . . .

chinehamgeorge

Hi Scotty

Looks like you had a really nice day to test fly her, looks like little or no wind.

Congrats mate - Nice Job

George

Mustang Fever

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks for the servo info, Scotty.

I think I'm going to try those- they're less expensive and lighter than any of the Tower offerings in MG.

siddus74

Guys, my mate Jim came though with some better pictures from the weekend . . . thanks Jim!

General Lee Stupid

Wow that is sweet, very nice job!

siddus74

I dont know if this may be interesting for fellow builders but here is the original article for the Catalina . . .

I have a high resoloution PDF if anybody requires it.

Mustang Fever

My Feedback: (2)

Geez, thanks a bunch, Scotty. I saved all of them. When I bring them up in my photo program, I can enlarge them enough to read the article.

Well done.

siddus74

At last I managed to get some video of my Catalina, below are two 'Youtube' links the other is some video of my other favourite seaplane . . .

Stick with them there are some very reasonable close flybys and they are best viewed in the high quality option.

[link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfCPsYqmjUU]Budd Chappell Catalina[/link]

[link=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyI3Kchr3ss]Home grown 'Navy' water plane[/link]

Fast Freddy

[8D] Gorgeous work! Hats off to you!. I'm contemplating this plane, but in the Fred Novack 72" version as a laser cut short kit by Charlotte Aircraft Modeling. I just haven't got the time or patience to cut out so many parts. Anyway keep us posted, looks fantastic.

siddus74

We had another 2 day water plane meet @ Colwick park , by 3:30pm the wind had dropped and some great water plane flying was had . . I test fly with my Canadair with good results (no pics unfortunately) but I ended up putting 10 or flights on my Catalina, the engines were faultless as was the plane - for a twin you cant beat it!

I just have to add that this is by far the best plane I have ever built and flown, I love all the vintage stuff etc but they just dont compare, even the fact the build was painful towards the end if I had to do it again I would - the self satisfaction I get from flying it and the comments make it so worth while, money cant buy that . . .

Mustang Fever

My Feedback: (2)

Scotty:

After doing at least 4 design studies on different Catalinas, I think I'm going to take a run at this one. I have a pair of Astro 020 brushless motors that are unemployed. I have a third one in my half size electric Arrow, and after some testing, it is apparent that the performance of the Astros is comparable to a .10 glow engine, maybe even a bit better on a 3S LiPo pack.

Is it ok if I tack the build onto this thread, or would you prefer that I start a new one?

Regards

siddus74

Mustang, I dont have a problem with you tagging on to this one . . . I would be honered, if i can be of any help let me know . . . good luck!

Additional :

Can I ask what your considerations were and how you decided on building this one? If I was going for an electric Cat at this size i would have purchased the Great Planes ARF as it is nice looking and of excellent quality and if it was an electric Cat any larger say 80" I would have been tempted to build the Ivan Pettigrew one (I have the plans as well)

Siddus74

Mustang Fever

My Feedback: (2)

Oh, man. I went through a lot of mental gyrations before I settled on this one. (I ordered the plans this morning, as well.)

I never seriously considered the GP ARF. I don't have anything against ARFs, I have five of them. It's just that it's too close to the park (or pond) flyer category for my tastes. Both motors together are rated for only 28 amps constant. One of my 020s pulls almost that much. Also, I like to build. The winters are long and harsh, here. (We're 50 miles from the 45 parallel) Building keeps me from losing my sanity.

I love Ivan's airplanes. Everytime I go to his site I start drooling over the Martin Mars. They're just all too big, and the wing loadings are too light for the conditions I have to fly in. I'm less than fifty miles from Lake Michigan, which is on par with the Irish Sea for size. Big winds. Really big winds. It blew 25 mph or better all summer long here.

I really looked at the 102" plans sold by Fred Novack, but the size and expense stopped me.

The fact that I have the two Astro motors and your success with the design combined to push me over the edge.

siddus74

Mustang,

Well justified . . . 25 mph! thats to much for a Cat of any size . . . as I said any help or reference I can be let me know.

I know what you mean about size and exspense, I tend to keep every thing to about 72" its a good size most planes if kept light fly well at this size, easy storage, easier transport, one piece wings etc, fuel bill on smaller engines is better and even more so for small multies . . .

Good luck, Crack on!

Siddus74

Mustang Fever

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks, mate.

I'll probably start cutting balsa as soon as the plans arrive.

siddus74

Mustang,

I know what you mean about the Ivan Pettigrew Martin Mars, what a glorious glorious model . . . if im not very carefull that will end up my next project (after my sunderland is finished)

I have just finished watching the 'Discovery Wings 2 DVD box set History of Flying boats' really inspiring and the Mars looks even better in the flesh.

Ref the PBY - Looking foward to see how some one else builds thie little bird.

Siddus74

Mustang Fever

My Feedback: (2)

It's always interesting, isn't it? One of the fun things about building from plans and kits, no two end up alike.

Don't know how much of recent Mars history you're familiar with- the two survivors from WWII were used as forest fire water bombers until this year, when they were retired. One is going to be based permanently in Vancouver, BC, Canada and the other (hopefully) at the Glenn Martin Aviation museum in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Here's some pix of one of them, taken last year when it was called in to fight the many forest fires in California. I believe that the Mars is still the largest production flying boat in aviation history.