Charley

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Finally got around to this project. As those of you who are into scale electrics already know this little ARF is a great flying model as it comes out of the box. I liked it so much I decided to try it as a float plane. I used 24" flat-bottom foam floats from Seaplane Supply <www.seaplanesupply.com>. No financial interest; I just decided to try their product. I used a Park 450 outrunner and 22 Amp ESC with a 2,000 mAH 12c 3s1p LiPo. Plenty of power on a 10x7 APC SF prop. Bottom of the floats was covered with clear mylar packaging tape in the interest of keeping them light. Painted the exposed foam with water based spray paint to seal it up.

The T'craft has a semi-symmetrical wing so I set the wing to float incidence at 3.5* positive. Once it's on the step it will fly itself off the water with just a touch of up elevator. Here are some pics:

jpg0529

Nice Charley!
I have a buddy that flys one here in Maine and it seems to be a great float plane.

Joe

Charley

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Thanks. It's a great little plane (47" WS), wheels or floats. E-Flite really got this one right. I have one of their DHC-2 Beavers, 65" WS. It isn't quite rigged right, IMO. I'm still working with it. They're both pretty birds, though.

CR

cf-drg

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I always wanted to try this... Saw the Taylor Craft when it first came out and thought "Hummmm"... But looks like you beat me to it Charley... I don't have enough space for another plane... Good job... Who knows maybe I'll be able to squeeze one more into the basement...

Jollidude

My Feedback: (39)

Darren, you have to stop building those huge seaplanes!

Cheers!

Jollidude

goirish

Getting ready to maiden this one. SeaMaster 120 with Magnum 180 4s. Hope it flys.

TedMo

Not that I'm inpatient but I ordered my Taylercraft 1/30/08 and it is still on backorder. No one seems to have any. I happen to be 82years young but don't know if I'll still be here when it arrives ???

goirish

Hey TedMo you got me by a couple of years. Hope it comes soon for you.

Charley

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I know what you mean. I just turned 70. Search around on the web. Horizon sends models to their affiliated hobby shops before they sell direct. I got mine from 3DHS because I knew the proprietor and he knew I wanted it. You might find one at a web store if you look hard enough. I found a H9 CAP 232 that way.

The model is worth the effort. It really flies well.

CR

cf-drg

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Yes and I just got a 1/5 scale Beaver from a friend... Just what I needed... But it's come to a good home..

I here Yah.. you old timers I hit the big 41 this year... My knees are going, candy doesn't taste as good ... Oppps this old time does ramble on sometimes don't I..

Charley

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Now, I gave you a source for a T'Craft in stock. Did you get one from them? They had several, they said. Shall I tell everyone?

CR

sbaugz

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hobbyzone has them in stock. that's where I ordered mine from.

Charley

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I found several at Chief Aircraft.

CR

Falcon6667

goirish
Keep us up to date on how it flyes.
Falcon

Charley

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Yeh, but start another thread.

CR

walrath596

What paint did you use and where did you get it. I have the same floats for the same airplane and want to finish them as light as possible. Im using balsa for the bottoms though. Will the paint seal balsa as well. The dealer says to use polyurethane paint, but noone has it.

Charley

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It's Krylon H2O Latex in a spray can. Got it from WalMart. They also have the PolyU water based clear. I think you might have to seal the balsa or it'll soak up a lot of paint. Might be as well to Monokote it. I thought the Mylar would be stronger.

CR

walrath596

Is the krylon H20 totaly foam safe or did you have to spray from a distance? Do they make it in silver? How many coats did you do? I was thinking of covering in .5oz glass, do you think this would be too heavy for the plane? Does the krylon paint make them strong enough or are they farely delicate? Thanks!

Mojavegold

My Feedback: (71)

Here's the maiden flight of my TC on floats. I'm still working the bugs out, but it pops off the water and flys great! Thanks to Charlie for the help with the float set up!

http://www.soaringunionoflosangeles....ftonFloats.wmv

Charley

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Lookin' good, Barry! The way she comes off the water is real nice. You must have the incidences right. Congrats! Glad I could help.

Er, was that one landing or three?

CR

Mojavegold

My Feedback: (71)

Charley: thanks again for the help. Yeah, the pucker factor was really high and I skipped her a bit on landing. It's such a light plane and I really need to fly it on to the water VS cutting the throttle and flaring. I made 3 approaches and just decided to go for it. At least I didn't panic and tip stall her after the first bounce! I was really surprised at how nimble the plane is with the floats, I tried to rip the wings off, but no such luck. I had over 100 flights on my last TC (may she rest in pieces) and it's a great flying little plane. BTW, you were right about needing a water rudder on this plane, it weather vanes very easily. I am going to increase the size of the water rudder before the next float fly. I kept it small in the hopes of keeping the weight down, but it really needs more authority to taxi in a breeze.

Charley

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You could put another rudder on the other float. Two small ones will be more effective than one large one IMO. Watch out when taxiing crosswind though. It can tip over with the narrow stance of the stock gear & if the spinning prop hits the water it will flip the model on it's back. That's what happened to me. Cost me an ESC. []

BTW, your video was herky-jerky in Win Media Player but played fine in Media Player Classic. Wonder if I'm the only one who experienced that. (??)

Congrats again,

CR

V2PLUS10

Here is yet another Eflite T-craft 450 with floats. Thanks to Charley for blazing the trail and pointing us to www.seaplanesupply.com for the floats.

Eflite 480/1020kw motor. 10-7 prop
Eflite 40 amp Pro switch-mode bec controller
Thunder power 2200mah 25c 3 cell lipo
Spektrum rx and 4 7.5 gram Spektrum servos
Seaplane supply 28" flat bottom floats, style #2(I'd get syle #1 or #3 if I had it to do over again, just easier to mount), square step. Floats have light weight fiberglass on the bottoms, thinned light spackle skim coat, and Nelson Hobby water based polyu paint.

Flys great at our 2800 foot elevation. I think it flys better with the floats than with the wheels....

The ducks seemed to like it too!!

Randy

Charley

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Hey man,

That's just great! The fibreglasse and paint add to the database of "what works." That's what makes these forums such a great idea.

b CR

Charley

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Looks great!

Gets off good too, I gather. Wasn't much wind, huh? Get some water rudders on it or you better always be downwind of the recovery area.

CR