"Unionville 6" beaver"
 

I've just finished building the 6"Unionville Beaver and did some taxing today. All was going well until a bit of wind came up making the water choppy and with the ac pointed into the wind and a bit of power added she nosed in all the way with the tail proudly pointing skywards!

After retreiving the plane I was able to drain all the water, thankfully none got into the fuselage but certainly the engine got a good dunking. I pulled the glow plug, turned it over with the electric starter to ensure I got all the water out of it and started it up without too much of an issue and let it run to make sure it was ok.

My question is why did it nose in? I'm running 36" Hangar 9 ARF floats mounted pretty much in the landing gear blocks. I aligned the float step to the recommended CoG. The floats are forward of the cowling front by 7". I'm running the OS 46 with a Bison muffer. When the water was calm with no wind it taxied pretty good.

I'm new to float flying so any and all help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Gary

RE:
 

Do you have a positive incidence angle on the wing relative to the floats?
Walt

RE:
 

The wing is mounted tight to the fuselage cradle which is as I understand susposed to give a slight positive angle of incidence. I've just ordered an incidence meter and will check it.

Thanks,

Gary

RE:
 

The incidence relative to the floats is irrespective of the wing/stab/datum line incidence.
Walt

RE: RE:
 

Walt,

This is my first real float plane so if I appear as a float plane ludite chances are I am!

When you say relative to the floats does that mean I measure the wing incidence with the top of the floats level? If that is the case what should the wing incidence be?

Tks,

Gary

RE:
 

Since you're willing to try something new, like floats, I doubt that you are a Luddite (-: I will check when I get down to my shop (3 floors below) and get back to you if I'm wrong, but I believe it is a minimum of 3 degrees relative to the float datum line which is usually the same as the top of the float.

I'll also try to get you the web site that has a famous builder, designer, flier's guidelines on floats (I want to say Clarence Lee, but I know that's wrong - he's an engine guy. This fellow ˆ'm thinking of designed the "Big John" bipe and a whole lot of other stuff.
Walt

RE: RE:
 

Chuck Cunningham?

RE:
 

Yup.
WT

RE:
 

Okay, best way to get more info on float-flying than you'll ever need is to simply do a search for "Chuck Cunningham floats." You'll get several articles by him. In one of them he states that the wing should have 2-4 degrees of positive incidence relative to the planing angle of the floats. Read to article to understand what he means.
Walt

RE: RE:
 

Thanks Walt for all the info and your time answering my questions. I've just printed the float info off and will be spending the next few days digesting it, a day or 2 in making adjustments and hopefully the weekend to try her again......that's of course if the temperature stays nice. We're pretty close to that season when the white stuff can fall anytime.

Gary

RE:
 

Glad I could help. I'm from New Hampshire, USA so I know about the white stuff )-: We get a fair amount of that out here in Chicagoland as well. Speaking of which, floats are far better than skis on snow.
Walt

RE: RE:
 

Walt,

I'm from New Brunswick, not that far from New Hampshire, so you know exactly what "the white stuff" is all about.

I've purchased the KMP Beaver, the small version, and hope to put skies on it, for winter flying. I'm not sure if it will be this winter but it will be for some winter soon.

Take care and again thanks for your help,

Gary

RE: RE:
 

Hi, Just a point of interest. This is a very poor kit as the horz. stab is 4" too short for a 1/8 scale plane. I know I have one, flies strange to say the least. Stab on full scale is 16'. 1/8 scale should be 24" yours is 20" will never fly right. If you want a great flying Beaver at 1/8 scale try a scratch build by Ed Westwood, plans sold by Model Airplane News. Will be building two soon. I can help with cowls. We all learn the hard wayGuy! Don.