Balsa USA Smoothie
 

I got a Smoothie from a friend of mine that needed a ton of work. I'm about to recover it, reinstall stuff, etc. What is the CG?

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

Center of the Wing spar-if need be i'll measure tonight and post again.

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

I don't have mine here to take a look but try the front of the main spar to start and move it forward or aft as needed to suit your flying style.

One mod I would do is put shear webs all the way to the tips and also at the front of the sheeting at the trailing edge. It'll help stiffen the whole structure up.

Not needed, it is fine stock, but it's more robust with those changes.

Don

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

Frenchie- thanks.

Don- I added shear webs too. Mine was built with a lot of mistakes and the builder used either Ducco or Ambroid glue. The torque rods were free floating and just flapped around. I put aileron servos in each wing. The stab was damaged from a crash, so I made a new one and enlarged the elevator by an inch or so. I'm using an Evolution .455 in it.


Barry

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

wow-a 45 will rock. If i remember the plane weighs around 3.5-3.75 lbs. i put a new, but older OSmax 40 with a 10x6 prop and she scoots along pretty good. Nice flying plane by the way. good luck

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

I've got a Fox 46BB in mine and it goes like stink. I also put the servos in the wing as I was having a bit of a flutter problem with the torque rods... good move!

You're going to love it. BUSA has rereleased the kit . I'm sure you'll want another one. :)

Don

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

Carefull on the elevator size-it really doesn't need it (1+ inches-no way)-especially with a 45 BB engine. The design is pretty darn good as is. You can "yank and Bank" this plane.

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

Mine should have fluttered the one day I got to fly it. It hit hard on one wing tip when a torque rod rubbed the wing mounting block and became bound. The plane looked like it was going 200 mph when in the air. I thought the elevator didn't have enough authority when landing. I didn't fly it enough to be 100% sure. I went to the shop and measured how much I enlarged the elevator area, and it is 5/8". I mentioned the one inch from memory and got it wrong.

Mine has a different canopy than what I've seen anywhere else. My canopy looks a lot like a 4 Star 40.

A friend of mine got his Moonraker kit in the other day. I was surprised to see the Smoothie back out in kits again.

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

I wish I had a picture of mine. I raised the wing mount almost
an inch and ran a tuned pipe under the wing in a fairing. Power
was OS .46 rear exhaust. With a 9X7 prop it moved about right.
The Smoothie is not a very fast airplane to be as clean as it is
but is as honest as they come.
Ralph

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

I wish you had pictures as well, sounds like a neat kit "bash"

Don

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

I'm to point where I can do the first balance of the model for placing batteries and servos. I just bought the Sig balancer. It wasn't hard to balance the Smoothie the first time, but it is very nose heavy this time with the same engine, etc. I have to add 2 oz to the tail section, which I didn't do previously.

The point is that I probably didn't need to enlarge the elevator as I first thought. The plane could have just been very nose heavy from an inaccurate CG.

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

I just finished mine this week. Paid top dollar for an old kit a few months back and..............then they re release it, lol.

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

I love your rendition of the Smoothie. I am a control-line flyer and I have an old Smoothie that is wearing out. I want to build a new one, probably scratch build. Yours is the only one I have seen with horizontal engine and wheel pants. Very cool. I would appreciate any information as to source of plans, kit, wheel pants, and canopy. Thanks

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

Mine came as a kit. i paid upwards of 100 dollars, but they have now re released the kit. search "balsa usa" as they have a websight and you can order the new kit for around 70 dolars. i also have a phone number for their guru over there, if you cannot find it I will pm it to you. it is a full build but has all the plans, wood, canopy, and such.

the wheel pants are from another airplane i never used them on. the engine compartment is really tight with the engine sideways, or vertical for that matter. about the only changes i made were to make the forward 9 inches of the fuselage on the right side all basswood for strength, i put balsa "wedges" in the trailing edge of the wing where the aileron hinges are, the servos are in the wings and tail.......really helped with the cg as it would tend to be nose heavy. the gear is from a venus 40. hope this helps.

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

Thanks a lot. I actually tried to access the Balsa USA website and Firefox discouraged me because of lack of certificate or some such thing I will persevere. Your ship is really sharp. I have saved the pix to my "new Smoothie" file for future review. Thanks again.

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

check your pm

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

Hey guys, looking for a first kit to build and this looks like a good one. I have been flying for 3 years and have rebuilt many parts and pieces of ARF's. I have been doing R/C for about 12 years and have been a draftsman/machinist for 6. I feel that I can follow instructions and prints very well and mechanically adept. That being said, think this would be something I can handle? I really want a Ziroli Stuka, but think that may be a little advanced for the first timer. Thanks for the advise. Oh! Anybody know what their AUW is with glow? The lines are so smooth I'd like to try and electrify it. Thanks again.

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

Mine was the old kit, the instructions were typed. i am sure that the new kit would have better instructions. The balsa usa guy was very helpful whenever i had a question, so yes it would be a good kit. it was my first full build also.

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

Flew it for the first time today, good pattern ship qualities, smooth turns and rolls............and it looks awesome.

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

I've been checking this plane out since BUSA reintroduced the kit last year. I finally ordered one last week and UPS dropped it off today. Can't wait to get started on it!!!

Jerry

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

You're going to love it, Jerry.

You'll buy more. :-)

Don

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

i built my smoothie about 25 years ago and used a K&B 40 mounted inverted just like the plans show
airframe was really clean and cut a hole in the side of the fuse for the stock muffler to connect to the engine
plane was a great flyer
i also used BUSA,s generic wheel pants and that aluminum gear used with some metal polishing compound looks just like chrome
sadly it finally went the way of all good planes

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

Have you started on it yet, Jerry?

Don

RE: Balsa USA Smoothie
 

Don, I finished my Smoothie in mid/late June. I have pictures and a link to my maiden in the following build thread.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_9734134/tm.htm

Thake care, Jerry