ton goede

Ok Detlef,

thx for the info...hope my will come very soon now.....
Is Darrell on a holiday or something..?
Darrell if you read this...please respond...

thanks...
Ton

p.s. Detlef, when does your TC have your maiden.....????

Detlef Schmidt

Hi Ton,

I have scheduled the maiden for next weekend - if meteo-conditions will be ok.

For the moment it looks good - but only the forcast

I will post infos about the maiden here ...

Cheers, Detlef

VKerster

CHASRB, MY PLANE, T-CAT #2 IS #18 FROM BATCH #3. ALL, T-CAT BROS, SOMETHING TO REPORT. I CUT AN ACCESS HOLE FOR THE WIRE EXIT IN MY CENTER SECTION AND PLEASENTLY DISCOVERED A VERY BEEFY (1/4" TO 3/8" THICK) PLYWOOD CENTER CROSS BRACE GLUED IN RIGHT ON THE CENTER LINE OF WHERE THE WING TUBES BUTT IN TO THE RIBS. I TOOK A GOOD LOOK AT MY CRASHED WING AND FOUND THAT WING HAS THE SAME WOOD BRACING (#38 BATCH #1) AS T-CAT #2. THIS WOULD EXPLAIN WHY THE CENTER OF THE CENTER SECTION DID''NT FAIL IN THE CRASH. GENTS, A QUICK CHECK TO SEE IF YOUR WING HAS THE CENTER BRACE INSTALLED: GENTLY PRESS ON THE SKIN WHERE THE CENTERLINE OF THE TUBES WOULD THEORICALLY INTERSECT IF THEY CAME TOGETHER. THE CENTER SECTION SHOULD FEEL VERY SOLID IN THIS AREA. YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO FEEL THE WOOD UNDER THE SKIN. IT NOW APPEARS NO REINFORCING IS NESSASSARY ON MY WING.....

chasrb

Thanks for the info VK! I checked my TC and what I find in the location you mentioned is a 1/8 (maybe) cross rib with header strips top and bottom. You can see it in the fist pic second row of post 891. It could be strong, but I left the 1/8 x 3/4x 22" T-6 bar in for that extra pease of mind.

Maybe the second batch which I have did not have the brace.

thanks

chasrb

Detlef, can I see some pics of your nose wheel doors?

Thanks

Detlef Schmidt

Hi Chasman,

please give me some days. I´m so busy in the office for the moment.

During the weekend I will take detailed pics and post them here...

Cheers, Detlef

VKerster

CHASRB, HAVE YOU FLOWN YOUR T-CAT YET? I'M READY TO GLUE MY WING TOGETHER.

chasrb

Not yet, but close. I too am getting ready to glue my wing together. Then I have to wait for the custom exhaust from Keleo, his will probaly be better than what I can build.

As you have read from another post I am/was considering using Copper or some other metal tube and running all three pipe to the bottom exhaust port of the nacelle.

If you ahve any suggestions on that please let m,e know.

Happy flying!

Detlef Schmidt

Hi all,

attached you will find the pics of my nosegear-doors...

Todays weather was very ugly in Bavaria, (12°C, rainy and very windy) so that I couldn´t maiden my TC. Tomorrows forcast is a bit better and maybe I will try tomorrow and if not I will try next weekend.

Cheers, Detlef

chasrb

Detlef, thankd for the photos, sorry you cold not maiden yesterday, but another day will come. Nice setup on the doors!

Detlef Schmidt

Hi all TIGERCAT friends,

yesterday in Bavaria meteo-conditions where CAVOK and no wid !

So I had my big day !!!

At 15.00 local-time my CAT took off for the first time.

Unbelievable. Its so powerful with the 2x G26 and the 30 lbs are no problem at all.

Anyway to take off I really had to pull the elevator, without rotating the CAT wont take off !

Maneuvers all are easy to perform. the only tricky maneuvers are sharp turns, as the CAT cuts down and you have to apply rudder to maintain altitude.

Landing speed is not slow, but easy to control with 50° flaps.

It was a soft touch-down but after touch-down the cat bounced of few times. No probs for the SIERRA gear, but I need to improve my landings...

A friend of mine took a video-clip but it will take some days to post it here.

P.S.: Teh CORSAIR next to my TIGERCAT was built from Peter and is flown by Thom. Its a complete wood-construction from a Brian Tylor plan.

I want to say thanks to my wingmen Peter and Thom for the great support during built and maiden.

chasrb

Detlef. Congratulations on the maiden flight! I am very happy it was successful I see you flew with three-bladed props and there was no problem with them from a performance standpoint. That is good to know since am looking to use the Solo prop setup on mine with three blades.

Really nice place to fly too from what I can see!


We are all looking forward to seeing and hearing the TC fly!

jbwilhelmi

My Feedback: (1)

Congratulatoins! Nice to see some good news posted!
Jack

Detlef Schmidt

Hi Chasman and Jack,

thanks for the congratulations !

About power and performance there is really no doubt.

My G26 are turning the 16x8 3-blade props with 7.100 rpm and thats giving really thrust.

Cheers, Detlef

Blackwidow

Hello TC builders,

It's cool to see others working on the same project as you are and the different approaches people take to solve design problems. I am pretty close on my TC. The wings are complete and I am installing the radio equipment and linkages now. I am also using 2 G26 engines and I am happy to read from Detlef and VKerster that the 26's will pull this thing through the air at 30 lbs. I am currently thinking about designing a mechanism to make sure the nose wheel is centered when it begins to retract so that it won't hang on the opening if it gets turned after the control wires become slack. Have any of you saw the need for this and if so how did you deal with it. Some sort of a soft spring on both sides of the control arm attached to the nose wheel is my current thinking but a tortional spring on the strut itself may also work.

As for the radio setup I was wondering if any of you had employed gyro(s) , engine synch systems or differential throttle control. All of which I am considering. It is always a fine line between KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid) and giving you more ability to control and react to a problem should it occur.

I will try to post some pics and will let you all know when it breaks ground for the first time.

Blue Skies,

Detlef Schmidt

Hi Blackwidow,

regarding your questions:

1) Centering of nosewheel: For my opinion 2 small springs should do the job
2) RC equipment: I am using 2 receivers Graupner SMC-19. TO use ACT DDS-10 programmable diversity recievers would be a good idea as well
3) Synchro-electronic: I installed twin-synch module but the G26 ar running so well and rev changes are very same of both engines, so I did not use the unit yet
4) Gyro: I do not use any gyro and I do not think is necessary to use

CHARLES WINTER

Hi Detlef - SUPER JOB on your maiden flight. I think we all needed some positive inputs about our T-Cats. This project has been very time consuming for most of the T-Cat builders. Thanks for the plctures and congratulations again.

Col. Chuck Winter

chasrb

Okay, sanity check here... I don't seem to have clamps large enough to clamp my wing tips to the nacelles - any suggestions? I thought of using rope, belts and then I ran out of ideas...lol

n9331v

Blind nut and a bolt

Pylon2

Well Done, Mine should fly shortly.
Cheers Richard.

Detlef Schmidt

Hi all,

Thanks for your congratulations.

Today my friend sent the video to me and tonight I will try to post it.


Cheers, Detlef

CHARLES WINTER

Hi Chasman - "Pulling Wing/Engine Nacelle together" Just use heavy string or light rope - tie a knot use small dowel/pencil - rotate dowel Tourniquet style twisting - lock down twisted rope till epoxy cures.... Very simple system....

Col. Chuck Winter

chasrb

Thanks, I'll give that a try -the bolt idea is good, I just dont want to drill any more on this plane... I must say this plane
has worn me out!

Detlef Schmidt

Hey Chasman,

try to be a little bit patient.

Just in this moment I´m busy on my computer to cut the video-clip from my maiden !

As soon as I am ready I will post the link here ...

I am sure watching the clip will give you back some power to continue with your CAT

Cheers, Detlef

Attached a small teaser-pic cutted out of the clip...

chasrb

Detlef, thank it does help to see it in action! I have finally finished the wing glueing and ready to put it all together to ss how it looks! I have keloe creations building a custm exhaust for me so I will not be able to o any tests until I get the exhausts back. everything else is bascally done. I do have the gear doors to do but I may wait until after the maiden filght to put them on.