 Tell me about it. I am trying to change my retracts in my big Sea Fury, but in the meantime I have to resolder the on board glow clip, I also found my Ripmax Spit had chaffed it's signal lead on the ESC, oh and I'm changing over a few models to 2.4ghz.
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 Shaun I got a maiden in... no pics as I was the only one at the field, so trying to fly and take a pic at the same time could be tricky. I relieved the problem of the glitches by changing the throttle arm and throttle cable... Anyway for the flight performance she was good, tracked straight and climbed out fine, it did sit on the runway for abit, this was expected as she is a abit nose heavy! I have put the model back on the C of G scale after installing a heavier battery pack etc, worked it out the model needs about 33g-35g of something up the rear end to have it spot on 100mm from the leading edge! Thats alot of weight! Any idea's of this, I was thinking of cutting a hatch under the tailplane and expoxing some lead etc into there as the having lead weights taped to the model looks abit trashy and could always fall off!
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I'd try the self adhesive ones first until you are sure how much weight to add. I'm still surprised you need tail weight though. I haven't any on mine, although IIRC the battery is at the mid point in the battery bay. Once you are satisfied with the weight, then maybe you could make a hatch. On my Excelsior I had to add weight and I used a flat piece of lead and then cut a slit into the underside of the tail, and pushed the lead into the slit, adding epoxy with it. Once dry, I only had to sand the excess epoxy and paint over the slit
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I just went down the fishing shop and found some reasnable weights... I did have the stick on ones but they not heavy enough and would need at least 10!! The Sc 52 is a heavy oily, looking through another forum another guy had the same prob using a 52... Obviously the Irvine is lighter. Ok will make a plan to attatch the weights on and try fly on Sunday and get some pics as there should be some guys at the club! All the Rc gear is up against the servo tray etc... oh well
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 Can you not move the rx battery back a bit? Taking weight from the front is better than adding it at the back.
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Eric, no I have put a heavier battery in and its as far back as possible! Anyway flight report from yesterday! weather:- hot and variable wind, not perfect conditions really but hey! 1st flight, with the 3 blade prop there is no aceleration like on a 2 blade, uses more ground distance, once flying speed is achieved it lifts off nice, still abit to much Aileron (rates at 30%).. needed alot of left trim, possiblibly wings were warped from the car ride to the club, it was 30+ deg yesterday. All was going well till the engine became rougher and louder... yes the muffler was comming loose! Dead stick was not a option as a few practice approaches with min power remided me this model does not like like to fly to slow! Anyway i managed to wrestle the Tuc in when the engine quit on short final, floated loads and touched at the end of the strip and went into the long grass!! better than a fence or something! Not a a scratch on the model apart from a slightly bent nose gear! I was relieved at not having to spend my afternoon finding a muffler or a crashed model! Having taken the cowling off and tightening everything up etc and refueled, restarted and did a ground run, engine was smooth as a whistle! Time for flight No.2 Everything uneventful, nice flight, had the rates lower and she rolled sweet, crisp on the roll! Pritty quick on the flyby's and better sounding! landing No.2, ok when you use your trim to idle back all the way to cut out the motor this should happen, (as with ground runs everything as set up was working correctly) i didnt want to cut the engine but bring it to a nice idle and slow the beast down... na this thing floats and floats.... when the model gets slow its sits tail down. Landed very deep again! I might take some of the weight out of the rear, however in the air flying straight and level I didnt even have to tough the trim for the pitch! Landing was not downwind but crosswind, does your Tuc behave weith these characteristics?
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Sounds like you had fun! Mine does float a bit, but I don't have any extra weight in the rear. As for crosswind etc, aside from the floatyness, it's great. I have had a few deadstick, but even that was pretty uneventful. It just takes a bit of getting used to. I agree about the props, but the three blader looks better and the performance is more in keeping with my abilities 
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Ya I might take 10g out the rear and see what happens... My flying field is small (big tree at end of one runway) so makes it all fun! To be fair it wasnt the perfect day for test flying, is it ever in Europe? So possibly a calm day can give me a true indication on what needs changing! Yes the 3 blader is a pig on the ground but it was nice in the air, sound was nice and very quiet... once in a cruise it pick the speed up! I can see why guys have converted it to having retracts as it look awesome in the air! The 2 blue pilots need some uniform change! What would you say about mixing into flaperons? I must say you can do tight circuits with this model.... ok i take 10g weight out the rear, on the c of g balancer it goes nose heavy at 100mm.... finger balance its sweet! Maybe its the flight characteristics and something to get used too as you say! It lingers in ground effect...
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I intend fitting retracts (eventually), and you could use flaperons, or even fit flaps or an airbrake! Flaps would help pitch the nose down a bit I expect.
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Who says third time lucky? Weather was great while the crew boarded the Tucano for the 3rd flight, winds calm, pre flight checks all good, engine running sweet! Take off roll was uneventful, climbed into the sky and some left trim was needed otherwise nothing else! 10min's of flying and playing around getting used to the plane (which felt great) suddenly the nose pointed towards the maize field approx and approx 100m to my 11 'o clock there was a great thud of blasa and ply wood! My heart sank as I cant yet explain what happened! When I got to the crsh sight every servo was moving accordanly! However I dod have to go back to the pits to pick up a shovel as the motor was about a foot under ! The crash investifation willbegin tonight along with stripping a new engine! What can I say! It was flying great! - Range check was done
- No other people where at the club so cant be interferance
- Battery was full
- Controls had full and free movement
Apparently this wood makes good barby coal starters! Sorry Shaun I dont think I can solvage anything for you as spares as its a mess!
My wife pretends she gutted too but meanwhile she probably chuffed as its one less plane in the house lol! Know of a good subtitude for this model that will fit the 52? GUTTED
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Going through everything to see what caused it I got to the elevator, when I opened the metal clevis gently after sliding the fuel tubing round to hold it together, the clevis broke! Couple of other suspects but this one goes in for questioning!
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Shocker!  Sorry mate. Very odd pitching nose down like that. As you suspect, elevator failure is a prime candidate. Check the servos over, especially the elevator one, and of course the rx. You could always get another one.....
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Ya the left ailiron servo is broken, suspect the impact as it was in the wing that ripped! radio gear fine, just ranged here at home! Elevator clevis I am sure! Pushrods are ok.. ah well I get back on the horse tommorow! Where have you seen these for sale? I might go for the bigger one...
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| Edited: 06/08/08 18:32 |
 Sorry to see your crash Dustin
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 Cheers guys, hey you never know how long a model is going to last? could be pilot error, could be mechanical failure, could be anything! What I am disstressed about the most is a metal clevis failing! Cheap plastic, Nylon ones are always the the ones I back away from! However we could probably start a thread on what " what clevisis for what" or "Nylon vs Metal"!
Well I suppose I got off lighlty for smacking the earth at full tilt! Here's the damage... Port wing servo- ( I am sure the other's may be suspect after terrafirma) 1x Phoenix Tucano ( salvaged bits and pieces for other model's, times are tough, sounds good when it hits the ground though lol) After washing the engine the screws ripped through the carb (SC I am sure a spare carb wont be a prob) Cable ripped off on-board glow...
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Ok Shaun having looked at the link you gave me, postage is a ripper to me as I am in Germany c/o HM Forces... As I am in Europe I tend to get 50% of my stuff from this side as of postage costs! I have got models through BFPO system but the boxes are crushed stood on etc and had 2 go missing ( some post guy must be into models too lol).. to that end I get shipped to my home address as a civi postman is more sentitiveto the word "FRAGILE" stamped all over the box! I have got some bits and bob from these guys as well as my Big Stik (shipped for 6 Euro and here in 4 days)... check it out they have Tucs, price in £ about the same reckon? I think todays rate 1.23... anyway here they are Big 20cc Tuc on sale Phoenix Tuc Its my wedding anniversary is this month, wife feels sorry for me after all the time and effort lol! She says!
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Hi Dustin. I know what you mean about the BFPO system. That said it does have advantages, for example Amazon send stuff tax free to BFPO addresses.  That "Big Tuc" is smaller than the Pheonix one having a 165cm span as opposed to the Pheonix 170cm. So not that big, but looks to be a more faithful rendering of it. I guess looking at the weights it must be a fibreglass moulding with a foam wing, so that would account for the bigger donk. If you do go for the RAF black one, you'll need to move those exhausts as they are on the underside on our Tucanos! Well, let us know what you decide to do and don't forget to blog it.
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Like this one! Ah the Black Tuc in the links there, made by Model Expert, know anything about them? What engine do you think would be nice in that?
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What engine do you think would be nice in that?
Don't know anything about them. I believe that Peterborough Model Centre are re-releasing their Tucano and that was huge.
As for what engine...... how about a Wren 54 turbo prop 
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