Blackhorse Chipmunk

That settles that then, it's exactly what I'll do. Only thing that needs to be sorted now is the bloody weather

Steve

Hi all,

    I have been considering getting this model for quite some time now. The build qualitiy does look very good at this price range

Can anyone comment on the likelyhood of converting it to electric! i.e. battery access etc.

Thanks,

Walts. 

The battery would probably be best placed where the fuel tank sits. There would be plenty of room for most battery configerations. It will require cutting a hole in the firewall to suit and making a hatch in the engine cowling. This could be either from the top or underneith and is easier than removing the wings to change battery.

You will need to make an extended motor mount in order to get the correct cowl fit but this will be an easy task and will give even more battery room.

My feeling is that this will be an easy modification and that the kit is worth the effort. It is well built and with the possible exception of the engine mounting bulkhead, light enough.

Hopefully you will here from Murray who has an electrified Chippy, for further (and more expert) thoughts.

Thanks for the reply Clive,

   I have a birthday coming up and I'm looking for something not too expensive as a pressie from the misses...........something with in the price range of her Nintendo DS + games i bought her for her's last week, don't want her thinking I'm trying to out do her!

this seems to fit the bill nicely! although i do like the look of the CMPro 50 size Zero too! If it's going to be an ARTF then it has to look half convincing to start with, Which so far these two do seem to don't they.

Cheers,

Walts. 

Hi All,

Thanks for the informative thread.
I've nearly finished the build with this kit. Can anyone post pictures of their fixes for the underwing faring? This is my first ever RC build and so I'm a little lacking when it comes to straying from the manual.

@Walts, check out RC Groups BH Chippy Review and electric conversion. It's been very helpful for me. I still haven't decided on the motor/esc/lipo set up yet, but it's going to be something like E-Flite Power 60, Castle 80amp ESC and 5S or 6S pack.

Cheers,

Mark

Hi Mark,

I guess that you have discovered that the under wing fairing is moulded incorrectly. The fix is to simply cut the end to the correct angle and insert a suitably shaped piece of liteply into the end for strength.

If you email me, I will send you pictures of mine.

Hi Mark,

    Thanks, I think you have helped make my mind up! I searched earlier today on Rcgroups, but didn't find that thread, so thanks for that link.

 I have a motor and 5s lipo set up i was going to use in my T. Nijhuis Typhoon I'm currently building. But have decided to up the ante' on the Tiffie as my scale building always seems to add weight to the original design  so these unused left overs will be ideal for the lighter Chipmunk. I noticed in the pic's on that thread that the wing didn't appear to seat well in the fus....................Is this common to all of the BH Chipmunks? I had one of their P47's and the wing seat on that looked like it had been made for another plane! There was no way i could get the wing to seat on that one with out major surgery.

I think I'm still going to get one anyway....................It just looks so nice!

Walts.

Gents!

Clive: Thanks, I'm happy to accept your offer!

Walts: Glad the article helped. The wing seats fine (even for a ham-fisted builder like me)!
There is a molded plastic fairing that attaches to the underside of the wing that will require some er ...modification

Cheers,

Mark

Hi everybody!

After reading Clive's review, I've ordered myself a Black Horse Chippie. I've always thought the full-size a timeless and very pleasing aircraft and very soon I hope to join you boys with one of my own, albeit one of the small variety!

Could I ask you a bit about flaps please. I have a Futaba 6EXA Tx and I didn't think that it's possible to operate flaps with it. But, I noticed in an earlier reply, the use of the gear switch was used for the flaps. Is this definitely a possibilty? If it is, could someone please give me a bit more info on what I would need to do. Any help would be really appreciated.

When I get into the building of the model, I'm sure I'll find all the info that's been input into this thread really helpful - I'll have to keep coming back to check it out. Maybe I'll be asking you, Clive, a few more questions about how you overcame some of the issues you came across, like the tail whell etc. Hope you won't mind

Thanks again and looking forward to hearing from you,

Ken

You can definitely utilise flaps with the 6EXA. The easiest way will be to buy a reversing Y-lead and use channel 6, controlling via the flap control dial. You may also use channel 5 and have the flaps move a set amount by setting the servo travel.

There are other ways of doing it using the programmable mix and avoiding the use of a y-lead, but could be problematic.

Which ever way you do it, the 6EXA is well up to the job. You will probably find that you only need around 20 degrees of flap at most.

The tail wheel definitely needs some easy mods before fitting. Email me when you get the kit and I'll talk you through my solution, but others might have better ideas.

I agree with Clive Ken, The best way to utilise flaps with the 6' is to use the rotary knob. That way you can dial in manually the amount you require at any one time, and also control the speed they are deployed at. From what Clive has said there isn't much issue with this model when the flaps are deployed, but some models can pitch up or down violently with sudden flap deployment via a switch.

I'm suprised that the chippie would require you to use a reversing 'Y' lead though. On the BH Thunderbolt both flap servos are mounted facing the same way so they both push and pull together via a normal 'Y' lead.

Walts.

Thanks for the replies to my question about teh 6EXA and flaps Clive & Walts. What exactly is reversing Y-lead? I've never come across one of these before. The two leads from the flaps servos come together with this and connect into Ch6 on the Rx - yes? How does the reversing effect of the lead work?

Hope you don't think I'm being a bit thick about this - I'm afraid this is new ground for me!!

Ken

??? reversing y lead??? whys that then..

 I guess this is to make the servos go the same way when the dile is moved.

Im prity sure i got over this by useing on direct drive servo and one in direct one(both futaba) saves the prob of finding or makeing an the y lead,being totaly honest(after 20 or so years) i didnt realize there was such a thing as a reversable y lead..is it home grown(if so how) or is it buyable. 

 Have fun ken its a great model,nice simple build albe it with the few quirks mentioned.

 I would say its deffinatly worth customiseing the chippie in some way ,,ie change the reg or add some scale decals of some sort just to be diffrent (cant have all these chippies looking the same you know just aint cricket).It wont take much..

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb277/namustang1a/DSCF1066.jpg

see 

Ian.

I still don't get the need for a reversing 'Y' lead, unless the flap instal has been badly designed on the chippie.

Ken, Not trying to teach granny to suck eggs here but this photo shows how servos would be layed in the wing for ailerons moving in opposite directions (top) and how they would be layed in for flaps moving in the same direction both 'Y'ed in to channel 6.

HTH's,

Walts.

Hi Ian and Walts,

I'm with you on the positioning of the servos so that they both operate in the same direction as opposed to normal aileron movement. Thanks for the info and photos, i'll certainly give it a whirl when I get the kit. I've never flown a plane with flaps before so, as was mentioned in an earlier message, i'll take it very gently at first and be ready in case the nose comes up a bit too quickly.

Great photo of the Chippie, Ian! It looks very realistic indeed! Do you create your own decals, and if you do, what do you use to print them on? I'll have to look for some real Chippies and take some photos for reference. Where do you reckon would be a good place to spot some? I live in N.Wales - would Cosford be a good place to go, perhaps? There used to be a lot at Woodvale but there's mostly Bulldogs there now, I think.

Hi Clive,

Could you elaborate a bit more on the reversed Y-lead for us please? Just like to know a bit more about it and if they are available at the local model shop, or is it something I'd have to cobble together?

Have a good weekend all,

Ken

http://www.phoenixmp.com/articles/crossedwires.htm

http://www.servoshop.co.uk/index.php?pid=JP7721044&area=ACCS

OK, turn the servo round, reverse it in the mix or use a reversing y-lead. As I said, there are many methods, I just went for the easiest. The main point being made was that the 6EXA is up to the task.

You probably won't know which method is best until you are at the point of setting the wing controls up.

ken..decals were done as i have said in my 3rd entry here...printed on photo paper from the web then covered in clear stickie back plastik(blue peter style) with a querter inch over hang all round,cheep and cheerful.As for seeing the real thing the RAF dont use them now,think there is a couple withe the mamorial flight.googleing dhc1 might be your best route.

clive.. just read the link as im thick dose makeing a reverser lead mean the wireing in the servo has to be altered?? can it not be done by swaping the +- over on the lead?

Ian

No you can't swap polarity in a Y- lead. The lead has some small electronic componentry to isolate and protect the circuit.

There are lots of DH Chipmunks flying in private ownership. Quite a few have retained their military colour schemes. http://www.airliners.net/ is a good source of visual information.

Well Clive, that's clarified that for me! I have never come across such leads because I've never had the need for one before. Thanks very much for helping out - it really is appreciated. Steve Webb's shop is only about 20 miles from where I live, so I can call in and buy one.

Thanks for the info about making the decals Ian. I'll have a go at what you've suggested and customise my Chippie a bit so that it's not like all the rest, as you suggest.

Kindest regards,

Ken