West Wing Beguine r/c build

About to embark on my 1st r/c conversion of a free flight model, using the West Wings Beguine as it is stable flying and will make a perfect trainer.

I have built several free flight balsa kits but am relatively new to building r/c so don't know a great deal about circuits ect! (any help greatly accepted)

Looking at getting these servos: **LINK**

Free fight models are easy to convert and good. One point. With radio you can get it into all sorts of attitudes than it would never achieve in free flight. It gains speed and then soars upwards. In extreme cases you can get an unintenional loop. Think about reducing the wing incidence a little by raising the TE at the cabin by roughly 2mm and lowering it at the LE by the same amount.

Thanks for the input, although this kit is designed to be flown r/c? Will take it into account when building though!

It will probably be fine as it is then, as it was designed for r/c. I didn't know that. My Flair Astro Hog was so bad that the elevator (it has a low set tailplane) had so much down trim that the elevator scraped the ground. I eventually raised the wing trailing edge by a whole half inch to get it to fly right. I later found the original 1958 plan. Flair had got the tail incidence wrong. To be fair, I had twice the power that Flair recommended and three times the original. (I like endless verticals).

I can see how that is a problem for non r/c kits, my glider tends to loop so it is probably down to the incidence of the wing.

Bought the kit today so will start building as soon as I'm home from holiday next weekend!

Starting the wing today, will get some pics up soon. Cant build the fusalage till I get the electronics. Help! I only know which servos to get! Any help on what else I need would be great (wanting a brushless set up)

Been working on it eh? We were wondering where you'd gone. 9 gram or therebout 'micro' servos will be fine. Use an Axi 2208/20 motor (1800 rpm/volt) or equivalent, a 3 cell 1800 or 2200 lipo and a 20 amp (minimum) speed controller. A master 7 x 4 propellor or the 7 x 5 one for a bit more power. Master ones are best, all the others are stiffer and liable to bend or break the motor shaft in 'arrivals'. I use that setup, with the 7 x 5 prop on a slightly larger Sig Rascal. Goes like a rocket if you want it too but will cruise around all day at low throttle. The 1800 3 cell lipo might be best as yours is a little smaller. Don't think my suggested motor is too big (that's what the throttle stick is for) and a biggish motor working easily is much more efficient than a small one working hard, giving a longer duration. Don't use an Axi 2212 motors, that's way over the top! There are cheaper motors, but make sure it is 1800 rpm/volt or everything else will screw up.

Edited By Mark Powell 2 on 26/08/2012 17:07:56

Thanks for the help, building on a budget so I think I will look for a different motor. So all I need essentially is a motor, a lipo, a ESC and some servos?

Pictures up soon

I recently bought a KMS motor at about £19 that is the same size and RPM/volt as the £50 Axi because I am fed up with Axi prices. If the physical size is the same, and a '22' motor will be, and the RPM/volt is the same, the plane won't know how much the motor cost

Sounds good! Thats only half the kit

Finished the wings. Found some old servos from a helicopter, will upload some photos of the to see what you all think. About to get **LINK** this HiModel GX 20A Brushless ESC For Aircraft and Heli and this **LINK**

Do I need a reciver?

Battery and ESC looks fine. Motor is more than twice the weight of the Axi I suggested. Might be bigger,i n which case too big. Maybe you can't rely on the '22', though the RPM/volt is right. Look at Ripmax web for KMS.

Had a look at the RipMax site. Your local model shop  will be able to get this, or any HobbyStores

KMS 2208/09

That's just right and it is £22.50. 1900 rpm volt so thats fine. Use 7 x 4 prop on it

The motor should be abot 1 inch diameter and 1 inch long and weigh about 50 grams. The one you showed me weighs 100 grams and so must be bigger.

Those servos are fine

Edited By Mark Powell 2 on 28/08/2012 08:34:40

Edited By Mark Powell 2 on 28/08/2012 08:37:38

Will go to the shop when I get back from Holiday on Saturday, thanks for the help

One thing I did find with the KMS motor I bought. The supplied flange nut to hold the propellor on did not fit the adapter. It appeared to but it didn't. Probably an isolated incident. If it us the same from your, use a nut from your 'odds and ends' box. But as you might not use the 'attached to the case not the shaft' supplied adaptor, it may not matter anyway. (The Axi motors, at more than twice the price, don't incluse any accessories at all.)

Did a bit more today

Shes getting there! esc and battery arrived today and I'm off to get the motor later, just need to work out what wire goes where

Connected up everything today and when I pluged the battery in it showed signs of life as the servos moved, however when trying to operate it with the transmitter it wouldnt work. Any ideas on what is wrong?