alan barnstable

Many thanks for the responses, I think it's very likely I've cooked the motor by over stressing it with 5s battery and big prop - it did fly very fast, but not very long !!! I've got to decide now whether to buy a better motor, e.g. a 4258 as suggested by Bob, or I do have an Irvine 46 I could convert it to, decisions, decisions. Thanks again.

Have a Funfly with Turnigy SK3 3542 800kv with 5S battery, 60amp ESC, 12/6 prop. Has run fine for several flights but yesterday motor appeared to fail midflight. It just jerks when activating the throttle. Have tried a different ESC, does the same. Motor smells. Do motors burn out, was it an unsuitable combination, what more can I do to pinpoint the problem ? thanks

I also have given up trying to get Provost to fly, have tested thrust and getting very similar figures to Eddie. Am now revising it to have motor and propeller at the front. Obviously doesn't look authentic, but should look ok in the air. My motor was 2627-KV5400 running on 3 cell.   Edited By alan barnstable on 16/06/2020 08:41:14

Hi David, you've got three clubs near to you, AMARC, Woodspring Wings, and Weston Model Flying Club. Go along to these, they will provide you the opportunity to fly using a buddy box, and will point you in the right direction regarding choice of model. I have made the DB Sport & Scale Tiger Moth, but wouldn't recommend it as a way back into the hobby. It will cost you almost £300 by the time you've got everything, and it can not be described as a trainer type plane, it's quite tricky to fly compared with pure trainers. Better to start with something cheap and cheerful.

I've been doing some testing with my Provost whilst it's raining. (note i've only had 2 successful launches out of 8 attempts). Total weight including 2650 3 cell battery and 140g lead weight in nose is 836g (29.5oz). Thrust is 404g with standard cutouts in bottom of fuselage and side ducts. Thrust is 514g with top hatch removed. I'm going to carry out the following steps: 1/ remove weight from rear of plane, and remove some of the ballast weight 2/ enlarge the hole in bottom of fuselage 3/ try flying it without top hatch

Useful feedback Phil, will give this a go. cheers

Hi Steve/Steve, I use a 2650 3 cell battery. I do have smaller batteries but then I'd have to add even more nose weight. I bought the wood pre-cut from Tony Nijhuis, so assume it was the right weights for the model. It's a shame, it's a good looking model, and all at my club think it's it's great, until they see us trying to launch it ! I agree that taking weight off the back half would help, but it would weaken the airframe and I wouldn't want to risk it. Unfortunately I'm running out of people willing to throw it, they dislike seeing it crash as much as i do. I have fitted a tow hook underneath, and I just need to make up a launch ramp and elastic to try and get it to a higher launch speed. But weather pants at the moment so unlikely to get this done soon. cheers, Alan

Mine (Provost) is also 29oz, including the 140g I had to add in the nose to balance. Unfortunately it is virtually impossible to launch even with having someone else throw it. The only time we were successful was when there was a strong headwind. On all other occasions it has belly flopped, and on one occasion it resulted in the motor breaking free, and on another it cartwheeled and broke the tail. I've fixed it now, and will try a bungee launch. I think the problem is that it's to heavy for the wings/motor, and the design results in it being tail heavy and having to add weight in the nose. Without the nose weight it flies horribly. Edited By alan barnstable on 10/12/2019 17:43:39

I initially only glued the motor in with a few blobs of hot glue and it broke loose after a hard landing. I have now glued it in more comprehensively.

Also finished mine, nice build, but first flight was hairy (tail heavy). Have added 70g in nose, and waiting for right conditions for second flight.

Went Saturday, weather fine apart from showers lunchtime. Thought it was it was a great show. with good variety of models, plus full size Spitfire; glider; Pitts; and tow plane.

Sorry guys, I really appreciate your help, but I'm struggling to understand how to carry out the steps you're suggesting. The throttle channel is currently reversed (otherwise it gives full power with the stick closed i.e. towards me). On the monitor screen it shows the little block moving from left to right. Although on the throttle curve screen it shows the vertical line tracking down the curve from right to left. This arrangement has worked fine for six different planes for the past year, but has just recently started to play up without me making any changes to anything. I don't understand the concept of trimming the throttle, obviously I do this for the control surfaces with the trim switches and sub trim adjustment on the servo screen. How do I trim the throttle ? Sorry if I'm being a little thick here, it's obviously one of those things which would be easy to explain if we were stood in the same room, but difficult to convey via the written word.

I don't ever trim the throttle because all my models are electric or gliders. One odd thing is that I have to reverse the throttle on all powered models. This has worked fine for the past year, but now I'm having this problem. Looking at the monitor screen it's showing -85% at closed, and 100% fully open. Throttle curve is Inh, and is showing 93 at closed, and 0 fully open ! I have tried creating a new model, but the Funfighter will still not work. Also tried changing receiver. In the meanwhile I have set up on DX6i and it works normally.

Have rebound to DX8i, no beeps, but monitor is showing normal throttle movement.