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PB Models Bean - Any Tips


Tony H
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  • 3 months later...
  • 3 years later...

I've finally got around to building this, ive done it in silver aand red with an Irvine 53. I have to say not a great value kit ......if you can call it a kit or should I say wood pack!

No I have the problem of attaching the canopy to the top. THe plastic cowl is also pretty awful and is't like what is shown in most photo's of the plane and the instrictions and parts listed within bare no resemblence to what is actually in the kit.

I just hope it fliys well like Lee said. If you compare what you get in this kit compared to other british kits they should be ashamed of themselves. Pegasus Models are nearly half the price and are 95% complete kits. (enough parts to beuild the airframe) Also the same applies to Cambrian Models much more comprehensive.

Tony H

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The Bean is a great flying model well worth the building niggles, Its a trad british kit, there is some builder thinking and adaptation required but isnt that half the enjoyment making it your own.

Theres enough people that have built and flown them over the years, get it built work through your niggles and enjoy flying a great retro pattern model.

BB

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Posted by FlyinBrian on 13/12/2016 13:18:49:

I remember Brian flying a (Green) Bean at a couple of comps in the '70's I think it was powered by an HP40 and remember thinking "God that's quick"

Oh dear, you must be as old as me. Yes the details are correct as to the original "Bean" Lovely engine the HP40, shame it used to eat the so called silencers!!

It was always one of the nicest models I flew, testified to how many have been made since.

Cannot make a comment as to the kit as I have never made one from it, I do know that they are put together by the same people who make the majority of this type of kit in the UK.

As a plug my latest is the "Stella Clipper" in Decembers RCModelworld

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  • 1 month later...

Hi Guys

I have finally finished my Bean, it needed a bit of extra weight on the tail and a bit on one wing. Hopefully it will fly well when I do the maiden flight in the next month or so. It should go like a rocket with my new Irvine 53 up front.

Tony H

20170128_235945.jpg

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  • 4 weeks later...
Hi Guys,

Just a quick update. I maiden flew my Bean last weekend and it flew extremely well with virtually no trim.
I had many good comments from other club members and a fair bit of interest in my classic kit.
It takes off in about a foot with a 53 up front. It can be a little tricky to slow down but an all round great plane once built.

I reckon it would handle windy weather fairly well too

Tony H

Edited By Tony H on 24/02/2017 21:39:36

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Glad to see that the Bean/Skyliner performed OK, not that I thought it would not having flown many from my original plan from the early 70's.

The addition of weight to the aft end, seems to be due to the modern engines being heavier than the originals used in the 70's in the form of the HP40, which at 10 ounces was very light and powerful. I never knew of one then that needed weight at the back.

The landings can be slowed down by cutting the throttle to idle, then coming round applying up elevator till itstarts to sink, then applying throttle to just keep it coming forward. Once you get the knack you will be amazed at how it will slow down for landings. You will find it will not drop a wing that is tip stall.

I see on your version that the wing tips are not as on the original in that they are squared off, rather than at the sweep back. Also very few people seem to round off the fuselage corners to get a more rounded shape, which I think is more attractive.bean feast027.jpg

Edited By Brian Austin 1 on 25/02/2017 15:51:44

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Thanks Brian, my kit does have swept back wing tips but you can't really see it in the photos.Also I would have preferred to round more of the fuselage like the original design as I think it looks better but unfortunately the people who produce the kit these days seem to have changed the design as the shape at the front is dictated by the matching up with the cowl which isn't very rounded at all ....which is a real shame aesthetically
I did have to laterally balance the plane as one side was a fair bit heavier than the other side. I think this was due to the large Irvine silencer on the 53.
I'm not 100% convinced about the strength of the u/c on the wings. I guess time will tell but so far so good.

Tony H

Edited By Tony H on 26/02/2017 12:56:58

Edited By Tony H on 26/02/2017 12:57:19

Edited By Tony H on 26/02/2017 13:00:58

Edited By Tony H on 26/02/2017 13:02:10

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Hi Tony

Yes the cowel would be a restraining effect on the fuselage section. On mine and others from long ago, the front was all built up from balsa block around engine bearers.

The original undercarriage mounting was the result of considerable trial & error. It should be a 1/4" ply plate let into the bottom of the wing. A smaller ply plat is let into the top of the wing as an anchor point. This transfers the load on the torsion twisting effect on the bottom plate, as the height of the wing decreases the load on the bottom. plate. In the early days is was normal for the anchor wire to only go through the lower mounting block, which could and did become loose in the foam wing. Never had a problem using the former method even after lots of touch & goes

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Hi Brian,

I did wonder how the original Beans looked so rounded and streamlined at the front with no obvious cowl lines.
I like built up balsa nose cones which are then shaped because they look nicer and are very strong.
I guess they introduced the ABS Cowl in the kit to reduce the cost and probably some weight too.

Tony H

Edited By Tony H on 26/02/2017 19:41:26

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Guys,

Just a quick update with some photos and a quick video of me flying my Bean on a foggy day at no more than about 1/3 throttle (otherwise it would get lost in the fog). I was quite tired when I flew earlier hence the dodgy landing.

20170311_133405.jpg

20170311_133401.jpg20170311_133419.jpg

 

Edited By Tony H on 11/03/2017 22:03:45

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  • 4 years later...
  • 7 months later...

Hi All

Don't know of anybody's still lurking around, but this might be of interest.

SMC are doing a sell off of some of their discontinued kits and old stock. Among these is a PB models 'The Bean' kit. Priced at £129.99, which doesn't seem too bad.

Not so the Smart Move kit I also noticed.

This is an old, discontinued Dave Smith Models kit, and must have been at the back of their warehouse for at least 5 years, probably nearer 10.

Despite this, they are asking £279 for it. Did phone and ask if they would accept £225, but they said nothing lower than £250.

Too rich for me, I'm afraid. Pity, I'm a big fan of Dave Smith Models. Ho hum

Jeff

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