Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 I've not been a snakes user - but I thought I'd give them a go. So I've just used them for the very first time,....in the Tuc! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 I've used them quite a lot and been very happy with them except for two things: This latest clevis issue (I suppose it could be a one-off though obviously Martyn would disagree with that) The American (imperial?) thread means that only American threaded clevises will fit properly. Nearly all others on general sale in the UK are metric and may screw on with various degrees of success but will not tighten properly and are doomed to fail. One solution I have used is to ditch their threaded rod for a metric one. This also means that if there is a good length of inner exposed then a longer threaded rod can be used to stiffen it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 I've seen that issue before Ian and now purchase from slec both rods and clevis's both metric problem solved Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Ah, these then? I can see where my future snakes will come from then. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Ditto, thanks for the link.. Martyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 Posted by Ian Jones on 20/06/2013 09:52:17: I've used them quite a lot and been very happy with them except for two things: This latest clevis issue (I suppose it could be a one-off though obviously Martyn would disagree with that) The American (imperial?) thread means that only American threaded clevises will fit properly. Nearly all others on general sale in the UK are metric and may screw on with various degrees of success but will not tighten properly and are doomed to fail. One solution I have used is to ditch their threaded rod for a metric one. This also means that if there is a good length of inner exposed then a longer threaded rod can be used to stiffen it up. it's certainly not a one-off Ian, I've had several packets os Sullivan snakes with faulty clevis. I was told by the LHS that gold clevis were american threads, silver metric. RE stiffening, if I have more than an inch of exposed inner I usually slip a length of 16 or 18swg wire inside before screwing in the adaptor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Winks Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 They're the ones and they have a good range of other bits for linkages too. with the snake inners exposed ends I use their 2mm threaded rod and wind enough in so its back inside the snake outer this allows me to either fit a clevis and lock nut direct ly or pass it through one of their locking bosses that bolt on to the servo arm this last way makes adjustment a real breeze Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Posted by Phil Winks on 20/06/2013 12:48:53: They're the ones and they have a good range of other bits for linkages too. with the snake inners exposed ends I use their 2mm threaded rod and wind enough in so its back inside the snake outer this allows me to either fit a clevis and lock nut direct ly or pass it through one of their locking bosses that bolt on to the servo arm this last way makes adjustment a real breeze Phil Thanks Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted June 20, 2013 Author Share Posted June 20, 2013 Yes, finally made it to the field for a maiden flight, erm no. Engine started straight away, flooded and stopped - flood procedure, restart - same again. Somehow whilst dealing with flooding etc it seems that one of the engine bearers on the mount has broken. I won't find out until I can get some hangar time, next week . Only consolation is that there's probably not going to be much flying at Greenacres anyway (have you seen the wind forecast?). Since it wasn't safe to continue with the engine the only test I could do with the brakes was to push the model and switch on the brakes: So it looks like they will do the intended job. Since I will be taking the engine out I think I will run it in on the bench then I can set the fuel mixture - that will reduce the risk of flooding when the engine goes back in. Edited By Ian Jones on 20/06/2013 23:56:28 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Oh frustrating Ian! Hope you'll still bring her with you? BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 That's really disappointing Ian. I had problems with mine with the engine inverted and flooding badly which I why I rebuilt the front end and side mounted it. Bring it along anyway - plenty of space and it will be available for the photos. You can demonstrate those brakes as well. Martyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 Yes I'll be bringing it. Still not investigated fully the loose engine issue. I've got some other models ready to bring but in all honesty I don't think they will get to fly this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted June 24, 2013 Author Share Posted June 24, 2013 Posted by Martyn K on 21/06/2013 09:12:38: That's really disappointing Ian. I had problems with mine with the engine inverted and flooding badly which I why I rebuilt the front end and side mounted it. Bring it along anyway - plenty of space and it will be available for the photos. You can demonstrate those brakes as well. Martyn You just keep yours in one peice so that we can fly them together at our open day or another Greenacres fly-in. I've got to see this loose engine problem as an opportunity to replace whatever it is that's broken because it was not suitable for the job anyway (I'm suspecting poor quality plywood for the firewall) and at the the same time deal with the fuel syphoning issue. A sidewinder installation is the obvious solution but until I look into it may not be the right one. I want to openly thank Martyn for his help with the Greenacres Fly In. I could have managed on my own but to have a friend doing the driving, providing palatial accommodation and generally being a jolly good egg made it so much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted June 24, 2013 Share Posted June 24, 2013 No worries, glad to have you along, however palatial? How can it be palatial when you were sleeping in what was essentially a model box? The aforesaid box got inspected by the wife last night and received a clean bill of health <phew> Martyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted July 7, 2013 Author Share Posted July 7, 2013 At last I have had time to look into the issues and deal with them. The best I could have hoped for was that the engine mount screws had come undone and that somehow I could lower the tank but I knew that neither of these were at all likely. It turns out that the mount screws had come undone and the tank was 1/2" too high because it was caught on the throttle snake. No doubt the fault of the person that fitted them . As the engine had to come out during this investigation I decided to set it up on the bench and put a few heating and cooling cycles on it. All told when it went back together I was very confident that all issues had been dealt with. Well today down at the field it started first time but the now inverted engine would not run at tickover with the glow heater off. I had no other choice than to lean off the idle needle even though the engine wasn't run in but it did the job and I was able to take it out for taxi testing with a fast idle. As expected it crept forward on idle but the wheel brakes did their job and restrained it. This meant there was only one thing left to do, so I went for it. Wow, it's like a missile and the engine was only just two stroking, there's more to come. A few rolls and a loop showed it to be very capable of some more advanced aerobatics in due course. When it came to the stall test I had to slow down the idle, that presented a real possibility of a dead stick so I positioned the model for a potential powerless descent to the strip. No problem with stall, except... the dead stick! At 2lbs 11ozs it's a bit heavy, did this matter. No, not one bit... glided in for a gentle landing just over the threshold of the strip, lovely! Obviously there is more running needed on the engine but I've done enough to know this is going to be a great model when it's finished. Well chuffed! Edited By Ian Jones on 07/07/2013 23:46:35 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted July 7, 2013 Share Posted July 7, 2013 Congrats Ian - knew you'd get her sorted. She certainly seems to "have the makings"! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted July 9, 2013 Author Share Posted July 9, 2013 Thanks BEB, I hope to finish it properly this week and post a photo two. Then I'll have the slope version to finish, the big PC9 to get flying again, the Sea Vixen to assemble and fly, the TN spitfire to build, the Extra 330 to patch up... oh motheeeeeer ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted July 9, 2013 Author Share Posted July 9, 2013 Charging/battery check socket fitted and wing stripes fixed today. Can't find anywhere to squeeze in the remote glow connection which is a bit disappointing. Hope to get the rest of the stripes on tomorrow. I think I should put covers over the aileron servos. Perhaps tidy up the wheel brake guides too. Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted July 15, 2013 Author Share Posted July 15, 2013 *** Press Release *** At 2215 hrs today the doors of Hangar X opened and a hitherto unseen aircraft emerged. The rumours of a strange silver flying object being seen at the SCRCS field can now be revealed as having been the prototype of the Long Jucano (Long [awaited] Jones Tucano). Based on the Nigel Hawes design this aircraft featues a SC36 2St engine, 3 blade propeller, enlarged fin & fin fillet, flaperons and wheel brakes. The aircraft will now undergo a series of proving flights in all weather climates (probably in the same day) before being formally accepted into squadron service. *** Press Release Ends *** Time for a . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 Weeeeee! Looks great, looking forward to the type approval flight reports! BEB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martyn K Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 That looks nice Ian Looking forward to seeing it fly. Martyn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken anderson. Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 well done from me ian...i like the brake.......you remind me of myself.....pushing the boundaries ....where you lead others follow etc ....... ken anderson ne..1..... leaders dept.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Jones Posted July 17, 2013 Author Share Posted July 17, 2013 Thanks for your kind comments chaps - had a couple of flights yesterday the intention being to record some video with a "hat Cam". Too occupied with flying to remember to switch it on though . Anyway... Having run the engine some more it's been possible to to lean the main needle some more too. In turn that means I have been able to lean off the idle needle too. The model is fast on this setup and able to slow the engine down and reliably throttle up again going is a necessity for lengthy periods of slower flying. A few more flights should have it set up something like right. I tried dropping the flaperons just a little and this pitched the model up a little but remained fully controllable; this is how I would normally use flaperons so I'm happy with that. Just as an experiment I tried dropping them fully down, the pitching up was severe and the aileron response was pretty sloppy - well that's to be expected too, so that's fair enough. When I've finished setting the model up I will probably limit the available flaperons to the afore mentioned more practical movement. In use I have always found flaperons modify the wing shape to provide a small increase in lift and that's all they should be used for - the increased drag will slow the model a little but air brakes they are not and it looks like that will hold true on this model too. The wheel brakes do indeed hold the model still on tickover so they are fulfilling their purpose so far. There is no evidence of torque rolling whether that's because I increased the fin size or it wouldn't have happened anyway (as Nigel suggests) will never be known but I'm happy with the result. The noseleg steering works fine but I don't have a lot of faith in the small servo I've used and may upgrade it. General handling in flight is very good though when it really gets going the controls get quite sensitive so I will need to look into the best way of dealing with that, which may simply be "get used to it lad", we'll see. Landings so far have been smooth if a little on the fast side, entirely intentional due to higher than plan wing loading - I expect to reduce the landing speed with practice and flaperons (which I haven't actually deployed for landing as yet). When I remember to hit the record button I'll post some video of it flying . Ian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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