C-47 Skytrain Redux

She is a curious flier, one moment docile and balanced, the next cartwheeling across the grass on takeoff. A few months ago she tore off an engine and smashed up her fuse a bit. I fixed it and used wood filler to gap the gouges. I left her in the wall for a few months.

Today I sanded down the filer, pulled off some of the stickers and used up the last of the of the olive drab paint for the topside. Tomorrow I'll finish the bottom with gray, and complete the stickers. Then, another try at flying without drama!

Eflite PT-17 Stearman New One!

About 3 oz in the nose for a perfect CG.

Tomorrow we fly!

Finding the groove!

It was a gorgeous day!

Headed out to Joppa with a heli, the HDX 500, and my 30cc MXS-R.

I have not had luck with my helis lately. They are all plagued with one mechanical issue or another. I continue to fight off butt wiggles. The HDX had a seizure issue I finally nailed doen to Van De Graff energy and fixed by lubing the tail boom and belt. But now it too has a tail wag...

So I took the 30cc up and worked on approaches and  landings. I am finding her way. I increased the landing flap config to 60% and now she floats like a butterfly.  The grass is clumpy and high, so on rollout before the tail wheel comes fully down her prop touches and the engine stops. Cracked the prop ever so slightly, but I don't need drama so I replaced it with a Zoar Black Sword. Sweet! Need to pick up a couple of these!

Pretty much finished the Eflite Stearman. I
decided to build it stock, 3S with a Power 15 electric motor. I had a bad gyro reciever from Hobby King. It wouldn't talk to the motor and then shorted out. I don't think it's worth trying to work with HK customer service to get it replaced, so I tossed it and put in a Spektrum AR600x. Setting up weight in the nose for CG, then maybe maiden tomorrow.

Eflite PT-17 Stearman #2

While waiting for Joe at RCGF-USA to fix my 10cc that will be installed in the now dormant Sukhoi SU-26, I decided to start work on my second Eflite PT-17 Stearman 15e.  A couple of years ago there was a rumor that Eflite was going to stop producing this plane, and being that it's one of my favorites, and that I was beating the crap out of the one I had, I bought it and have held NIB since.  That bird became a legend, and a search of my blog will bring up dozens of posts recording her history. Except for her end. For some reason I can't find a post about how I lost her one last time at Joppa Hill in the Whirlpool Corner. She appropriately chose her wing tip stall into a death spiral from 20 feet up, so well known to me. She was badly damaged, but more than that I was done with her and let her die... I salvaged her electronics for the day I would build her sister.

That day was today, almost a year later. I pulled out the box, and started a leisurely build. I am in no hurry, but this is a simple plane to build.

Same rudder and elevator servos.

Survived first MXS-R Deadstick

A day off today with perfect flying weather, rare these past few weeks. Errands done, off to the field!

Warmed up with Ultimate, and cruised with the Cornell, then the main event. Kicked the tires and lit the fires and flew the MXS-R 30cc gasser. Tossed her around a little and on final in flight idle she quit. Deadsticked to a one bounce wings level landing. Sweet. Didn't have the nerve to fly her more than 3 times.

She tends to 4-cycle in low to mid throttle, runs sweet at the higher end. I decided this evening to pull the metering tubing that ran to the fuse out of the engine compartment so now the metering pressure will be what exists in the cowl. See if this makes a diff.

Tucked away...

Winter Project?

Hmmm....

Corsair for me?

RCGF 10cc Gas Motor Issues

UPDATE: Its running fine!  Read the UPDATE.

It's old news that I selected the RCGF 10cc engine for the Sukhoi SU-26. My initial impressions are quite good, but more because of the great support I am getting from Joe at RCGF USA.

I have always felt that most RC products are over priced. But both the Evolution and the RCGF 10cc motors were priced at $199 shipped. I chose the RCGF engine because it wasn't a pressurized tank system (a glow converted engine), it has a ringed piston,  it used the same fuel mix as my DLE 30, and it seems popular, well constructed, and simple in design.

I still like all of those things. The engine arrived quickly with a nice personal hand written thanks from Joe. Well packaged and protected. It installed easily, and I had the entire thing from ignition battery, to kill switch, recvr/ign manual switch, engine and electronic ignition installed in under a couple of hours. I am also using a Quickfire filter. I took the battery packs from the 30cc MXS-R since HK just got my order shipped yesterday.

Yesterday I tried starting it, it just didn't seem to be getting fuel. If I primed the lines it finally spun up but quickly quit. I wasnt sure if it was the pump, the filter, or the vaccum. It's almost never the spark. I quickly discovered a massive fuel leak in the tank from a pinhole in a corner, fixed it by replacing the tank, but thats not the problem. Made a mess of the airframe. Tried starting again, no joy. Gave it a break overnight. Was the pump position an issue? Was it too high? Should this matter? Maybe the vacuum is inadequate for the Quickfire; I can take it out of line and see, move the pump... Is there yoo much fuel line? Shouldn't be. What else could it be?

This morning I started where I had left off. I took the Quickfire out of line, still no joy. I moved the fuel pump lower (I really don't think that changed anything), primed the lines and put the Quickfire back in line. This time is rewarded me with a couple of 15-20 sec runs before it just died, then nothing. Well, we know its working, getting fuel, but why does it stop? I decided to check the spark plug to see if there was some reason the engine could not sustain enough compression to keep fuel coming.  I had done everything else I could think of.

When I removed the spark plug it came loose a lot easier than I expected, and there were metal filings around the threads. I checked ignition spark and it was hardy. I went to put the spark back in and wasn't surprised that it would loosely thread, not completely seal, it kept turning on finger tip pressure, and I could pull it out easily. The threads were stripped in the cylinder head and I hadn't even screwed it back in. I have to say, when it did run, it sounds smooth and sweet! It gave me chills, I was so excited. It made it clear I will never build another electric again!

Bummer, though. I think it was having trouble because the cylinder wasn't sealed during the compression stroke but for that couple of times it ran, and then only briefly. But who knows.

Now comes Joe. I called him and he was great, apologizing without blinking an eye,  and asked me to send the engine back, he would get it running. He noted there have been some manufacturing issues on some of the engines with tapping the cylinder heads, and my issue was not unique. I uninstalled it and mailed it out this afternoon.

I don't expect perfection. Remember, "Its always something." What keeps me a fan of this engine id how sqeet it sounded, and that when it had a problem I spoke to THE man and he is on it. Can't do better than that.

My usually well organized shop is a mess, I was so focused on getting her running. Back and forth to the garage, who has time to keep things neat?

So now we wait...