Danny Fenton

Well... with the wattmeter I am getting 125 Watts, 12.4 Amps with a 8x4. The motor is rated at 9A continuous 10 sec bursts to 14A, the controller is a 18A-22A I could try a 9x4 but really think I am just about at the limit of the motor. The spec sheet suggested an 8x4 would give 140 Watts, I am falling short of those figures (tolerances perhaps?). Of course the motor will unload in the air, and I wont be flying at full throttle all the time. Do you guys "that can tune the smoke", think this will be entertaining enough?

Hi Alistair Thanks for that, I tried the APC centreing spacers etc, the back plate of the spinner when centred doesn't run true, the other spinner, even the shaft isnt true when the collet is tightened up. The Alu Graupner ones (or clones) seem to be the best, I am waiting for one to arrive, its been on order for a while. If they aren't spot on the whole motor vibrates loose with the high Kv motors, rather unnerving!

HI Andrew, well at least you got to see it fly that is a good thing. I think the weather everywhere this weekend was too bad for flying. I snook in a 10 minute electric flight very early on Saturday, it was gray, but the rain and wind hadn't arrived. Let us know how it goes this weekend :)

Hi Marc, yes I saw those stick mounts but they only seemed to come in a bundle with that motor, I already have the motor and ESC. Anyway it didn't really take that long to make. Thanks for the advice on the glue, I will know next time.

Hi Marc wondered where you got to LOL Unfortunately the flaming GWS glue took forever to dry, tried using some foam friendly CA but it wouldn't go off! guess you need some sort of activator when glueing foam, when I realised how long the GWS stuff was taking resorted to using 5 min epoxy. Otherwise would have been ready to test fly with the Tucano this morning (before the rain and winds took hold). Had a bit of trouble making an accurate adaptor plate to convert from stick mount motor to Radial Brushless. Also had to dismantle the motor and reverse the shaft so that it would mount with the bulkhead behind the motor. Started a scratch Hurricane this afternoon LOL got some catching up to do, been out of the hobby for a few years, and the hanger is looking a little empty, can't have that can we LOL

Hi Steve thanks for the tips, unfortunately mine is now ready to fly, and you are right those control tubes were too short, but they have worked fine. I will have to see what happens re the canopy LOL. Another tip worth mentioning is to hollow out the fuselage to accept the LiPo pack you are intending to use before joining the two halves, I would imagine it would be a sod afterwards. Also the excess elevator/rudder cable outer use them to extend the aileron and elevator piano wire right into the control surfaces, stiffens them and gives more precise control. I only have a 7x5 prop at the moment this gives 113 watts @ 10.4 Amps, the model weighs in at 446g. I will source an 8x4 and 9x4 to up the power slightly, as it is a low Kv motor it really needs a bigger prop. I will let you know how it goes :)

Stop! you are making me feel old, somebody was running a diesel at the field last Saturday and I had to go and sniff the fuel, it bought back so many childhood memories of us trying to master control line LOL You don't suppose one day we will wake up and suddenly find we have grown up do you? I hope not....

Well I couldn't get a spinner to run true on the Tucano, so flew it with a collet/nut spinner, didn't look right on the ground but okay once at altitude. Flew a treat, used 85% expo and 1/4 up and down on the ailerons, and 1/8 on the elevator. It still rolled really niceley. Flew really smoothly on quarter - third throttle. Lands quick though :)

I did see something years ago which was a collar that went around the cylinder. This collar baffled the exhaust exit as it was rotated, no idea how well it worked, but that was all I ever saw, the needle assembly was built into the tank on all the ones I played with as a lad, so throttling through fuel/air mixture is not easy. Good luck

Mike rolls has put a reply on the "Formosa Rocks" thread which is about foam painting he uses household emulsion

Thanks Mike, it is all a big learning curve for me. I am familiar with all the old ways, but this is totally new to me, which is fun.

Well it covers well, but it does feel as though the paint has added a fair bit of weight. The trouble with foam is when you sand it to get rid of the moulding marks it scratches the surface which then accepts paint in a different way to the areas un touched by sanding. The end result is a somewhat mottled finish. I should have weighed the model before applying the finish as I am sure there must be a fair weight penalty. I kinda wish I hadn't bothered, well you live and learn as they say.

Thanks Mike, I popped into my local model shop, and found an acrylic aerosol, RC Styro Colours, looks just the ticket, I will let you know how it goes on. I searched the web and J Perkins do it: http://www.jperkinsdistribution.co.uk/list.php?subcat=111&cat=Sprays%20-%20Styro%20Colours&Navmain=Paints,%20Dope,%20Brushes

Hi Donald, just popped into my local model shop, and found an acrylic aerosol, RC Styro Colours, looks just the ticket, I will let you know how it goes on. I searched the web and J Perkins do it: http://www.jperkinsdistribution.co.uk/list.php?subcat=111&cat=Sprays%20-%20Styro%20Colours&Navmain=Paints,%20Dope,%20Brushes

The trouble with enamel Donald is it is heavy. I have just found the article I was looking for, the pens that John Stennard shows as being used on his scratch depron models are ZIG Posterman, and also uniPosca. He also mentions permanent ink felt pens. I heard there was a an aerosol poster paint also but can't find one. I am going to go along to my local Hobbycraft and see what is about

Well the Formosa arrived this afternoon, what with work I couldn't get cracking til about 8pm tonight. Tried to get the foam friendly CA to glue foam, would it heck! after 5 minutes it was still just a damp area between two bits of foam. The brand is Vital Bond and has a white cap. Had to use the GWS glue, which is still not dry after more than two hours. Oh well, saying that it is over half finished LOL turned to 5 minute epoxy. Still cannot find a method of giving foam some color though, the stickers are a bit tacky, scuse the pun.

Dave welcome back, You may need deep pockets if you go down the helicopter path LOL. You may want to start a specific thread asking this question that way people can see from the thread description what you are interested in. In my oppinion you should get yourself a cheapo flight sim and have a go yourself. PlaneMaster is £20 with a USB controller, the controller will then work with FMS which includes helicopters. Good luck and let us know how you get on

Donald I am struggling with the same question. I am just doing a Formosa and the sticker set is not really great, there must be a light coating we can put on, film would add to much weight. I am sure in one of the mags recently a felt pen was used to some effect, anybody have any ideas?

Should be working but I suppose a quick web browse won't hurt LOL, thanks Marc

Thanks for that Marc, I wont bother with the undercarriage either. I have heard that old floppy disks cut up provide excellent hinge material, I was going to try that. I have read that fuselages tend to warp after joining and to run them under hot water while holding them straight sorts it, did you come across this? I have ordered some foam friendly CA as it will be quicker than waiting for the GWS glue. I have a 130watt setup with a 1500Mah 3 cell lipo ready to go in, so should go very well. How does yours handle stronger winds, I fly at a fairly windy field?

Hi Alistair, that flies well LOL it is a bigger version than mine, thats described as 1000mm wingspan, mines only 700mm 2 servos and a controller. A friend has one and flew it last Saturday it was ballistic, and a dot in a nanosecond! You are right though the launch was pants!

Hi Marc which Formosa is it? the Mk 1 or II? also what sort of wattage are you pulling? Mine is on order but hasn't arrived yet. Flew a friends Formosa Mk1 last Saturday and was very impressed, flys like a much bigger model and goes where it is pointed. Haven't built a foamie before so a bit nervous about glues and hinge materials, may need to ask your advice if the postie ever delivers it LOL

Nope, the HET one 28" 422g of sheer terror, If I can keep up with it I will be amazed, 160 Watts. When I crash a model I like it to be complete, hence the spinner LOL

Hi Alistair, the one place I didn't try was Robotbirds, they have hundreds LOL thanks for that, I have stuck in an order. My Tucano will be properly dressed for its maiden LOL Cheers

Maybe we should start our own Formosa thread, rather than hijacking somebody elses LOL Sorry Thomas