Craig Spence

Hi all, I haven't posted on here for some time, I'm coming back into flying after a 3 year break and im shocked at the vast changes if im honest. So to the topic, I will be treating myself in January to a pilot rc Sbach 342 30cc. I have loads of questions and need help if you could. 1; The model weighs 4.85kg (as it comes). It requires x6 servos, what torque should I be looking at on them?, also does the throttle servo need to be of high quality?. 2; I am looking at LiFe battery's for the receiver, what mah will I require 3000+? 3; what battery should I have for the engine?, DLE 30cc. 4; Is a battery backer the way forward or dual batteries with dual harnesses suffice?. 5; Can you get 20x4wide wooden props? and would this be ok for DLE 30cc. Prop range (18x8, 18x10, 19x8 & 20x8. 6; I take that I will need a kill switch?. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Cheers, Craig.

Eamonn, Thanks never saw that, can't believe he's still trying it on after being sussed by other members. Cheers.

Hi all, There isn't really a subject to put this in really so I thought I'd raise awareness in one of the most read threads. Beware of people trying to buy your goods from the classified section. Their is a guy called (or so called) dave simon who has sent me a check in response to my add, the problem is he has sent the check for £700 when I only asked for £110. The check is also a three mobile company check. This is a scam, they send it overbalanced so you send back the difference before it clears. The emails and check are being forwarded to the police. I won't go into great detail but I thought I would raise awareness, insure they are legit before going into agreements etc.. Cheers all.

Hi Barry, It is an interesting point. I have no doubt it will fly, my main worries are landing lol. Our patch is quite short, so take off needs to be before I hit the end of the patch (long grass) or the trees. Landing needs to be kept within the boundary as well or it will hit a fence. Maybe I should roll out a groundsheet at the end of the runway and cover it with slush, as this would slow it down dramatically lol (air crash investigation, discovery). It's just gonna take time I think. Have you flown yours yet Barry?.

Cheers Danny, I think it's gonna be a while realistically before it's ready but I suppose that's how it works. Hi Barry, yep, I don't think it will save a great deal but as you know the fuselage is very long so even a little bit of weight off the tail could add up to alot less weight in the nose. I'm pulling at straws really and it's frustrating. Cheers, Craig.

Hi Barry, I don't mean to make it sound dramatic, but to me it is. I've invested alot of time and blood into this model and I'm very worried it won't make a flight. Now I'm just thinking of all the things I can do to lighten the load. Cheers, Craig.

Hi Danny, thanks for the info there, much appreciated. I did originally use blue foam for the cone, but I used it as a plug then glassed over it. The problem was that when doing the fairings I used blue foam and P38 which was stupid as I now know. I think I'll do as you say Danny and build up the tail cone "again", with blue foam, then remove, glass and hollow out. I have thought of a few other options as well. 1; remove the rudder, use 16th ply centre plate, 16th balsa ribs and use blue foam for the leading edge and top. Then cover. 2; remove the elevator which is solid balsa, do the same as above but glass. This should remove quite a bit of weight, but well see. Thanks Danny, always appreciate the help. Looking forward to seeing your hurricane come on.

Well it's been a while now and I haven't touched the mossie. Haven't had the heart really lol. I devised a plan but was hoping someone could advise. I have decided to cut the tail cone off, I will make a mould of it to make a plug and then vac form a cone. Can anyone advise on materials and methods for this?, it would be greatly appreciated. Also while the cone is off I will be looking at changing a few small things. Trimming off bits of wood where I can without compromising the safety of the plane. A foam wheel as well with no collets. After that has been done I will see if it's feasible to move the rudder and elevator servos onto the wing. This I can't see happening but will take a chance with it. Anyone know of a good way to connect and disconnect two pushrods?, this is what I will have to do, any gadgets out there?, or will it have to be bell cranks?, which will again add more weight. Foam main wheels and I am now also considering engine changes. Thinking two 46 two strokes, same power but lighter, hopefully, it still wouldn't help the CofG though. I know a rebuild lol!. Any help would be greatly appreciated, cheers all.

"Craig yes it is heavy, how do you build??? on the heavy side pos like me," lol, yes sometimes I knowingly build heavy, thinking it may save time with some fidly bits, but in the long run it just creates more time. But generally I tried my best, getting the lightest wood from the shop etc... "your homemade exhaust could also be adding more weight" unfortunately these have to stay. Your right though, I should have expected alot more weight with the bigger engines, glass cloth, filler etc.. Lesson learned for future projects though. I'll have to see what I can do with the servos, the trouble is I'd have to make up an extra connection for them, the rods that is as the wing comes away. Another weak point which I wish to avoid. As youv said about the engines, your right I'll get on it when I get back. I suppose with all the added extras like you said there's gonna be a gain. However even BT's prototype was a heavy beauty, I can only hope mine flys as well as his. Only time will tell. Three weeks time the maiden will defiantly be going ahead. On a Saturday, the cowls just need finishing and spraying along with the doors. Just glueing lead in place, pulling through another wire for the extra battery up front and making battery holders is all that's needed for the first flight. Hope it works out, ill let you know. I will take the engine out as well, cheers. Craig.

Well doesn't seem like I've got far this trip off. The engines are continuing to baffle me as well, I returned them to factory settings at the field and they were purring like tigers. Both almost bang in the RPM range, however the left engine does not like idle and cuts, it is also still running quite rich. When it comes to the maiden I have my old instructor and a couple of four stroke engine gurus to get them bang on. Heres the big problem though, the weight. Whilst trying to get the CofG sorted I realised how heavy the plane is going to be. All in all, I have to put 1 1/2lb of lead in the nose along with two batteries. I was expecting quite a bit of weight in the nose but not that much. Brian Taylor had 1lb approx in the nose. My old instructor thinks it's quite heavy. I'm unsure of what to do really. Here's BT figures off of the plan. 11lbs 10oz for the plane less fuel and bombs. 12oz ballast in the nose. The engines used were OS25FSR and props 10x6 turning 10000 RPM. My set up. Plane, 9 1/2 lbs. Although I consider this may be wrong due to the scales, I'd add about 3lbs. 1 1/2lb ballast plus batteries. AUW minus fuel 14lbs including the added 3lb because of luggage scales. Engines are SC52FS turning 12x6 at 9200. My concern is not that it won't take off, it's how long will it take to get airborne and how much of a run will I need for landing. Our patch isn't the longest. Barry, if your there, does this sound too heavy?. I have a few ideas to reduce the tail weight. 1; remove the rubber and alloy hubed tail wheel and replace with a foam wheel. 2; remove rubber and alloy hubed main wheels and replace with foam ones. These weigh quite a bit and sit behind the CofG. That's as far as I would go really. The other options are, which I wouldn't like to do are this. Remove tail cone and make a moulded which will be a little lighter, but not much. Take out the elevator and rudder servos from the fuz and fix them to the wing. And very last resort, removing the elevator and making a hollow one. Any help or advice appreciated. Thanks in advance, Craig.

I'll keep you posted Barry, thanks again for your help. Craig.

Hi Barry, Thanks for the compliment on the exhausts, they were a pig to fit in. I'm not sure what the "pressure take off adaptor" is. Is that correct term for the back pressure nipple. If it is, it's the same nipple which came with the engines supplied exhaust. M3 tap, so I'm guessing the hole would be 1.5mm to 2mm, I'd measure but my wife has lost the tape measure and my ruler is in 16ths and 10ths lol. I think the back pressure to the tanks will be fine due to the positioning of the nipples. I spoke to my old instructor about the engine. I remembered that he richened up the lower end for running in, this would explain why it's so rich. It also perhaps explains the cut outs on idle, too much fuel coming in on lower revs choking out the glow plug. It would also explain starting issues, higher torque on starting, runing backwards, plus what was said above. What do you think Barry!. Cheers, Craig.

Stu and Barry, I have a guru to help me nearer the time lol. He only flys 4 strokes, from my experience the 4stks seem more reliable and last longer. But since these new exhaust systems have been put in place they've been struggling. Cheers.

Hi Stu, Nice planes, they must have taken some time with those. All with two strokes as well, they must have a bit of punch to. I'm glad to hear that the tolerences in RPM can be a little out. I'll take the advice and set up separately and leave them. Thanks for the advice stu, hope to hear from you again, I'll let you know how it turns out. Cheers, Craig.

Hi Barry, thanks for the help again. 92 and 100 are what's displayed on the screen of my tacho, I should have said 9200 and 10000, appologies. The engines are not OS, they are SC52FS's. Sorry if I've caused confusion, I don't think I mentioned OS's. The props are 12x6's and are turning as said above but I can't recall the lower counts. I'll try the tuning advice but there is a problem there, I can't see the carbs as they are in a inaccessible position. I was looking in them the other day with a mirror. One thing I may have forgot to mention was I oiled up the engines (Maybee a touch too much) prior to running them, which would explain being hard to start. I know what you mean, they should run OK inverted and right way up but they will run differently slightly?. If you flick through my thread you will notice the exhaust system I have. It's a 90% knuckle manifold with a back pressure nipple fitted to it, and then fitted to a female/ female adapter then a 60% manifold (supplied with engine). There is no muffler as such so pressures will be effected. The glow plugs are OS type F. One more thing, the left engine goes to 10000 initially at full throttle and then drops to 9200, very quickly. Appreciate the feedback Barry, hope this clears things up a bit more and you can give a bit more input. Cheers, Craig.

Thanks for getting back Barry, I was hoping you would. Taking the engines out is something I'd rather avoid, I'll check the bolts which I can access. Fuel lines are fine as well I think. Do you think if o returned them both to fully closed and then started again I would get a better result, do you know the factory setting for the lower end?. On the tacho it read 92 for right engine, 100 left engine after tuning it was around 92 each engine and both remained at equal levels to each other through the throttle ranges. The left engine does hold idle for quite a while but no longer than 3 minuets. The left engine is runing very rich, but always has done. Do you think retuneing them from scratch would help or opening up the lower end on the rich one an 8th or quarter and then closing the high speed needle so the revs are slightly lower than the right?. I'm not sure but a bench run isn't really an option as it would be inaccurate as the engines run inverted. Any help appreciated. Cheers.

Took the plane to the field today for an airing. Fired up the engines and I'm so glad i did. Had lots of problems, the first one being the fact I couldn't take the throttle stick lower than half throttle before the engines cut. After alot of people getting stuck into the model, we realised it was the carb openings. Sounds a simple problem to find and rectify but it's not lol. So after messing around with the linkages and travel adjustments I got them both to idling. The left engine doesn't like to idle though, it's also faster and richer (very, very rich). They say to richen up the faster engine?, what should I do. I will richen the lower ends a tiny bit to help with the idling next time down the field but am perplexed as what to do with the left engine. It runs through fuel slot quicker than the right too. They sound fantastic when they hit the right note though, I will put another two tanks through prior to the maiden to iron out the faults hopefully. Any feedback would be appreciated though. One other thing as well, both engines were a right pig to start a few times, I put this down to cold stoarage for months and being heavily oiled. Cheers all.

Well, started on the doors again last, arghh!. That's all I can say lol!. Instead of useing piano wire I will be useing small elastic bands now, this will save stalling the servos if it gets snagged. I'm not even going with a mechanism to hold the doors open either now. Some things are too frustrating and I've never been a surgeon. The legs will push the doors open and keep them open, the paddle will pull bands down under tension and keep the doors shut well. I am going to glue strips of petg to the undercarriage legs so they can slide past the doors and not get snagged before hitting the paddle. Or so goes the theory, hope it works or I may be doing a refurb sooner than I thought. Any feedback appreciated, cheers.

Hi Barry, I see what you mean there, the open/ close rods may just rip off the paddles. I think I may just put the springs on either side of the paddle and fix to the nacelle. I can see this going on for a while lol. As for the weight I think the only deciding factor would be the flight lol. Mine was weighed with everything in place minus the extra battery (undercarriage) and balast.

Thanks for the pics Barry, I think I'll do them instead of springs. Would 16 gauge piano wire be good?, I do worry about it not closing evenly though. I may have to make it so the non fixed part of it is adjacent to the aft hinge and closing mechanism. Any thoughts on what I was saying about wing loading, anyone?.

Just weighed the incomplete model in and it came up approximately 15lbs. The prototype that BT flew was 13lb odd. Now my new luggage scales won't be the best of course but it gives me an approximate. Now BT flew his with 25s orginally and had a recommendation of up to 40. Two strokes. So my question is to anyone with the knowledge; will I be ok with the extra weight?. I have two SC52fs's up front which will give me alot more power than the original had. I think the extra weight is down to the extra servos, larger engines and heavier undercarriage. BT had 6 servos whilst I have 10. So I think the plane by itself with no gear inside may be the same weight as his. There is another problem however, I still have to add weight for CofG. Will I be OK for wing loading. Any help greatly appreciated. Cheers all.

Cheers for the info there Barry, servos are a no no unfortunately. Can't run any more wires through the wing or take any out for that matter, oops. I get the principle with the torque bar effect but I can't picture how I'd do it. I'll have a head scratch later. Making a battery bay at the minuet in the nose. I got a bargain today on Velcro lol, instead of buying it at my LMS I looked else where. ?1.26 for a good length, a hell of a lot cheaper than my shop. I'll let you know how it goes Barry, but if youv got any pics of the piano wire set up please send them to me. Cheers.

Been thinking of other ways to do the doors and I've come up with another idea, inspiration from another build. I'm going to make paddles, when the wheel retracts it will hit the ply paddle and pull the doors closed via wire rods. Also when the paddle is depressed it will stretch some springs which I hope will keep the doors open when extended. I will also rehinge with robart hinges like Barry has done. Wish me luck.

Hi all, Well I've been back a few days now and I've got a little bit done. The respray of the fuz is done and it isn't great but I can live with it for now. I will redo the fuz and wing spraying at a later date. So, fuel proofing the fuz today and hopefully, all going well I may get a maiden in for the weekend depending on how the door work goes on the wing. The engines will be getting run at the weekend at least. I'll post pics nearer the time.

Hi Towlie, Looking forward to this build coming on, I'm thinking of buying the Brian Taylor kit. I've used paint masks from Tim at model markings. They were very good quality and Tim provides an excellent service. I shall be in contact with him soon for some bits when I get my next project. Good luck with the build, I'll be following. Craig.