Douglas DC-3 Build

[Keith Simmons]

Looks lovely and best of luck for the Maiden. Can I ask what size 3 blade props you are using with your choice of motors?

 

On Tony's website it's 11" dia (2 blade?) with 4max PPI 3657-1200 so I am interested in your setup. Thanks

 

[Roy Thompson]

Hi Keith

 

The plan is, to use gws 9x5 3 blade props. The motors are turnigy B36-56-09 1200kv.

In theory they should draw about 30A each peak, not that I should need that much I hope.

 

I'm scratching my head at the moment as to were to fit the air tank and valve assy.

A couple of photos of the in side of Tony's showing the gear installation wouldn't have gone a miss in the original write up.

 

Slowly ticking off the other jobs both. aileron servos are now fitted & working.

[Tom T]

This is really good Roy, very interesting to follow! Can it be made as a nitro too? Sorry if this has already been asked and answered and I haven't seen it.

 

Tom

[Roy Thompson]

Hi Tom

 

Yes It can, Tony has added details for an IC conversion on the plans (.15 - .19 ic engines)

[Roy Thompson]

Still ticking off the final job's, not far now from her maiden.

This is properly why the weather has turned to a big bag of poo

Edited By Roy Thompson on 18/07/2011 22:08:54

[Roy Thompson]

Well the day came, I couldn't put it off any longer!

All the jobs on the pre flight check list list were done, & the only thing left to do, was to get her in to the air

I have a theory about first flights. The tightness of the bum cheeks is directly proportional to the man hours spent!!

[Roy Thompson]

So how did it go?

Very well for the first couple of minutes, the general model trim & control responses are fine. She needs a little more down thrust on the motors, but over all handling was fine.

Then one of the motors came adrift!, & that cut the flight short.

Unfortunately the landing was a bit rushed, coming in short & hard. Fortunately the only damage is a bent undercart.

[Danny Fenton]

Sorry to hear of the undercarriage damage, but the great thing is it flew Well done Roy.

Looks fabulous in the pictures, a real credit to you, wonderful color scheme.

So you have experienced the worst nightmare of all multi engine models, one engine out

Cheers

Danny

[Roy Thompson]

If not for the engine mount being in front of the motors, then one of of the motors would defiantly been out, OUT and gone

 

So came close!

[Roy Thompson]

Well I got my courage up to day & took her out for her second flight, after much thread lock had been applied.

This time the 5 Min flight was perfect (If I do say my self).

A gentle 3 mph wind was blowing straight down the strip.

So with fellow club mate Rob on the stopwatch we taxied out & turned
in to wind, check list complete & rate switch set. Then with the
throttle opened slowly, off she went. Up came the tail & some 20,
30 feet later she was airborne on about 80% throttle.

The next few minutes were spent flying a series of circuit & figure
8's before climbing to try her slow speed handling. Much to my relief,
there was no nasty surprise’s. The left wing will prop, but it was slow
& quickly recovered.

The first practice landing showed this again. So landing are to be power
on affairs, with the model flown down on to the deck. This is exactly
what I did on the next circuit, keeping about a 1/3 throttle on all the
way down. This makes the landing approach seem a bit fast for my taste
(maybe fitting flaps would have been a good idea), but she touched down
gently with very little bounce & seemingly no tendency to nose over.
With the speed bleeding off rapidly the tail sat back down with out
fuss.

The 5 min flight used 2.64Ah out of my 4.1Ah pack, so 6 minute flights
should be the safe norm from now on, with a theoretical Max flight time
of 7min 45seconds.

Average power consumption was 352 W so that puts the average power to weight ratio at about 47 W/lb

Edited By Roy Thompson on 03/08/2011 00:26:16

Edited By Roy Thompson on 03/08/2011 00:26:33

[Roy Thompson]

My Build log now on video.

build log on video

Edited By Roy Thompson on 03/11/2011 12:41:44

[SA Allan]

Nice one Roy

 

I wanted to build one too but the postage to South Africa was more than the kit .

 

Picked up a topflite kit a few weeks back at the local hobby store for a really good price .

 

Well done

[P Smith 1]

Hi

am building this dc3 and am making the wing tips out of depron foam ..

would it be advisable to build washout into the wing tips to prevent tip stalling???

[Roy Thompson]

Hi Paul

The short answer is YES!

Despite what Tony's says in the building instruction, you do need washout & plenty of it. I added about 1/2" under each wing tip, but I could have done with more. Don't get me wrong she fly's very nicely; just don’t let the airspeed drop! Fly the model on the throttles not the elevator & you should be fine.

However if you let her stall she will drop a wing tip, & I find the best way to recover is to let her do one spin & then catch her if you have the height. So now I don’t let her low down, I keep the speed on keep her level at about ½ throttle & if I want to lose height I just back off the power.

If you’re in the wing building stage, think about adding flaps. I dint but some time wish I had.

Roy

Edited By Roy Thompson on 09/09/2014 17:21:06

[ken anderson.]

hello paul-check out our club web site-one of our lads made one and it was a bit 'iffy' landing...and loved to drop a wing-even doing so on take off if you lifted off to soon......it was to say the least not nice at all.....see the video...on our video page and contact the lad himself(old carry)Craig Carr for first hand account. His hair would stand on end when flying it-if he had any....

 

ken Anderson ne...1....DC3 dept.

Edited By ken anderson. on 09/09/2014 17:30:23

[Roy Thompson]

My Dak still going well at may clubs E-Fly-In Sunday.

[P Smith 1]

Hi all

Can i ask im stuck on the shape front and rear of the wing faring especially the curving around the front part to the underside,,im just not getting it somehow, have done the obvious part where the former curves around, but the front is really stumping me any help would be greatly appreciated

paul

[Roy Thompson]

It's been some time since I last updated this thread, so I thought it's time to add some new pic's.

[Stephen Jones]

Glad you did Roy ,

I must of missed this tread , Looks and flies Great ,

Steve

[Roy Thompson]

After a long layoff for repairs she’s back in the air, and ready for Middle Wallop. Luckily another club member had his new camera at the field Saturday, for her 1st post rebuild flight.

Edited By Roy Thompson on 25/06/2018 21:39:30