Acrowot ARTB Hints and tips

[Crosswind]

After a diet of ARTFs I'm about to stick my toe in the water with an Acrowot ARTB. Please could I draw on your experience of the kit, and life with the completed model. Are there any modifications that you would make to the build? On reading the instructions it seems unusual to build an aerobatic model with dihedral. Should I build the wing flat or follow Chris's instructions and incorporate some dihedral? Engine wise I'm planning on using a .60 size two stroke.

Thanks Crosswind

[Former Member]

[This posting has been removed]

[Glyn R]

I have built two, one glow with Irvine 53 and one electric conversion. Most of the dihedral comes from the tapered wing. I built both of mine as per plan.

Glassed and painted.

[DG3]

A 0.60 cu in two stroke hit the sweet point for me.

[Bob Cotsford]

.70 four stroke in mine, the only real change since the first time I built it in the 80s has been the change to twin aileron servos. It's a fine sports model as per the instructions and if I built another I'd probably just reduce the dihedral a little.

 

Just remembered, I did brace the UC mounting plate at some point

Edited By Bob Cotsford on 21/02/2013 22:54:04

[ozjimthree3]

Hallo Crosswind, I wish I still had a big box with an Acrowot kit inside! Mine has finally come to the end of its colourful life, it was rebuilt at least eight times, the final "arrival" wrecked the wing and tore out the wing mounting from the fuselage. My Acrowot had various engines, Saito .65 four stroke, OS .46AX and finally Irvine .53. The only modification I did to mine was to increase the chord of the rudder, I did this because the model wouldn't spin reliably, after the rudder mod. it would perform to order.

Instead of beefing up the U/C mounting, try using 6mm nylon bolts, these break off long before any damage can occur to the mounting.

When building, make absolutely sure that the wing halves meet perfectly, the slightest mis-alignment will give you lots of trimming problems.

Finally, keep all the die cut scrap bits and make a template of the fuselage sides.

A well set up Acrowot is an absolute joy to fly and like a full size aeroplane, it has to be flown with some care when low and slow, as when landing. If you can, practice landing at a height that will allow you to recover, the stall of an Acrowot can catch you out, if you fly high enough to be able to watch it, you'll see what I mean.

In closing, you'll always find "experts" who know all about "tip stalls" and wouldn't fly an Acrowot if it was the last model in the World. Just carry on and ignore them.

Build it light, and build it straight, then go fly it and enjoy yourself.

[Jon Laughton]

Some repetition here:

- Do use nylon bolts for the u/c attachment...

- I used an OS 55AX and the balance was fine - great power to weight performance

- Yes increase the rudder area if you can

- Buy a carbon u/c from carbon copy and a carbon tail skid

- Glass inside the forward fuselage from the firewall to the u/c mounting bracket

- Max out the aileron throws if you feel comfortable doing so

- Add triangular gussets to the 'stick structure' on the inside of the fuselage sides for the forward half of the fuselage

Enjoy!

Jon

[Braddock, VC]

I'd build it as per CF's instructions, the only mods I've added to my second and third ones are to beef up the u/c mount. After cutting the slots in the fus for the tailplane infill below with a triangle of 3/16 balsa as it gives a much bigger gluing area. I've also fitted a full width spar cut from 1/32 ply sandwiched between the tailplane bits as someone once said they could break off there, none of mine have including one I piled in vertically from about 100 feet, in fact the tailplane, fin and rudder has been re-used in my latest one as they were the only recognisable bits to survive. I''ve built flaps into my latest one, don't know why. I'm also considering using the wot4 wire undercarriage as it's the same size and much more forgiving for the airframe than f/g, alloy or carbon ones ( I have several from destroyed wotties laying around, makes it much cheaper as I buy the standard kit).

I used 4 strokes and mounted them inverted but if I were to fit a 2 stroke, rather than mounting sidewinder, I'd have it canted down 45 degrees so the silencer is between the u/c legs.

I've previously used nylon and dope on the fus and tissue and dope on the wings and tail but now I'm using profilm.

My first one I coloured black like a tucano, bad mistake. Difficult to tell what orientation it was.

Mine have had YS 45 2 stroke with mini pipe, it was ballistic, changed to laser 80 then the ultimate engine for me, a saito 82. With the latter and no flaps it weighed less than 5.5 pounds.

With the saito fitted I had to add an alloy spinner and fit the throttle servo on the firewall, wasn't too happy with that arrangement but it balanced just behind the rearmost position for the c of g but it was ok.

For some reason the kit built models come out lighter than the artf though I've not had one of the artfs so can't say why

Edited By Braddock, VC on 22/02/2013 08:10:52

[ken anderson.]

hello crosswind....build as per the instructions---you'll end up with a model that'll last a fair old while......on my two A/Wots and most of my models i line the fuel tank bay-which includes the u/c mount....with f/glass resin and cloth...this strengthens up the front area and the mount.......nothing worse on an assembled model if the u/c plate comes loose....

ken anderson...ne....1.......loose plate dept.....

[Bob Cotsford]

I am puzzled by the way some people have problems with AWs stalling and some don't. Mine will slow down to a rediculously low speed, flick and spin on demand and generally do whatever I ask of it. It's only vice is a tendancy to float on, as our field is on a slope this can result in a very long taxi back.

Just to clarify one point mentioned, when joining foam wings make sure the wing tips are at the same incidence, the roots don't matter as much. Draw an accurate centre line through each tip and ensure these stay parallel to the board as you join the wing. A couple of mm misalignment at the root is acceptable and can be lost under the wing bandage, but if you line up the roots and end up with a couple of mm difference at the tips you will not get it trimmed accurately and will need aileron tril for straight and level.

[Former Member]

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[Crosswind]

Gentlemen,

Thanks for taking the time to reply. Some good ideas and plenty for me to think about! I've heard of tracing round the parts in case of accidents, but wouldn't have thought of using an incidence meter during wing joining. Looks like I'm going to have get an incidence meter now! I've cut out the apertures for the wing servo boxes, but have yet to glue them in. I think I'll complete the wing with the top surface flat, ( once I've invested in an incidence meter !) Next week should see me make a start on the fuselage. Could I ask if any Acrowot owners could post pictures of the internal layout of their fuselage. I appreciate that the final positioning of the gear depends on engine size, balancing issues etc. But as the saying goes 'a picture speaks a thousand words'.

Crosswind

[Engine Doctor]

Hi Crosswind .i recomend an easy mod to make when building . Replace all the Undercarriage mounting parts from light ply to propper birch ply. if you fly from grass then the light ply will not last. well worth a bit of time. Re the rest build as per instruction . They fly great. Have you looked at/checked your wing blanks yet ? Is the veneer cracked or split ? If it is and its quite likely buy som gorilla glue and squirt it into the cracks . You can work it in with an old credit card or similaar while its still fresh.. Allow to cure completely and foam up , this takes a couple of hours but is best left overnight . Then simply sand down smooth . The veneer will now stay down and wont bulge under the covering as it will if left. Good luck with build and hope you keep on balsa bashin