Durafly Bf 110

[Erfolg]

Frank

WOW! You spotted it, it took me about 4-5 hours, by then I thought, Nah, no one is reading, if they are they are as bad as me. Yep! I am out by a factor of 10. Somehow i think you sussed that.

[Biggles' Elder Brother - Moderator]

I nearly had a heart attack when I read that! A 15Kg foam model? Wow!

BEB

[Tim A]

Erflog, having brought the PNP version in what I was a very weak moment because I now regret doing so.

Assembled as per manual, checking as much as possible without dismantling parts already glued by HK (first mistake). Tail wheel servo on separate channel to reduce & adjust movement of tailwheel without which excessive movement even on low rates would make the A/c snake up the runway like a drunk on steroids. Replaced BEC with a switchable version to control landing/nav. lights. Balanced supplied props as best I could.

Flight one = no problems, down our manicured grass runway no nose over (2200Mah fully forward in nose) 2 clicks up elevator, flew for 6 mins. good turn of speed, behaved nicely through whole speed range even floated in on landing approach.

Flight two = 2 mins. into flight heard a motor give 2 short burps as though it had dropped a phase before I could get it down, it went into a spin no chance of recovery as I was only 30-40 feet off the deck. Picked up fromm paddock next door it was rebuildable.

Post mortem; Port bell motor had come loose from its retainer mounting, one of 2 grub screws missing causing motor wires to chaff on ply mount & short out. As the cowlings were already glued on arrival of kit I didn't pull them off to check security of screws although even if I had it still would have happened as the supplied motors are rubbish there is too much slop in the mount even if the screws are tight the alloy is so soft the screws will work loose and they only retain the motor vertically not horizontally.

So far the rebuild will require 2 new motors & ESC's (one is fried) & I am going to chuck the gear doors as had already reglued them twice plus replace one hinge pin.

Conclusion, although it does fly well is stable and has a wide flight envelope, HK's QC on this one is rubbish and they need to carry out some improvements to the motors & U/c doors.

Sorry if this goes on a bit but needed to vent a bit of anger!!!

[Erfolg]

Kiwi

It is always sad to read of others tribulations.

I am sure that your decision to buy the PNP version, rather than the kit, was a good decision, in principal. Building the kit is not as easy as i had thought, I can only pay tribute to how these young Chinese people manage to build a model with greater consistency and possible ease than I can.

It was the use of bell motors which was a strong decider in going for the kit.

There is a positive in that your model flew well. That is until the motor mounting failed.

I am struggling at present to get my motors to run consistently, I hope to do some work on this, following guidance from this forum.

I have been surprised at the complexity of the model, I also put the tail wheel through a separate channel, for the same reasons as yourself.

An aside, how is modelling in the New Zealand, do you live in the North or the South Island, and how different area they?

[Trevor Crook]

Kiwi

Sorry to hear about your problems. I've had a dozen or so flights with mine now and the only problems have been self inflicted - tip stalling by lifting off without enough power. One of the motors was wobbly after the crash, but I found that to be due to the mount coming unglued.

I guess yours is a cautionary tale, and we should thoroughly check ARTFs before flying them, and at intervals thereafter, in case there is a lapse in QC. Won't help if there's a sudden electronic failure, but should reduce the chance of mechanical gremlins.

[Tim A]

Erflog, yes in hindsight as always!! I should have removed the cowlings & checked the security of the grub screws holding the motor to it's base, but having done that now and after another flight both motors are again loose horizontally so obviously the motors are rubbish and I will look at replacing them with something else.

During this last flight all 4 undercarriage doors literally blew off these had been reglued at the hinges prior to 1st flight so they are going in the bin.

Modelling here seems to follow much the same lines as in the UK. Our club Dunedin Model Aero Club has about 60 members flying from a well mown grass runway on farm land 29 kms from my home in the city. 58km round trip. We can fly 24/7 the only restriction is that as we are in controlled air space and have a low fly zone 1/2 a km. north of us. We are restricted to 123 metres ASL and must notify the local tower if flying between 7am & 7pm.

All types of A/c are flown the only noise restriction is self imposed and members seem to comply. The land we rent for a small fee as it lies in a flood zone at virtually sea level. We suffer from a lack of local model shops here in NZ and prices are high, so most supplies are obtained via the interweb. New Zealand is a hilly/mountainous country espc. in our province (Otago) and lying in the southern ocean is subject to rapid changes in weather & WIND!

Trevor, have had no sign of tip stalling although I let it fly itself off & allow it climb slowly on 3/4 to full throttle until height is sufficient to turn & do silly things like watching the gear doors fall off!!!

Kiwikanfli won't let it beat me dept. Ken!

[Darran]

I know this is an old post, but I have one of these kits.

Did moving the servo forward make a difference to the cog ?