Braddock, VC Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 I have just managed to get an artf of the dragon lady, 66" span and approx 7 lbs auw. I already have one that I flew with a turnigy 26 cc petrol 2 stroke which totally overpowered it and eventually shook the firewall free and after repairing it I couldn't be bothered to put a new engine in. For this model I have a few engines laying unused, 61 SC 2st, Irvine 72Q,Os 91fx and a ys 110 fz, all of which share the same mounting footprint. I also just remembered I have a low hours laser 80 and I'm wondering if it'll be up to it, not interested in wild aeros just nice slow circuits and bumps as I haven't flown for a few months. Any views? If not it'll probably be the irvine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon H Posted September 26, 2016 Share Posted September 26, 2016 A friend had one of these with a laser 100 in it. Did pretty much everything with that so I guess the 80 would do the job but it wouldn't 'sparkle' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braddock, VC Posted September 27, 2016 Author Share Posted September 27, 2016 Thanks for that, I guess I'm after fizzle not sparkle and it'll be easy to change the mount and put one of the others in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Webb Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 I believe this is the same as the old ModelTech Dragon Lady which I built from a kit. I used to have one which I flew with a Saito FA-120S as recommended by my local model shop. Flew very well, wasn't short of power, but not over-powered either. Edited By Grant Webb on 27/09/2016 03:53:50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted September 27, 2016 Share Posted September 27, 2016 Mine has an ASP 1.20 four stroke and I think it's a perfect match for big smooth aerobatics or just pottering around. I think it will fly with a 60 2Str or 90 4Str but as Jon said, it wouldn't sparkle. Of the engines listed my suggestion would be the 91FX turning a 15*6 or similar. A Pitts exhaust will fit in the cowl to give a reasonable noise level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braddock, VC Posted November 21, 2016 Author Share Posted November 21, 2016 Gradually assembling the Dragon Lady, servos in the fuselage, engine mounted. I've used an alloy engine mount that the sc 61, os 91 fx and the ys 110 fz will fit so I can swap them around if I choose. Even though there is a 12mm spacer supplied for engines in the 61 range and I've glued that in, looks like I'll end up with some ballast up front. I'm torn between using gorilla glue and epoxy to join the wings, I used the former on the last one and it held up ok, anyone else tried it? Its main advantage is the odour associated with epoxy that so annoys my other half is totally absent. At this rate of assembly completion should coincide with a couple of flyable days next week. FWIW, I've fitted futaba s3152 digitals for elevator and aileron, a metal geared digital for the rudder/tailwheel and a hitec 322HD for the throttle. I've substituted a HK steerable tailwheel assembly for the horrid bent wire affair supplied in the kit, the new one is linked to the rudder with springs so shouldn't stress the hinges too much on our grass strip. I also have a set of dubro 4" wheels to act as bush wheels for a similar reason. The only thing I'm mithering over is the tank, a puny 360 cc (12 ounce?) one is provided, I like to fit dubro 16 ounce ones for 61 and above, what kind of duration am I likely to get with the smaller tank, my style of flying will be mostly low throttle settings, touch and crash (or go as the case may be) with the odd loop etc thrown in, just ball park estimates will do. Edited By Braddock, VC on 21/11/2016 15:37:40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denis Watkins Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 Epoxy the wing VCB, don't experiment on this bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff S Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 Epoxy resin isn't particularly pungent but Polyester is. Are you sure weren't using the latter? Though Gorrilla glue is good, I find it difficult to judge how much to use because of the way it foams and in critical places I always choose 30 minute epoxy and leave it for 24 hours. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Engine Doctor Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 Epoxy  30 minute . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braddock, VC Posted November 24, 2016 Author Share Posted November 24, 2016 Just about finished, all that needs doing is fastening the cowl and I'm giving this a great deal of thought. In the past the vibrations have resulted in the holes becoming elongated in the fuselage and the cowl. I think I'm going to up the diameter of the retaining bolts and I have just the thing , 5mm nylon screws about 12 mm long with a cheese head so I'm going to try that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cymaz Posted November 24, 2016 Share Posted November 24, 2016 I've used yellow snake inner. Glue this into the fuselage with super glue. I use hex drive Servo screws. This gives a good fixing and they don't shake loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braddock, VC Posted November 24, 2016 Author Share Posted November 24, 2016 Cymaz, I've tried that in the past and it is the cowl that ends up with elongated holes. Not so much a problem if you have several mm clearance between spinner and cowl but a p.i.t.a. if you set the spinner up with 1 - 1.5 mm clearance. I have some thick black polypropylene corner protectors from a tumble drier (I knew they would come in handy one day) which I shall cut into inch wide "L" shaped elbows, three fastened to the firewall each with a couple of those allen socket servo screws then drill through the cowl and tap the hole in the polyprop 5mm metric with a 5 mm washer either side of the cowl should be ok. Any way, right now that is the plan. I hope it works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant Webb Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Posted by Braddock, VC on 24/11/2016 23:49:23: .... I have some thick black polypropylene corner protectors from a tumble drier .... I did much the same on my Seagull Savage Cruiser cowl, only I use a saddle hose clamp I had retrieved from an old garden sprinkler system installation which I'd partly dismantled. Just chopped out the two right angled elbows removing the hoop over the top. Works brilliantly. "Waste not want not" should be the hoarders mantra.... Grant W. Edited By Grant Webb on 25/11/2016 01:17:50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetenor Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Make the holes oversize to start with and fit Grommets looks neater and cuts down on vibration.Also helps lock the screws White grommets are available if needed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 Much like Onetenor I've drilled the cowl oversize but rather than grommets which I found break up under torque, I use small O rings and nylon washers. The washer compresses the O ring tightly into the cowl hole locking it in place. I only bother with this where the cowl isn't clamped tight against a reasonably flat area to provide lots of support. My DL is getting on a bit now - probably at least third hand - but the cowl mountings haven't worn excessively yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braddock, VC Posted December 20, 2016 Author Share Posted December 20, 2016 Maidened it today, just two of us at the field. C of G spot on without any lead BUT I'D FORGOTTEN TO DRILL A HOLE FOR THE GLOPLUG After I calmed down, removed the cowl I started the 91 Fx nice tickover, strong top end tracked straight took off after half the strip, 3 clicks up, 2 of right rudder and 3 of right aileron and she's flying hands off at half throttle. Funny old sky bottom of plane practically invisible against the overcast so I called a landing and also called it a day. Extremely pleased the plane felt great, just wish I'd put the 61 Fx in as it took off at half throttle and seemed slightly overpowered but the engine is on 15% prosynth and a 15x6 prop. Great when it all comes together isn't it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braddock, VC Posted December 20, 2016 Author Share Posted December 20, 2016 Posted by Geoff Sleath on 21/11/2016 17:16:26: Epoxy resin isn't particularly pungent but Polyester is. Are you sure weren't using the latter? Though Gorrilla glue is good, I find it difficult to judge how much to use because of the way it foams and in critical places I always choose 30 minute epoxy and leave it for 24 hours. Geoff No Geoff, definitely epoxy, I think she's just plumb awkward . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braddock, VC Posted February 7, 2017 Author Share Posted February 7, 2017 Put about 3 tankfuls through it today, lovely day for flying, hardly any wind. She does ginormous loops but, for some reason, I can't get the ailerons to reach the required throws. It looks like some of the epoxy seeped into the tubes which act as torque rod bearings . Nevertheless very happy with the way it flies. I'm having to fine trim it as it displays all the tendencies of slight nose heaviness, in that landing speeds are quite high even allowing for the extremely low tickover. It's the first time I've used 15% nitro in the 91 fx and it certainly helps the engine perform well, lovely low, smooth tick over great midrange with a real exhaust crackle as she passes 1/4 throttle and flies loops as large as you like but really falls when inverted in a roll. 1/2 throttle gets it off the ground and theres ample fuel left after a 12 minute flight. Hopefully thursday won't be too cold to fly and I'll have fitted 20 grammes of tailweight to see if that can rid it of nose heaviness and liven up the ailerons a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braddock, VC Posted February 17, 2017 Author Share Posted February 17, 2017 I put 10 gm of weight on the tail yesterday and there's some improvement though rolls are as barrelly as ever. I'll try another 10 gms next time I take her out. It's able to sustain high alpha for the last 40 metres or so of the landing flight so I feel there's more to come but it's slowly, slowly catchee monkee to avoid any hiccups. It really is a lovely flier, puts me in mind of my late lamented astro hog and my late, unlamented, pulse xt 60 too flimsy for a ham handed blighter like me. I must try and sort out the aileron throws, I was going to swap the wings over from the other DL I have but the wing bolts on the older one are smaller and I don't want to drill the trailing edge out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braddock, VC Posted May 18, 2017 Author Share Posted May 18, 2017 One of the drawbacks with the kit was the wing mount bolt anchorage points in the fuselage, mine were made of some horrid ply that just crumbled so I built a balsa box around the lug after gluing some 1/4 birch ply underneath (on top when it's the right way up) and filled it with epoxy and microballoons mixed up with a threaded insert and a plastic wing bolt coated in vaseline, set a treat . I'd forgotten to put invasion stripes on the model and it all but disappeared into the overcast sky. I transferred all the settings for the model from my futaba 10 cg to my 14 sg and of course completely forgot that the low idle and throttle cut operate on a different system so I landed after about 10 minutes and carried it to the pits where, pegged down the engine ran for a further 39 minutes before I got bored before the fuel ran out, it was a new model on the new transmitter so the timer showed from the moment I switched on, when the engine started straight away to when it stopped. I think I'll put a smaller tank in. I just love that OS 91 Fx, so reliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onetenor Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 Bob Cotsford You seem to be mixing me up with someone else. I have made no comment in this thread so have to deny all knowledge of cowls screws etd. BTW with all this talk of vibration have you all checked prop balance.All of you not just Bob. I don't know who bob meant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braddock, VC Posted May 18, 2017 Author Share Posted May 18, 2017 double post Edited By Braddock, VC on 18/05/2017 18:34:32 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Braddock, VC Posted May 18, 2017 Author Share Posted May 18, 2017 Posted by onetenor on 25/11/2016 01:18:48: Make the holes oversize to start with and fit Grommets looks neater and cuts down on vibration.Also helps lock the screws White grommets are available if needed. ????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted May 18, 2017 Share Posted May 18, 2017 Posted by onetenor on 25/11/2016 01:18:48: Make the holes oversize to start with and fit Grommets looks neater and cuts down on vibration.Also helps lock the screws White grommets are available if needed. ??? sorry Onetenor, must be my mistake Edited By Bob Cotsford on 18/05/2017 22:53:00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin Harris - Moderator Posted May 19, 2017 Share Posted May 19, 2017 Identity theft? Call in the mods! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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