Durafly Tundra

[David Soper]

Hi Guys have taken delivery of the Durafly Tundra that was on a good offer...the build seems pretty straight forward, not sure about the tiny screws for wings and struts, i can see me loosing those in the grass!.

Im going to put in an AR636 rx. I had issues with my RIOT XL as the flaps on the Riot needed 2 channels, as i only have 6 channel Tx i could not programme the Riots Rx. Looks like one flap servo on the Tundra has been turned 180deg which Im guessing with the Y lead only requires 1 channel... so its 5 channel, which leaves me with 1 channel spare for flight mode programming?.

Only other issue i have is how to secure the battery... its a huge void, as it stands chuck in a battery and it might as well be floating in space. I have 2/3 diff makes all different weights and size. Looks like i need to fabricate a cradle... and i assume i need to leave enough airspace around the ESC for cooling? lot to be said for Bind n Fly!

[dave parnham]

Good luck with it these were very popular planes apparently, so much so I pre ordered the Grand Tundra and cant wait for delivery

[Bucksboy]

Blimey, have we got the same plane? I use a Hitec receiver and gear and can't remember having any problems at all. I use 2200 3 cell batteries, shove them in and fly, it's a great plane. The flaps are very effective but does cause the plane to climb on dropping the flaps. Lands and takes off on a sixpence when using flaps too, a real fun plane.

[Keith Sharples]

Hi David. You will find the plane great fun. I've had mine since December last year. Yes the flaps are on a Y lead. I dont dismantle mine at all it fits in the back of the car no problem. Two reasons for this, a bit lazy and the main reason, I have heard/seen on Utube and other forums where people have had trouble with the wing auto plug in electrical connections for the flaps and ailerons. So It stay assembled! I secured my battery in the gaping front cavity by using a strip of velcro stuck to the floor of the plane (in the right position with a battery to give CofG). And put the other half of the velcro on the batteries. I also hot glued a velcro strap thing (off the the shelf type or you could make one) at the front end of the battery for additional security. To get the battery always in the right position I put a black felt tip line on the plane floor just infront of the stuck down velcro. Pop the battery in line it up with the line push down for the velcro to grab strap up and off you go. WIth your different weight batteries you could have a few different line positions (each made after checking the CofG with each different battery). My ESC is again velcroed to the side wall of the same compartment giving no airflow restrictions. My receiver (6 channel Lemon) is in the rear compartment behind the wing. The maiden was totally event free it flew (as they say) straight out of the box. Very agile if required, also very docile at half throttle. Great undergear for rough terrain. Advise getting a spare carbon prop! The carbonfibre one is great but not forgiving if you have a hard landing. I have bought a plastic one but I will be replacing it with an original carbon fibre. Reason, at 50% throttle it flys arond nice and sedately, with the plastic one I feel to maintain the same flight speed I need 57% throttle. My interpretation of this is a heavier prop is needing more power to rotate to give a simular (to me) speed (I expect others will agree or disagree or come up with some over the head formula for the reason) anyway thats what I think!

Enjoy and have fun with it but watch out for those barn door flats, even half way down the plane balloons, I have yet to get around to mixing some down elevator into the flap switch.

All the best Keith

Edited By Keith Sharples on 29/03/2018 17:53:58

[David Soper]

hi Keith i have yet to assemble mine so dont know if will fit in car.. it will be tight i think. will not connect ball links untill i know servos are at neutral. ball links do not unscrew easily so as to increasse throws

[brokenenglish]

Yeah, I've been flying a Tundra for a couple of weeks.

Great flyer. It fits in the car OK assembled and is ideal for those who live close to reasonable fields (my case).

One recommendation. If you like a bit of aileron differential, which involves offsetting the servo arms slightly forward, then do it before you assemble the wings to the fuselage. Once the plane is assembled, the presence of the fuselage makes removing the aileron servo arms a bit fiddly (little clearance for a screwdriver).

[Colin Leighfield]

I bought mine recently, the latest version that comes with floats, water rudder and a reversible ESC for water use. (Haven’t tried those yet]! I assembled it straight from the box and fly it with 3S2200. I think it is brilliant, absolutely love it. My only incident that I mentioned elsewhere was on Sunday when doing my usual control check at full power before the last flight, I unthinkingly gave it full throttle when the plane was about a foot or so behind my legs, not with the tailplane securely against the back of my calves. It shot forward and stopped against me. I thought nothing of it until I looked down and saw half of the elevator hanging off because the foam hinge had fractured! After I got it home I cleaned up the join and glued in some furry hinges, so it’s fine now. There’s no other damage at all.

Edited By Colin Leighfield on 29/03/2018 20:05:27

[David Ovenden]

I have had my Tundra for 3 years now. It has done 600 flights and given more fun value than any other model I have had. I have flown it from the top of a mountain in Switzerland, from my back garden on skis during a snowstorm, from the club flying field and many more places besides!

I usually leave the model assembled as it fits into the car in one piece and hangs up from the ceiling in the workshop when not in use. The small screws are a bit fiddly if you have to remove the wings every time.

Batteries are fixed in place with a large Velcro strip glued to the base of the battery bay (and on each lipo of course). I also have a foam packing block that goes on top and rests against the hatch cover which prevents the battery being able to lift off the Velcro. Never had one come loose in 600 flights.

It is a great STOL model that can very aerobatic, but I have also used it very successfully to give flying training using a buddy box and with the model set to low rates and 1/2 throttle.

The flaps to need quite a bit of down elevator mixed in to make life easier. They really can slow the model down but can need some throttle added to compensate for the drag. You'll enjoy it.

 

 

 

Edited By David Ovenden on 29/03/2018 20:28:05

[David Soper]

Thanks David for your input, have just finished the build... had a couple of snags but nothing drastic.. always expect those with cheapie models. I always tend to reinforce what i think is weak points... better to be over causious, i tend to add dabs of glue lol, the Elevator links looked weak so have added some tape, am awaiting a receiver so decided not to connect anything yet as i prefer to know travel and center of servos and work from there. I have a RIOT XL with flaps and i have mixed in down elevator so will do same with this model

[David Soper]

have only just got round to setting up my new Tundra ... the flap clevis broke after 2 winds .. i guess thats why its so cheap ... why cant they give you at least 1 spare its cost omg about 2p!

[David Soper]

I think the push rods are M2? can anybody confirm?

[Stuphedd]

Seasonal greetings one and all !

Mine started well yesterday when I got a Tundra , little used but brilliant .

a couple of questions ,

what is the difference between , the original version and the V2 one ???? ( I think mine is a MK1??)

And my motor is an Aero star 900kv , its says 950 in the manuals ?

The v2 manual fills me with confidence when on page 20 the trouble shooting page it states

Model moves backwards, reason prop installed backwards, solution swap the prop around !!!

[Brian Hammond]

I,v e just been trying to order a Fly Cat but they do not have any here and they have now decided they cannot ship from Europe ,what is wrong with them?

[Frank Skilbeck]

Posted by Brian Hammond on 26/12/2020 14:21:25:

I,v e just been trying to order a Fly Cat but they do not have any here and they have now decided they cannot ship from Europe ,what is wrong with them?

Probably waiting until after the Brexit transition and the paperwork requirements for shipping to the UK are in place. Leave it a few weeks and they will probably re-start, but it maybe that drop shipping via the EU warehouse is no longer possible.

[Brian Hammond]

Thank you Frank ,you are probably correct.

[Brian Hammond]

Thank you Frank ,you are probably correct.

[Mike Etheridge 1]

I ordered a Tundra over a year ago. Unfortunately it was delivered to our front door and my wife accepted it but could not believe I had bought another plane. So I stuck it in my loft with the other planes, some made up and some not, and I have virtually forgotten about it since . Thanks for the reminder, a club member reckons it's a great plane and one you can leave made up in the car and fly at a moments notice.

[Redex]

HI all, just finished putting together my new Tundra V2. Seemed to go together ok,the only issue being flaps and alierons labelling was wrong. Also, I did not know that the 'Green' version has very light weight wheels compared to the sponge wheels of my orange version. I also carried out a suggested mod on another forum, of strengthing the nose area with two rods glued each side of the fuse, other than using a APCe 12*6  prop it is the stock up. Even configuring prop reversal for when using the included floats seemed to work ok on the ESC. For those interested the drive train motor and ESC are stock with a 3S 2200 30C Turnigy and an APCe 12*6 prop. Weight is 1306 gms, and power is 362W 33A on my watt meter, so just below the ESC rating which should be ok in flight. Hope to maiden when restrictions allow.

[Don Fry]

Don’t ignore the reverse function at the flying  field. If only for the raised eyebrows at the sight of a three point turn.

[Redex]

Or to show off some parallel parking !!!

[Stuphedd]

Well my second hand Tundra is now 4 months old and despite lockdown has been flown a lot , 50+ flights and many more landings .

I was given it to use as a hack , ie to fly in any weather conditions and always be "ready to fly "  it fits in the car ready assembled so no screws to lose !  And 3s has plenty of power , yesterday in 15 mph wind , 6 foot TO and a vertical climb to the mandatory 400 ft.

It gets really chucked about  but a couple of weeks ago I noticed it was screwing out of loops and snap manouvers were not snapish !

The culprit was all the foam hinges had failed, one side of the elevator and all but one small area of the rudder " hinge" was left intact!

So my advice it to put in "proper " pinned hinges before they fail ! The UC has survived our rock strewn runway .

so in general an excellent hack although knife edge needs some real concentration 

cheers

 

[SIMON CRAGG]

Fly mine mainly off the water. Half flap, and it unsticks in about 20 ft. Flap  touch and goes are great fun. Put the go-pro on the nose for some interesting footage, even the mid-air I suffered! Good reversing out from the jetty, and reversing back in again. Great model on land, and on water.

[gymheart]

I also have the V2 of the Tundra. I bought a newish DX6e so I could set up the flaps. (definitely not required). Nothing but problems with the flaps. Could not get them to deploy evenly. Bought some $32 metal-geared servos for the flaps and still have problems. Took it to Alliance Rc, in Mesa, AZ, and Steve spent quite some time helping figure out the flap thing. As it turns out, the flaps on the left wing tend to have sticky hinges. I tried loosening the hinge screws and lubricating them and still sticky movement. So, I'm about to give up on the flaps. Didn't contact Hobby King to try to get a new set of hinges. So, probably I'll glue on some popcicle sticks on the wing bottom to hold the flaps flush with the wings. Maybe then I can get the plane to trim up and fly straight & level. Also, I bought the AR637T receiver to get the AS3X to help stability. Well, I must first download upgrades from Spektrum to get the DX6e to work with that stuff. So, I put in the required micro chip into the computer and downloaded 2 upgrades. However.....they are .saw programs and my computer will not open them.  Seems everyone is having trouble opening the .saw stuff. So....short answer to long problem.....forget the flaps and AS3X and fly it like a 4 channel plane. End of story.
 

[BackinBlack]

Your computer doesn't need to open the *.saw files. Go to Spektrumrc.com, login, open "my devices" click on your transmitter and download the update files. Copy the file/s to your SD card (micro chip?) as downloaded, then put the SD card into your Transmitter, turn on transmitter and it should automatically update the software. There is a manual update process which also requires the downloaded files on the SD card. I'm presuming your transmitter is registered with Spektrum, as the update files are specific to your transmitter serial number only.

 

HTH

 

Ian