Andy Pickford Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 I saw these in the latest issue of RCM&E and loved the look of it so i decided to get one!! So I thought i would do a blog of the build. I intend to put an OS 70 Surpass in it. I know this wont be as good a blog as some of the kits that are getting built on here but as a first blog i thought i would give it a go. First impressions of the kit are really good. The manual could be a little better but its good enough to do the job. It feels solid and well built the only thing i might do is give the fire wall and fuel tank bay a dollop of varnish to fuel proof it a little better. I got the retracts for it they were only £15 for the mechanical retracts that VQ made for this kit so i thought why not. The covering is solid and looks good. I know its shiny but i think it still looks good. The ailerons are already fitted to the wings along with the wheel wells. I think i will try and get the majority of the retracts fitted before i join the wings. It looks as if it will be a bit tricky to do it all with them joined. The fin and tail plane look simple enough to fit with plenty of epoxy. It even comes with a pre painted pilot and some guns to stick in the cowl. All in all im very impressed with my first look over it. I will try to take plenty of photos as i build. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Good stuff, look forward to it Andy, I wondered if the VQ range is a re-branded Air Loisors (or however it was spelt) ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Pickford Posted October 29, 2008 Author Share Posted October 29, 2008 DaveI asked on here if anyone had one VQ model and somebody said they were re-branded from Air Loisors models (i'll go with your spelling!!) As i'm new to this hobby i had never heard of them. Were the Air Loisors models any good?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ashby - Moderator Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Yes, I only put 2+2 together when I saw the Slough ad'. Some Air L' were better than others. I've seen two fly - the P-51B which was very good and the Harvard which was a bit tail-heavy to be honest but then many Harvard models are. Your '109 looks fine to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted November 5, 2008 Share Posted November 5, 2008 Hi guys, I sent a reply to this new blog yeasterday but I must have done something wrong.. I've bought from hobbystore the VQ macchi c-205 in the grey new camo. It took a wie to get this particolar color and I had to go all the way back to the VQ owner Vinh Quang in Vietnam to get infos about it. VQ is the manufacturer and Air Loisir is only one of the main distributors. The VQ models are aroud a good bit but expecially the older one had some quality issue now resolved. Vihn look like a nice guy and it is keen to improve the model rather than change only the covering colors. A good example is the BF-109 in Andy's blog, if you check the airelons in the new summer camo version from strip type have been change to scale type. I think this is a good indication of attention put into this planes. The overall scale apperance is quite good but in the macchi there are few things that can be improved. The model is sold as macchi c-205 on the box there are two pictures for the two camo colors, one is a c-202 and the other one is a fiat g-55 centauro!!! The model itsel look like the c-202 with the color of the fiat. As I've got an OS 70FL for the macchi I'm looking forward to Andy blog to see the way his similar engine is going to go in expecially the muffler. So Andy good luck with the build and keep us updated with loads of pictures. Regards, Federico Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted November 26, 2008 Share Posted November 26, 2008 Hi Andy, any progres on your project? Regards, Federico Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Willis Posted December 10, 2008 Share Posted December 10, 2008 Hello Andy, just started with r/c last summer with a secondhand trainer and I now have a VQ ME10-9 for my birthday.I am a real beginner - so I am wondering what sort of RX and servos to buy - including those for u/c I have a second hand Futabi TX with 8 model memory. Please can you suggest what would be good value (ie cheap)regards, Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Hi Jeff, I do not know if Andy is still tuned in but I give you my opinion on the set up especially as I'm using the same gear for my VQ Macchi in the pipeline. First of all I'm a Futaba man so I normally go for futaba servos. Apart my helis I use cheap 3001 servos for all my planes. Not having any 3d or big models the 3001 is up to the job all the time. You will need four of them. If you go for the retract option you need a specific retract servo. I got a cirrus cs 503r/bb but I have not use it yet so I can comment on it. If money was not an issue I would probabily go for a futaba dual conversion 8ch(35MHz) rx but since that money is an issue I found the 8 ch dual conversion corona sysntetiser units very reliable and I'm planning to use one of this unit. If you go for retract I will consider to use a 6V battery pack but be very carefull not to bind the retract servo. Motor wise I got an OS fl 70 but again I have it still in the box and I cannot comment on it. For a peace of mind cheaper set up I'll reccomand an Irvine 46. I hope this help. Regards, Federico Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeffrey Willis Posted December 11, 2008 Share Posted December 11, 2008 Hello Federico,many thanks for you rapid response and very helpful comments on suitable gear. I now understand that there are specific retract servos and I like the term "cheap 3001" from Futaba. Youve given me some confidence to get going.Thanks, Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Pickford Posted December 11, 2008 Author Share Posted December 11, 2008 Sorry chaps the poor 109 is still sat in bits waiting to get built!!! Need to get my bum into gear and get it finished!! I was thinking about the OS surpss 70 for mine. Ive got a spectrum DX 7 and i'm using the servos that came with in. Asfor the retracts i've got a hitec retract servo for it. I'm going to wire the retracts in on a single battery and a seperate one for the RX. Hopefully i will get it sorted over the christams break.Jeff how did you find the retracts to install and set up? I imagine they are roughly the same as in my 109?Cheers Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Hi Jeff, happy to be of help. As I'm more or less in the same boat of your regard my flying esperience I'm practiceing on a precedent fun fly and on a Dave Smith Saphir. I'll not try to fly any scalelike birds without a good low winger esperience, will be a shame to damage the 109 not for a very good reason! Good day. Federico Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Hi Andy, happy tho hear that the 109 is still on the pipeline. I was thinking to go for a separate retract battery too but I do not know how to wire it. Could you please explain this to me. Thanks, Regards, Federico Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly Posted December 12, 2008 Share Posted December 12, 2008 Hi Andy,Hitec retract servo should be fine,good idea to have the retracts on a seperate battery.It would be great if you could do a build blog with pics? I fancy a VQ kit for my next modelRegardsKelvin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Pickford Posted December 12, 2008 Author Share Posted December 12, 2008 Kelvin I will take loads of pics when i get my bum into gear!! FredricoYou need a Y lead coming from your U/C chanel on your RX and cut the positive cable to the plug going into the RX then plug the servo and the battery into the other 2 remaining plugs. Make sure you cut the positive one though not like my first attempt!! Needless to say it didnt work!! Hope this helpsAndy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Bradford Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 hi guys like the thread so far. Just received my VQ bf109 today with retracts. will get it built after Xmas I think. Nice to hear your ideas/experiences .Andy would plugging say, some lights, rather than an U/C servo operate the same way with the Y-lead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Bradford Posted December 13, 2008 Share Posted December 13, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Pickford Posted December 13, 2008 Author Share Posted December 13, 2008 DerekI'm not sure but i cant see why it wouldnt work. Could you not just wire them straight into a battery with there own switch and just turn them on when you turn the plane on?Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 Hi Andy, thanks for the help with the wiring. Regards, Federico Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Pickford Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 You will never guess what i found in my back room!!! Yes my ME109. My bum is just about in gear got a few bits done tonight. I have glued the fin in place and stripped all the covering from the fin and stabilizer for gluing. also masked off the canopy for painting, you will see why when i put the pics on. Hopefully i will get the pictures on in an hour or so thats if i dont get stuck in front of the TV watching 24 on sky. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Pickford Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 Right then.I had a little covering to remove from the fin before i could fit it. It was easy enough to mark and cut with a soldering iron.The slots are already cut for the rudder just a case of gluing them in once the rear wing is glue in place. I also removed the covering from the rear wing for fittment into the slot you can see on the fin.I'll fit the control horns and mark out where the struts need to be screwed in before i fit it. The fin went in no problem with plenty of epoxy. One day i will use epoxy without covering myself in the stuff!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted January 14, 2009 Share Posted January 14, 2009 Hi Andy, good start, I'm looking forward the rest of the building. All the best, Federico Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russ Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Hi Santa was good to me and delivered a VQ Kawasaki Ki61. The build quality and finishing are excellent and the components are good except for the engine mounting nuts & bolts and the engine mount (more on that later). The instruction manul is very basic, leaving alot for the builder to work out. So far I have completed the wing/retracts and I'm now working on the fuselage. For the retracts I've used a Hitec HS75BB retract servo, which works perfectly. There are 2 issues I had fitting the retracts, they wound'nt retract fully and lock up into position so I raised the retract mount, supplied for this is a 1/16 ply strip which I doubled to 1/8 and this allowed the retracts to fully lock into the up position, could drain the battery as the servo will be trying to push the retracts into position?. The next thing I found after fitting the wheels was that they were a very tight fit into the wing recess, which hindered the retract locking into position, so I used a pair of wheels that were very slightly smaller and this solved that problem. Having made these adjustments they work perfectly and look realistic. Also regarding the wing construction, before joining the wing you should run a piece of string from the wing servo recess to the hole at the fuselage end of the wing so that once joined you can pull the servo extension lead through the wing. This is not made very clear in the instructions! The rest of the wing construction/servo installation was straight forward. Following the instructions the next step would be to fit the fin/tailplane, but from experience I have found it easier to fit the engine and fuel tank first. This allows for the drilling of the engine mount holes etc without having to worry about damaging the tail section. With regards to the supplied engine mount, I found that by using a 4 stroke the throttle lever snagged on the engine mount, so I bought another engine mount of a different design. I'm now onto the fin/tail, the suggested fitting method is to slid the tailplane through the fuselage from the side, a better way is to cut the small block at the rear of the fuselage and slid it into position from the rear. You replace the small block once the fitting is completed. The full description of how to do this is in the Venus 40 build notes from an earlier article in RCM&E. Will keep you posted as I progress. Russ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 Hi Andy, Have you ever finished your 109? I like to see it and have your feedback on flight performance. I've finished my macchi and had a couple of flight. I'm very please with it and my new and already discontinued os 70 fl looks to be the perfect match in both power and weight achieving the correct cg without any lead required. The model looks good and nobody knows the real thing so most of the non scale features are going undetected! See a couple of pictures. Regards, Federico Edited By Phil Wood - Moderator on 17/06/2009 13:46:38 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emil Benson Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 lovely looking ARTF! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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