Alan Cantwell Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 double post, my fault this time, Edited By Alan 4 on 07/04/2012 09:11:56 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted April 7, 2012 Share Posted April 7, 2012 If anyone is interested I have now built a 1/4 scale version from plans (scaled up) posted in PDF format by Colin Usher. This is rather adequately powered by a YS 110 and is a dream to fly. Since the design has aerobatic possibilities I modified the section to fully symmetrical, retaining the thickness ratio (RAF 30 modified). The tail is fully built up construction. The cg is too far forward at the moment for my liking so will experiment with this. Having trouble relocating the website but I am sure that Colin would help with this. Note that F1 is way too narrow as shown on the plan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Greer Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 Not such a good day today. Couple of hard landings and the landing gear bent backwards like everyone else has experienced. Did not hurt the wing mounts so I just bent them back forward again. I gave the spats away as they will not work with the now modified forward sweep on the gear legs, I had to bend them forward so I could taxi on our grass field without nosing over. My new DLE-20 decided to not to return to idle after my third flight and I removed the carb only to find the throttle plate screw completely loose and the throttle plate binding. A warning to others using the DLE-20: check that single throttle plate screw and Loctite if required. I was just a few threads from a trashed engine. This thing really looks and flys great and everyone at the club loves it, but I agree the landing gear and wing mounts are a really bad design. This is my first Seagull kit and probably my last. For the gent that asked about the stand, I bought it at Extreme Flight RC for $30 US. https://www.extremeflightrc.comRC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted April 8, 2012 Share Posted April 8, 2012 I am a Seagull fan and have yet to buy a bad one although I have been put off by the reports of the Mew Gull.I did have a wing support failure on mw week old Swift and Perkins supplied a new replacejment immediately.I beefed up the mount and Ive had good service from my Swift since. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I wonder if Seagull have modified this model now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Greer Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I doubt it. After 8 flights my Mew Gull is now part of the local landfill, victim of a nasty tip stall on landing. Such a beautiful aircraft in the air but a classic case of why some aircraft just don't translate well to a scale model. Seagull really should have done their due diligence on this model before selling it. I have now transferred the DLE 20 and all equipment to a Great Planes Revolver (note: not a Seagull product). What a great plane to fly and so far no nasty tendencies to fall out of the sky with little provocation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin_H Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I know it goes against all good practice, since an ARF should FFFFFly, but a number of modifications based on what I have read in this forum may make a decent model. BTW, Mew kits can be bought for less than half price here in OZ, that being their reputation. My suggestions: Tear into that lower wing and fit a proper undercarriage block and torsion bar undercarriage. Rake the u/c leg forward so the axle aligns with the wing L/E and make your mind up about the oleo unit or bend said torsion bar u/c to suit. Rework the spats and ensure plenty of clearance for a bouncy springy wheel, or attach spat to u/c leg. The aircraft cries out for spats. Add 3 degrees up to the firewall. The cowl will fit properly and the aircraft will do what it is supposed to do when you apply throttle in level flight. Climb, baby! Increase the stab/tailplane area by increasing the span of the tailplane by 50%. Means building a new tailplane by using the original as a pattern but we have long forgotten the idea this kit is an ARF. 50% might seem a lot but that teeny stab looks too small for me. To help cure tip stall (often mentioned in post impact statements) a wing re-jig is likely necessary to build in some wash out but putting a twist into the ailerons may be a simpler solution. Or more differential. Idea is to get the centre section to stall before the tips. One thing about this model, it has prompted more debate and discussion than most forums, but if we can collectively come up with a good, achievable solution then perhaps a bad example of a great subject may evolve into something we can happily fly. No matter what, aeromodellers ALWAYS walk away from a bad landing. Edited By Martin_H on 01/06/2012 06:22:42 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Taylor Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Hi Martin This model is not nearly as good as you try to make out.! I speak from bitter experience. Leon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cantwell Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 i will be quite content to just mod the undercart blocks, to enable a correctly functioning torsion block wire system to be added, with a rear brace, with a shock absorber, and it must have flaps, cos its a slippy thing, i just cannot find the correct film for it, and the importers are no help whatsoever this, of coarse, is on top of the mods i have already done just to make this thing safe!! Edited By Alan Cantwell on 02/06/2012 11:20:49 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 If this is of any help, the tail span on my o/d version is 29" and the 6swg torsion bars are 3.25" long. I have now moved the battery pack as far rearward as it will go and it now only just spins, let alone tip stall. Landings can be as slow as you like. Don`t know what Seagull have done to their model because the two I have built from scratch are a doddle to fly. (see my earlier posting). Martin Mc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin_H Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 The Seagull stab rounds out at 60 cm span or around 23 1/2 inches. Increasing by half would make it 90 cm or about 35 inches. Might have a look at increasing the span AND chord by 25% to keep the proportions at the tail. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cantwell Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Dont think there is a stabability problem, talk to Dave Ashby, he flew his quite while, before his radio went boom, at least with the retract block version he had, he could take off and land a few times, gave the plane a chance to show what it could do, did i mention by the way, that i had seen a couple of these at swapmeets, with the bottom ripped out? if i see another,i am having it, when i do mine properly, i may as well do 2!!! now then, does ANYONE know the code for the film on this thing?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted June 5, 2012 Author Share Posted June 5, 2012 Hi all, has been two years from my last outing with the Mew Gull. I've move house a couple of times and most of my model were in storage for this time. Yesterday here in Cork was a nice day with a gentle breeze and I decided to have a go. The MG sill has no spats and cowl. The spats are not going back for now, the cowl once I increase the bottom vent area shall go back on it. A good bit of wind help no end the take off / landig phese. The authority of the stock elevator on the ground is nill. Even if I do not like it the best way to take off in calm weather is to get an helper to hold the model and release the same once the wash out from the propeller is enough to avoid the nosing over. The wheels need to be raked forwad to help on the same issue. One the plane is airborne it is very fast and slippery but full control is available for normal pilon style and mild aerobatic manouvers. The landing withouth wind is an hand full but providing a long steady fast approach it is managable, although is hard not to not nose over at the end of the landing phase. My roto 25 should have plenty of power but I find that with a 18x10 Master Airscrew at the stated max rpm of 6500 would fly at full throttle al the time. I than leaned a bit and things got better buit with the resulting in flight max rpm of 8220 I'm afraid of damging the engine especially once the cowl goes back. Any suggestion on this?? PS the 18x10 is the only recomanded prop for this motor. Anyway I got three flights under the belt and I was quite happy to bring back nhome the model in one piece. I'll rake out the wheels this week and maybe change the prop to wood the problem here is that with the nosing over tendency I might breack it strait away. I guess at this point I got around 15 flight with this plane.... must be a record??!! I really hope Seagull at one point will ancknoledge the designg flaws and fix them. I love the model and I'll give it a second chance if they did so. I'll keep you post with next week session. Regards Federico Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Congratulations on how successful your Mew Gull has been in your hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted June 5, 2012 Author Share Posted June 5, 2012 Hi Stephen, thanks, maybe an achievement but not a success yet!! Regards, Federico Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cantwell Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 i too hope mine will be a success, but not until i can fly it with spats, and an undercart that is frought with design problems, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 Hi, I was in contact with ROTO motors and in order to limit the rpm to 7000 max they are reccomanding to chnge the prop to a 19x10 or 19x12. I had to get up to 8220rpm unloaded max speed to have enough power to fly not at full throttle all the times. I do not need more speed as the plane is already a bullett so I was thinking to try a 19x10 and maybe a 20x8. Is anybody out there that has experience on gasser and can give me some advice on the prop to go for? Looks like I need to drop 1500 rpm circa. Thanks a million Federico Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin McIntosh Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I would go for a 20x8 assuming that the motor is 25cc and has lots of power, since the greater diameter will drop the revs and the lower pitch will slow the model down quite a lot. My 30cc RCG does 6500 to 7000 on a 19x8. Martin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 Hi Martin, Thanks a million,I'll order a 20x8 and see how goes. Regards, Federico Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted June 7, 2012 Author Share Posted June 7, 2012 Hi, one think I set up and never tried is the flaperons mix, does anyone tried this trick with the mew gull? Regards Federico Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cantwell Posted June 7, 2012 Share Posted June 7, 2012 tapered wing, that tip stalls anyway? dont give it encouragement!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted February 15, 2013 Author Share Posted February 15, 2013 Quick update.... despite all the odds my mew gull is still in one piece and flying!! Last Sunday I put in the 20x8 turnigy wooden prop I got from HK and without any carb adjustement I fire it up. It started cosideably better and the transit between idel to full was good too. I forgot my taco so I've no idea of the rpm. Wind was pretty strong which is good, I had three flight of circa 8 minutes each, the plane looks to have plenty of power but not a very high speed, overall was good to fligh. The engine block felt almost cold after each landing so I guess the mix was not too lean. The cowl was not fitted so mayby with the same on the engine will not cool so well. The little 25 Roto is quite a beast spinning this kind of prop with ease, the only thing i do not understand is why the manufacturer reccomend the 18x10 with the result of reeving the engine way above the manufacturer reccomanded max rpm? The only gripe I have with the roto is that I tried to undo the spark plug (still the original) to looka the color of the same and see if shown sign of too rich or too lean mix, but I cannot get it to unscrew. The light gauge tool supplied just bend and the opening between the finns is too small for a proper spark plug soket. I tried also strait after a flight with the engine warm but more of the same. Any suggestions?? Federico Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Grigg Posted February 15, 2013 Share Posted February 15, 2013 Can you grind a socket down to fit Federico thats what I would go for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEDERICO GILLI Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share Posted February 20, 2013 Hi Stephen, I guess I'll try that. Regards, Federico Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Former Member Posted November 8, 2013 Share Posted November 8, 2013 [This posting has been removed] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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