45cc Black Horse Chipmunk 85" Electric conversion

[Danny Fenton]

Absolutely, there are several flying without. Mine were attached as per the instructions and despite the softest landings you could wish for, broke off The better method has resulted in them not requiring further attention, though not as neat looking.

 

The picture above (sans shrouds) was while I was figuring a better way to attach them. Needless to say they were back on within a week or so. The one I modelled had them, so I had to fit them.

 

Pic from Steve Webb - Thanks Steve

 

A few have commented on the prop being too small, but it is the scale size, at 1/5 15" is very close (should be 15.5" from the information I could find).

 

If anybody has access to a Chippy can they check the prop diameter

Really the whole model needs stripping back and redoing, but then I would have to redo several parts, the cowl for one which is really way too fat. But where do you stop? I think I have a reasonable compromise, and something I am happy to fly all the time, in any weather. I have enough hangar queens. Jerry Bates is doing some drawings for a 1/4 scale Chippy, they should be complete soon. That might be a nice build for one winter to come

Cheers

Danny

Edited By Danny Fenton on 16/07/2011 23:10:18

Edited By Danny Fenton on 16/07/2011 23:19:45

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

In fact it looks as though there definitely isn't!

 

Edit - you beat me to it while I was typing. 

 

I agree about the cowling - it always struck me as odd that Black Horse modelled it so badly on the smaller version and they've done it to yours as well!

Edited By Martin Harris on 16/07/2011 23:12:41

[Danny Fenton]

I can understand how much better the bubble canopy is for the pilot, but to me they should not be that shape. In fact I don't even think the ones with the blown rear sections look right. But I am just showing my age

[Danny Fenton]

I agree, the cowl is a shame. If it were just the cowl I would have made another. But unfortunately i think the forward fus is also too fat, and thats a lot of work to alter.

 

Anyway until my Taylor fighters are finished it will have to do

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

The info I have is that the prop is 81" diameter which comes out at a fraction over 16" at 1/5 scale if my sums are correct or 16 3/4" if you take the actual scale so they may have a point but very few models actually fly on a scale prop - although it is an advantage with electric power that you can specify an appropriate kv figure to accommodate a scale prop.

Edited By Martin Harris on 16/07/2011 23:51:46

[Danny Fenton]

Thanks for that Martin, thats good news, because I can easily up the prop, it will give me a bit more power. All the numbers I found were 80" and I had wrongly assumed this was 1/5 not 1/5 + Perhaps we should look at another dimension before assuming the scale based on wingspan?

The motor and esc are well up to the inrease. I was being crippled a bit by the tiny 15" prop.

 

Cheers

Danny

 

[Peter Eve]

Mine flew on saturday with an SC 120FS pulling it around, plenty of power, why use more! But it did take 800g of church roof to bring the CofG to the prescribed point, At that stage, pardon the mixed units, it weighed 12.25 pounds.

Local advice suggested leaving the u/c spats until I had got a good feel for landing (!) and I have found that the curvature where they meet the wing is not that of the aerofoil. I also notice from pictures on the web that they appear to be too long. Is there any useful experience out there on this issue?

 

Weather looks good for tomorrow! happy landings.

 

Pete

[Danny Fenton]

Hi Pete and well done. Shame about the chruch roof but to be honest mine is a bit too light when the wind picks up, so thats no bad thing to be a bit heavier.

 

I did find the oleo shrouds were an odd curvature, but I think I found if I put them on backwards they fitted better. But I cannot really remember. The softest of landings cracked them anyway so you might be better making something better from the start, that perhaps attaches to the oleos, before the abs ones rip the film off the underneath as mine did.

 

Must get around to patching the covering, I know I bought some grey Oracover for just that reason, where did I put it.......

 

Cheers

Danny

[Danny Fenton]

Just a bit of an update on the old Chippy, I was flying it the other evening and the motor note suddenly changed along with it a drop in power, at first it sounded like a slipping prop, but the prop is bolted so no way. Anyway I managed to get down safely, and upon inspection the motor felt as though the windings were shorted, I unplugged all the motor leads and it was the same So it looks like the Aerodrive Xp 4260 500kv has had it. Thats the first motor that has given up on me Fortunately the 4258 500kv is almost identical in size, so I will drop that in fingers crossed for a similar performance.

For the record the Chipmunk has done 4.76 Hours flying on that motor, so for a $30 outlay that's not so bad.....

Cheers

Danny