Originally Posted by KTL13

SkyPirate, from one TC owner to another I just wanted to give a few tips I learned along the way, it wasnt long ago that I recieved this plane as a gift and I was looking for the same sort of answers. This was also my 2nd plane after the HZ SuperCub.
-For whatever reason MY plane needed a of trim, all the surfaces were pefectly lined up when I built it and wow was it ever untrimmed when I maidened it. I think it might be due to the wing or horizontal stab being warped or perhaps it was epoxied on with a slight twist. So do a once over on the plane and check that out. You cant really correct it before the flight but if you get a wonky maiden youll know why. On my maiden I quickly learned how untrimmed it was on takeoff, it was almost unflyable plus it was a bit tail heavy too. So get good at trimming on the fly! You may never need that skill but its a great skill to have. All my flying buddies get me to trim their planes now. Back to the plane - once I got it trimmed out all was well.
-Be 100% sure about your CG point. Unfortunatley putting the battery in and out of this plane is complete pain but do your homework and youll be rewarded.
-Watch out for the tip stall tendenices on this plane too, it has been rumoured to tip stall quite easily. I keep my speed up to avoid this, ive experienced this a few misakes high so I know how to avoid it now.
-You likely already know this but when you turn you gotta come out of a turn "unturning" so to speak. It is nothing like the SuperCub, it will not correct itself at all. If you leave it banked it will stay banked. I didnt think it would be that different....but it is. But once you get used to it its very simple. Also dont be shy about using lower rates and some expo. On my dx6i for low rates I have 70% rate and 15% expo. Dont be shy to even use 30% expo. Youll find its twitchy in comparison to the supercub but youll adjust in seconds....just insure yourself for the first few seconds! LOL. I have a 480 in mine and this plane is by far my most aerobatic of all my planes, except my 3D plane. Not only does it zip along really nicely but it can loop and roll like crazy. I love doing outside loops and 1/2 cuban 8s, this plane is just so unasumming and is really overpowered in the air..... I just love it. I have my TC on skiis at the moment and taking off and landing on skiis is just so much fun. And on a side note to your corsair, my 3rd plane was a PZ P47. I maidened it about 4-5 flights after my TC maiden and I gotta say once you can fly the TC youll find the warbird slower, less aerobatic and dare I say easier to fly. Congrats and good luck with your TC!!!!

Originally Posted by KTL13

I just finished tightening a rather "loose and lumpy" 80" Canadair. It came absolutely wrinkled beyond belief. I bought both an iron and a heat gun and I found that its best to take an iron and do the edges first then take the heat gun and slowly apply heat to the area....works like MAGIC. I found the iron took too long compared to the gun for the other open larger parts of the plane, the gun works within seconds. Make big swooping circles and it will tighten in all directions equally. I also have my TC with some wrinkles that I am planning on fixing.

Wow! That is alot to take in but I am! I appreciate the tips and help. I will use yourr technique on tighting the sheeting. Makes alot of sense. Also, I am learning how important cg and proper alignment and trimming is. I have done the alignments and found I had to still trim once I fly. I usually land and check/make adjustments then fly again. I have been forcing myself to trim in the air lately though. I think it will make me a better flyer for it and I think I am making more accurate adjustments this way. I am getting into checking wattage, amps etc. to make sure I have good setups and parts arent failing...even on my super cub since she has been flown so much I did a xomplete workup. Good practice for me. Again thanks!

Also, when using the heat gun, be careful of anything plastic. When I first built my TC I melted/deformed the window in the top of the wing by getting a little bit too much heat on it. Luckily, E-Flite has the windows available as spare parts so I replaced that top window.

Freddy

Originally Posted by Charley38

Usually wheels develop flat spots because of sitting in one place for extended periods of time. I hang my models up. How do you store your TC?

CR

My flat spots were definitely from landing as the plane was brand new and hadn't been sitting on its gear. However, I just went and looked at the plane which has been sitting on its wheels for the last week. Holy crap! Now that is a flat spot! I guess I will have to hang it. My other planes are so light I never had this problem before, but my poor TC has huge flat spots from sitting now. Hopefully the will go away.

What is the best way to hang a model?

Originally Posted by Fredriksson

Also, when using the heat gun, be careful of anything plastic. When I first built my TC I melted/deformed the window in the top of the wing by getting a little bit too much heat on it. Luckily, E-Flite has the windows available as spare parts so I replaced that top window.

Freddy

Thanks Freddy. I like the fact that I can get parts pretty easily. Makes me less fearful.

Broke the motor box and firewall today doing a rather vigerous lomcevak...Shortened my flying day a fair bit. Tonight I will dig into it and see what the extent of damage is and fix it up for flying in the morning. One of my absolute favorites that almost always makes it in the truck...Might be time to buy a spare, I have been pretty hard on the airframe doing aerobatics and its starting to remind me that it just wants to shoot touch and goes......


Mendo

I did an aileron roll with my floats on. I was a little scared to try it, but the plane flew fine.

Originally Posted by Mendo

Broke the motor box and firewall today doing a rather vigerous lomcevak...Shortened my flying day a fair bit. Tonight I will dig into it and see what the extent of damage is and fix it up for flying in the morning. One of my absolute favorites that almost always makes it in the truck...Might be time to buy a spare, I have been pretty hard on the airframe doing aerobatics and its starting to remind me that it just wants to shoot touch and goes......


Mendo

Further back in this thread that's been discussed. Pretty common. One of the few "mods" I would do before flying this plane is to flow CA over the joints between the motor box and firewall. But even after doing that I've still had it pop off. Once it's off and you can get glue down in the joint it is easier to re-glue it. Hopefully you don't have too much cowl damage.

-Jay

Originally Posted by CyberJay

Further back in this thread that's been discussed. Pretty common. One of the few "mods" I would do before flying this plane is to flow CA over the joints between the motor box and firewall. But even after doing that I've still had it pop off. Once it's off and you can get glue down in the joint it is easier to re-glue it. Hopefully you don't have too much cowl damage.

-Jay

Oh yea, when I assembled it many many flights ago I went over every single glue joint I could weasel thin ca into, braced the cabin all around with carbon fiber, as well as the battery tray. Then soaked the motor box, firewall, and battery tray with thin ca. I have had to re glue a few random places here and there as the flights and abuse added up. Mine is just a case of high energy aerobatics that alot of airframes dont tolerate for long ( and in the t crafts case its not anywhere near up to all the g's stock ) The cowl wasnt damaged at all as I noticed it within a few seconds of it letting go, and it was given a thorough inspection and repair last night. Plan on flying this morning, Ill try to remember to turn on my hatcam instead of just bringing it and hopefully have a vid or two for folks to laugh and/or cringe watching and waiting for the catastrophic structural failure that seems imminent! There may be some knife edge madness between lomecevacs if its back to normal....Maybe a very non scale hover to mortify or delight...


Now that I spoke up Ill probably re kit it lol.

Mendo

Originally Posted by fogflyer

What is the best way to hang a model?

Usually you have to get a jury together of 12 peers before anything can happen. After the conviction, any good tree limb should work.

Dan

Well, no videos...Was windy and soggy at the field all morning. Tcraft is all fixed and I put a couple very bumpy flights up to see if anything would come loose, nothing did thankfully and it went back in the truck. Oh well..

Mendo

Here is how I hang my models

wall hangers 1x4 down, 1x2 across bottom, 3/4" pvc covered with foam water pipe insulation or round (pool noodles)

Where's the TC? Must be at the place of honor in the lining room or master bedroom.

Freddy

Had some good first flights with my brand new Taylorcraft 450. This Aircraft seems to be a very good trainer for my son. Very easy to start, fly and land. I did not reach the battery end so far. Incredible flight time with the 480 Brushless and 2200 Battery.

E-flite Taylorcraft (1 min 23 sec)

Great video!

I am stoked........ just ordered this plane today. I've got a hanger full of war birds and really miss the ability of having a nice, mellow, scale flyer to enjoy now and again. I learned to fly with the HobbyZone SuperCub, and there is just something about this TaylorCraft that makes me want it NOW.

I'm going to buy the Park 480, E-Flite 40 amp pro switch-mode BEC, and Hitec 65HB servos over the next couple of months and have her ready to maiden by the time the snow melts.