About 20 years ago Sig had a .15 to .25 powered trainer called a Kadet junior, I built one and learned to fly with it. Ive since almost always had one in the hanger as a no stress relaxing Sunday flyer .
This one was built as an electric version and the only differences between it and a glow version was to move the firewall forward to accomodate the shorter motor and arrange the gear so it would balance without the need to add weight ( saves a few ounces...) I also converted it to a tail dragger.
Wingspan is 47 inches and ive powered it with a KDA 22-20L which will give it ample power and a 2200 mahr 3s lipo.
I did have a similar electric one a year or so back ( I sold it) ,and it would fly for just on 20 minutes with carefull use of the throttle..
I covered it in white solarfilm and orange and black vinyl trim .
Looking forward to maidening it this evening weather permitting..

Grant.

Well its had the maiden and it flys very well, it was slightly breezy and was buffeted a bit . I took it out again yesterday quite early before any breeze came up and it was a delight to fly... due to its light weight ( much lighter than my old original with large futaba s148 servos and os .25 engine) its much happier in calm or near calm conditions.
Id recommend it for a beginner as a first model.


Grant.

Interesting, I have had an electrified Kadet Seniorita for 10 or 15 years, don't recall seeing this "little brother" before. What is the weight on the li'l nipper?

- - Dave

Hi Dave, its 900gm without the lipo. Its very different to the Senioritia in construction , its sheet sides and solid 5mm tailplane makes it quick and easy to build ( around a week of spare time to scratch build it) and its rugged too.
Think ive built about 5 now over the last twenty years , wore my first one out ( glow fuel soakage) and eventually sold the others. I think Sig stopped producing these about 15 years ago and I havent seen that many ( maybe two!) on rcgroups.. I guess they weren't that popular for some reason?? I suppose most people went for the bigger brother the Kadet Mk2 which was a bigger version and .40 powered.
I electrified a Kadet Junior about 15 years ago with a heavy 550 can motor and 9.6v nicad pack ( weighed a ton!) it flew but the climb wasn't spectacular... This one fly's well at 1/4 throttle.. electrics sure have come a long way!

cheers Grant.

Wow-flashback!!!

I had one of these with a O.S. 20fp engine and Futaba S-28 servos with the old G style connectors. It was my first powered trainer after mixed success on a Gentle Lady. I saved the plans and may have to build a another someday for sentimental reasons. It was a great trainer!

D.W.

Hi D.W , It was my first powered trainer after a Riser .
I took it out yesterday and got a 22 minute flight from the 2200 lipo and I could have been up longer, thats about the same duration as a 6oz tank on my old .25 version.. but no slime to wipe of the model, and no noise complaints from neighbours at the local high school where I fly .
I Dont think these sold well as I haven't come across many on rcgroups and even googling it produces few results.. certainly wasn't any where near as popular as the Seniorita which was in production at the same time.
Id be interested to hear from anyone else who has, or has had a Kadet Junior...

Grant.

I've got one to.My brother built it in the late 80s early 90s,he had kids and did not have time to fly, so I stored it all thous years. Last year I pulled it out,recovered it and added ailerons, and converted it to electric.I flew it all last summer with a go pro cam in the belly,got some awesome footage.I'll post pics soon, its a good plane,I thought I had the last one on earth.All of a sudden our twenty year old planes are proving to be valuable.

Took these yesterday , Im getting almost half an hour on the 2200 lipo .. nice little Sunday flyer .

Sig Kadet Junior R/C Model plane (0 min 37 sec)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDvOfzUQHpc

Nice video, they really fly well and yours lands wonderfully.I have slimier conditions and had to go with 40 size gear to get off the tall grass.I will try to edit some of my on board video down to an acceptable length and post it soon ,Later

Hi Doc Thanks, they do fly well, though quite fast for a trainer ..It would be neat to see some video you've taken from yours :-)
Grant.

Hi Grant
Do you use your original kit plan? It's a real neat flier and the slightly higher weight for smaller size probably expands its wind handling capability.

Sig have produced great electric models for years, shame they kept putting the glow conversion on the plan

I'd have to go dig up the article I wrote, but it reminds me plenty of the English kit model that was my first ever electric - it was around 48" - 50" span and a three channel high winger. With care, I could get it high enough to do a loop in a flight. That was 1985 with a state of the art ferrite 540, six 1200mA Nicad cells and an 'ESC' made from a servo with a microswitch glued to its side...

D

Hi Dereck, its built off the original plan. I just moved the firewall forward to compensate for the shorter motor.
Ive built about four Kadet juniors now, I did electrify one about 12 years ago and put a 540 canned motor and a 9.6v nicad pack in it... it flew but not that well, it did give me a taste for electric tho... :-)
I used the servo/ switch method too, very proportional.. on and off!!
I might build an aileron wing for it next , I cant believe im getting almost 30 minutes cruising around on the 2200 lipo .
Id be interested to know what the model was you mentioned
I think the Kadet junior would be good scaled up to around 63 inches , (same construction , sheeted sides not stick) , it wouldnt be a junior then though would it....

Grant.

Originally Posted by Grunta5

Hi Dereck, its built off the original plan. I just moved the firewall forward to compensate for the shorter motor.
Ive built about four Kadet juniors now, I did electrify one about 12 years ago and put a 540 canned motor and a 9.6v nicad pack in it... it flew but not that well, it did give me a taste for electric tho... :-)
I used the servo/ switch method too, very proportional.. on and off!!
I might build an aileron wing for it next , I cant believe im getting almost 30 minutes cruising around on the 2200 lipo .
Id be interested to know what the model was you mentioned
I think the Kadet junior would be good scaled up to around 63 inches , (same construction , sheeted sides not stick) , it wouldnt be a junior then though would it....

Grant.

... no it wouldn't, but it could be a Sig Kadet LT-25, a 63" taildragger with sheet sides and ailerons, and it would weigh about 2kg and fly darned well on as little as 240W, and be tough enough to survive being flown into a dirty great gum tree because some clown forgot he actually needs his specs to see an acft beyond 50m away these days. Maybe this weekend I won't bend the gear before I find out how it flys on 450W. As Dereck says, you'd reasonably suspect it was designed to be electric from the outset, and it's a beautiful quick laser cut build.

An LT-25 .... I might have to look into one of those... Ive never seen one in the flesh,
sounds like a good step up from the Junior.... Gum trees aren't very forgiving!
I have one at the end of my property, the Tui's love it.. neighbour hates it, blocks the sun in their lounge.....

cheers Grant.