Originally Posted by S4WDU5T

Lookin' good, TG! But where's the extry weight needed, in the nose? Is the new motor that much lighter than stock?

Also, have you flown her yet? I noticed a nearly identical gap between the wing and fuse on mine when first assembled and also pondered fixing it, until looking at how much surgery that would require re-seating the plastic LE connection plate...

At the time I assumed it was 'set' that way on purpose to maintain the proper alignment, but with her acting all "nose-up, hovery, 3D-wannabe" under power I've been re-thinking that assumption all winter

I gotta get off my duff and track down an incidence meter, I know she can be better!

Dusty

Aye - Super Mario!!...I like the red Pitts. Regarding my COG....she balances out at nearly the same as my version one which flies perfect with the same amount of added weight (21 grams) glued to the bottom of the forward battery hatch....Foghorn Leg Horn piloted sttiP....I think the aluminum spinner on the very nose of the Super Tigre 10 plane in addition to the light motor more forward than the stock motor helps offset the lighter weight of the motor. So the COG are nearly identicle....I have NOT maidened Marvin Martian sttiP yet...so the final COG verdict is still pending.

After I added the 21grams which moved the COG up just a scoshe...#1 is very neutral in all ranges of throttle...did not require much trimming if any at all for level flight. Very smooth and stable...hopefully #2 will be just as well balanced.

I have been socked inside for various reasons....so I completed builds with hop ups to three new planes....all need maidens...so I should have enough to keep me busy when the weather, the time, and all the stars line up for me.

TwistedGrin

Hey Twist, I know this is a Pitts thread but how about a little info on that shark!!!

Loves dem teefs!

Originally Posted by compressor man

Hey Twist, I know this is a Pitts thread but how about a little info on that shark!!!

Fellow Pitts Pilots,

There is another RCGroups forum dedicated to HK FMS Flying Shark. There aren't many pages to the thread (7) in total...but all who are on it seem to really enjoy flying thier sharks....I have not maidened mine yet....here is the thread starting where I jumped in:

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...1502669&page=5

I find it most interesting to fly multiple planes each time I go out....and probably just like you....the challenge is to remember what peculiarities are to fly each bird. Jumping from the Pitts to a ducted fan should be a pretty good departure alright.

The video posted is not me....but hope my shark is NOT as fast as this thing is...even though I hopped mine up with a much more powerful power plant....

Hmmmm I can see the little sttiP flying via ducted fan now........LOL

TwistedGrin

Flying Shark (3 min 22 sec)

Flying Shark (3 min 22 sec)

Been wanting to buy one of them from HK for years now.
I won't be able to fly it without a seal plushie (or a surfer?) ripped in half, and glued in the corner of its mouth with copious amounts of red paint everywhere

Ha - poor widdle mangled tweety bird may be stuck in my shark after a few flights.

Well I hope to maiden sttiP#2 Interplanetary Molecular ReArranger Marvin Martion Piloted Pitts this evening.....will fly sttiP#1 Foghorn LegHorn first as a warm up....perhaps get a solid and valid comparison between stock motor and Super Tigre 10....setups.

Just bench testing both....I really don't see that much difference..from stok motor 10x8 prop and Super Tigre 10 on 10x5x3 prop...but as always..actual flight should be the ultimate proof. Each Pitts is identicle except for the motor-prop and placement of the receiver. So far all of my control surfaces are pretty close to each other, resepective weights are very close...hoping the Super Tigre with 10x5x3 prop will give me a little more grunt than the stock set up

TwistedGrin

That 3 blade makes it look all business....

Originally Posted by WestTexasKing

That 3 blade makes it look all business....

LOL -

I now have first hand observations between two nearly identical HK sttiP/Pitts. Other than the usual modifications of Carbon Slatting, Carbon Fiber wing rod strings, beefed up landing gear which are on both planes the only other difference is LED lights on sttiP #2 and .....the Super Tigre 10 motor spinning a 10x5x3 prop and aluminum spinner.

First off I set up my #2 sttiP identical to sttiP #1 for COG..right at the rear top wing bolt. I have three 7g motorcycle wheel weights attached to the bottom of the forward battery hatch door. The #2 sttiP maiden needed no trim at all, no down or up elevator....there is no climb observed as throttle is added or Wacked to WOT. I have it set up just about as nuetral with stable flat flight at 75%, 50% and 0% throttle...no thumbs on the sticks.

The maiden and ensuing two additional test flights were in gusty conditions from a baseline 8mph due South up to most likely 18+mph winds and changing 180degrees East and West. Some rudder was needed to crab the plane straight...otherwise quick aileron input was needed to keep a straight track. If you notice in the video the wind sock will show winds changing left and right at any given pass down the runway. Our club field sock at around 45degrees angle is just about 13mph...so when straight out parallel....it is certainly exceeding 15mph...local wind report last night logged gust in excess of 18+mph...so lets say it was moderately calm to windy and gusty.....with violent wind changes.

Wow - there is a huge difference between the stock motor 10x8 vrs the Super Tigre 10 10x5x3
1. Speed - I have no imperical data or radar...but lets say...the stock set up is docil and has a little lag time getting up to full speed which is like a tractor in high gear....where as the Super Tigre 10 is no longer a tractor at all - it could be twice as fast as the stock set up. I will say if the plane had no carbon fiber slats ...it surely would have folded the wings. Straight line speed is VERY quick and the excelleration is not instantaneous....but no comparison to stock....FAST.
2. Vertical - I pointed up to the blue sky and it went out of my eye sight...to a dot. I chopped the throttle and let her glide back down to eye sight.....is this unlimited Verticle??
3. Hoverable - I think in the hands of WestTexasKing ...entirely possible
4. Battery usage - I did not take load readings but did observe landing at 5:30 minute mark left me 3.7v on my 1800 25c GensAce LiPo. Stock motor and prop would leave around 8.3v after a 6:00min flight. However it was pretty windy yesterday so i was flying with a lot of WOT burst and experimenting
5. Motor and systems heat - None
6. Airframe Stress - None apparent
7. Take off Tork - No issue
8. Flight Tork - maybe some if you wack WOT from glide...but still a non issue
9. Prop wind sound - Really neat sound...the 10x5x3 will cavitate in short burst
10. Airframe at WOT - This Pitts will MOVE at WOT ....some pitching observed as the plane shot forward in 18mph gust....pretty neat
11. Manouverability - I was not certain if the airframe would withstand any stunts at WOT.....however rolls, loops, hammer heads are pretty much precision now

Over-All Impression: Your next ArtTech Pitts deserves the Super Tigre 10. The fun factor just went up a couple of notches and I think a mediocre (not medicated) pilot could not only fly but stunt fly this plane in 18mph+ winds with ease and aplomb. The three blade prop is a good fit....there is no need for more speed than what this set up provides. I would not call this an Atlas Rocket...but I will say you will have a hard time comparing the two planes....let me just state....the plane probably is twice as fast as stock....most likely unlimited vertical....and much more acrobatic...battery times are dimimished by about 60 seconds.

Oh yea - the LED kit is a real treat in the late evening....GoPro video simply does not show the LED lights in the evening....I would not recommend flying at night...however sun down to twilight flight is absolutely a treat...nearly hypnotizing. Landing is a challenge simply because you lose judgement of speed and ground approach.....hard to judge of your are 2 inches or 10 inches above the runway...these late twilight flights will take some more practice.

Pitts 2 Marvin Martian flight 2 03-13-13 (8 min 15 sec)

TwistedGrin

You give me too much credit...I can hover a helicopter and RC helis all day long, and airplanes for a split second shorter than it takes to say "hey check out what I'm making it do!"

Sounds like the tigre really woke it up.
Probably about like what my sttiP was flying like before the wings went south.
Stock motor, 4S, and a 10x8 prop...that's a lot of effective pitch!

'Specially without wings....takes a lot of drag away without wings

Originally Posted by WestTexasKing

You give me too much credit...I can hover a helicopter and RC helis all day long, and airplanes for a split second shorter than it takes to say "hey check out what I'm making it do!"

Sounds like the tigre really woke it up.
Probably about like what my sttiP was flying like before the wings went south.
Stock motor, 4S, and a 10x8 prop...that's a lot of effective pitch!

WestTexasKing - Yes it did wake it up!! Fun fun fun.......
I think a 4S on this thing now would be wasted power....or probably encroach servo flutter....LOL

Here is another U-Tube Video...it takes so long for U-Tube to upload!!

33inch Electric RC Pitts Biplane 2 Marvin Martian flight 3 LED (8 min 28 sec)

TwistedGrin

Hi guys, new to this thread.
I started reading from page 1 and got to 78 so far, tons of info that will really help me with my HK sttiP.
I ordered mine yesterday and it should be shipped tomorrow from the German warehouse. Usually doesn't take more than a week to get to Belgium so hopefully will be flying it next week :-)

I ordered some 11x4.7 props with it, but noticed today that 10x7 works out good as well and gives more ground clearance.
I'm planning to fly it at the beach so maybe ground clearance won't be that bad on wet sand.

I also have 5 1550mah 3s lipos and a 2200mah 3s lipo for this plane, probably will need to cut some foam away to get them in nicely.
I prefer making it a bit heavier as there's almost allways wind here

Besides that I also ordered a 25A esc (turnigy basic) to replace the stock one with, just to be sure.

//Edit: I'll also put some tape on the wingtips etc as I read that the foam isn't the best quality, and with all the broken shells on the beach it won't take too long to scratch it I think :-)

Are there any other things/mods you guys recommend?

It doesn't need to be a rocketship so I'm not planning to swap the motor, I'll just stick with swapping the prop.


Has anyone painted his Pitts? I prefer the classic red paint and as I read that the decals don't stick too well maybe its not a bad idea to paint it before I put it together?


I'll keep you guys posted on the build and flights!

Grtz, Thomas

TheThomass,

Strongly recommend slatting the wings with carbon fiber...and at least beefing up the landing gear.....landing the stock set up on anything other than a consistant smooth surface will start causing issues quickly....that 11x7.4 might get the motor hot if you need to fly at WOT for extended durations at the beach....I know from experience a 10x8 works very well on the stock motor...good speed and pull....

In the meantime.....U-Tube finally completed my upload of yesterdays twilight LED flight:

33inch Electric RC Pitts Biplane 2 Marvin Martian flight 4 LED . (6 min 49 sec)

TwistedGrin

Originally Posted by TwistedGrin

Strongly recommend slatting the wings with carbon fiber...and at least beefing up the landing gear.....landing the stock set up on anything other than a consistant smooth surface will start causing issues quickly....that 11x7.4 might get the motor hot if you need to fly at WOT for extended durations at the beach....I know from experience a 10x8 works very well on the stock motor...good speed and pull....

Ok thanks a lot!
No idea what I'll do with the LG but I'll see what I have laying around at house.
The sand is real smooth so maybe won't be too much of a problem.
If it's windy I use a lot more throttle on my other models so maybe that 11x4.7 isn't a very good idea indeed. But it will have to do for the first flights.

Nice flying btw