Well, Here we go again guys !!!


Keep up the great info !!!

Sam

Wow Sam you sure beem away for a while. going to some more Beavering.
Rick

If the Beaver test flight thread hasn't taken over. Here's the link to the CLB II
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...threadid=95262

Just flew my Beaver, see picture, for the first time in a month. Been busy with my newest creation, the Fantastic Models Gee Bee R1, see picture, but that is another story.

I went out to the field the other night to fly the Gee Bee for my son who was mountain biking in the area. I said, what the heck, I will throw the Beaver in the car too, for old times sake.

I put 2 flights on the R1, and Tommy loved it. It was getting dark, so out came the Beaver with the Curtek Lights on her. The helicopter guys, who are almost always at the field in the evenings, stayed to see the lighted Beaver fly, and they weren't dissappointed. She flew great, as usual, and it was dark enough to see the blinking strobe on the top of the fin too. They couldn't believe their eyes. When I finally landed, it was dark enough to see the landing lights shining on the ground as I neared touchdown.

Still one of my favorite birds, but the Gee Bee, well, she is closing in fast. What a great little flyer that one is. Tom

Hey Tom I see that you still around.
Rick

I have been flying every chance I get, just not the Beaver. There are now, because of me, 8 new Beavers in my club. Some of the guys who are showing up with them really surprise me. Guys who fly 3D helicopters for instance, I hooked 2 of them. And two of our hot shot instructor pilots are getting them too. Woops, make that 9 new Beavers. I just remembered another one.
Only one of the new Beavers gave us some trouble. Jerry taped the wing so he could do aerobatics, NOT, and in doing so put washin into both wings. Man was that a snapping fool. Crashed on the first flight right after handlaunch. It was tail heavy too, so that made it all the worse. I had him add 1.25 ounces of lead to the nose and then "I" tried it. Well, the twist was still in the wings, and I managed to get it up and flying, but it kept wanting to snap. He said he was going home and pull that tape off the bottom of the wing. I told him, if he wants to do aerobatics to buy a Switchback or something from Mountain Models.
You wouldn't buy a VW Bug to race at Indy now would you. Tom

Rick, Greg, Tom and the others..

I'm down in Newport Oregon, sure wish I had a bird to fly while I was down here..

The weather has been holding us in for almost a week now !!!

30-40 knot winds with 12' seas out on the grounds...

Hope to be home soon , I'm in a library using a free internet connection here....1/2 hour at a time...

talk to you all soon...

Sam

Hey Guys, I'm trying to decide whether to buy a Beaver -vs- Estarter, why should I buy the Beaver?

-Thanks-

Mike

e-starter = ailerons. I have no experience with the e-starter but obviously can't recommend the Beaver enough. It's a perfect 2nd plane or first power if you have glider experience. If you really want ailerons then, well, the Beaver doesn't have those.

There are now, because of me, 8 new Beavers in my club. Some of the guys who are showing up with them really surprise me. Guys who fly 3D helicopters for instance, I hooked 2 of them. And two of our hot shot instructor pilots are getting them too. Woops, make that 9 new Beavers

The Beaver is best suited to to very relaxing putting around and as Tom say's it's a big hit in his club. I haven't seen the huge praises being sung about the E-Starter. As much as the Beaver she handles wind not to bad get bounced around but what do you expect for a 13oz plane.
But like Greg said if you gotta have ailerons then, well, the Beaver doesn't have those.
Rick

Been getting out for about 1 flight every other day or so. In between the Wind and the dark. Yesterday I tried the scale planform wing again (see previouse version of this thread).
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...ing#post922345

It was made from foamboard with the paper removed from one side. I've lightened it considerably by removing the paper from the top surface as well. It has full length carbon rods along the LE to hold support the foam and provide a rounded edge. Pics were taken without the rods. It looks much better with straight wings. I also removed almost all of the dihedral. It's down to pretty much scale as well. It weighs just about the same as the stock wing which now has the lights taped to it.

I'ld forgoten how much more real it looks in the air. Sure needs those floats to complete the illusion! With the lighter scale wing the handling is about the same as the stock wing. AUW is just around 15oz with the 7cell AAA pack. Stall is gentle but it does fall off on the left wing. Recovery is simple counter rudder and let off elevator. Being flat it's not as stable as the stock dihedral of course and it won't recover itself. You have to fly it. It will bank and yank nice and tight but doesn't roll quickly. It stall turns very quickly to the right. Not at all to the left. I even did a loop with it which I'ld never attempt with the stock wing.

Stock wing loops just fine as long as the strutts are well secured and the usual mods are done to the wing. Loops on floats too.
The only time I ever folded a wing was when I poped a strutt.


Lee

Greg. You need another servo and add the ailerons.
I did get out with the Beaver and a couple of outher planes last Tuesday first time out almost all summer, with the kids back in school now I can go out in the morning and be back before school is out for the day.
Rick

Greg, I have been flying mine again. I found that one of my wing panels had developed a twist and was giving me wash in, jeezzz, the worst possible thing. I used a heat gun very carefully and took the twist out, and she flies great again. If anyone is having trouble with their Beaver that used to fly fine, check out the wings. You too may have wash in ( trailing edge lower at the tip than the leading edge. The other way is ok, wash out, trailing edge higher than the leading edge, but wash in is a disaster waiting to happen. Mine started to fly like crap, so I kinda put it on hold and was flying all my other planes, then I decided, what could have happened to it after 200+ flights to have it suddenly fly lousy. Answer was simple, twisted wing, and I use no reinforcing tape what so ever. The foam just developed a twist all on it's own. Tom

The only time I ever folded a wing was when I poped a strutt.

Been there - twice. Struts are now pinned.
Rick - It doesn't seem to need the ailerons as long as it's flying fast enough. Even with almost no dihedral its quite stable. My earlier problems with this wing were all due to the extra weight of it (now gone) and attempting to fly the plane at over 17 oz on a 10X47 prop and ageing motor.