I weighed my battery, switch (JR Gold), regulator (Losi) and came up with 72g total with the 800 mah batt and 84g total with the 1000 mah batt

I just ordered two 700 mah LIFe from my LHS. They weigh 1.5 oz. I don't even have the Plane yet and went to Home Depot today to get the replacement Wing bolts. 1/4 20 blind nuts with nylon bolts. Plane & Engine arrives tomorrow. I got Metallic Blue and Neon Orange to tip the white wings.

You don't need the blind nuts. You can tap the existing wood to 1/4-20 and then use CA to strengthen the threads. After you use the CA and it kicks over run the tap through again to clean up the threads.

which brings up a good point - the JR Heavy Duty switch is the preferred switch.. more reliable than the little switches that come with a lot of radios.

Originally Posted by fizzwater2

which brings up a good point - the JR Heavy Duty switch is the preferred switch.. more reliable than the little switches that come with a lot of radios.

And may I ask where y'all mount your switches ? Any particular spot aero dynamically ?

Inside the fuse, mounted crosswise. I drill a 1/16" hole through the switch actuator, tie a piece of 45lb test braided catfish line to it, stick the ends out the sides (one each side).

Pull on one side and it's on, pull on the other side, and it's off. I set mine up like a few guys I fly with, pull the right side for on, left side for off - that way if they're launching an airplane for me, they don't turn it off accidentally!

I've had switches mounted with the actuator sticking out of the side of the plane actually get turned off in a mid air collision. The airplane wasn't broken after they bumped, but it sure wasn't flying... it got broken when it flew into the ground! Got there to pick up pieces, and the switch was in the off position..

see if this works - you can see the switch poking out at the back edge of the compartment, strings out the sides.

Don't think this plane has the JR heavy duty switch in it, but you get the idea.

In a plane with balsa sides, I'll sometimes drill a 1/8" hole in the side where the string is going to exit and glue in a short (3/16" or so) piece of nylon tubing like what you'd use to run a throttle linkage or antenna, then thread the string through that - keeps the cord from cutting into the fuse sides when you pull it one way or the other.

I am currently mounting mine on the left side of the fuselage under the wing and aft of the tank. Push forward for on and pull back for off. The only problem to date was going to a race and I got there and found a switch on and the Lipo was drained and dead. I now ensure the switch is off and place a piece of tape over it so it cannot be inadvertently turned on. If I ever have the problem again i will ensure I unplug the battery before packing it but, that is a pain but if that is what it takes so be it.

it was a switch mounted just like that (left side, beneath the wing) that got turned off during that bump and run midair...

We got tangled up coming around the 2-3 turn, popped apart right around 3, my buddy kept flying the course, my plane kept heading out to the side. My caller was hollering "keep flying, keep flying" - and I said "it's not, it's not!!"

that makes at least two cases of similar events I'm aware of. Not common at all, but it's hard to bump a switch off (or on) accidentally by pushing on a string...

This was my first 424 plane about 3 eons ago it seems. The throttle servo is mounted in the rear and it caused problems with the aileron linkage you can see where my switch is mounted. You can see I didn't pot the wing to the fuse and it reall ate into the wing until I learned otherwise. I went back and took the covering off the wing and filled the grooves in the wing and then potted it to the fuse and don't have that problem any more


This shows what a potted wing saddle looks like.

Fizz I agree with you. I will probably set my next plane up like that. Moving the switch will also leave more room up front for the radio.

Potting the wing also fills in that space between the ply mounting plate and the wing - prevents a LOT of upward strain on the mounting plywood piece when you tighten the bolts. If you tighten them too much, you can pull that piece loose.

Which reminds me, I need to pot the Viper I'm putting a radio in at home. I picked one up at a local swap meet this weekend. Given my general lack of time lately, at least this way I'll have a 424 plane for the spring races! The one in the picture I posted has suffered some "landing rash" - some cracks in the fuse, etc. It's being repaired, but I'm slow.

Ha- the people I race against say the same thing - I'm slow...

Dale, beware of those that tell you they are slow until you have raced them.

Barry...of course I am slow!!

I'm not really slow, just half-fast.

There are guys in the area that beat me on a regular basis, but I have a good time.

I know Barry will be there but Fizz, will you be at Mulberry in march ? You guys have been soooo Awesome and helpful. I can't wait to meet you guys. I know the Event in March will be lots of fun.