lil hornet with tr-389

new2heli · Jul 18, 2001, 03:07 PM

please help,
i flew my lil hornet with the stock motor and gearbox and 7 cell 720 nimh batterys without any problems until i fleww it nose first into the ground bending the prop shaft.
i then went down to my local hobby store and picked up the tr-389 motor and gearbox. with this setup my 13 oz plane (after many crashes!) just barley hangs in the air, chirping and even sputtering. i broke the motor in with one D cell. i am using the same prop- the stock 7x2 and i've read about people putting on the 8x4's but i dont think this little johnson motor has the power.
Does anyone have a motor suggestion that will have excellent duration. i am tempted to just buy another lil hornet kit and use the stock setup. could i just have a bum tr-389 motor?
thanks

Neil Morse · Jul 18, 2001, 03:31 PM

My Hornet flies very well with the TR-389 on 7X720 packs, so here are some thoughts:

Weight: 13 oz. is very heavy for a Hornet. Do you have a rudder servo on it? What landing gear are you using? Judging from what Dave Thacker reports, I thought mine was heavy at 11 oz., but it flies great. I have no rudder servo, and I'm using Lite Stik gear and wheels. Mine also has a CF tube fuse, but I think that probably is heavier than the stock balsa stick. I think Dave told me that his is something like 9.5 oz. (!)

Prop: Mine flew OK with the stock prop on the 389, but I got marked improvement with a GWS 8X6. I would definitely recommend trying the 8X6. The stock prop, by the way, is something like 7X5.5 not 7X2, despite what it says on the MMGlidertech website. "i've read about people putting on the 8x4's but i dont think this little johnson motor has the power." Another point of clarification: the TR-389 motor is actually different than the Johnson motor, despite their similar appearance. The advantage of the 389 is that it is very happy on 7 cells. The Johnson (stock) MG1 motor was apparently never intended to run on more than 6 cells, and I burnt out two of them very quickly on 7 cell packs before I switched. I have many flights on my 389 and it's still going strong.

Final point: if you mean you might buy another Hornet kit just to get another stock motor, you should know that you can get the MG1 Johnson motors from a number of places. Here's a link to an earlier discussion of the difference between the Johnson and the 389 that includes info on where to get the Johnson motors: http://www.ezonemag.com/disc/Forum5/HTML/001936.html

So there you have it. I can't think of anything else, unless you maybe have a charger problem or got a bum motor.

Good luck,

Neil

[This message has been edited by Neil Morse (edited 07-18-2001).]

new2heli · Jul 18, 2001, 06:46 PM

thanks for the help,
i went back to the local store and the owner set me up with a simprop 280bb and gearbox with a 9x6 prop. the only problem is i only have a 5 amp speed controller, will this be o.k.? i entend to fly it slow and easy.

Neil Morse · Jul 18, 2001, 07:40 PM

Well, I guess you've decided to forget about making it lighter and go for more horsepower! You don't say what the gear ratio is, but I think the 280BB will be too much for a 5 amp esc. I have the 280BB with a 5:1 box and 9X6 prop on my Crazy Sparrow, and I haven't measured the amp draw but I use a 10 amp esc as recommended by Hobby Lobby with that set up. I also think you may have a problem with those NiMH's handling the current draw from that set up.

Let us know how it works out.

Neil

Dave Hederich · Jul 18, 2001, 11:27 PM

Have you tried a search for Lil Hornet here on the E Zone? There is a tremendous amount of information available. Neil Morse alone is a great source of firsthand knowledge on Lil Hornet performance. If you read through all of the messages, you will not be doomed to repeat many of the same learning experiences that others had to go through. Much as I like the guys at my local hobby shop, I would never take their advice over the accumulated knowledge here. It sounds as if you are getting advice from people who don't know the difference between a Lil Hornet and an F/A-18 Hornet.

[This message has been edited by Dave Hederich (edited 07-18-2001).]

BleuBuck · Jul 18, 2001, 11:29 PM

I just started messing around with props on my stock hornet..... I finally put a 8x6 GWS on the ol' Johnson and it really put some spunk into her!!!!!! I can almost hang it on the prop!
I tried a GWS 8x4.3 but it just mushed around.
I do wish I had used a CF tube instead of the included balsa but the plane still flies great at 10.25oz.... and that's with a rudder servo and a 7x720AAA pack
I still have the plans and may build up something similar using a CF tube and some laminated tail feathers with lightening holes cut in them like the guy who put his hornet on floats.
I've repaired the fuse-stick on this thing twice... it was just under 10oz when I first flew it.

Good luck with yours!
Boone

Neil Morse · Jul 19, 2001, 12:51 AM

Boone:

Yes, ain't it great with the 8X6? Try some square loops -- they're a whole lot of fun.

Dave:

Thank you for your kind words. You were a little more direct with New2heli than I was, but I have to say I agree with you. I don't think he'll be doing any "slow and easy" flying with that set up. I fear that with the weight up around 14 oz. the higher wing loading will prevent the Hornet from performing as it should.

Neil

Jul 18, 2001, 03:07 PM	#1
new2heli Registered User Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: santa clarita ca Posts: 803	lil hornet with tr-389 please help, i flew my lil hornet with the stock motor and gearbox and 7 cell 720 nimh batterys without any problems until i fleww it nose first into the ground bending the prop shaft. i then went down to my local hobby store and picked up the tr-389 motor and gearbox. with this setup my 13 oz plane (after many crashes!) just barley hangs in the air, chirping and even sputtering. i broke the motor in with one D cell. i am using the same prop- the stock 7x2 and i've read about people putting on the 8x4's but i dont think this little johnson motor has the power. Does anyone have a motor suggestion that will have excellent duration. i am tempted to just buy another lil hornet kit and use the stock setup. could i just have a bum tr-389 motor? thanks

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Jul 18, 2001, 03:31 PM	#2
Neil Morse Registered User Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: San Francisco, CA, USA Posts: 5,476	My Hornet flies very well with the TR-389 on 7X720 packs, so here are some thoughts: Weight: 13 oz. is very heavy for a Hornet. Do you have a rudder servo on it? What landing gear are you using? Judging from what Dave Thacker reports, I thought mine was heavy at 11 oz., but it flies great. I have no rudder servo, and I'm using Lite Stik gear and wheels. Mine also has a CF tube fuse, but I think that probably is heavier than the stock balsa stick. I think Dave told me that his is something like 9.5 oz. (!) Prop: Mine flew OK with the stock prop on the 389, but I got marked improvement with a GWS 8X6. I would definitely recommend trying the 8X6. The stock prop, by the way, is something like 7X5.5 not 7X2, despite what it says on the MMGlidertech website. "i've read about people putting on the 8x4's but i dont think this little johnson motor has the power." Another point of clarification: the TR-389 motor is actually different than the Johnson motor, despite their similar appearance. The advantage of the 389 is that it is very happy on 7 cells. The Johnson (stock) MG1 motor was apparently never intended to run on more than 6 cells, and I burnt out two of them very quickly on 7 cell packs before I switched. I have many flights on my 389 and it's still going strong. Final point: if you mean you might buy another Hornet kit just to get another stock motor, you should know that you can get the MG1 Johnson motors from a number of places. Here's a link to an earlier discussion of the difference between the Johnson and the 389 that includes info on where to get the Johnson motors: http://www.ezonemag.com/disc/Forum5/HTML/001936.html So there you have it. I can't think of anything else, unless you maybe have a charger problem or got a bum motor. Good luck, Neil [This message has been edited by Neil Morse (edited 07-18-2001).]

Jul 18, 2001, 06:46 PM	#3
new2heli Registered User Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: santa clarita ca Posts: 803	thanks for the help, i went back to the local store and the owner set me up with a simprop 280bb and gearbox with a 9x6 prop. the only problem is i only have a 5 amp speed controller, will this be o.k.? i entend to fly it slow and easy.

Jul 18, 2001, 07:40 PM	#4
Neil Morse Registered User Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: San Francisco, CA, USA Posts: 5,476	Well, I guess you've decided to forget about making it lighter and go for more horsepower! You don't say what the gear ratio is, but I think the 280BB will be too much for a 5 amp esc. I have the 280BB with a 5:1 box and 9X6 prop on my Crazy Sparrow, and I haven't measured the amp draw but I use a 10 amp esc as recommended by Hobby Lobby with that set up. I also think you may have a problem with those NiMH's handling the current draw from that set up. Let us know how it works out. Neil

Jul 18, 2001, 11:27 PM	#5
Dave Hederich Registered User Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Walled Lake, MI, USA Posts: 11,182	Have you tried a search for Lil Hornet here on the E Zone? There is a tremendous amount of information available. Neil Morse alone is a great source of firsthand knowledge on Lil Hornet performance. If you read through all of the messages, you will not be doomed to repeat many of the same learning experiences that others had to go through. Much as I like the guys at my local hobby shop, I would never take their advice over the accumulated knowledge here. It sounds as if you are getting advice from people who don't know the difference between a Lil Hornet and an F/A-18 Hornet. [This message has been edited by Dave Hederich (edited 07-18-2001).]

Jul 18, 2001, 11:29 PM	#6
BleuBuck Registered User Join Date: May 2001 Location: Springfield, Missouri USA Posts: 54	I just started messing around with props on my stock hornet..... I finally put a 8x6 GWS on the ol' Johnson and it really put some spunk into her!!!!!! I can almost hang it on the prop! I tried a GWS 8x4.3 but it just mushed around. I do wish I had used a CF tube instead of the included balsa but the plane still flies great at 10.25oz.... and that's with a rudder servo and a 7x720AAA pack I still have the plans and may build up something similar using a CF tube and some laminated tail feathers with lightening holes cut in them like the guy who put his hornet on floats. I've repaired the fuse-stick on this thing twice... it was just under 10oz when I first flew it. Good luck with yours! Boone

Jul 19, 2001, 12:51 AM	#7
Neil Morse Registered User Join Date: Jul 1999 Location: San Francisco, CA, USA Posts: 5,476	Boone: Yes, ain't it great with the 8X6? Try some square loops -- they're a whole lot of fun. Dave: Thank you for your kind words. You were a little more direct with New2heli than I was, but I have to say I agree with you. I don't think he'll be doing any "slow and easy" flying with that set up. I fear that with the weight up around 14 oz. the higher wing loading will prevent the Hornet from performing as it should. Neil