6x4 3 bladers ... not quite enough OOOOMPH !!

PBY Catalina 18 Sept 2016 6x4 props (12 min 7 sec)

Here's with the kit 8x6 2 bladers back on ...

PBY Catalina 25 Sept 2016 Venta River 001 (5 min 57 sec)

then unfortunately the next flight - the foam wing pylon breaks after a bit of stress and she plummets into the river ...

PBY Catalina 25 Sept 2016 Venta River 002 pylon failed (5 min 51 sec)

She's halfway repaired already and gear is all ok ...

Nigel

She's all ready to go again ... just a pity that I cannot find a matching paint to tidy her up.

I have some 7x3.5 3 bladers to try on her ... I reckon the 8x5 stock props are too much ... as you really throttle back once airborne. I think 7x5 3 bladers would be ideal.

The water rudder does actually turn with rudder but only when you modify it slightly ... Basically it screws on too far and binds with the bottom of fuselage before its tight. I pressed tissue into the threaded hole of the water rudder so it wouldn't screw on so far and then blue Loctite. Unfortunately during a 'hangar stop' the water rudder broke of ... so now I will modify a Helicopter fly bar paddle to fit ...

Nigel

In stead of a water rudder (which the PBY didn't have) you could try differential thrust to steer on water. It does take some minor tweaking of the electronics and some programming on your tx, but the result is far better than a water rudder, for both scale look and effective steering.

She has Diff thrust actually ... its been ages since last post I did here ... things moved on a lot.

Cheers
Nigel

Here she is back with her 8x4,5 stock props and of the club lake ...

PBY Catalina Kuldiga Field 27 May 2017 (12 min 56 sec)

One day I will get her to land properly without digging a float in ...

Nigel

Originally Posted by solentlife

She has Diff thrust actually ... its been ages since last post I did here ... things moved on a lot.

Cheers
Nigel

Nigel, please tell me how to set up the diff thrust on my transmitter....(mix with rudder control).
Also--the kit I won in a raffle had both brushless motors missing. Can you tell me what the specs are for the bl motors included in the kit? I assume the original brushed motors were "speed 370"....therefore the bl motors about same. But would like the motor spec numbers including Kv, etc.

THANKS!
yodada

Hi - the motors are as usual unmarked .....

But they are suitable for the 8 x 4.5 two blade props supplied and 3S lipo. I would assume about 1200 - 1400kv .... review gives 1300 .....

Differential .... basically you have to split the esc's throttles to separate channels and then add the rudder code line to each to get rudder stick to alter the throttles.

Later I will read and type out the er9x lines I have .....

Nigel

Completed Catalina.....ready for maiden flight (soon!)

Good luck ...

Note I have never been able to get mine to takeoff from grass ! All she does is dig her nose in ....

Nigel

I SHOULD have included: "Completed Catalina.....ready for maiden flight FROM WATER (soon!)"

But thanks for the warning.
yodada

There must be a way to do it ... there are videos of the Guan Li doing it ...

Nigel

Nigel...question: Once lifted off the water, is the Catalina reasonably stable in flight? Or is it a "handfull", like other GuanLi models?

Thanks,
yodada

She's lively - so I would suggest reasonable amount of Expo ... but overall - I was pleasantly surprised.

Try not to be too violent - that wing pylon is not as strong as first appears ... make sure those struts are fitted and secured. They stop the wing flexing.

Nigel

Good advice.....THANKS!
yodada

Anybody have the control throws? A friend gave me one of these - horrible instructions and no control throws...