I've got one on the bench, and a glow motor to go in it, but...


Wouldn't it be cool if?????


What what you all recommend for this plane? It's supposed to weigh in at 9 lbs. on glow with a .60. Sure seems pretty light to me. 60" span on top, with each wing losing 5" or so to the third one.

Help? Oh, and BTW, I'd rather not sink any more money into an electric setup than what a good .90 4 stroke would cost ($250)

Is this possible?

phil in austin

Phil

I doubt you'll come in at that budget- large electric setups are not cheap. However, you have a couple of things going for you. (I'm commenting based on a much smaller Dare Sopwith Tripe and some larger models such as a 6.5 lb Hiperbipe.)

1) You probably don't have such weight concerns as most. I'll lay long odds that the glow powered model needs lots of lead in the nose to balance- in electric lingo that's batteries. This also means that you can use a relatively heavy motor setup since weight in the nose is good. Suggestion- look up Tom Hunt's stuff which is Modelair tech. Kirk at New Creations also carries his stuff. Never priced it, but has a good rep for high quality.

2) A gearbox or belt drive really works for you on this airplane since you don't want to fly fast, you want to fly with a large prop- maybe 15 inch or larger (guess on my part- haven't run the numbers) which will help mimic the flight characteristics of the full scale plane. An electric version could easily blow away a glow version in terms of having a better climb at lower speed- which will translate to much more realism in flight. (Learned that from my Tripe- besides, I've seen the full scale ones fly at Rhinebeck.)

Suggestions- call Kirk at New Creations. You want to buy a power system, not individual components, and you'll need all the bits and pieces to make it work. On a couple of items, he won't be the cheapest, but if you talk to this guy, he will come up with something that will let you fly this airplane well. Note that brushless is not mandatory, but ask about maintenance on what you're planning on getting. The hassle factor may be worth some extra bux.

P.S. Just so you're not in sticker shock- plan on closer to $400-450 by the time you're done. I'm including ground support stuff too, like a good charger. The adage here is buy cheap, buy twice. It's especially true with what you're looking to fly.

Have fun with this one- I'll bet you come up with something that'll fly better than glow.

Wow, thanks for the info Megow...


Well, that answers that. I wil stay with a glow setup. For $500, I could buy quite a bit more than one power package. Heck, I could even setup a complete EDF (smaller one) for that, radio and all.


Super Tigre .75 it is...

Thanks for the info...

phil in austin

Phil

go back and reread my post please.

Breakdown of stuff (I got curious)

MAT FW-1000 belt drive with motor $105 IIRC, the Dewalt motor is OK, but heavy. However, on your airplane, weight may be an asset. If you need a lighter motor, the price goes up.
Speed control- CC Pegasus-$45-50
Batteries- probably 18 cell CP 2400 pack- around $100-125 (I'm guessing, generally don't buy batteries this big.) You're speed control limited,larger packs and speed controls start getting pricey. You also need a rx battery or use the UBEC $30. But you no longer have to buy glow plugs or fuel.

Your total airborne is about $250-275. (Forgot cost of props.) I'd doubt it'd get much cheaper than this (could be wrong on the batteries though), and could easily go up.

Ground support- decent charger that can handle 18 cells - around $100-175 (upper limits on Astro 110D- Schulze Chamaleon is a better bet.) That gets you to a minimum of $350-$400, but you've got stuff you need for the next airplane.

By the way, cheap, EDF and flies fast- pick two.

P.S. I'm not trying to sell you the stuff, but I wanted to give you an honest answer to your question. Seems to me you came back with a knee jerk reaction. I've gathered that ARF isn't exactly cheap- look at the total cost to get airborne and you'll see the difference between glow and electric isn't so big.

Alternatively, I've got an old Enya 90 4 stroke that I've never run (the guy I bought it from bench ran it for 20 minutes or so- he's my old hobby dealer and he knows what he's doing.) That's all the running it's had- want to buy that for $175?


Sam

You're right, it was a knee jerker, and I apologize.

I guess in my head I was ready (fearing) for a large amount, and read more into it...

I agree with you on the EDF comment too, for the most part. Heck, that goes for most of R/C, for that matter. An exception would be my Patriot/LykaJet S.P.A.D. type plane with gutter pipe fuselage and Coroplast wing and tail. Less than $200 For all of it, radio and engine (TT.46 pro) included, would do 150 mph any day of the week. Now there was cheap fun! But ugly it sure was...

I do have just over $800 wrapped up in this plane so far with the Super Tigre .75, a new Futaba 6XAS, and the plane itself, plus some goodies to finish it off with. While I love the idea of swinging a scale prop, still I will have to think about it before putting that much more into it.

I'm through with those days of $2500 pattern aircraft and super scale planes that I used to do, as now I try to stick to simpler and more fun things to fly. This DR1 was a bit of a step back in that direction. Heck, at this point, I 'll get the thing assembled, go to the field, fly it a few times, then probably sell it and go back to fun fly and sport hot rods again...

Again, thanks for the info. I DO appreciate it, really...

phil in austin

Phil

Apology accepted- glad to be of help. I came to the conclusion that the most expensive airplanes are the ones that don't get flown. Since I've transitioned to electric I've spent some bux in the process. I've converted over half a dozen glow or rubber powered airplanes in my fleet (OK, it's probably closer to a dozen)- these were airplanes that had either flown glow or rubber or had glow engines installed, to electrics. Lo and behold, I fly them a lot more often now- and my one flyable glow ship- a Hot Kanary hasn't been flown in several years. Electrics are great when you don't have all day to spend at the field- I actually show up at a park with around half a dozen planes, put in half a dozen flights and go home. Gets me out a lot more...

Sam

Phil I am looking at converting a .40 glow ARF Kyosho Tiger Moth to electric and I initially had the same reaction you did - the electric power system part of the model is going to be twice the cost of glow. so do I really want to do this? First I said no but now I say yes I will go with electric because:

-If a glow setup costs$700, and electric $200 more, than that's a 30% cost increase of the model - not 100% (twice)
-The extra 30% buys me a lot.
--safer for the fingers (no needle valve)
--no fuel or starter battery
--my cloths and model and therefore car and workshop don't smell funny

(continued)
--no fuel costs
--model starts reliably, right away. I don't have to spend time hunched over the model fueling it, starting it and adjusting it.
--No wipedown time or supplies.
--No engine maintainence.

If I fly this model 20 times, and save 1/2 hour worth of time/hassel every tiime by using electric, I've paid $200 but saved 10 hours. That's $20 an hour. I am not rich but I make more than that and I think my time is worth more than that, as it is for most modelers with a job/family etc.

So my own answer is I think electrics even for larger models are cost-justified. I'm going to go ahead and convert this Moth!!

Originally posted by phuffstatler

What what you all recommend for this plane? It's supposed to weigh in at 9 lbs. on glow with a .60.

Too bad you already have the GP DR-1. The ARF DR-1 from Arizona Model Aircrafters weighs only 6 lbs ready to fly on engine power, and was originally designed for electric. It costs a bit less too.


Arizona Model Aircrafters

Originally posted by Greg Smith
I am looking at converting a .40 glow ARF Kyosho Tiger Moth to electric

Am in process of assembling the Kyosho Tiger Moth. Power to be DeWalt 14.4v motor, MAT 3.6:1 belt drive swinging a 15 x 10 prop, JETI 450 ESC, and 17 2400 mAh nicads. Motocalc says will work fine. (Drive system from Hangar 9 Cub that I dumb-thumbed in, loose TX antenna!).

There was a Kyosho TigerMoth at the Hope NJ meet. The gentleman had an Aveox F16 on 16 cell . I think he was using aa 12/8 or a 13/7 on it. It flew very well on that set up.
I have a GP Tiger moth that I brought for its first flight to Hope. I have a Astro 40 on a Super Box. It runs on 24 cells and swings a 18/10 APC electric prop. Off the charger it is making close to 1 KW. The total weight is 13 lbs or so. See pics at:

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...threadid=43982

As for the DR I , I was thinking of the same set up as the Tiger Moth. Maybe go to a Astro 40 on a regular box and 20 cells with a 14/8. I have this setup in a 81 in Cub that weighs 11 lbs.

I have not had any problems with these power setups. They are pretty much fool proof . You just have to set the timing on these motors before you use them. I use the Astro 204 or the 207 ESC.

If you go with the Arizona ARF, you might be able to get away with a Astro 25 on a super box and 16 cells. You would have to keep the weight down below 8 lbs.

I looked at both of these planes very closely. Yes, the Arizona model is lighter at 6 lbs. or so, but I tell you at 9 lbs. my GP DR1 lands like a literal feather! It feels like two lbs. in the air.

Also, I did some research into the Arizona site, being unfamiliar with them, and watched ALL of their movies on their different aircraft. On all but ONE of their movies, the planes had some type of problem with either the pilot messing up the takeoff or landing, or parts flying off of a plane during flight. Mind you, these are videos they made to PROMOTE these aircraft. I just could not get a 'warm fuzzy' feeling with them. I've had several Great Planes aircraft, and have had no bad experiences with them as yet, including this one. This made my choice for the GP kit.

As far as the Arizona model being designed for Electric, the video they had of it, the plane (lighter by 3 lbs., they say) would not even rise off the grass with the electric motor, it just ran along the ground... The video then just jumped to the plane flying slowly along, and it went over on it's nose on landing. How did they get it off the ground? I'll never know. I've flown my new GP DR1 several times this last weekend, and with my slimer Super Tigre .75 on it, it required NO nose weight, has plenty of go without too much speed, lands at under 8 mph (really!), and has NO tendency to nose over on landing, and it's not tail heavy.

I am QUITE PLEASED with my GP DR1, even with a glow motor on it. All the other fellows at the field were most impressed with the way it flew, plus my handling of it. I do have a fair amount of bipe and tripe experience, but I tell you this plane flies well. You do have to fly the rudder, like all WWI aircraft, and stay on the ailerons until it stops moving, and let ALL of the speed bleed off before letting it touch down. Really very docile if you mind the type of plane that it is. I'm using a stock Futaba 6XAS in it, and I dialed in 20% expo on the rudder and ailerons, just because I can get a little twitchy sometimes.

I still consider an electric conversion for it, but for now will leave the glow setup on it. It's working super well.

BTW, I assembled this airplane in about 20 hours, and that includes a couple of hours to re-engineer the gun mount/mid wing cover, as I didn't like the way GP wanted it to attach.

Pictures here:
http://home.austin.rr.com/huffstatler/DR1-1.JPG
http://home.austin.rr.com/huffstatler/DR1-2.JPG

Yes, I've got a new pilot I'm finishing to put in it, right before I head down to Monaville for the Warbird Fly-In this Saturday....

Be good,

phil in austin.

Originally posted by Wile E


Too bad you already have the GP DR-1. The ARF DR-1 from Arizona Model Aircrafters weighs only 6 lbs ready to fly on engine power, and was originally designed for electric. It costs a bit less too.


Arizona Model Aircrafters

Where's the DR-1 ARF from Arazona at ??? I don't find it on this site .

Originally posted by Kevin Murray


Where's the DR-1 ARF from Arazona at ??? I don't find it on this site .

Take the link to the Arizona web site and click on the [ARF] button (second from the left under the Wright Flyer photo). It had a favorable review in the June 2002 issue of Model Airplane News.

There it is.

Thanks Wile.