My new "77"

[Claudio Chacon]

Hello guys,
Here are some pics of my new "SeventySeven".
Specs:
Engine: Saito 72.
Prop: Top Flite Power Point 14"x6"
Weight RTF: 1815 grams (64,13 oz) with 1 1/2 oz. of tip weight.
Covering: Polyspan.
Dope colors.
Clear: PPG Deltron D880 with Deltron D841 catalyzer.

Regards to you all,
Claudio.

[Claudio Chacon]

Some more...

[Claudio Chacon]

...

[Claudio Chacon]

 

[Claudio Chacon]

The last ones!

[Clint Ormosen]

Sharp! Love the simple yet effective paint scheme.

[Howard Rush]

Tasteful colors.  It will be a shame to get oil on it.

[proparc]

64 oz with a Saito 72. Man, this thing is going to go like stink. The vertical performance on this plane is going to be something else!

[Dennis Adamisin]

Ditto what everyone else said first.  Another great job on the cowl too, I like how you let just the rocker covers poke through.



GREAT WORK!

[proparc]

Question Claudio, you built these before so, do you find you have enough flap to overcome the "DRIVE" of the big block with a 14x6?

[Matt Colan]

Beautiful work Claudio!! Love the paint scheme

[Juan Carlos Pesce]

ˇFELICITACIONES AMIGO!

ˇOTRA VEZ EN CARRERA!

[john e. holliday]

That is awesome.

[Claudio Chacon]

Thank you so much for your kind words, folks! I'm glad to know you liked it!
I'm really excited with my new toy...
I'll be heading to the club in a couple of hours for the first trimming flights so the flying reports will be coming soon.
Stay tuned...

Hi Milton,
Yes, the flap area is large enough to turn the plane and make pretty decent corners.

[Paul Taylor]

Very Cool !!!!
I like the clean paint job. And the 3D effect on the dice.

Also can you show us how the cover for the landing gear cover worked out. That is very cleanly done.

Cheers!
Paul

[Jim Hoffman]

Very nice......great wood working and lots of Extra effort in the paint...........Notice that the bottom has all the graphics as on the top.  Also notice the black ink lines outlining the gray trim. 


Jim Hoffman

[Jose Luis Oterino]

Estupendo trabajo Claudio... enhorabuena.
Un modelo realmente espectacular...

[Jose Javier Rodriguez]

Hola Claudio, Expectacular acabado como siempre.

Disfrutalo!!!!!

[SteveMoon]

Looks great. I love the cowl work and the paint scheme.

Steve

[Bill Little]

Extremely well done, Claudio!  I hope it is flying as good as it looks.  Best wishes for the upcoming contests.

Bill

[proparc]

Extremely well done, Claudio!  I hope it is flying as good as it looks.  Best wishes for the upcoming contests.

Bill

Bill, I hope your paying attention to this "big block" action for your upcoming project.

[Luiz Dutra]

FANTASTIC!!!

Luiz Dutra - Mococa/Săo Paulo - Brasil

[Randy Powell]

Very cool, Claudio. I like it. Slick presentation.

[PJ Rowland]

Quite a nice model.

Almost Buddy Wiederish..

[Claudio Chacon]

Very Cool !!!!
I like the clean paint job. And the 3D effect on the dice.

Also can you show us how the cover for the landing gear cover worked out. That is very cleanly done.

Cheers!
Paul

Thanks Paul.
The LG cover is a filler piece that has a 3-32 birch ply base so you can tighten the bolts with no problems. The same three 4-40 bolts that holds the front part of the wing in place, holds the LG also. The two aluminum inserts you see are just pop rivets installed for aligment purposes. Strong and simple. See the pics:

[Claudio Chacon]

Jim, Steve, Luiz, Randy, PJ...Thank you!

Juanca, Jose Luis y Jose Javier , muchas gracias por los comentarios!

[Claudio Chacon]

Perfecto.  A magnificent piece of art. 20 points no doubt. From a master craftsman. g

Thanks a lot Ty! Concerning the finishing...it is a good one (a very good one, if you will) but definitely not a 20 pointer.
I have a lot to learn to be in the front row. Maybe one day I can try that "Zen Sanding and Buffing Technique" that Randy Powell masters...
In any case, thanks again.

[Larry Cunningham]

Claudio,

Awesome workmanship, engineering and finish.. What a gorgeous model airplane.

I love your wooden fillets.

It's inspiring.

L.

"The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives." -Albert Einstein

[Claudio Chacon]

Extremely well done, Claudio!  I hope it is flying as good as it looks.  Best wishes for the upcoming contests.

Bill

Hi Bill and thank you very much!
I'm aware that you are about to install a Saito 72 in one of your new projects so let me share with you the set up I'm currently flying with, so to have a starting point:

- Saito 72 (control line carb version with Bob Reeves's mod you'll find here: http://www.tulsacl.com/SaitoCarb.html )
- 6 oz. RC square plastic clunk tank NON uniflow. I use a sinterized bronze clunk filter in the feed line instead of the bullet type one.
That bullet type clunk gave me very erratic shut offs at the end of the flight. This was completely solved with the sinterized bronze filter. Absolutely clean shut offs in EVERY flight now.
- 10% Nitro, 20% oil fuel (70% synthetic, 30% castor)
- Top Flite Power Point 14"x6".
- 8500 ground RPM's.
- 5.1/5.2 lap time.
- 4.1 ounces of fuel for a 6'30" flight time.
- I run on muffler pressure.

I'm a happy man with this configuration. The Saito 72 is a HELL of an engine! Hope it works for you too!

Best Regards,
Claudio.

[Claudio Chacon]

Claudio,

Awesome workmanship, engineering and finish.. What a gorgeous model airplane.

I love your wooden fillets.

It's inspiring.

L.

"The pursuit of truth and beauty is a sphere of activity in which we are permitted to remain children all our lives." -Albert Einstein

Many thanks Larry! And I love the quotes you end all of your posts with.
By the way...I totally agree with Albert Einstein!

[proparc]

I'm a happy man with this configuration. The Saito 72 is a HELL of an engine! Best Regards,
Claudio.

Your darn right it is!! I've been singing the praises of the 'big block" for a long time here on this forum. When other people can't fly, the 72 will chew through rough conditions like a hot knife through butter.

You have to remember, that the 72 was initially designed to pull a 7lb RC ship strait up into vertical from dead level flight. In Los Angeles, CA at Sepulveda field, I actually watched it pull a 7.5lb RC Mustang from a low level high-speed pass straight down the runway, into instant pure vertical transition.

When he landed, I showed him my 72 in my stunt ship, and he showed me his setup in his RC ship. I was running 10% nitro, he was running 15%.  I was using a six oz. tank, he was using a 12 oz. He was rolling with a 12x7 APC. I use a 12x6, (I prefer more spool up) I showed him a trick to keep the muffler from vibrating loose.

[Bill Little]

Hi Bill and thank you very much!
I'm aware that you are about to install a Saito 72 in one of your new projects so let me share with you the set up I'm currently flying with, so to have a starting point:

- Saito 72 (control line carb version with Bob Reeves's mod you'll find here: http://www.tulsacl.com/SaitoCarb.html )
- 6 oz. RC square plastic clunk tank NON uniflow. I use a sinterized bronze clunk filter in the feed line instead of the bullet type one.
That bullet type clunk gave me very erratic shut offs at the end of the flight. This was completely solved with the sinterized bronze filter. Absolutely clean shut offs in EVERY flight now.
- 10% Nitro, 20% oil fuel (70% synthetic, 30% castor)
- Top Flite Power Point 14"x6".
- 8500 ground RPM's.
- 5.1/5.2 lap time.
- 4.1 ounces of fuel for a 6'30" flight time.
- I run on muffler pressure.

I'm a happy man with this configuration. The Saito 72 is a HELL of an engine! Hope it works for you too!

Best Regards,
Claudio.

Thank you, very much, Claudio!  Seems like I will end up running a set up very similar to yours.

Thanks, again!
Bill

[Les McDonald]

Claudio, Claudio, what can I say except "two thumbs up" for your latest masterpiece!

[Claudio Chacon]

Thank you, very much, Claudio!  Seems like I will end up running a set up very similar to yours.

Thanks, again!
Bill

You're welcome Bill!

[Claudio Chacon]

Claudio, Claudio, what can I say except "two thumbs up" for your latest masterpiece!

Hello Les!
Thanks a bunch for your always encouraging remarks!

Kindest regards,
Claudio

[John Lindberg]

Really pretty and well done, Claudio!

[Martin Quartim]

Hi Claudio,

Hope one day I can meet you and see this beautiful model in action. Building a 77 is already on my wish list!

Warmest regards from Brazil!

Martin

[Claudio Chacon]

Really pretty and well done, Claudio!

Thanks John!

[Claudio Chacon]

Hi Claudio,

Hope one day I can meet you and see this beautiful model in action. Building a 77 is already on my wish list!

Warmest regards from Brazil!

Martin

Hello Martin, long time no see!
Thanks, glad to know you liked my new toy...and twice as glad because you're going to build one! Really?
Now, you have GOT to keep us posted on the building process, with pics and everything!
William Shakespeare said once: "Better to be king of your silence than slave of your words"

Receive my best regards,
Claudio.

[PJ Rowland]

Claudio - Dissapointed in the cowl I expected another masterpiece..

Its good, not Purple TP good...

[Claudio Chacon]

Claudio - Dissapointed in the cowl I expected another masterpiece..

Its good, not Purple TP good...

Well PJ, there's not much room in the 77 nose to play with, plus the Saito72 is not only a much voluminous engine than the PA 61, but also has the cylinder head too far forward.
On the other hand, the idea in this plane was to keep the cowl size to a minimum in order to deal with the four strokes (alleged) tendency to vibrate more that 2 stroke engines. It worked exactly as expected, by the way. That nose is solid as a rock.
Anyway...sorry to dissapoint you ...I promise it won't happen again

[PJ Rowland]

I mean seriously :
Compare the two :






HAHHA Im jsut stiring you Claudio.

Im jealous of that Purple models cowl.. it was a certain 10 out ot 10..

The new one is only a 9..  

[Claudio Chacon]

I mean seriously :
Compare the two :

HAHHA Im jsut stiring you Claudio.

Im jealous of that Purple models cowl.. it was a certain 10 out ot 10..

The new one is only a 9..  

Mean boy! 
Are you currently building something, PJ?

[PJ Rowland]

Yes - Im in the finishing stages of my 2013 US NATS model.

[Claudio Chacon]

Yes - Im in the finishing stages of my 2013 US NATS model.

Got some pics to share?

[proparc]

Yes - Im in the finishing stages of my 2013 US NATS model.

I better see some vortex generators on those wings.

[PJ Rowland]

I think he's talking to you Claudio....

No pics till i Finish the Cowl..

Your giving me a headache trying to get something 70% of what you did in the purple cowl.. Its difficult.

[Claudio Chacon]

I think he's talking to you Claudio....

No pics till i Finish the Cowl..

Your giving me a headache trying to get something 70% of what you did in the purple cowl.. Its difficult.

Just take your time and don't rush it. You are an experienced builder...

[proparc]

Claudio, how do you remove the tank?

[Claudio Chacon]

Claudio, how do you remove the tank?

By removing the engine first, Milton.
To me, this is a very small price to pay in order to have a rock-solid nose.

[proparc]

By removing the engine first, Milton.
To me, this is a very small price to pay in order to have a rock-solid nose.

That is not unusual. Noel Drindak,engineer and stunt flyer, long advocated the concept of "closing the box". You can see his work on his build of a Steve Buso stunter. I have video of the plane.

The 72 has a definite "pulse". You control it however you see fit.

[PJ Rowland]

77

[Allan Perret]

Beautiful bird Claudio.. 
What about the flight reports ?

Looking over your setup, you listed lap times at 5.1~5.2,  I like to fly a little slower something like 5.3~5.4. 
With all the reserve power of that "Big Block" you have in the 77,  dont you think it would be easy to set it up to fly a little slower. 
If I ever build something for a 4-stroke I plan to use a Saito 62,  which I feel has plenty enough power for a plane in the low 60's.   

[Claudio Chacon]

Beautiful bird Claudio.. 
What about the flight reports ?

Looking over your setup, you listed lap times at 5.1~5.2,  I like to fly a little slower something like 5.3~5.4. 
With all the reserve power of that "Big Block" you have in the 77,  dont you think it would be easy to set it up to fly a little slower. 
If I ever build something for a 4-stroke I plan to use a Saito 62,  which I feel has plenty enough power for a plane in the low 60's.   

Thanks, Allan.
I could only make two flights so far (the weather here has been just UGLY for the last one and a half weeks).
The first one, with no other purpose but to get rid of the MFPMS ("Maiden Flight Panic Mode Syndrome", which I think almost every stunt pilot suffers from ) and the second one just to check CG and any evident unwanted tendencies, so, no pattern...only a few round loops. Despite the CG was just a bit aft (got to remove some tail weight I added in the bench trimming process) the plane flys on rails (very good tracking with no hunting whatsoever).
It was a promising debut.

Yes, with the carb mod that Bob Reeves recommends, you can make any RPM's adjustments at will, but 5.1 to 5.2 are the lap times I feel comfortable with to fly in any wind condition, specially in a windy day.

Regards,
Claudio.

[proparc]

Claudio

What size and length of lines are you using?

[Claudio Chacon]

.018"
68.5 feet (center to center).

[PJ Rowland]

You dont get scared on a 1st flight..

Its like going on a first date with a beautiful woman....

You show all your friends how pretty she is..
You spend all day thinking about her..
You look forward to it..
You hope it goes well...
You would like it if she did stunts 1st
Do you risk taking it inverted??
Will my friends be there to see ?


You imagine and hope for all the good things - the last thing on your mind is..

What if she ... dies on the first date...

[Claudio Chacon]

You dont get scared on a 1st flight..

Its like going on a first date with a beautiful woman....

You show all your friends how pretty she is..
You spend all day thinking about her..
You look forward to it..
You hope it goes well...
You would like it if she did stunts 1st
Do you risk taking it inverted??
Will my friends be there to see ?


You imagine and hope for all the good things - the last thing on your mind is..

What if she ... dies on the first date...

Agree, you don't get "scared"...it's just sheer panic

Good analogy PJ, never thought about it in that way
And now that you mentioned it...you know...the fear goes completely away after that first......"FLIGHT"

[richardhfcl]

Gents,

     I don't know about you guys, but I would never take a beautiful woman inverted
on the first date!

     Best regards,

     Richard Ferrell

   

[john e. holliday]

Great to hear the plane is going along good.   I remember reading an article by the one and only Windy on first flights on new planes.   His first comments were on getting the engine run right.   Also about how the plane was on the end of the lines.   Then it was on to loops and inverted, also checking  on the attitude of the plane on the end of the lines.  I beleive he stated on this particular plane there were about a dozen flights before the first full pattern was done.   

I have only had maybe one or two planes that I attempted a full pattern on third or more flights.   

[Bill Little]

The latest I wait to do a pattern is usually the second flight.  Most of the time it is the first flight.

BIG Bear
RNMM/AMM