Managed to get out to the field for an hour today--first time in 8 or 9 weeks now--and got a few test flights in on the SkyWriter.  Had a little trouble finding exact needle setting, sagged lean the first flight, flooded out rich the second, but I still was able to fly some maneuvers, and fnally did get a decent engine run.  Norvel .049, 5x3 Cox prop cut down to 4 1/2", 35' lines.

I was extremely pleased with how it flew--the CG is pretty far back, near the high point of the airfoil, and I expected it to fly with tailheavy characteristics, but it didn't, at all.  Nice and steady, sat in a groove, very smooth maneuvers (loops, lazy eights, wingovers), no twitchiness at all.  So I guess I'll leave the CG where it is.  I had set it up with a 3 1/4" bellcrank and very slow controls--nearly 3" of leadout movement for about 20 d. of elevator lock to lock--and that may contribute to its lack of the "twitchies". 

2 nickels in the tip weight box, plenty enough.  Didn't get a chance to take one out to see how it would do, nor did I get to try different props (final flight was in a light rain), but speed was OK, line tension was good--when it flooded out it was high, 60 d. or better, inverted, but still tucked under fine deadstick and maintained light line tension throughout. Landings are very smooth, I could float it in onto grass without flipping over (no small feat with 1/2As).  Takeoffs smooth, kinda slow acceleration--this is a big plane for a sport .049, 30" span, 200+ sq. in., 8+ oz.--but came off the ground very nicely in about 15-20 feet.

All in all, I'm really pleased with it.  I want to try some different props--APC makes a 5 1/2 x 2 1/2, 5 1/2 x 2, etc.--and need a more solid tank mount, adjustable as well.  Hope we get some more breaks in the weather, but this late in the year in MN it's a little iffy.

--Ray

Hey Ray,

Thats GREAT!  If it flies that good with an .049, an 0.61 will be perfect.  I'm not certain, but I personally feel I get more even runs when I run muffler pressure instead of standard draw.  You launching on grass or concrete?

Blew up a 3 view of a P51D yesterday for my new project since my Twin was toast.  Going for a "scale" build.   Got the scale 3 view in a PDF if you want it.  Mines going to be a 30" span, think the fuse/Stab is something like 24".  Going to take out the dihedryl on the wing (cause I' lazy), but everything else will be scale.  Again, not so much a stunt ship as a "man thats a cool plane" build.

Yeah, I'll put an .061 on it sooner or later, but on MUCH longer lines, probably the 48' I use for the LittleAxe.

The tank is set up on uniflow, but the real problem is the loosey-goosey mounting (see pic)--it slipped around at will.

  I'm launching off an asphalt walkway that curves around about 1/4 of my flying area; the rest is grass or dirt (an old softball practice diamond). Convenient setup; best, it's about a mile from my house.

John, on that P51D, watch the leadout guide positioning when you take out the wing dihedral.  It's a low wing; you want the guides up near the vertical CG.  If they're too low the plane will fly banked out (and banked in inverted). You could make it a midwing, or mount the controls externally on top of the wing, if you didn't mind the look, that would put the guides closer to where they should be. I believe that's why Al Rabe builds his beauties WITH dihedral--to get the wingtip, therefore leadout guides, up near the center of the plane's mass. Just something to think about.

--Ray

Congratulations on the Sky Writer Ray...Of course I'm not surprised that it flies well all your planes do.
Are you planning on kitting it?

Isn't it time to design a twin?

Hi Ray,

You say it balances near the high point of the airfoil.  That is where I have always consider a starting point.  Never did want to really go behind that, though.  I have found out that I do like to fly less nose heavy than most.

With the diabetes coming under control (I think! I am injecting insulin now) I feel more like actually building airplanes.  The Snapper is sitting there looking at me ready for its covering, and I think that when I get back from the Contest Sunday, that is one of the first things I will do.  It's amazing how bad you can feel and not really realize it, but it's been a fight for over two years now!

To paraphrase a line from Miles Vorkosigan (sp?), "I hit 60--and 60 hit back."  That's when my health issues began. Now my wife's experiencing the same thing.

Bill, I usually like to start with the CG about halfway between the HP and the LE, at least on 1/2As.  This one was far enough back to make me a little uneasy at the first launch, had to push my adjustable leadouts all the way to the back to get behind it, but turned out to be perfect. Live and learn, maybe I've been flying noseheavy planes all these years.

Nahhh, at second though I've had some tailheavy planes give me some pretty wild rides.

--Ray