Author Topic: ARF flite streak (Read 5984 times)

Phil Krankowski · « **on:** August 23, 2014, 05:29:12 PM »

What on earth are those CA hinges made out of?! They smell terrible!

Phil

Gerald Arana · « **Reply #1 on:** August 23, 2014, 07:33:54 PM »

Reconstituted Chinese cow dung

Curious minds want to know

Jerry

RknRusty · « **Reply #2 on:** August 23, 2014, 08:01:50 PM »

Phil are you going to use them or upgrade to real hinges? i was sorting through my Oriental hardware pack and it has CA hinges too. I'll probably use nylon Dubro hinges.
Rusty

Phil Krankowski · « **Reply #3 on:** August 24, 2014, 06:19:58 AM »

They are in, I am using the hinges in the package. If I had the pin hinges I would have used them I think.

My brother is over, and we want too fly today. He asked if I had a cup of moldy burnt coffee in my work space.

Just need to hang the engine, fuel tank, push rod, and wheel. If I run out of time there is plenty of 1/2a.

Phil

Avaiojet · « **Reply #4 on:** August 24, 2014, 07:56:09 AM »

Phil,

My guess is the smell is comming from something else in your work space.

Look around under benches and areas where you have stuff. Might even find something of value or that lost item.

I put together a Brodak Pathfinder with CA hinges. They ever had an odor?

Phil Krankowski · « **Reply #5 on:** August 24, 2014, 07:07:22 PM »

Both our wives were under the weather so no flying for us.

We did finish assembly and I just need to add tail weight - about 1.5 oz worth, and it is ready.

The smell is gone. I need to empty the room I have been using as a workspace and make it into a guest room (since my youngest now has the former guest room), so if it is something else I'll find it. I did check for everything unplugged, etc and no problems. So after I wrap this up no builds till I have a space worked out in the basement or something.

Phil

Phil Krankowski · « **Reply #6 on:** August 30, 2014, 04:56:17 PM »

I benched the os25la (converted from RC) on this arf today. I used a 9-4 APC. Not bad, neither a one-flip start or restart, but not bad, 2 tanks of 3 oz, 3 starts. The engine is not new, but it was very lightly used prior to being given to me. My tach quit so I don't know anything but what my ear had to say (I should have tried the sound tach on my phone...). I ran a fast wet 2-stroke mostly. I could not get rich enough to go back to full 4-stroke without quitting.

I am unsure how to qualify the runs, but they made me happy. I want to try a 10-4 APC and 9-4 and 10-4 master airscrew. I have all these sizes and the elusive, fabled 10-3 APC. (I capitalized on dollar prop clearance day.)

A glow bee tach is in order I think. My not-so-local LHS keeps them in stock.

I need to weigh still.

Phil

Phil Krankowski · « **Reply #7 on:** November 02, 2014, 04:23:50 PM »

So I flew today...sorta. I went to the local RC field, installed a paver for a circle center, set up and ran the engine some. On restart the nose seemed loose? (don't matter now though) I was happy with a couple level circles, some wingovers, a couple inside loops...then I got stupid...maybe. Instead of a nice lazy H-8 I went for an outside loop that turned into an inverted pancake. I started way high, higher than the inside loops were going...almost overhead! I was not "banging" inside maneuvers on the controls. I did not bang the outside loop either, though it lacked authority and I started backpeddling (about 1 step) and increased "wheel" or down input it never made it. It definately was not nose in, but it was not completely flat either. The fuse is toast. I hope the wing survived. The tail came off too, and is nearly intact so I will reuse those...maybe changing the hinges. (no I never found a source of the smell but the smell went away)

I never tached the engine but I felt it had nice pull. I may have been a little rich, but not much.

Phil

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #8 on:** November 02, 2014, 06:12:17 PM »

If you want it to be "stuntish" then put it back together on a Sig Skyray fuselage. Flight Streaks are really meant to be twitchy combat-ish planes for adrenaline junkies.

My Skyray plans put the front of the fuselage about 8-1/2 inches ahead of the wing spar, and the elevator hinge line about 20 inches back from the wing spar. I think if you match that on your new fuselage you'll be happy for a number of reasons, mostly having to do with handling and being able to find a good spot to mount the fuel tank.

Dennis Moritz · « **Reply #9 on:** November 02, 2014, 06:29:07 PM »

Cut a new fues from 1/2 inch, if you can find a flat piece that is rigid and fairly light. Use rock maple mounts. If you are going to use the la25, an excellent choice, 1/16" ply doublers to reinforce nose should be fine. Use cloth hinges, if you're going to keep the same tail surfaces. Make sure bellcrank moves freely and pushrod doesn't flex much. Use the pushrod guide, if you keep the wire pushrod. Was the plane too quick handling. Sounds like a lot of tail weight for an LA25. Perhaps if you were running a stock muffler some tail weight would be needed. The nose is nearly hollow, design problem. Every one of those ARFs I've seen has had the nose come off sooner or later. Best solution is too cut a new fues.

I just saw the new post. With an LA25 and the cg located correctly, the ARF Streak is not twitchy. There's enough room for a 3 ounce tank behind the LA25. That should do the pattern. I elongated both moments when using an ARF Streak wing, some time back. Also enlarged the elevator/stab about 1/3. Very nice stunt trainer mess around plane. Power was a Tower 40 or FP40 using a .272 venturi. Entirely different instrument. Smoother pattern. It would boogie when I leaned the engine out. I flew a stock Flight Streak ARF in intermediate for a season. Power was an LA25 with muffler and a 9/4. Sounds identical to the plane discussed in this thread. Docile and controllable. Allowed me to learn quite a bit. Until the nose fell off.

55chevr · « **Reply #10 on:** November 02, 2014, 06:33:59 PM »

Flite Streaks always flew well for me as designed. They are sensitive and for the grand kids I moved the pushrod to the inside hole on the bell crank. This softened it up a lot and can be flown easily and it will still do insides, outsides and eights. I usually pin the fuselage to the leading edge using a 1/4" dowel. For the grandkids, I preach start maneuvers low and finish high.

Joe

RknRusty · « **Reply #11 on:** November 02, 2014, 06:49:39 PM »

The first time you take a plane out, it's a good idea if possible to have someone who knows how to watch for trim issues as you fly upright flat laps, then inverted flat laps. Checking for the wing to be a level straight extension of the lines. Noting if its outboard tip is high or low both inverted and upright(tip weight), or tip low one way and tip high the other way(trim tab or wing twist). And next do some abrupt direction changes to see if it's hinging, one wingtip lagging causing roll in or out(possibly tip weight again). Diving and climbing pullouts and lazy 8s are safe ways for checking this. If you have two wheel gear you should check to see if the outboard wheel is partially visible behind the inboard wheel. Partially visible is what I look at for proper yaw. These are all things that you need to know and address before trying serious stunts. Otherwise it can roll in suddenly and make you sad.
Rusty

Phil Krankowski · « **Reply #12 on:** November 02, 2014, 08:26:16 PM »

Just me and the beans today. Well, there were two other club members but they were leaving when I arrived, they stopped to talk and look, then left.

I might try the longer fuse, I appreciate the dimensions. I have enough extra stock to do the fuse right, hard maple and plywood...well, it will be 2 ply 1/4 inch because that is what I have instead of 1 ply 1/2.

I have 2 scratch built flite streaks needing the wings covered. I might let this sit a while and finish those two. One was getting an FP20 but now I have to make up my mind again. (I have 2 LA25's and 1 iron FP20 with the correct muffler) I did rip the remote NVA off though, a boon for fuel line routing!

The 1 oz or so tail weight was recommended in the instructions, 1.5 is what I used. The plane balanced exactly right. I will investigate the bell crank since I didn't change it from stock. 2 screws easy access. Yes, stock 25LA converted from RC to CL with the stock muffler.

I did not find the plane twitchy at all. I thought it was quite stable, especially compared to a lot of my 1/2a stuff. It was going where I wanted it to more than less, so I thought the lack of down authority was in my head...maybe... I think. I had nice line tension but was not worried about pulling an arm off. I should have taken a couple laps inverted. Weak down would have been very apparent, I had some down so it would have been fine. Starting insides from the bottom would have been better too, but I have flown them both ways with 1/2a stuff.

Phil

RknRusty · « **Reply #13 on:** November 02, 2014, 09:19:37 PM »

Phil I'm learning trimming from my stunt coach Wayne Robinson. He's such a Master trimmer I go nuts waiting for him to just fly the thing, but he flies trim flight after trim flight. Maddening as it is, when he's ready to fully fly patterns with it they always track like they're on rails and problems that could have surprised(or worse) a lesser pilot like me, are safely corrected. He won't wring it out before everything is adjusted. I've been flying with him for two years now and have never seen him crash. My planes are like that too when he makes me step through the trim routines.

I never did this with my 1/2As, I just brute forced them to fly. And occasionally crashed when I knew I was doing everything right. Now that I understand how the planes need to behave in all situations, I don't have the mishaps I used to with them either. Maybe I can get with him and write a good How-to-Trim article. He can trim.I can write. Probably already been dome though.
Rusty

Phil Krankowski · « **Reply #14 on:** November 03, 2014, 10:05:32 AM »

I went through my baseball bat collection that is sometimes called balsa wood stock and found a rather light shrink wrapped package of Midwest 1/4 inch. (I think I picked it up at a local big box, Menards) Wow, the hidden side looked like it was used as big foot's toothpick! I am trying Gorilla White glue instead of epoxy. Excellent gap filling properties and all.

My remaining 1/4 inch stock is suitable for spars and not much else.

Enlarge my elevator and stab by 33%? Maybe. I'll get to that soon enough.

Phil

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #15 on:** November 03, 2014, 10:43:25 AM »

Quote from: Phil Krankowski on November 02, 2014, 08:26:16 PM

I have 2 scratch built flite streaks needing the wings covered. I might let this sit a while and finish those two. One was getting an FP20 but now I have to make up my mind again. (I have 2 LA25's and 1 iron FP20 with the correct muffler) I did rip the remote NVA off though, a boon for fuel line routing!

If you can get it oriented so it won't get hit in a crash or inverted landing, that remote NVA is a boon if you're still crashing all the time. It holds down on the plaintive posts of "where can I find a needle valve for ..."

Quote from: Phil Krankowski on November 02, 2014, 08:26:16 PM

The 1 oz or so tail weight was recommended in the instructions, 1.5 is what I used. The plane balanced exactly right. I will investigate the bell crank since I didn't change it from stock. 2 screws easy access. Yes, stock 25LA converted from RC to CL with the stock muffler.

Whose instructions? At one point the TF Streak was notorious for calling out a CG point that was just never-ending fun for a combat flyer, but way too back for your average beginner.

Received wisdom (from Dan Rutherford, who decided for some quixotic reason to show the world that you can get over 500 points with a Flight Streak, and did) is to put the CG at 1 5/8 inches back from the LE of the wing. This may not be correct for a Flight Streak that's stretched out to Skyray dimensions, but it's just about right for a stocker.

I hope I'm not sounding too negative -- it sounds like you're on a good track, and if your two scratch-built planes just need covering then I agree with you that putting them together should happen first.

Hinge the surfaces with anything but CA hinges, though.

Phil Krankowski · « **Reply #16 on:** November 03, 2014, 08:25:46 PM »

The manual calls out 1 3/4 inch from LE CG on page 8. the download is near the bottom of the page.
http://www.top-flite.com/airplanes/topa1000.html

The plastic back remote NVA is a POS. It cannot be oriented in a sane manner to protect the needle and allow for fuel line routing. If this remote NVA benches fine I think I'll wrap the body in tin or wire and fasten it down someplace that will allow better fuel line routing on whichever airframe I put it on. If it acts funny I have a Fox remote NVA or I can order a spraybar NVA. I and undecided about the differences, the spraybar NVA responds to adjustments faster, but the end result seems the same.

Phil

Phil Krankowski · « **Reply #17 on:** November 07, 2014, 01:12:52 PM »

The ARF wing is out, came out nicely but there is more crushing to the sheeting than I thought. No ribs or spars appear damaged, but the center rib is floating partially free. I unscrewed the canopy and the entire nose was in my hand.

The ARF linkage is pretty light compared to the music wire linkage I used on the scratch builds. I think I have enough music wire to put a new linkage in instead of just soldering an extension onto this one. I need to find the extra Brodak bell crank I have. All 3 are getting a threaded end soldered on with a clevis so I can adjust the control length.

I didn't cut up the two scratch builds because I ordered an incidence meter. I like the idea of knowing where I am.

Phil

Phil Krankowski · « **Reply #18 on:** November 07, 2014, 01:15:48 PM »

ARGH! I'm mixing threads. I'll let this thread go and stick to the related thread in building techniques.

http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php/topic,37207.0.html

Phil

Author Topic: ARF flite streak (Read 5984 times)

Phil Krankowski

ARF flite streak

Gerald Arana

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RknRusty

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Phil Krankowski

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Avaiojet

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Phil Krankowski

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Phil Krankowski

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Phil Krankowski

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Tim Wescott

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Dennis Moritz

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55chevr

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RknRusty

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Phil Krankowski

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RknRusty

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Phil Krankowski

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Tim Wescott

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Phil Krankowski

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Phil Krankowski

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Phil Krankowski

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