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Building Tips and technical articles. => Building techniques => Topic started by: Owyheeguy on July 06, 2010, 10:54:34 PM
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I’m looking for helpful pointers and suggestions on converting R/C ARF’s to C/L. Any ideas? I prefer good advice to the trial and error method.
owyheeguy. <=
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put simply - it is not worth the effort......
but for more detail... what are you planning on converting?
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Mike Alimov, a good designer/builder and expert pilot, converted an R/C ARF to CL stunt, but found that the fuselage needed reinforcement. He had an in-flight failure that pretty much ruined it. Otherwise, he seemed to like the plane's performance. I think you'll find his observations and suggestions on the SSW Forum via the search function, if not here. This kind of question often can get you new information, but the searches should always be tried. It's free info.
SK
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Thanks Waynn and Serge,
I was going to start with a NitroModels PT-17 with a 44” wingspan. Also a J3 Cub with 71” span.
I had hoped for a more positive response but maybe it will save me some disappointment later. I left a message similar to this one on SSW and didn’t get a reply. Now maybe I know why. I planed to put throttle control in them to do touch and go’s. I had hoped the Stearman would do loops wingovers and inverted flight. I will see what I can find in the SSW archives. I also was wondering if there should be any CG changes when converting a design from R/C to C/L.
Thank guys.
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I'd bet that if you looked at it, you could figure where to beef it up and then fly safely. Mike seemed to think so.
SK
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OH - you are not wanting to convert them to Stunt planes.......that makes life a lot easier.
the main thing to watch will be the vertical CG - for the leadout location....especially on the Cub - you will need to have some type of strut that drops down from the wingtip to keep the leadouts in the right place vertically.
the PT should be easy.......
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I’m looking for helpful pointers and suggestions on converting R/C ARF’s to C/L. Any ideas? I prefer good advice to the trial and error method.
owyheeguy. <=
I was talking to an RC guy last week. He had built and ARF and a plans built version of the same plane. He said the ARF came out at 6 lb, the plans built at 5 lb. I think all the inexpensive ARFs are overweight and understrength compared to even the simplest plans built plane.
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Here are a couple useful links:
http://www.clstunt.com/htdocs/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=242138&mesg_id=242138&listing_type=search
http://www.clstunt.com/htdocs/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=285755&mesg_id=285755&listing_type=search#286039
SK
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I was talking to an RC guy last week. He had built and ARF and a plans built version of the same plane. He said the ARF came out at 6 lb, the plans built at 5 lb. I think all the inexpensive ARFs are overweight and understrength compared to even the simplest plans built plane.
Hay Phil, the older I get the more I feel like an "inexpensive ARF". That is overweight and understrenght. LL~
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Thanks again Serge. Those links were helpful.
Also Thanks to you Ty. I'll check out the scale section. :D
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It really depends on what you want the plane to do... the carrier guys are converting the ARF scale combat models and are quite happy with the results. Scale RC models convert fairly well as long as you dont expect serious stunt performance from them. But if you are happy shooting touch and goes and some mild manuvers it can be done. Just put the bellcrank into the fuselage generally as the bolt on RC wings leave you too many weak points for failure if the bellcrank is in the wing.
Bob
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I have one in the rafters that was built using the Midwest ME-109 fun scale kit. Put the throttle bellcrank on a plate in the fuselage with short leadouts thru the sides. Even have the bolt on wing. Has been flown at St Louis years ago. But then this was not an ARF/ARC. S?P
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owyheeguy,
Thanks for this Thread.
I'm converting many models to R/C. One might be the ARF H9 Corsair. Others I started building to many years ago, I lost count.
I have a ARF P-40, that will get the same CL treatment. I'm not reinforcing anything. The thought never crossed my mind till your Thread?
I will strip the covering to add scale stuff, like flaps on the Corsair, but that's about it. Finish will be silk n dope.
Charles
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A bit late, but maybe better late than never. After occasionally getting an RC ARFor two over the years, I would reccomend definitely stripping the covering and looking closely at the glue joints. After having a number fail in the air, they often seem to have a cost containment dedicated to using a minimum of glue, and often what might be considered Lite Ply 3 ply wood in high stress areas that should have a good 5 ply. On one, with wing mounted LG, the bearer blocks for the torsion wire landing gear legs were mounte in balsa wood wing ribs with no ply backing. And the wire for LG struts often seems softer than what we use in this country. In fact, some years ago, a writer in the English publication AMI actually stated in so many words that for formed wire for landing gear and anywhere else a hard-drawn wire was needed, the only way to go was American Piano Wire from K&S.
Otherwise, thee should be very little problem converting an RC ARF to CL. Even if the base plane might seem a little heavy, the CL plane doesn't have to carry the extra weight of radio and batteries. Unless using on-board electronics for flight operations.
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IM DOING IT NOW WITH HANGER NINES P-51 LET YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS...
ROGER