This is it, the completed project that I started the thread about... at least as complete as any PA ship out of my shop gets.
I started to post this by request in CFC Graphics, regarding pictures of the decals and lettering, but figure this is as good a time as any for a wrapup, and we can move along to other members' builds.
Hi Charles and all other interested readers.
Here's what she looks like now. I crammed about all the decals and lettering that will fit without being garish. The Silver vinyl you made for me is great. No sign at all of oil penetration under its edges, as I was concerned about when I asked about sealing. Whenever I put numbers on, they'll be on the greasier side.
I'm pretty much finished flight trimming with only 18 flights on it, and it flew pretty well right off the table except for a huge flap/elev. ratio issue. Always little things left to try. But I was cut short Thursday when the sun was setting, the best time all day to fly, and a damn wheel came off when I was landing. Flipped over like a 1/2A. Yes I pre-flit it, the wheel collar didn't seem loose
I need to stuff a 4 oz tank into the recess, the 3.5 oz. is burping in the Clover. The 4 is as big as will fit into the cutout. The 3/4 ounce acorn nut on the prop, and the decals kicked it up over 40 ounces, but well within my power range, and the C/G is still 5/8" aft of the plans, but I like it. I didn't add that weight until I noticed it climbing when the power cut. The fp.35 sings a perfect stunt tune all the way through the pattern. The needle setting is two clicks in either direction away from a light breeze and then it's ready for wind or dead calm. I call that a user friendly engine. As opposed to the Supertigre crowd, I like the clicks of the OS needles. They're nice and stiff too, so no tuning fork going on in there. I'm using an APC 10.5x4.5, which I thought might be too much, but it seems perfect in the 90-100f air.
Here's the tank in its recess. You can see how the plans said to hook up the rods at the flap horn. It resulted in WAY more flap than elevator, making it twitchy as hell to say the least. I knew better, but the whole kit had neen so perfect, I went with it after many trips to the plans to make sure I wasn't imagining it. Now it's hooked up like it should be and flies much better.
This is the first plane I have ever flown that I don't have to nurse it even slightly in the overheads like the V8, HG, and Clover. I can now fly through my top loops without having to buy some shape saving energy by flying behind 90 degrees high. And harder corners in the squares don't send its stomach into its throat, resulting in the best square 8s I've ever flown. For some reason my outside squares still suck though. Same with my overhead 8s, but that's just me and my Intermediate ugliness.
As good as all that is, I wish I could get back into the minus 40 oz. range, because I think it was even better there. Maybe if I put on a heavier muffler and lose the acorn nut, but I hate to change anything on the engine. It has a lightened eggshell thin, OS #762 muffler with a 3/8" hole where the stinger was. Like I said though, still little things to address.
So here's what she looks like. now. Back up the thread, I posted a picture of my pencil artwork that I sent to Charles and he turned it into the silver vinyl name adorning the inboard wing top and outboard wing bottom. It looks fabulous in the sunlight. The checkers on the outboard tip and under its inboard armpit are Monokote trim... there's some of the weight. The rest are waterslide decals made on my inkjet printer. They will eventually fade, but they look good now. Tornadoes and the Tazmanian Devil, thus its name,
Tazz. And I,e been dying to put a Blue oyster Cult-Questioning cross on something, so there. My all time favorite rock band for their first four albums, including the third live one. No the symbol has no ancient evil assocoations, it just looks cool.
I never planned on the American flag there, but I accidentally botched the paint one day with an acetone spill. So I patched over the ugly with a flag. If I'd planned tor the flag, it would be in a much nicer place.
I love the 2" wide nose on this baby. Besides looking good, it stops any vibrations dead and is strong too. It goes back behind the highpoint ot the wing. This kit by Walter is Fancherized plus.
Charles, your silver Tazz and swirl look great, thanks.
A few more flights and she'll be ready for competition. It could answer the call right now if it had to.
So we can call this a wrap. If you want to talk about it, that'll be cool too, but not much more to report as a build thread. The whole detailed build is in "Models and Modeling" oslt, over at coxengineforum.com. Click the "Do not show" button in the nagging log-in popup.
Rusty
Extra: Video.
Please don't judge too harshly, these were only the 8th and 9th flights, still with the harsh flap settings:
Topic: Another Twister -My builtrightflyright version of the F. Twister - It's finished (Read 8373 times)
