RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
Hi guys.. I have a robart tail retract in my LA_7 IF Anyone is interested I can post some photos of the install. I made a few mods to the system to make it move thru more range of travel. I have a video of it in operation on utube if you care to see it. Just look up nzkiwibandit It's great to see all the good ideas coming thru for this model. once it is flying you will be very satisfied.
Posted on: 9/11/2012 8:23 PM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11225701

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
155mm is a good setting. I have the same balance. The manual is so so wrong. Looking forwards to the photos.
Posted on: 8/27/2012 1:05 PM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11207975

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
Whew!!! That was a scary take off. Well done on picking up that left wing so quickly. That engine performed really nice. looked rock solid in flight. What did you end up setting your C.o.G at? I have one of these aircraft with a Saito 325 fitted. It has 22 flights on it now and is a real pleasure to fly. Nice flight and a great landing. Good luck with the cockpit fitting. Some pics of your tail wheel retract system would be nice to see when you get it done. I went with this option on my one and it looks very clean in the air when a low pass is performed. Trev.
Posted on: 8/27/2012 2:19 AM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11207285

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
If you put the canopy under a quite hot tap it will soften the material enough to cut it easily. Use a set of curved canopy scissors for the best job.
Posted on: 4/26/2012 5:27 PM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11058281

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
Hi Joe. If you leave out your wheelwell liners you can back drill from the wing thru to the fuse. As long as the holes in the wing are where you want them then you can make sure the wing and saddle are as good as can be And all is square to the fuse. Trev.
Posted on: 1/16/2012 3:24 PM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10912160

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
Hi Steve. I didn`t add any extra thrust offset into the motor mount. If you stand the fuse on it`s nose - you should be able to see that it does not stand straight up. Another way to check is to measure forwards from the wing saddle mount. The two measurements will show any offset amount. Trev.
Posted on: 1/8/2012 11:32 PM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10899176

RE: Saito 325 radial running problem
Hey Ghostrider. I have one of these engines fitted to an ESM La-7. The hi speed needle setting you speak of (5 Turns out) will be too rich for un-powered plugs. The setting on mine is only 2 - 3 turns depending on the weather. I can assume that it is one of the lower cyls that is quitting on you. Have you used large dia fuel tubing? These engines drink fuel at an alarming rate, 75cc per min. Also - is the tank getting enough exhaust pressure. I have my tank level with the carb and it runs fine with no exhaust boost to the tank at all. My experience with this engine has shown that the length of the exhaust pipes play a significant part in the smooth running. Short pipes will give erratic idle. It will sound cooooollll. Very much like a rotary with a neat loaping sound. Long pipes will improve the idle greatly. Check out these two links. They are of my setup. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SC0DaCQAKiE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCo_UOh1EGs&feature=related Good luck, Trev.
Posted on: 1/5/2012 12:58 AM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10892452

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
Hey Smullis, When you balance the model - do it with the gear up and the fuel tank empty. Also - it will be better if the model is inverted on the balance device. This will put the centre of mass below the wing and it will give a pendulum effect. If you can get most of your hardware fitted, engine in and plumbed up, servos fitted etc - before the balancing, then you can find the best place for the battery while you do the balance test. In my first setup, I had the battery in the area of the scoop. I later moved the servos for the tail controls further aft. This allowed me to bring the battery forward so that it could be easily serviced. Good luck. Trev.
Posted on: 1/5/2012 12:15 AM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10892427

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
Hey Brett. words of wisdom. The only other model i use reflex on are my delter wing styles. (Long ezy and jet) It was Matt who preferred to have a small amount put in. wheeling it on to the strip looks nice and keeps the speed up if u need to go around. Trev .
Posted on: 12/11/2011 1:21 PM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10854524

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
Here is a photo of what I mean. Both ailerons are set so that their trailing edges are slightly above the ideal position. This reflex angle lowers the angle of attack. The aim of the reflex is to keep the wing tip flying when the rest of the wing is in a stalled condition. An example is a 3 point landing on these big birds. If the wing tip stops flying before the rest of the wing - it drops. Stalls. NASTY!!!!
Posted on: 12/10/2011 10:44 PM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10853794

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
Great news about your maiden flight. Glad it went all ok. Where abouts did you get your info from regarding your C.O.G at 150mm? By the way - mine is the radial powered unit you saw tip stall. OUCH. The memory is still painful. I would recommend winding in a small amount of reflex on the ailerons. This will make the angle of attack slightly less at the tips and "Hopefully" prevent a repeat of the dreaded tip stall. When I flew mine recently - the cog was at 155mm. It was a little twitchy on the elevator at this setting. It made the landing a bit bouncy. I have since moved it to 150mm and are just waiting to fly it again when the weather is better. It should track better with a little more weight on the nose. Great job on the pilot figure. He looks right at home. I would like to find a suitable pilot for mine as I have the same cockpit kit from Ty. A sliding canopy would be a must have for such a great setup. Very tidy setup in the fuse. I moved my tail servos to the aft end to balance the big engine. I see you have twin cables off your rudder servo. Did you run a direct line for the tail wheel? Look forward to seeing a few pics from the field. Trev.
Posted on: 12/10/2011 9:14 PM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10853743

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
No problem Brett, You should take up flying some day. It is great for stress I believe. LOL. That is one hell of a work load. I`m waiting on some more louvers to fit onto the cowl at the moment. The cowl pressurised in flight and pulled forward into the prop. Need more holes to let it breathe. If they don`t arrive in time I will fly it with the large open ports as is. I hope the weather plays into our hands for the day. We had a superb day there today. I did some practice lolly drops with the telemaster. Neat aircraft to pilot. Managed to get the golf ball to land about 6 feet from where I was standing. Pete has done a great job on the set up. Looking forward to the day. Trev.
Posted on: 11/27/2011 12:04 AM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10830767

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
Hey Joe. While you are working on the wings, think about the dowel pegs that attach the front of the wing into the fuse. If you leave the wheel wells open until later on, you can back drill the holes from the wheel wells through to the fuse. This will make sure the dowel holes will align correctly. Just ensure that the wings are set correctly on the fuse before drilling. Trev.
Posted on: 11/26/2011 11:05 PM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10830745

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
RCFAN450, There is no real right or wrong here. It all depends on how you have built the aircraft. Placement of rc gear, servos and batteries will play a huge part in the weight setting. It pays to have a build plan. If you get you engine fitted early in the build, you can place relevant items around the fuse to find out the best location to set them. In my case with the radial, 2Kgs of precious metal up front meant I had to relocate the servos for the tail feathers right back up the fuse. This helped to balance the final setup with no dead weight being required. If you are going to fit a cockpit and pilot then this needs to be factored in to the equation as well. Good luck and we all look forward to seeing some photos along the way. Trev.
Posted on: 11/25/2011 4:08 PM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10828857

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
Hey Brett, I am assuming you mean the MANZ Rally in Feb 2012. 4th & 5th. In which case the answer is MOST DEFINITELY. Feel free to to rip the controller out of the hands of whoever has it at the time. Matt is going to back me up for a few flights while I gain skills with a bird that has a high wing loading. We are moving the C.O.G forward to 150mm. This will take some effectiveness out of the elevator. Even at low speed for landing, it was still over sensitive. And all that with 30% expo as well. How is your bird build coming along? Is it out of the box yet. LOL. I hear from Damo that you are going to fit a DLE55. That will be a beast with attitude for sure. Here are a few shots. I went with the retractable tail wheel setup. It helped to offset the weight up front of the big radial. No dead weight was added to the model. Flight and Glow batteries were almost on the spar line.
Posted on: 11/25/2011 3:53 PM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10828835

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
Hey Stoat. The guy from N.Z with the radial is me. I have repaired the aircraft and rebuilt the motor. It had major issues inside with bad chroming on the cyls. 3 had to be replaced. another had leaking valves. The engine made low power for it`s cc size. Watch this video and you won`t believe it is the same aircraft/engine combination. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCo_UOh1EGs Trev.
Posted on: 11/25/2011 3:16 AM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10828030

RE: ESM LA-7 From VQ Warbirds
The xyz-53 twin fits into the cowl very well. There is an La-7 flying here with one fitted. Goes like a scalded cat. Have a look. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1anKmr8Ae7w By the way, Mine has the 53cc Saito radial fitted. http://images.rcuniverse.com/forum/micons/m9.gif
Posted on: 11/25/2011 2:54 AM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10828020

RE: XYZ 53-STS Twin
On some of the early Zenoah engines, the cdi unit was the same set up as what you would find on your chainsaw or weed whacker. There was no shielding at all on the HT lead or the coil for that matter. The main source of trouble is when the ht voltage jumps a gap other than the plug gap. The em energy released from an unshielded spark blankets the rf spectrum which we see as glitches. All the rcexel modules run the earth return up the ht lead as a shield to minimise this em leakage. Keeps things nice n tidy as well with no extra earth wires to worry about. Trev.
Posted on: 8/27/2011 5:22 AM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10689113

RE: XYZ 53-STS Twin
Hi Ernie, Yes. This small notch does go all the way to the cyl. I'm not 100% sure but I think it is to do with the way the gases are scavenged thru the engine. Gas has mass and at high velocity it takes a while for the gas to speed up and leave the cyl thru the port. This small notch allows the gasses to begin moving towards the exh port before the piston opens the main portion. The same process is in reverse when the port closes. The gases slow down gradually as the piston rises to the top of the port. As an example - when water is draining out of a bath or sink, if you place your hand over the exit, you will get a nasty whack as the water underneath tries to suck the center out of your hand. Repeat the process but control the closing of the plug hole and the water is made to slow down gradually. In an exhaust system this makes for a much smoother flow of gas which allows the muffler to work more efficiently. If anyone else is reading these posts and can add or amend if I am not correct, please feel free. I would hate to be giving out bad information. Trev.
Posted on: 8/27/2011 5:07 AM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10689101

RE: XYZ 53-STS Twin
If you are only shy by a few cm, why not change the boot to a unit like you would have on your lawn mower engine ht lead? It is rubber (insulated) and comes with a coil spring to fit over the plug terminal. You will need to run a seperate earth lead to the engine casing as a return, but that is a piece of cake to do. The other option is to cut some tear drop shaped access holes. This makes it easier to fit the cowling and provides access to checking the plugs. I will hunt out a photo of what I did on my Sbach and one I did for a friend of mine. [image][/image]
Posted on: 8/26/2011 1:53 AM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10687785

RE: XYZ 53-STS Twin
Hi Dave. If you are looking to change your plugs, try the Iridium type by rcexel. Have a look at this site. I buy all sorts of goodies from here. www.sdshobby.net/iridium-cm6-spark-plug-for-dle-engine-p-1617.html They used to be known as Cyclone Toys. Now SDS hobbies. I have spent several hundred bucks here and have not had any bad experiences to date. They also have a complete range of rcexel ignition units wether for a single or twin. The prices are very reasonable as is their freight. Let me know what you think. Trev.
Posted on: 8/24/2011 2:49 AM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10684689

RE: XYZ 53-STS Twin
AS an update on this engine - I flew my new Sbach 342 on the weekend with this twin in it. The first few flights were almost a (non event) The engine performed very well with loads of power even in a rich running condition. Running a 22x10 at 6300Rpm. After the 3rd flight, mix settings were tweaked to get rid of the ruff high speed flutter. Vertical flight was made at about 60% power. Max static revs climbed over the course of the day ending with 6900 after about 4Hrs of run time. Things are just getting better n better with this motor. I am currently running a fuel mix of 30:1 using aviation blend petrol. Starts easily, does not smoke under load and runs a very clean exhaust and plugs. I have heard that it can take around 20 or so hrs for these motors to come up to full potential. If this is the case, oh boy, fun times are ahead.
Posted on: 8/22/2011 12:40 AM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10681157

RE: XYZ 53-STS Twin
Kahu. Your review is pretty much a quote of what I would put down myself so I am not going to repeat it. I will add that the welding on the muffler flanges was sub standard. Full of pit hole that allow exhaust residue to weep out. A run around with my Tig fixed that issue. I have changed both my plugs and ignition unit to the rcexel type. Iridium plugs are very cheap and allow the use of aviation grade petrol. (More power and better running) I have 2 of the motors in service now. Initially, they were low on compression but have come up so well now that just pulling them thru will start them up. By using the rcexel igniter unit I can run an onboard tacho. Turns a 23x8 at 6100Rpm or a 22x10 at 6300Rpm. These are static figures on the ground. In flight with less prop load I would expect the reading to be higher.
Posted on: 8/19/2011 3:33 PM by Author "Kiwi Bandit" in the forum "Gas Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10677892