Rumple

Yes, it comes with a cowl.

krazyflyer

I strongly suggest to use thin ply doublers on the fuz sides from firewall to the trailing edge of the wing. This area of the plane is very vulnerable to cracking on even slightly hard landings. Couple of planes in our club have suffered from this.

I am using an OS46FX and Futaba 3001 for ailerons, 9205s for rudder and elev and Hitec 225MG for throttle. With this setup, I had to had to mount the servos under the cockpit as with the elev and rudder servos in the tail, the C.G. was way back. Presently I have the C.G 110mm from leading edge. I plan to move the C.G. back after a few flights. As such I have had only one flight. The plane flew great. My battery is under the pilot position. I also have a pull-pull on the rudder and elev.

Cheers!!

Blackie

Krazyflyer due to the weight issue what do you think about this. I was planing on putting two Mini HS 225BB in the tail, think this will help?

Blackie

krazyflyer

I am not very familiar with Hitec servos. As for the 225 range, I would only use the Metal Gear (MG) servos as the other ones reportedly are prone to gear stripping. I would hesitate to use the 225MG on rudder or Elevator as the strain on the servos could be very high when 3D flying especially on rudder. I am using the high perf servos on these surfaces to get max speed and good torque. At the minimum I would use standard servos. I had used the 225MGs on aileron on my Limbo Dancer where they performed very well indeed.

Guess others with more experience with the 225 servos would be better placed to give authoritative opinions.

Cheers!!

GasRookie

cmsrp i cant find any info on the topstar 60 anywhere

jerome

Blackie

Well I went ahead and decided to use the mini servos all the way around HS 225's. With the battery up front behind the tank I come in way nose heavy, I only which I had a scale so as to see what the weight was. I'm running the OS 46FX up front.

I've been under the weather for the past several days and have not been able to make the corrections but I plan on moving the batter back until I get the CG I'm looking for.

One thing that I may try looking at and that is changing out the metal engine mount with a soft mount.

My question is what CG have most of you found to be comfortable?

Thanks
Blackie

Blackie

Ok I managed to get the CG balanced at 110 by moving the battery behind the throttle servo tray directly under the wing bolt holes. I managed to fly it for the first time a few days ago but for only for 5 min as it was late in the day and I got a late start, aside making a few modifications at the field before test flight.

As far as weight I have yet to weigh it but I would guess it around 3.5 - 4.2. The OS 46FX seems to haul it around at the proper flight speed at only 1/4 throttle, anymore then that, I would fear that it may come apart. It doesn't seem as though this plane was designed for speed.

Also I forgot to mention I am using a fether weight 6 channel receiver (Hitec Electron 6) so as to help keep the weight down.

Blackie

Rumple

Mine came out at 4.8 lbs. Here is my setup:

Saito 72
APC 14x4W + TruTurn 2.25" spinner
no cowl
3 Futaba 3004 (AILs + ELEV)
1 Hitec HS-5475HB (RUD)
1 Futaba 3003 (THROT)
Futaba 4.8V 600 mAh battery pack
C-fiber pushrods/4-40 Titanium ends/Dubro ball links (this nearly doubles the value of the plane).

CG at 110 back like yours, Blackie. To achieve this, my battery is near yours - just in front of the throttle servo.

Mine flies great - nice and slow. I used full throttle maybe 3 times, when pointed straight up. Wouldn't dare it in level flight. Having engine troubles, haven't flown it much yet. I may change the ELEV servo to another Hitec HS-5475HB. The 3004 has too much slop for my taste.

Kurt

Blackie

Kurt, I have a brother that lives in LongView, he never mentioned that there was a field up there. Perhaps its because he's not an RC enthusiast. *shrugs*

With that 72 up front that little bit of extra weight over me shouldn't matter. I just hope I didn't compromise my plane by putting the mini's in the tail. I failed to mention what size battery I was using, it is the 720 NiMh 4.8v.

In a nutshell here's what I have.

OS 46fx
4 - HS 225's two in the tail and two on the wing.
1 - HS 81 for the throttle
1 - Electron 6 RX
1 - 720 NiMh 4.8v

I have another project on the table which is the OMP Yak-54P, in which I plan on using the HS 5245's in the tail, again I just hope I'm not pushing my luck.

Blackie

Blackie

Received the scale yesterday and got a weight on the plane. Mine came in at 4 lb 6 oz.

Vortec

Hi guys, im just about to buy 1 of these funstars as my 2nd plane....2 other ppl in my club have them and i think it would be an exelent choise for a 2nd plane as it flys slow(like a trainer ) plus it does loops and rolls in a tight area (stuff i like to do with my trainer).I have a 46FX to go in it, would this tear the plane apart at full throttle doing the basic stuff as it does look like it is fragile? Also has any 1 had it crack around the wing area from hard landings as i think ill re-enforce this part of the fuse.
Thanks

Rumple

Hi Vortec,

Yes, its a very slow flying plane thanks in part to the thick airfoil. You'll love it with the 46. I would suggest that you make all your linkages as slop-free as possible (I used ball links 'cause thats what I like) - this will help prevent unwanted flutter which can rip your plane apart at high speeds as you mention. But you will likely want to perform your aerobatics at less than full throttle with it since it flies so sweetly. And yes, it is very fragile - it is built to fly, not to crash. Be sure to know how to make perfect 3 point landings, and you'll be very happy. I pancaked mine in on a hill duirng a deadstick, and sure enough I cracked the fuse. A little light ply and epoxy and she is up and running again. I bought a second ARF just to have around as a backup, since I like it so well.

Good luck, and let us know your whole setup and weight once its finished.

Kurt

electron

My Feedback: (1)

46 will be great on it..... They are great planes and will fly slow but will also do some pretty decent 3D as well... About the only thing I don't like is the clear Orange Covering... Can be kind of hard to follow which way is Vertical on it... I put some white strips on mine after I pancaked it into the ground, thinking I was vertical and wasn't... Pretty tough plane.... A litte CA and epoxy and it was right back up.... FYI though it wasn't a real bad panacake... The guys at the field said I had it pulled out, all but it lacked about 6 inches, so it was not like a nose in or anything.. Of course I don't know of any plane that can take a nose in other than a duraplane...

Rumple

I agree with the difficulty in telling what the plane is doing in the air; here's what I did to the bottom of my wing to help.

Kurt

electron

My Feedback: (1)

Cool real close to what I did as well... One pancake will teach you that it needs a little white under the wing. ...............

Vortec

Yeah i was thinking about recovering the control surfaces diferent colours on each side to make it a bit more ezy on the eyes..

Blackie

Everyone I did an interview on this plane, unfortunately its over on a different site. I'm not sure if I am allowed to say which one it is but I truely don't have the time to go through all of the cutting and pasting it takes to move everything over here so I'll try and post the site in hopes those of you that want to view it may.

http://www.torqueroll.com/forums/sho...&threadid=2582

One other thing I just got through doing was strengthening the main landing gear by soldering a peice of 2-56 rod across the landing grear with a slight bend so that it will maintain a slight spring on landing. I found the main to be a bit weak and to springy.

The four **** = torqueroll dot com

Thnaks
Blackie

Nik

My Feedback: (12)

Could you please post a picture of how and where you soldered the 2-56 rod?

Thanks!
-Nik

Blackie

Sure you bet Nik, first chance I get I'll grab a pic. Please keep in mind before soldering you must rough up the area's with a file then clean with Acetone.

airborn900

My Feedback: (25)

well all, I just joined RCU. thought I might add a little to your post here. I have had a funstar for about 4 mo. I run a 46FX with a 12.25x3.75W prop. This is my Fav. plane. I have run about 2 gal. of fuel in it. so far this plane has taught me how to: hover, waterfall, hairier, and wall. I can not get it to do a nice knife edg, or blender. I also added stripes to the bottom of the wing to help see it. overall this is the best airplane I think you can buy for the $$$$$$.

squirt

Hello guys a i justed ordered a Funstar 3D .46 ARF i read from you guys thats its pretty good.......does anybody have some tips for me when i get it, and start puting it together it?? thanks alot, also im new to this posting thing, could sombody e-mail me back and tell me how i check for a reply??

[email protected]

squirt

Hello again everybody just a couple questions.......I'm going to put a .46 FX on my funstar just for a little more power i think I'm going to put a tuned pipe on it, does anybody know of a good tuned pipe that will work good on the funstar, also I'm hearing allot of people say this plane is awesome, one because of how cheap it is, and two because its actually i really good flying plane, i just ordered mine and i cant wait to get it!!!!!!! please answer me about the tuned pipe, do you think the .46 FX is a big enough engine for hovering???? and being able to pull out of it.......thanks

Blackie

Squirt, if you'er going for speed then this is not the plane your looking for. You put a tuned pipe on a 46FX on this bird and your going to be picking up pieces, it'll come apart in the air. This plane is not designed to fly fast and the 46FX alone is more then plenty for doing 3D type flying.

Running a 46FX on mine I only fly at around 1/4 throttle.

Blackie

cmsrp

Yep, What Blackie said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

airborn900

My Feedback: (25)

I also fly with a 46FX and I have plenty of power. I can go vertical out of site at about 1/2 throttle.