Hangar 9 T-34
06-27-2004, 10:49 AM
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Hangar 9 T-34
My first flight with my new T-34 will be tomorrow but having just read some owner reviews, I am now less than confident it will go well...
http://www.rcuniverse.com/product_gu...fm?kit_id=2302
Is this plane really as unstable as the writers are saying it is or is the truth a bit less dismal??
http://www.rcuniverse.com/product_gu...fm?kit_id=2302
Is this plane really as unstable as the writers are saying it is or is the truth a bit less dismal??
06-27-2004, 06:44 PM
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RE: Hangar 9 T-34
What kinds speed / throttle do you run for landing - flaps?? I am running a 46 2S engine... Also, while I got you, what prop do you run??
06-28-2004, 07:47 PM
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RE: Hangar 9 T-34
Not good news in any regard... I took it out today and it never even got up to speed... First was the 46 motor and the 10-6 3 blade prop... Not gonna happen... Next to no power at all... After I switched to a 10-6 2 blade I got the power back but then the wheels started turning... No, not the nose wheel, the mains... The Hangar 9 40 sized retracts made for this plane... The struts are turning in the retract itself... Going down the runway with the speed coming up and bam! One of the mains turns right or left... I know people will thank I mean the axle or one of the parts you can tighten with a set screw but I assure you I don't... This is where the metal strut enters the plastic retract assembly... I actually have a spare set and when I got home I checked them all... 5 of 5 do it and once you turn them 1 or 2 times it becomes extremely easy to move them around... My guess is that Hangar 9 heats the struts and presses them in but who knows... All I know is that no set of gear I have available is any good for this plane... The fixed look even worse than the retracts... They look weak and flimsy...
Anyone work around this one yet?? Sure could use an idea or 2...
Anyone work around this one yet?? Sure could use an idea or 2...
06-29-2004, 07:52 AM
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RE: Hangar 9 T-34
They are not a friction fit. Remove the retracts, Look on the side in the pivot axle area and you will see an allen set screw inside. Loosen it, remove the strut and grind a flat on it where the set screw will contact the strut (it probably already has one) Reinstall and tighten the set screw using some Locktite. If you want extra security, add a second setscrew on the other side since both sides are threaded. It's easy to jump on the H9 lousy gear bandwagon, but on this model they work just fine.
After a while flying with mechanical retracts you get used to checking and tightening screws that loosen from vibration and every now and then replacing struts with 3/16 piano wire units. H9 is a bad offender for using flimsy struts on planes like their P-51 and that particular model definatelly needs the heavier struts. My T-34 has many flights off very rough grass with no problems due to the short strut lengths, but I am still considering installing the thicker wire.
quint
After a while flying with mechanical retracts you get used to checking and tightening screws that loosen from vibration and every now and then replacing struts with 3/16 piano wire units. H9 is a bad offender for using flimsy struts on planes like their P-51 and that particular model definatelly needs the heavier struts. My T-34 has many flights off very rough grass with no problems due to the short strut lengths, but I am still considering installing the thicker wire.
quint
06-29-2004, 08:13 AM
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RE: Hangar 9 T-34
I didn't even see those set screws buried in there... Thanks a bunch for that tid bit of info... I will take care of them right away... Does anyone use the working struts I see on planes like the VQ models?? I wonder how large they are and if they help with dampening out the bouncing at all??
06-29-2004, 08:18 AM
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RE: Hangar 9 T-34
Any time you add working struts ( see some at www.robart.com ) you add more weight and mass that has to be moved by the retract/servo combination and is still subject to the weakest link which is where the working strut attaches to the original wire. - It can still bend there. The damping action will help some on hard landings, but the best fix is to land smoother 
Yet, they look good!
quint
Yet, they look good!quint
06-30-2004, 01:01 AM
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RE: Hangar 9 T-34
Roger that... No matter now really because noticed the nose gear is not rotating freely too... I am sure Hangar 9 makes some good stuff too but I have no doubt what so ever that these 40 sized retracts are less than good quality... My plane has not breeched 20 mph yet and so far I have trashed 1 nose gear and 2 mains... Next time out will be my last attempt to use them because I have gone through them very carefully and made sure they were as perfect as can be... If they fail again it will only be due to the limits of the design and the strength of the materials...
