Sig Kavalier
04-01-2020, 03:35 PM
#101
Thank you for the kind words, Mike!
I got the engine to run...I really cheated and tried it in my bonus room upstairs where I build. After I put glow in the tank and drew some into the engine by hand cranking it with my thumb over the carb opening, I let her sit a few minutes. Then I decided what the heck and put the glow connector on, and proceeded to hand flip her. She coughed after just a few flips and cleared her throat of gunk, and idled pretty good. I cut it after 5-10 seconds so as not to get exhaust everywhere and get my wife upset, lol! This engine was on a different plane till it died in a midair about ten years ago, and had not run since then.
I got the engine to run...I really cheated and tried it in my bonus room upstairs where I build. After I put glow in the tank and drew some into the engine by hand cranking it with my thumb over the carb opening, I let her sit a few minutes. Then I decided what the heck and put the glow connector on, and proceeded to hand flip her. She coughed after just a few flips and cleared her throat of gunk, and idled pretty good. I cut it after 5-10 seconds so as not to get exhaust everywhere and get my wife upset, lol! This engine was on a different plane till it died in a midair about ten years ago, and had not run since then.
04-11-2020, 02:02 PM
#102
Maidened!
She flies nice. I maidened her today in light winds. Maybe two clicks up trim were used but I knew she was nose heavy. It is very predictable and flew actually more on rails than I thought she would. It seems to roll both ways pretty axially. The single loop I tried was decent with wings staying pretty level. I came home and moved the 6V nimh from in front of the servos to behind them. That moved the CG to about mid range of the recommended range of 3 1/4” to 4 1/8” behind the LE at the root. Hope to try it again soon.
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mgnostic (04-21-2020)
04-21-2020, 08:17 PM
#105
Thanks! Yes I flew it the last two days. It flies well. I have been adjusting the CG. Started way too nose heavy with the battery under the leading edge of the wing, then moving it back in increments to where it now is under the trailing edge. It still takes too much down elevator in an upward inverted climb so I am beginning to add lead to the tail, under the stab. It does fly very nice otherwise. Rolls are pretty axial, loops pretty level. Its a very good daily flier!
04-23-2020, 01:29 PM
#107
That is a very nice looking plane. I had a Kavalier about 30 years ago when I was a beginner and never liked it. It was just sort of a dog in the air and it seemed like it didn't climb well. I've thought about what was wrong with it lately and I think it was simply too nose heavy. If I run into a kit cheap enough at a swap meet, I might build another one just to see if I was right.
carl
carl
06-01-2024, 07:18 PM
#113
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
Posts: 58
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Two Kavaliers
A clubmate built a Kavalier last winter and I aquired one this spring which was built decades ago. The new one is powered by a 3648 900 kv motor (equal to a Power 25 and the Old Kavalier was converted to electric using a Power 32 motor.
Both fly very well....gems.
Both fly very well....gems.
Last edited by Creative RC; 06-01-2024 at 08:21 PM.
09-02-2024, 01:14 PM
#116
its been too long
Greetings its been way too long that I've been here but In the last few years I've been. I guess two years back I was given another Kavalier which had been setting in a garage way to long. I replaced the canopy and then patch a few holes in the wing and rebuilt the front end. well this airplane was ready to go and I had the ailerons backwards and it roll over so fast and went in the ground and just flew into pieces.! but recently I was giving another one and its green and I am doing some rehab on it too.
09-03-2024, 09:48 AM
#119
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
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That was good looking plane. That aileron reversal error is so common it should be outlawed. Happened to me once and same result. A clubmate did manage to land his once he realized what was going on, but that is an exception.
Good luck with the green one. I am in the process of repairing mine after a wing stall preceded by a fancy maneuver.
Good luck with the green one. I am in the process of repairing mine after a wing stall preceded by a fancy maneuver.
09-05-2024, 06:35 PM
#120
My friend Matt was right there and he didn't even notice that the ailerons where backwards. The airplane had been in a garage for at least 10 years and It took me a while to get her looking this good! I still have my original that I still building and its coming along pretty nice. To my latest this dark green Kavalier that another friend of mine gave me recently. I tried to fly at my club field two weeks ago and it didnt go very well. It tumbled a little on the intital take off because I lost my nose wheel. I put two small holes in the wing but it came out with no other damage as you can see! I will be fixing those holes soon and then I will rebalance her again and this time I had the ailerons going the right way! I need to add some bright stripes on the top if the wing as the sun goes down here it was very hard to see it.
thank you!
thank you!
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mgnostic (09-07-2024)
09-06-2024, 03:46 AM
#121
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Moncton, NB, CANADA
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Another nice one. With one being constructed you will have had three. It is a great plane and would get another in a heart beat. Hope the next flight goes well. Back to the workshop to fix mine.
09-06-2024, 05:41 AM
#123
Me too.....I am a Packer fan!....lol.
I worked at Sig from 1976-78 as a product engineer. I actually test flew the first Kavalier for Claude...the very one pictured on the box label. Flew great from the start, no changes required. What a great time for modeling back then....working at Sig was like going to model airplane school. I got to work with Claude, Mike Gretz, Maxey Hester, Hank Pohlman etc. and learned from all of them. Hard to believe it was nearly fifty years ago. There were 150 employees then, and the saw room ran 24-7 cutting balsa.
I worked at Sig from 1976-78 as a product engineer. I actually test flew the first Kavalier for Claude...the very one pictured on the box label. Flew great from the start, no changes required. What a great time for modeling back then....working at Sig was like going to model airplane school. I got to work with Claude, Mike Gretz, Maxey Hester, Hank Pohlman etc. and learned from all of them. Hard to believe it was nearly fifty years ago. There were 150 employees then, and the saw room ran 24-7 cutting balsa.
09-12-2024, 06:38 PM
#125
Hi guys, I replaced the nose wheel gear and rebalance my green Kavalier. I was only a 1/4 ounce off but it sure made the difference. But we shall see this weekend!
Ps I looked at my latest gallon of Omega 10 percent nitro fuel and I have almost used it all that we be two gallons this year. Wow I never did this before what a blast to have this airplane it makes me want to finish my other one now! I
Caio!
Michael.
Ps I looked at my latest gallon of Omega 10 percent nitro fuel and I have almost used it all that we be two gallons this year. Wow I never did this before what a blast to have this airplane it makes me want to finish my other one now! I
Caio!
Michael.