cstevec

My Feedback: (1)

Looking for opinions here. I have two planes in the 30% range, a 30% Carden Extra and the 29% Katana from Aeroworks. The Carden flies great in its current setup (ZDZ 60) and I am hesitant to change it but...... I have a 3W 70 new in the box looking for a plane. I recently aquired the Katana from a buddy of mine who flew it with a DA 50 and said it was a little lacking in the vert. dept. Enough so that he didn't care for the plane and sold it to me, minus engine. I'm trying to figure out whether to put the 3W engine in the Katana (that would be unreal power but maybe a little heavy) or else pull the ZDZ outta the Extra (a tried & true performer) and put the 3W in its place. I'm NOT gonna buy another engine 'cause the ole' lady would kill me.

What do you guys think? My gut tells me the Carden would only get better with the 3W engine in it and the ZDZ would be perfect for the Katana but changing the Carden is a lot more work then it sounds like and as I said it really does fly well as it is.

I guess what I am really wondering is how do you think the 3W would work out in the Katana.

PJFaller

I had a 3W 70 in a carden extra 300 30% and it flew it real well. The only thing is you have to cut some openings in the side of the cowl to clear the spark plug caps. Was a very nice combination. Airplane weighed about 19lbs. without fuel.

Pete

cstevec

My Feedback: (1)

I'm thinking you are referring to a twin. My 3W 70 is a single and would be mounted inverted, like the 60 that is in it now. The problems with converting it are two-fold. First, the firewall has a hole in it to mount the rear carb ZDZ in it and that would need replacing. In and of itself no big deal but obstacle #2 is the fact that the 3W has a side mount carb so the servos and linkages for the throttle would have to be redone. This is an older Carden and the access hatch doesn't give you much room to work with. Those kinds of things are really better done during the building phase then as a retrofit. It can be done but it is a real pain.

Power is not the issue here. The 60 gives the Extra plenty of power for hovering and 3D but I don't do much of that with this plane, although It does spend some time hanging on its prop. The real deal is I want maximum performance from the Katana so I can 3D its rudder off and I don't want the wing loading to be too high. ARF's are made to twist the tails off of, I am a little more careful with the kit built Carden and some of my others.