Electric Actuators vs Air?
03-15-2007, 10:37 AM
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Electric Actuators vs Air?
Are these Electric Actuators systems becoming popular https://ws04.ipowerweb.com/smartweb/lado/index.asp due to less maint. than Air.? Also what else would I need to add to this kind of system for operating gear doors.? I plan to use 7-channel JR w/ 6.volt onboard. Thanks Mikel-T
03-21-2007, 10:37 PM
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RE: Electric Actuators vs Air?
Hi Mikel...
I too have been looking at these with interest, particularly the way in which you can control the actuation speed and wait time per strut. This is very appealing from a Mustang point of view, as the real ones use separate hydraulic actuators that never seem to be in sync and this will mimick the action nicely. There are plenty of aircraft that this would suit.
The drawbacks seems to be :-
[ul][*] Cost. Now you have to buy the actuators on top of a nice set of retracts that are already pretty expensive.[*] Gear doors. You still need a system to actuate the gear doors. Air is the default but then you have to support both systems in the aircraft - One reason for the Lado's was to eliminate the air system.
[/ul]
Other than that, they look pretty sweet. Primarily because of cost, I am still sitting on the fence and waiting a while. I would be interested in which route you take.
Good luck!
Goose
I too have been looking at these with interest, particularly the way in which you can control the actuation speed and wait time per strut. This is very appealing from a Mustang point of view, as the real ones use separate hydraulic actuators that never seem to be in sync and this will mimick the action nicely. There are plenty of aircraft that this would suit.
The drawbacks seems to be :-
[ul][*] Cost. Now you have to buy the actuators on top of a nice set of retracts that are already pretty expensive.[*] Gear doors. You still need a system to actuate the gear doors. Air is the default but then you have to support both systems in the aircraft - One reason for the Lado's was to eliminate the air system.
[/ul]
Other than that, they look pretty sweet. Primarily because of cost, I am still sitting on the fence and waiting a while. I would be interested in which route you take.
Good luck!
Goose
03-22-2007, 10:50 AM
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RE: Electric Actuators vs Air?
Goose, Thanks for the real world explanation. It seems that everything about Warbirds is 2x's the effort and $$$$. That's why I started with the TF ARF Mustang. I can't even seem to make up my mind on what power plant to use.....
Thanks for your insight and I agree with your tag line...this is a mental illness!
Thanks for your insight and I agree with your tag line...this is a mental illness!
03-22-2007, 11:17 AM
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RE: Electric Actuators vs Air?
Hi again Mike...
You're right about the effort and $ comment Re: Warbirds, but thats why we do it, right? It IS worth it in the end.
Originally i was going to kit-bash the ARC to correct some of the bigger scale issues and quickly lost sight of the base I was going to work with, and have now decided to go the kit route to fix things along the way. I read a few threads of others that are building and kit bashing to discover there is little point trying to mould the TF into a scale competitor.
Still, its very hard to resist altering a little here and there and getting lost in the soup
Again, thats why we do it.
As far as a powerplant is concerned, everyone has an opinion about this. I ran a poll in the warbird section for this model with interesting results. We all want enough power (some more than others) and to be able to hide it all in the cowl. Not an easy task on this model. I am personally leaning towards the likes of a DA-50, but I'm still investigating the Revolution 50 (including shroud and fan) and the availability of the ZDZ50NG... both of which are gas and should fit with no cowl cutting.
I'm interested to see which route you take and your decisions along the way...
Good luck!
Goose
You're right about the effort and $ comment Re: Warbirds, but thats why we do it, right? It IS worth it in the end.
Originally i was going to kit-bash the ARC to correct some of the bigger scale issues and quickly lost sight of the base I was going to work with, and have now decided to go the kit route to fix things along the way. I read a few threads of others that are building and kit bashing to discover there is little point trying to mould the TF into a scale competitor.
Still, its very hard to resist altering a little here and there and getting lost in the soup
Again, thats why we do it.As far as a powerplant is concerned, everyone has an opinion about this. I ran a poll in the warbird section for this model with interesting results. We all want enough power (some more than others) and to be able to hide it all in the cowl. Not an easy task on this model. I am personally leaning towards the likes of a DA-50, but I'm still investigating the Revolution 50 (including shroud and fan) and the availability of the ZDZ50NG... both of which are gas and should fit with no cowl cutting.
I'm interested to see which route you take and your decisions along the way...
Good luck!
Goose
03-22-2007, 01:00 PM
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RE: Electric Actuators vs Air?
Goose, I have absorbed the Poll you started and was surprise to learn the results. Apparently the "Form over Function" crowd is the majority. As this applies to the TF-ARF I guess it's to each his own anyway. I have 65" ws ModelTech ARC ( no-longer made) which is proportionally very scale. The nose is wider and sloped as is the rear deck. The under-belly air-scoop is much more contoured and smaller. Wing fillets are PERFECT!.
Having the two birds side by side ( 1/7th vs 1/5th) even with the size differential it's clear what the P-51 should look like. That being said, I still want to produce a stand-off scale facsimile, starting with zero protrusions from the exterior of the plane.( which was the point of your poll,correct) I think this can be accomplished and still have a nice-flying, nice-sounding plane. ie;
Just for practice: On a .40 size Mustang from GP's I re-shaped the nose area from pilot seat forward using 1/8th sq. balsa strips glued in 1/4" intervals. I repeated this process on the rear deck. Using a finger-plane and sanding bar I soften the edges of all the square strips.
The using a painter's palette knife I mixed-up a batch of Micro-Balloons ( ala Dave Platt ) and applied liberally. When that set-up I sanded into the more conical shape of the nose. This made the ship more gently rounded than rectangular. The Cockpit fit better as well.
I have been peeking in the TF 1/7th build thread for ideas on bashing a Mustang. That thread has some scale-minded contributors'. Check it out and you will see for yourself.
Having the two birds side by side ( 1/7th vs 1/5th) even with the size differential it's clear what the P-51 should look like. That being said, I still want to produce a stand-off scale facsimile, starting with zero protrusions from the exterior of the plane.( which was the point of your poll,correct) I think this can be accomplished and still have a nice-flying, nice-sounding plane. ie;
Just for practice: On a .40 size Mustang from GP's I re-shaped the nose area from pilot seat forward using 1/8th sq. balsa strips glued in 1/4" intervals. I repeated this process on the rear deck. Using a finger-plane and sanding bar I soften the edges of all the square strips.
The using a painter's palette knife I mixed-up a batch of Micro-Balloons ( ala Dave Platt ) and applied liberally. When that set-up I sanded into the more conical shape of the nose. This made the ship more gently rounded than rectangular. The Cockpit fit better as well.
I have been peeking in the TF 1/7th build thread for ideas on bashing a Mustang. That thread has some scale-minded contributors'. Check it out and you will see for yourself.
03-22-2007, 02:30 PM
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RE: Electric Actuators vs Air?
I am just starting to build the TF P51 1/5 scale. I have the Lado electric conversions for the retracts and they truely are a "drop in" replacement for the air cylinders. I chose the DA-50 with the Keleo scale exhausts and I picked up a full fiberglass cowl and air scoop along the way. I am building mine as a "B" model using the Great Planes "B" conversion kit. I am not yet sure how much I will "tweak" the design as I have no intentions of attempting to build to anything except "stand off" scale at best.
Dan
Dan
03-22-2007, 02:41 PM
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RE: Electric Actuators vs Air?
Sounds excellent Dan, congrats!
You have many of the things that are on my list, and are obviously further ahead than me (cash stall again
), so i am very interested in how your build goes along with the others.
How are you planning to operate your gear doors, if in fact, you are planning some for your B?
Cheers
Goose
You have many of the things that are on my list, and are obviously further ahead than me (cash stall again
), so i am very interested in how your build goes along with the others.How are you planning to operate your gear doors, if in fact, you are planning some for your B?
Cheers
Goose
03-22-2007, 03:21 PM
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RE: Electric Actuators vs Air?
Goose:
Haven't decided on the door situation yet. I had thought about looking at the "goodies" Terry mentioned but it depends on how much I want to put into the build (time and detail - not money).
Dan
Haven't decided on the door situation yet. I had thought about looking at the "goodies" Terry mentioned but it depends on how much I want to put into the build (time and detail - not money).
Dan
03-22-2007, 03:31 PM
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RE: Electric Actuators vs Air?
I have checked into a couple of different kinds. Are you talking about the EMS Jomar actuators? BTW everything can be solved with enough $$$$.
03-24-2007, 03:18 PM
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RE: Electric Actuators vs Air?
EMS-Jomar would be one and I am familiar with their other products too. However, I will wait until I have construction far enough along and the retracts installed before I make any door decision. Once I get to that stage I can determine how much effort I want to put into the doors.
Dan
Dan
]Hi, does anybody has already any experience with LADO retracts?
