Giant Scale Twins 116" F7F Tigercat Maiden Flight
09-26-2011, 02:13 AM
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Giant Scale Twins 116" F7F Tigercat Maiden Flight
I have a build thread and posted regularly in the Warbirds and Warplanes forum, but I thought I should post in the twins forum, too. Finished my Tigercat this summer, and after a "little" mishap on my maiden flight, I fixed up the plane and had another go yesterday...
Success!!!
The re-maiden flight went perfectly! Couldn't be more thrilled!
Got comfortable with the model relatively quickly and actually put it through it's paces, fast and slow flight, barrel rolls and immelman, air show passes, etc...
It's VERY fast, and has tremendous power with DLE 111cc engines. Overkill on the power but highly impressive in the air. And that sound... the motors ran really well today, and they sounded great with the Giant Scale Twins scale exhaust collector rings with 18 individual exhaust exit ports! Really cool.
Thanks to Mike Kaas, John Biondo, Dr. Steve, Scott Booth and Dave Jensen for helping me prep the model for today's flight, and thanks to Mike Kaas for shooting video. Mike will not be up for an Oscar anytime soon as a cinematographer, but the videos get the point across:
First maiden flight disaster (long story short, engine issue, in a panic I set it down without power out of position): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEBkPA2lSkM
Only took about 2 weeks to make the repairs, and the second efforts are here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNrEuNOslrU
The plane is very stable, no bad tendencies, and it settled in great for landing (all it took was for me to NOT chop the throttles, and for me to set it down close enough to actually see!).
Last, a very special congratulations to Jim Oosterhuis, owner and proprietor of Giant Scale Twins located here in Iowa. The F7F is an incredible model, and anyone looking to get into a giant F7F should call Jim and learn more about his company and his kits. Website here: http://giantscaletwins.com/
Quick review:
116" wingspan
69.5 lbs all up weight
DLE 111cc engines, 27x10 Xoar props
Robart Mains and nose gear
Hank Likes wheels
JR 12x radio and 12 channel power safe receiver
13 servos: Hitec 7955 TG all-around, except throttles (JR Ultra precision 8231) and air valve (JR mini servo)
Fully functional flaps and gear doors (gear doors pneumatically operated with UP3 sequencing valve)
A few things to change for subsequent flights: 1) I will go back to 3-blade props as there's too little ground clearance using 27 inch diameter 2-bladed props. My prop tips got chewed up biting through grass and maybe even some high spots on the ground; 2) heavier compression springs in the Robart Mains and nose gears. The oleos were bottoming out, surely contributing to the issues with the props. 3) Some mixing of flap and elevator. The flaps are very effective and significantly increase lift (some ballooning upon deployment).
More flights this coming weekend!
Thanks to those who contributed to my project, and thanks for all the words of encouragement from all my friends here on RCU, particularly after my first flight landing disaster!
Regards,
Noah
Success!!!
The re-maiden flight went perfectly! Couldn't be more thrilled!
Got comfortable with the model relatively quickly and actually put it through it's paces, fast and slow flight, barrel rolls and immelman, air show passes, etc...
It's VERY fast, and has tremendous power with DLE 111cc engines. Overkill on the power but highly impressive in the air. And that sound... the motors ran really well today, and they sounded great with the Giant Scale Twins scale exhaust collector rings with 18 individual exhaust exit ports! Really cool.
Thanks to Mike Kaas, John Biondo, Dr. Steve, Scott Booth and Dave Jensen for helping me prep the model for today's flight, and thanks to Mike Kaas for shooting video. Mike will not be up for an Oscar anytime soon as a cinematographer, but the videos get the point across:
First maiden flight disaster (long story short, engine issue, in a panic I set it down without power out of position): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEBkPA2lSkM
Only took about 2 weeks to make the repairs, and the second efforts are here...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNrEuNOslrU
The plane is very stable, no bad tendencies, and it settled in great for landing (all it took was for me to NOT chop the throttles, and for me to set it down close enough to actually see!).
Last, a very special congratulations to Jim Oosterhuis, owner and proprietor of Giant Scale Twins located here in Iowa. The F7F is an incredible model, and anyone looking to get into a giant F7F should call Jim and learn more about his company and his kits. Website here: http://giantscaletwins.com/
Quick review:
116" wingspan
69.5 lbs all up weight
DLE 111cc engines, 27x10 Xoar props
Robart Mains and nose gear
Hank Likes wheels
JR 12x radio and 12 channel power safe receiver
13 servos: Hitec 7955 TG all-around, except throttles (JR Ultra precision 8231) and air valve (JR mini servo)
Fully functional flaps and gear doors (gear doors pneumatically operated with UP3 sequencing valve)
A few things to change for subsequent flights: 1) I will go back to 3-blade props as there's too little ground clearance using 27 inch diameter 2-bladed props. My prop tips got chewed up biting through grass and maybe even some high spots on the ground; 2) heavier compression springs in the Robart Mains and nose gears. The oleos were bottoming out, surely contributing to the issues with the props. 3) Some mixing of flap and elevator. The flaps are very effective and significantly increase lift (some ballooning upon deployment).
More flights this coming weekend!
Thanks to those who contributed to my project, and thanks for all the words of encouragement from all my friends here on RCU, particularly after my first flight landing disaster!
Regards,
Noah
09-26-2011, 09:05 PM
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RE: Giant Scale Twins 116" F7F Tigercat Maiden Flight
Very nice job,, You want to sell it? I do love twins and have learned what to do in a engine
out . That was a lot of work, you are a builder!
Cheers
Tim
out . That was a lot of work, you are a builder!
Cheers
Tim
09-27-2011, 02:45 AM
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RE: Giant Scale Twins 116
Sell it? No way! I just finished it! But, if you really want it, bring 12K in cash (only a 65% mark-up) up to Iowa City and it's all yours! I'll even help you load it into (or on top of) your car. LOL!
Thanks for the compliments, Tim.
Regards,
Noah
Thanks for the compliments, Tim.
Regards,
Noah
09-27-2011, 05:56 PM
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RE: Giant Scale Twins 116" F7F Tigercat Maiden Flight
Congratulations, Noah!
Couldn't have happened to a better flyer or a nicer guy. Hou're my idol !
Thanks for posting. Why dontcha put in on the Warbird Forum so more people will see it?
mt
PS: Love the unscripted commentary from the camera man on the first video.
Couldn't have happened to a better flyer or a nicer guy. Hou're my idol !
Thanks for posting. Why dontcha put in on the Warbird Forum so more people will see it?
mt
PS: Love the unscripted commentary from the camera man on the first video.
09-28-2011, 03:12 AM
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RE: Giant Scale Twins 116" F7F Tigercat Maiden Flight
Thanks, Mark.
Once more comfortable with the model (i.e. determine the minimum controllable airspeed on landing), I'll start hauling her around to various events, including Ames.
Yeah, my videographer, Mike Kaas, is much more skilled at building and flying huge models! Those videos make the point, though!
Best regards,
Noah
Once more comfortable with the model (i.e. determine the minimum controllable airspeed on landing), I'll start hauling her around to various events, including Ames.
Yeah, my videographer, Mike Kaas, is much more skilled at building and flying huge models! Those videos make the point, though!
Best regards,
Noah
09-28-2011, 05:12 AM
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RE: Giant Scale Twins 116" F7F Tigercat Maiden Flight
ORIGINAL: TimT2000
Very nice job,, You want to sell it? I do love twins and have learned what to do in a engine
out . That was a lot of work, you are a builder!
Cheers
Tim
Very nice job,, You want to sell it? I do love twins and have learned what to do in a engine
out . That was a lot of work, you are a builder!
Cheers
Tim
Great looking and flying plane noah
09-28-2011, 05:38 AM
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RE: Giant Scale Twins 116" F7F Tigercat Maiden Flight
Thnaks, Thomas.
Not surprisingly, this one got my heart going like no other maiden flight!
What was not captured on video is me dropping to the ground and laying flat on my back for 2 minutes after I landed and got the engines shut down!
Noah
Not surprisingly, this one got my heart going like no other maiden flight!
What was not captured on video is me dropping to the ground and laying flat on my back for 2 minutes after I landed and got the engines shut down!
Noah
09-28-2011, 07:48 AM
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RE: Giant Scale Twins 116" F7F Tigercat Maiden Flight
Cool Noah! Sorry I missed the second maiden and glad it all went well this time. Make sure you tend to the certification of your new toy before too much longer.
Thanks
Phil
Thanks
Phil
09-28-2011, 07:54 AM
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RE: Giant Scale Twins 116" F7F Tigercat Maiden Flight
Hey, Phil!
I was going to write to you today, in fact. Hopefully you're available this weekend to serve as referee.
We had the documents/checklists/personnel, etc. on Sunday, but the inadequate ground clearance resulted in some wear on the prop tips, so no second flight occurred.
If you're available, is Sat or Sun better for you?
Regards,
Noah
I was going to write to you today, in fact. Hopefully you're available this weekend to serve as referee.
We had the documents/checklists/personnel, etc. on Sunday, but the inadequate ground clearance resulted in some wear on the prop tips, so no second flight occurred.
If you're available, is Sat or Sun better for you?
Regards,
Noah
09-28-2011, 05:42 PM
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RE: Giant Scale Twins 116
I'd sure like to be there this weekend if you're going to fly it again but we will be in Yellowstone. Hopefully you can get enough other qualified personel to get 'er done! Good luck with it!
09-30-2011, 04:20 AM
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RE: Giant Scale Twins 116
Thanks, Jeff!
I'm a little sad that it's taken so long to get it all together (and then back together) such that I missed flying it at the 'local' events this year.
But I'm looking forward to dragging it up to Owatonna next year, assuming I'm still living in the midwest.
Anxiously awaiting good news about your CJM corsair maiden!
Noah
I'm a little sad that it's taken so long to get it all together (and then back together) such that I missed flying it at the 'local' events this year.
But I'm looking forward to dragging it up to Owatonna next year, assuming I'm still living in the midwest.
Anxiously awaiting good news about your CJM corsair maiden!
Noah
10-05-2011, 04:44 PM
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RE: Giant Scale Twins 116
A really good video of one of my three flights that I put on my Tigercat last Sunday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qhhM8T2ntY
Such a BEAST!!!!
Noah
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qhhM8T2ntY
Such a BEAST!!!!
Noah
10-06-2011, 04:58 AM
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RE: Giant Scale Twins 116
Thanks, MT!
Can't wait to get her out to Ames someday. Related to that, what is the overall length of the Ames field (i.e. corn-to-corn)?
Noah
Can't wait to get her out to Ames someday. Related to that, what is the overall length of the Ames field (i.e. corn-to-corn)?
Noah
10-06-2011, 08:39 AM
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RE: Giant Scale Twins 116
OK, thanks. I'll have to start working on the 'spot landings' at the sod farm pretty soon. Still getting used to the plane, as I'm sure you can appreciate!
NB
NB
