Well, it's official.. I'm back in the airplane business again! At least building them. Flying should be in the next 30 days or so.

I'll try to do a better job of documenting the process this time (I always say that, but rarely follow through).. .we'll see!

I haven't seen a lot on the MX2's, so hopefully some existing owners can jump in with tips at the right times.

After a springtime filled with less than perfect flying days, I find myself with toothpicks and composite scraps from 2 previous giant scale birds... may they rest in peace. This will be the last plane that I fly this year, one way or the other.. so, here goes!

I'll be installing the following....

3W 157 (I may go with a DA-150, but I haven't found a sweet deal yet) I already have the 157.
canister exhaust
7955 Servos all the way around - 3 on the rudder
SWB auto-adjusting servo tray
JR 1222 or 1221 receiver - depends on whether or not I install my Smart-Fly Power box.
yadda, yadda, yadda....


Initial Observations

• The canopy frame is just a shade lighter in color than the rest of the fuse. I realize this is because it comes from another paint session, then gets paired up with the painted fuse... I'll just turn my head and pretend it's a perfect match.
• The rest of the paint job - WOW!!! The metalic blue looks great in the sunlight (obligatory "stuff the wings on" pictures below). I like the stars and the yellow/white accents.. nice combination
• Great fit on both the wing and stab fillets
• I wish they had added a servo access hatch for the outer servos. They're optional, and I may leave them off... otherwise I'll be taking a dremel to a perfectly good wing to cut servo arm holes in the wings and control horn holes in the ailerons.... not good. I will gang 2 7955's together on the inboard mounts.. should be plenty of torque, but I would like to split those servos between the inner and outer mounts.
• I think I will take Pepatrick up on the offer to add some CF to the Landing Gear mounts.. they may be fine just like they are... but a little more beef couldn't hurt here.
• Short Coupling .. we'll see. Compared to the 3M yak and other planes I've had, there seems to be precious little space between the wings and the stabs. Could just be my imagination.
• Wing tips - These are squared off. Just from an aesthetic point, I wish they were rounded. I think it would fit the overall design of the plane better. It may not be scale, but WTF!

That's about it for the initial view. We've got vacations, other projects and God knows what else to deal with this summer, so the build may take a little time, but I'm sure to pull a few all-nighters during the process. Like I said, I'll try to document my progress a little better than last time.

Here's the pictures......

Sweet! I love that scheme!

Thanks. I had never seen the actual plane... it looks better than I had expected.

That is an awesome scheme. I thought you were thinking about getting that scheme on a 260. I would ship the graphics back and get them done by somebody like AeroGraphix. Bryan did an awesome job on my Krill Graphics and created the J&J Logo for us.

Yep.. I took a second look at the graphics, they're not as bad as I originally thought.. but they're not exactly what I was expecting either.. I'll put some on the rudder and see where it goes from there.

BTW... I'll be needing a J&J tailwheel... tiller type, to turn this guy on the ground.... trade you for the ass end of a Yak!

Very nice! Git' r' done!

Not sure I agree with you on the wing tips - I like the scale tips.

On fitting the engine. I'm not sure what exhaust system your planning on using but if you use cans, fitting a DA is far easier. Lots of people on recommend using 3w recommended cans (pefa) if you use the 3w. This means the cans are large and you end up having to use a very short header. If you go with DA, you can use standard length headers if using cans like MTW or Zimmerman.

This is a great flying plane - great 3d, great ailerons when really dirty HA rolling!

Originally Posted by reyn3545

BTW... I'll be needing a J&J tailwheel... tiller type, to turn this guy on the ground.... trade you for the ass end of a Yak!

OK.. so I went ahead and stuck some graphics on the tail section.

I know, I know, that's the last thing you do, not the first... consider who's building this thing!
It does make a little sense (at least in my mind) to consider graphics placement before you start sawing holes in the side of the fuse for switches and stuff... so, that's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

The graphics look OK, better than I expected... I'll keep 'em.

BTW.. there's still a little advertising space left for a great tailwheel company!

Here are some pics of the full scale taken at an airshow here in Jacksonville last April.....

Gorgeous!

Man, I wish I had those pictures a few hours ago! I tried to print out the pics from his website, but he's got the files set up where you can't save or print them... I kept running back and forth between the computer and my plane!

Gary's business is actually somewhere in North Georgia.. I should look him up sometime! I also spend a lot of time in Wilkesboro, NC, where the MX2's are manufactured.

OK, I decided to dive into the canopy this evening... took only about 5 minutes to cut it out, looks perfect.

However, our frields in Taiwan decided to tape the bubble wrap to the canopy with clear packing tape. I'm having a beotch of a time getting the tacky glue remnants off of the canopy (inside and outside) so I can glue it in the frame.

I tried some goo gone on a scrap piece... good thing it was a scrap. As soon as I started wiping it off, it got ugly.

I've been using rubbing alcohol, and it works OK, but not great.

If anyone knows of something that will cut through that tape adhesive without harming the canopy.. chime in!




.... Never mind. I found the answer on another thread... WD40. I never would have guessed that. Followed that up with Windex to get the WD40 off, glued it down... taped over both sides. We'll see what it looks like tomorrow.

Reyn. MX2 looks KILLER bro!!!! WD 40 works great on removing the residue on the canopy. When I bought Hahn's last canopy, I asked for them NOT to tape the packing material to the canopy. They followed directions!!

Reinforce the LG area. Any composite fuse, the LG area tends to be a little weak.... So, Hahn mixed up a ton of epoxy, and some milled chopped fibers, and reinforced it front and backside. It hasn't broke on th e"Orange" Stock scheme bird yet. And he has had a few hard landings with it.

The 2 7955's will be suffecient, esp if you go unregulated!!!! If you detect blowback on the ailerons, then you may have to install the 3rd servo outboard. "Orangie" uses 2 5955's on each aileron. Plenty of OOOOMPH!!!!! I broke a phenoilc servo arm on "Orangie" doing Leseberg rolls!!! High speed, high rate....... Finished the last roll, and she wanted to turn left. So I landed quickly, and noticed the right aileron drooping.... I thought the connector come unplugged, but nope! Servos still wiggled, servo horn BROKE!! So, word of advice, be very cautious in using the phenolic servo arms on ailerons!!

I'll be popping in and out of this thread dropping advice and tips at ya!

So far man, I'M JEALOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for saving a spot for our graphics. I think that is one of the best looking schemes I have ever seen.