WH-300 3-Amigos build thread (3 ways of doing the same thing)

[KrisW]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Flatlandman
	i need pics !!!

Here ya go

Cowlinlet

Outlet w/airdam

cross bracing under canopy with CF rods

X-bracing at back of hatch area

Tail slot for rudder pull-pull

[randy racer]

thanks for the pics, they will help alot with my build when it come in. tom was shipping it today so it should be here the first of the week WOHOOOO!!

randy

[airborneSGT]

Sorry I have not posted more pics! I wanted to maiden today but I have some stuff to wrap up. I had to spend most of my day yesterday at the Veterans hospital. Going to be going back again tommorow

Maybe this weekend I can maiden and have some more pictures up. I will make a misc. parts listing that will be helpful for anyone else building this plane with my current setup or a close setup.

[KrisW]

ALL RIGHTY ! ! ! !

A few little factoids. .

Final Weight (dry) 40.5 lbs (AHEM. .as I predicted at the beginning of this thread)
Engine: DA-150 w/ KS-1090 pipes
Prop: Biela 29-12 3-blade
Spinner: Pete's Spinners 5" CF "Extra" pattern

Throttle servo: 4735 JR
Aileron Servos: 6x5945 HiTec Digitals
Rudder Servos: 2x5735 HiTec Digitals (Jumbos)
Elevator Servos: 2x5955 HiTec Digitals
Batteries: 3x4800 Fromceo Relion packs (2 far radio, 1 for ignition)
Regulators: 2xFromeco switched regulators on the radio, one Electrodynamics 5.5v for ignitioin.

Receivers: 2xJR649s PCM

Wheels: H9 4.5"

Graphics (when they arrive) Kirby's Kustom Graphics

Gas: 93 octane with 32:1 Pennzoil mixed at 40:1

Okay, got the plane to the field, and put it together, leaving the hatch off. The DA-150 had not been run in over a year, so it took 15 flips before she fired off. I spent about 10 minutes dialing in the needles (Had to richen the bottom 1/4 and lean the top 5/8 turn), then let the engine run in the pits for aobut a half hour, to try to shake loose anything that might not be glued properly. Multiple full throttle blasts showed the engine to be very happy spinning the 29-12 Biela 3-blade at about 5700-5800 rpm.

Put the hatch on and refueled, then did a 400' range check. Everything checked out good, so I taxi'd back in and set up for takeoff.

One look at the pic of the wind sock will tell you what was going on for wind today .. 15-22 and gusting from noon to about 4, Winds from the west and Southwest (right down the runway),then it started to calm down a bit. First takeoff wa suneventful and I immediatly climbed to 250 feet to do a trim pass. The plane was wanting to climb. . so it took a lot of down elevator trim to straighten things out (FINE setting on the TX. . 4-5 clicks equals the usual 1 click). Even after I got the plane trimmed it wanted to float the nose, so it appeared to be tail heavy. rolling to inverted confirmed this, with little forward stick needed to keep the nose up. I spent aobut 8-10 minutes playing around, checking out the roll rate (VERY strong roll rate), rudder mix to elevator (goes to the belly, tends to roll out of KE) and vertical tendencies climbing and diving. The plane was definitely on the tail heavy side, and in the wind the first landing was a bit touchy. The plane kept wanting to float with the strong headwind, but I finally got it down without bouncing.

In the pits I removed the cowl and added 3/16 of shim between the motor and motorbox, to get the weight shifted forward a bit, and added about 1/2 degree of down thrust. I set up mixes for rudder- elevator and rudder-aileron, refueled and took off again. The wind had calmed down a bit, blowing a steady 10-12 knots with very few gusts, so it was easier to fly and adjust the mixes at the same time.

For Left rudder I wound up with 9% UP and 6% adverse (roll away from the rudder, aileron Right) aileron, and for Right rudder had 4% UP and 5% adverse aileron(aileron Left). With these mixes the plane was left stick only, horizon to horizon, in KE, and flat turns were very neutral with a little bit of up and aileron correction necessary part of the time.

I got in a total of 4 flights, testing the entire spectrumj of the flight envelope. High Rate ailerons at 40 degrees of throw are just SILLY. KE loops can be done with only 30 degrees of rudder, and the elevators on low rates are very strong. Elevators have slight wing rock, easily cured by adding spoilerons, and harriers lock in easily. Blenders show a VERY strong flattening out on only medium rates, but I didn't push things too hard. I'll be dialing down a lot of the movement in the tail surfaces over the nest week or two as I dial this plane in for IMAC.

Hows it compare to other planes I have had? It's comparable to my Super Xtra, but rolls more axially. Snaps tend to overrotate slightly if you let the energy bleed off too much (about normal), but the strong ailerons make recovery/stopping snaps very easy. Power from the DA150 is more than you will ever need, even with a 3-blade on the nose.

Okay, downsides. .

LG is too flimsy
Tail wheel assembly is already flattening out. . needs to be of heavier wire. I'll be replacing it with an RCBlimpro Titanium unit this week.
Covering. . well. . it's going to need attention. . it always does.
Wheel collor screws use slots insteadof hex drive. . impossible to get tight

Overall I am very pleased with the plane, how it flies, the workmanship from the factory, and cost. Rating categories:

Price: 10
Overall fit and finish: 8.5
Ease of assembly: 9
Need for modifications: 9 (Only modifiy it if you want to. . it does not reallly need it)
Compatibility with US market: 10 (uses all SAE hardware, except 3mm metric wheel collars)
Completeness of instructions: 6 (very abbreviated, no alignment guide for engine mounting and spacer outlines)

Longevity: 9 (You don't hit anything with it, it's gonna outlive your engine)

Special additions: 10 (CF tubes, decent hardware, horn and full hardware kits available, covering is really Ultracote)

In conclusion . .I HIGHLY recommend this ARF to anyone interested in a good flying, well built, and very affordable 40% class airplane.

One note. .at 121" span, this plane is not 41% scale. . with a wing span of 26'5" the Extra 300 full scale is 317" in span. 41% of 317 is right at 130" This plane is actually only 38% of full scale span. I took a ruler to all the primary dimensions, though, and this plane easily falls within the 10% rule for IMAC, being actually 1" short of 110% scale for length at 109" long.

Enjoy flying this plane, guys .. She's a definite WINNER.

[KrisW]

And the rest of the pics, showing how much the engine got moved forward (larger gap between spinner and cowl), and the plane after surviving it's first 4 flights.

[3-d flyer]

Kris, Awesome review! Glad to hear all went well with your maiden! As well thanks for all the tips on this plane, as mine is still awaiting assembly..... I decided to do a motor changeout on a H9 Sukhoi, (upgrading to a D/A-100) after i finish that little job, i'm starting this..... Plane looks sweet! Enjoy it. You kind of made me look forward to getting mine going now! Thanks for the write up!!

[wildhare]

	Quote: Originally Posted by KrisW
	Okay, downsides. . LG is too flimsy

I agree, but aluminum is heavy and every plane is a compromise. You are free to add heavier gear, and both Graphtech and Supergear are working on CF gears for this plane.

	Quote:
	Tail wheel assembly is already flattening out. . needs to be of heavier wire.

Same answer, products available from Asia are limited. I suggest replacing the tailwheel with a CF unit.

	Quote:
	Wheel collar screws use slots instead of hex drive. . impossible to get tight

Good wheels, axles and wheel collars are in the hardware kit. The stuff that comes with the plane should not even be there, throw it away and pretend it was never provided.

	Quote:
	Completeness of instructions: 6 (very abbreviated, no alignment guide for engine mounting and spacer outlines)

It's a 150cc class plane. I expect that by now you guys will pretty much know how to put one together blindfolded.

	Quote:
	One note. .at 121" span, this plane is not 41% scale.

This is correct, but I have a good excuse.

The plane started out to be an Extra 260. All the sizes are accurate for a 41% Extra 260. When I decided to make it a 300 instead of a 260 I did not recognize the error right away, I already had all the specs published and it was really too late to change the nomenclature without causing a lot of confusion.

Pretend the full scale Extra 300 has a 24' wingspan and everything will be cool. And I believe it's 26' 3", not 26' 5".

Thanks to Kris for the great build thread.

TF

[KrisW]

	Quote: Originally Posted by wildhare
	It's a 150cc class plane. I expect that by now you guys will pretty much know how to put one together blindfolded. This is correct, but I have a good excuse. The plane started out to be an Extra 260. All the sizes are accurate for a 41% Extra 260. When I decided to make it a 300 instead of a 260 I did not recognize the error right away, I already had all the specs published and it was really too late to change the nomenclature without causing a lot of confusion. Pretend the full scale Extra 300 has a 24' wingspan and everything will be cool. And I believe it's 26' 3", not 26' 5". Thanks to Kris for the great build thread. TF

Well. .I used a blindfold with one eye hole cut in it. . .

As for the Span. . IMAC has a 10% rule. Another KIT manufacturer has a 42% Extra 300 that is almost identical in overall dimensions to the Wild Hare (and no better airplane IMO, for about the same money, but a lot more work in the end) at 121 span, but 114" long. Given that IMAC has the 10% rule. .AND that both of these aircraft are actually 38% aircraft, the maximum fuselage length at 38% is 110" from rudder tip to cowl lip (assuming a 7" long spinner).

Extra 300 is 23.35 feet long. . makiing it 280" OAL. 38% of that is 106.5, including the spinner cone, and at 10% over length is 117.1", including the spinner.

So, you see, Someones plane is NOT legal for IMAC, if you use REAL Extra 300 midwing dimensions. The Wild Hare is totally legal for IMAC though. . Something Tom should be advertising in BIG letters and very loudly.

Dimensions for the Extra 300 Midwing (as far as I have ever seen):

Span: 26.35. . . 26' 4.2". . 316.2"

Length: 23.35'. . 23' 4.2". . .280.2" rudder tip to spinner tip

Tail Span: 10'6". . 126"

Rudder height: 55" (I got this with a tape measure myself)

Everything else is just details once you get those basic dimensions carved in stone.

But Hey ..Great plane Tom. Glad you are importing them.

Now. . .about that contingency fee and discount. . . . . . .

[randy racer]

great review, thanks for going to the trouble to post. now it's even harder to wait for mine to get here. the freight company told me it would be next friday before i get it, it's killing me waiting to get my hands on it. haha!

as for what scale it is, i don't care what you call it. i know how big it is and hear that it flys great and that is what matters to me.

randy

[Shawn Berkheimer]

	Quote: Originally Posted by randy racer
	as for what scale it is, i don't care what you call it. i know how big it is and hear that it flys great and that is what matters to me. randy

In the close to 10 years I have been flying IMAC, I have never seen any airplane's scale outline even questioned by a CD.

Not that it could ever be an issue with this airplane as I feel it has the best lines of any 300 midwing out there.

Now Kris, dial in the IMAC rates and get to practicing, nothing to hold you back now.


Shawn

[KrisW]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Shawn Berkheimer
	In the close to 10 years I have been flying IMAC, I have never seen any airplane's scale outline even questioned by a CD. Not that it could ever be an issue with this airplane as I feel it has the best lines of any 300 midwing out there. Now Kris, dial in the IMAC rates and get to practicing, nothing to hold you back now. Shawn

Too bad you are not out here in NC, Shawn .. i could use a flying partner

[Shawn Berkheimer]

Thanks Kris I appreciate that. Practicing this year is going to get difficult. I have a wonderful site just 20 mins away from home but the club in all their wisdom has set a max altitude of 400'. Now I get to drive for an hour each way to practice, the funny thing is that the new feild ( for me at least ) is Toms old stomping ground if I am not mistaken. I'm thinking I should have stayed in Advanced LOL.

I have spoken to Bill Hemple and Howard Pilcher about the WH 300 and both had nothing but praise so you must still be wearing the same smile from the maiden.

Shawn

[airborneSGT]

Doh! I need to get my butt in gear and get my going. I cleared out the hangar a little tonight and I am free this weekend except for 1 meeting with a client tommorow. Might get to maiden Sunday if all goes well.

[airborneSGT]

KrisW - I was in Charlotte in Nov. I met Cspaced for the first time at the CCRC field when I headed out that way from Kernersville. The next time I head up there it would be nice to link up and do some flying. My cousin who goes to UNC Charlotte will be down here Monday for a week.

I am anxious to return to my "home" field of the Piedmont Aeromodelers in Fayetteville. I was set on staying in NC if it were not for a certain woman I was going to get married to.

Glad to hear the maiden went well.

[wildhare]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Shawn Berkheimer
	Now I get to drive for an hour each way to practice, the funny thing is that the new feild ( for me at least ) is Toms old stomping ground if I am not mistaken.

If you are flying at EBRC you are correct. That's about the only thing I miss! I had a lot of friends there.


TF