3W Pitts Chalenger II

[cristiandinu]

I'am about to get my new 3W pitts Chalenger II with 3W 28 gas engine .

Anyone has flown this airplane ?

Soon as a get home i will take somme pictures, until then

http://www.3w-modellmotoren.com/cpg1...010013%7E0.JPG

[Zrakoplov]

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I love that plane. Although I've only flown it for like 4 hours because I ran out of time and then winter and bad weather came around.

It flies very nicely. Patterns are not a problem. For true 3D it's probably a little heavy (although I will reserve judgement until the motor is fully broken in - 3W likes to be broken in properly).

One word of advice is regarding the screws for the propeller. Mine were a fraction of a millimeter too long for the prop I used and I didn't notice it. When I tightened the screws everything looked good. After a couple of days of flying and trimming the model and motor I decided to put on the cowling and started to unscrew the prop and two screws broke off inside the motor head! I had to send the motor back to the factory to get it repaired. Since the head is made of aluminum and the screw were just slightly too long I successfully jammed them in their threads. Now that I know it makes perfect sense .

Now I use stainless steel screws that I very precisely check depending on the prop I use (not all props are equally thick) and that problem is gone.

If you have any other questions regarding this plane, don't hesitate to ask

[zzw26n]

	Quote: Originally Posted by cristiandinu
	I'am about to get my new 3W pitts Chalenger II with 3W 28 gas engine . Anyone has flown this airplane ? Soon as a get home i will take somme pictures, until then http://www.3w-modellmotoren.com/cpg1...010013%7E0.JPG

I have this Plane currently on my Bench and I'm about 70% complete. I would suggest that you go thru all parts bags and verify that you have everything; tail wires, tail wheel, pull-pull cables, etc. The next thing you'll want to do is down-load and print every picture that is on the included CD. There is no manual that I know of for this plane and the pictures will be your only source of info for the Build. Once you have the fuselage on the Bench, take a long hard look at it, becuase once your canopy is mounted, the bottom opening is your only access to the guts of the plane, which equates to 1"X4" on both sides of the tunnel. Ingenuity and resourcefulness are two words that come to mind. Not the easiest of all builds, just plan ahead. I could not find allot of info on this Plane, so I'm very curious as to how many responses you get.

Good luck and I'm subscribed!

Ward

[cristiandinu]

Hi again ,

I have the plane and the engine from a friend. Unfortunatly some guys who try to help him butchered the fire wall and never look at the manual. I have to replace the firewall.

I didn't understand from the manual how I center the engine on the firewall. On the original firewall was some signs ? Could you give some mesurements from you pitts ?

[cristiandinu]

The firewal.. complete mess

[Zrakoplov]

The "butchered" mess is actually the motor mount, not the firewall:



Do you have the CD with the jpegs that come with the plane instead of a manual? Pictures 3 to 20 deal with how the motormount is assembled and the motor fixed to it complete with measurements.

While I agree it's not very nice it is however repairable (not even that hard).

I agree with zzw26n, you need to study the pictures closely it's like a game of "spot the difference" every picture has useful information for te build.

I hope you fix it because she's a really nice plane to fly (don't confuse nice with easy though, she has a mean streak in her sometimes )

[zzw26n]

Here are a couple of pictures of the Motor Box. Note the fire wall is square to the world, the Motor Box has right thrust and up thrust built into it. Also has clearance cut in for the cylinder head. 12 hours and 20 pages later, you have a Motor Box.

[cristiandinu]

Offcourse... it's the motor mount... sorry ..

So.. I have only the pdf from aircraft international site and yes ... if you look at the pictures you find a lots of clues ... .. i'm only a programer with a hobby not Sherlock Holmes .. Anyway... I will have to take the front panel from the motor mount off because the morons cut the hole exactly ...wrong ! ...the engine is waaaay off the right point.

They also skip the manual of the engine.. and do another mess look at the picture.

Any servo setup that you recomended ?

Thanks for reply .

[Zrakoplov]

Yes, I agree you need to replace the front panel. If the pictures you have are not very good, PM me your address and I'll send you a CD ROM with the jpegs. You can download the engine manual from 3W.

You have to be at least a little bit of a detective to build this one It did surprise me a little at first, but thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and the built once I grasped the concept.

Good luck and keep us posted.

You too zzw26n.

[cristiandinu]

Thanks for info.. for now I will manage with the manual from aircraft international site and a friend of mine with more experience will help me to replace the motor mount.

I have de manual of the engine .. actualy is the second 3W that I have.

Anyone has some movies with this plane?

[zzw26n]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Zrakoplov
	Yes, I agree you need to replace the front panel. If the pictures you have are not very good, PM me your address and I'll send you a CD ROM with the jpegs. You can download the engine manual from 3W. You have to be at least a little bit of a detective to build this one It did surprise me a little at first, but thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and the built once I grasped the concept. Good luck and keep us posted. You too zzw26n.

Zrakoplov,

What did you use for the Tail wires (carbon rods?)
And how did you set-up your choke?


Cristian,

For the throtle servo, look at my pictures, the third photo shows the servo cut-out. Mount the servo from the oustside, facing in. It's a straight shot to the brass exstension you have soildered on.

[cristiandinu]

On my engine the Brass exstension is in the wrong way (180 degrees wrong) ... i think.. look at the manual.. The throttle servo is linked with the brass extension on the engine with a flexiblel wire but on the oposit side.. when you pull the choke the flexibile wire leave the chock mechanism to lock. If i put an rigid linkage the chocke never locks.. After you accelerate the first time the chocke unlock itself...

If you have another solution please share

[Zrakoplov]

	Quote: Originally Posted by zzw26n
	Zrakoplov, What did you use for the Tail wires (carbon rods?) And how did you set-up your choke?

I used metallic rods. I bought 2 packs of this during my last trip to the US (I was thinking of using the Sullivan tail brace wire set, but then saw that in a shop and decided to go with it). I also used a Sullivan tailwheel assembly instead of the original one.

Regarding the choke I decided to install an extra servo and connected the choke lever with a wire. I programmed the choke servo on my TX to move slowly and assigned it to a push button (so I have to press the button for 2 seconds until I hear the click of the choke engaging). I also use an electronic switch connected to my RX for the ignition switch .

It's nice because the only hole I have in my cowling is the one for the spark plug cable/connector.

I used a wire for the throttle servo as per 3W's instruction, but I'm thinking about removing the spring and make a rigid connection (rod) to the carburetor. I'm just not sure how to program the choke servo so that it doesn't damage the throttle servo (when the choke is engaged it pushes the throttle lever back a little). Then again it works fine with a wire connection so I might stop over thinking this and leave it alone.

[zzw26n]

	Quote: Originally Posted by Zrakoplov
	I used metallic rods. I bought 2 packs of this during my last trip to the US (I was thinking of using the Sullivan tail brace wire set, but then saw that in a shop and decided to go with it). I also used a Sullivan tailwheel assembly instead of the original one. Regarding the choke I decided to install an extra servo and connected the choke lever with a wire. I programmed the choke servo on my TX to move slowly and assigned it to a push button (so I have to press the button for 2 seconds until I hear the click of the choke engaging). I also use an electronic switch connected to my RX for the ignition switch . It's nice because the only hole I have in my cowling is the one for the spark plug cable/connector. I used a wire for the throttle servo as per 3W's instruction, but I'm thinking about removing the spring and make a rigid connection (rod) to the carburetor. I'm just not sure how to program the choke servo so that it doesn't damage the throttle servo (when the choke is engaged it pushes the throttle lever back a little). Then again it works fine with a wire connection so I might stop over thinking this and leave it alone.

Thanks, exactly what I wanted to know. Good choice on the Flying wires, look good. I went with a 4-40 rod for the Throttle, it works perfect. Now you have me thinking about the choke servo? I might do that?

thanks again ...

Ward

[zzw26n]

Alrighty .......... questions; Garrett, please chime in.

My ARF didn't have the Flying wires and the ones I looked at all weigh more then I want to use. So I was thinking carbon rods and then I thought; " don't use any Flying wires on the Tail". any thougts? Do you have to use them for integrity or are they for looks? I'm stuck? Really hate to drill holes in the tail feathers and glue in carbon rods, looks cheap to me.

and the CG recommendation, any issues with hitting the CG ?

thanks ...