Pilot R/C 40% Extra 300

[ulsterflyer]

Hi guys, thanks to tony at Pilot-rc and iain at IAD model designs, i have a new IMAC model on the board for next season I thought a few of you may be interested in a build thread, so i will attempt to keep you all up to date on my progress.
setup will be 11 hitec 7955 servo's
powerbox champion
zdz 160 and jmb cans

first of all are the 3 boxes she came in(wings, cowl, fuz) all superbly packed in hollowed out foam to avoid transit damage. I realised this was going to be a monster when i came to load the boxes in my van!


[IMG]file:///C:/Users/ULSTER%7E1/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpg[/IMG]

[ulsterflyer]

I couldn't resist assembling the fuselage to see just how big she is!! i have been flying a 100cc yak in Unlimited IMAC competitions, so this is a big step up.


The quality of all the fittings is excellent, with turnbuckle style linkages, metal hubbed wheels, a two piece cowl with no visible mounting bolts, pre hinged surfaces with double pinned hinges inboard and outboard of the ailerons and even a carbon spinner! The main u/c and tailwheel assembly are also carbon-and very light, as are the carbon tail and wing tubes. There is loads of room in the cannister tunnel area, in the fuz the tank comes ready mounted and the closed loop already installed, with the front linkages left loose to connect up at the required length.

[ulsterflyer]

I will take some more photos as the build continues, although i am waiting for quite a few parts so this might be a slow and steady thread-don't expect the maiden for a month or two!
cheers, simon

[T. Bob]

Me Likie

Keep us posted.

[klu0906]

I'm watching this one. I have the 30% 300 in the same scheme. I love it. I'm looking at this one very hard as a new project.

[67fairlane]

I LOVE MINE YOU WILL TOO....

[mike18421]

I have the 30% in the same scheme also and LOVE it!! I'd have the 40% if I had a way to get it to the field LOL!

[ulsterflyer]

hey 67', looks good! if you have any hints or tips to share from your build i would love to hear them
si

[Ground Pounder]

Mine just arrived so I will be following your thread.

[67fairlane]

my advice on this plane would be to throw axles away and get some better quallity..also I did not use any hardware or fuel tank provided..make sure you glue two piece cowl togeather or it will come apart in flight..mine did..plane flys lite and is overall good quallity except canopy is thin and will warp if you dont keep it out of the sun..mine is starting to..good luck you WILL like it..zero couppling on knife edge..no mix...Tony please send me a new canopy...

[ulsterflyer]

thanks for the tips-although i don't think i will have a problem with the canopy being affected by the sun here in scotland

[Ground Pounder]

I have to agree on the hardware. ALL of the ball links were binding. I repalced them with a combo of DuBro and Rocket City/Jerry Nelson ball links. A huge improvement.

The tank is something I never take a chance with. Even a DuBro is questionable. I have had (and seen) too many of the plugs pop or slide out so I have converted over to the 3W tanks. Much more reliable and the engine will get every last drop of fuel.

As for the cowl, the fiberglass interlock config is prone to a high wear rate. At this point I am going to use Tony's design but also use Scotch 3M Multitask (clear) tape along the seam in order to eliminate the vibration induced wear. If that does not work then I may have to mod the cowl into a one piece configuration.

The wheels are nice but the axles are soft so they need to be replaced.

I have also switched to a J&J Ti tail wheel. I had a custom one made that has an additional 1.75" of clearance. I watched Fairlane's CF set up bounce, break and become a high quality CF tail skid.... . With a 40% bird a CF set up is just too damn marginal for me. The small access hatch in the tail makes it super easy to install a hardwood block that supports the Ti insert that goes into the fuse.

[ulsterflyer]

well after a few weeks of no progress, my new powerbox rrs is here and i can get on with setting up all the servo's. also in the post is my zdz160 so i should be able to get plenty done over the next week or two i will post some more pics when i have anything interesting to share!
cheers, si

[ulsterflyer]

So i have actually got a bit more done on the extra this week, my shiny new ZDZ 160 rv-j is now in place, a very easy task given the two piece cowl and with the firewall not being pre-attatched.

My new JMB cans and manifolds arrived a few days ago and look great Today i went up to see Iain at IAD model designs who is helping me fit the cans and cutting formers to keep them in place! The cans are 80mm and there is still enough room above, below and to the sides for cooling.
After a false start with the first powerbox which was faulty, i have all the servo's programmed and the surfaces adjusted along with initial dual rates and expo. I have to say using the remote programmer with the powerbox rrs was so simple, a lot more relaxing than my last model set-up using the hitec programmer

The large offset 'fibreglass style' horn compensates for the rear rudder control horns being a little behind the hinge line-the closed loop is spot-on and remains tight at all deflections
I will post some pics when the can installation is finished,
si

[ulsterflyer]

I should have said that the shelf the electronics are all sitting on is a simple 1/8" balsa platform mounted on 3, 1/2"square cross members. I thought behind the rudder servo's was the best area for it as there is plenty of room to keep it all neat and organised