1/3rd scale Sopwith Triplane

[Prop Nut]

Took the Tripe to the field this evening, great weather, just a light wind right down the runway. My wife and daughter were my pit crew who did a great job helping me with the (usually) half hour assembly of the plane. A couple club members showed up to put thier .02 worth in and watch the fun. The G62 fired on the first flip with the choke closed, after opening the choke and restarted it fired up and sounded goooood. Soon however it started to sound lean on the high end so I stopped it and adjusted the carb. I never got it started again. After a bit a sweat (flipping) I noticed that there was a crack on the magneto mount, infact both ends of the magneto mount were cracked....truth to tell, both ends and nearly the entire back of the magneto mount was cracked, it was flexing so much that when the magnets came around they would scrape. I guess that "good deal" on a used motor was not really such a good deal after all I will try to fix it tommorow (jury rig a brace, etc) and hope to have it in the air in the evening. If I fail, wouldnt be surprised at this point, I will order an EI ignition conversion kit for it. I only have a few weeks before I leave for Germany (the whole summer) so I really wanted to have a few flights on the plane and then do the detailing before I left. We will see. Stay tuned to this Bat Channel for more updates. It sure do look big and purdy at the field though

[JohnFitz]

Hey David, I would be wondering how that mount got cracked in the first place. Maybe the engine was in a plane that crashed? Going with a CH ign. sounds like the right thing to do but that means you will have to replace the nose weight you give up as a result.

[Prop Nut]

Hi John, I dont know if it was from damage or not, there is no evidence of any but it had to crack somehow. I am going to give the guy I bought it from the benifit of the doubt, he was very helpfull and we talked several times on the phone. He supplied step by step directions on operating this engine (every engine wants to start differently and reacts in various ways to the enviroment). If indeed he did know about the damage? Well, time wounds all heals.

But, on a happier note, I FIXED IT! I milled an aluminium plate (3/8 inch) that fit the contour of the broken mount, then tapped both the remaining mount (on the motor) and the broken part into the plate. I used 8-32 bolts to fasten everything together and it starts and runs great. I let it run at full throttle (nearly) for a tank of fuel (24oz) and then idle for several more minutes with fresh fuel. It really vibrates at an idle and there was no movement of the new mount. The repair was much easier than I feared. I am getting 5600 RPM at nearly full throttle (I lose a bit wide open) on a 24x8 schimitar pro prop. I hope to get out today again and try for a first flight. I need to check the weather report, its a bit cold and breezy (with gusts) and clouds are moving in. I dont want to be trapped disassembling this plane in the rain, it takes way too long :P

David

[JohnFitz]

David, Glad you were able to fix it. Don't you think 5600rpm is low for that engine with that prop and almost full throttle? Seems to me other people have had to use a gear reduction on that engine to get that kind of RPM. Shouldn't it be running more around 6800rpm? Don't mind me just hate to see you have a problem in this weather.

[Prop Nut]

Hi John, from what I have read most people find thiers running around 6800 with a 22x8, for this 24x10 (sorry, I put the wrong size on the previous post) it is just about perfect. As a matter of fact, it pulls the plane right off the ground and climbs like mad! By the way, it FLYS!!!!!! WooT!!!

The Tripe handles perfectly on the ground, its a real kitten.

Take off was straight down the runway with no deviation and it lifted itself off the ground soon after the tail came up. (the subsiquent flights I held it on the ground for a cooler takeoff roll) Once up it will climb like a monkey with very little up elevator.

The Ailerons are a little disapointing as I made them a bit larger so I would have more control than the full scale seemed to have but, like the full scale, they have little effect without rudder input, no big deal but I will not be doing quick rolls, etc. (Duh! Its not a 3D plane David!!! just gotta keep telling myself that )

I had a nasty cross wind out of the north, but you only see this after you are up about 40 feet or so as we are well shielded on the ground by large trees on both sides of the runway. It crabbed horribly (ok, it really looks cool on the landing stage of the flight) and didnt really want to turn as that huge tail/flat body wants to catch the wind. After I got used it all was well and I started to have fun.

Landing was pretty simple, point it at the runway, chop the throttle and wait for it to settle down, it would much prefer to stay up there though :P

All in all, I am very very very happy with it. Now for paint.

I do have video that I will post as soon as I have a chance to go through it and edit out the blank sky parts. A friend was using my camera to do the video and wasnt happy about the features availible on it. Just like an RC pilot, its the machines fault! Not Mine!!

David

[Prop Nut]

Well, here it is. Sorry for the poor quality, we were using my digital still camera in video mode.
The final landing sequience is cut off as the plane went behind me into the very tall grass at the end of the runway and flopped over on its top. I wouldnt mind showing the plane flopping over as it was pretty cool actually and nothing was hurt (Even the horribly expensive prop!) but I really dont want to see myself on camera

I did break one flying wire but that is an easy fix and it did what it was supposed to.

All is well and I am going to dismantle the plane down to the bear fabric (all hardware off) and paint the darn thing. I am going with Krylon and hand painted rondels (sp?)

David

13rd scale Sopwith Triplane G62 for power 106 wingspan - Putfile.com

[jtisch]

Any maiden flight that doesn't end up with the need for a couple of large plastic trash bags,I would call successful.Congratulations!!!!

John

[Bookmaker]

Lookin good.

[WinterHawke]

CONGRATULATIONS, David, on a most successful test session.

Ye Olde Tripehound does look like a flight of stairs climbing away, doesn't it.

Looking forward to seeing her in person this summer in Muncie.

Again, congrats!!!

Lee

[DJ]

Looks great!! If you or a friend has one, Try a Menz 26-8 or a PK 28-8. The plane will groove better and slow down to land easier. Iget about 5000 RPM on my G62 in my DIII with the 28-8.