CL and RC with the SAME airplane...??
CL and RC with the SAME airplane...??
Its not as far fetched as it may sound.
When you build an RC kit plane and convert it over to a CL aircraft, there are only a few
modifications that must be made. Let's review what those are.
1st. The Wing Saddle,
Bulkhead for the wing alignment pegs and mounting bolt plate need to be re-enforced with
doublers and gussets. This modification will not alter any of the RC flight
characteristics of the model, but is mandatory if your plane is to withstand the
"pull test"
at a contest.
2nd. Wingtip weight is added to the (R) Starboard wing, to compensate for the control line leadout wire in the (L) Port side wing.
3rd. Rudder and Ailerons are set or locked off to Neutral for control line, unless they are "piggy-backed" to Throttle, to add proportional Right Rudder and Right Bank as Throttle is decreased . Tail Dragger planes should have tail wheel set to straight and locked down. (This presumes, and it is recommended, that NO yaw compensating Trust Off-set be built in. Engine mounting must be "0" degrees left and right. If there is any off-set recommended in the kit plans, most likely it will be for pitch compensation.) Normally the thrust off-set would be something to compensate for a tail high or tail low flight characteristic, inherent in that particular plane.
So, how can we fly one plane both RC and CL. In Theory....here's how you do it....
The wing is detachable anyway and is already modified for added strength for CL. This will make no difference in RC. However, Where the Elevator Servo would go..in the center of the wing....provision for a hardwood plate holding the Elevator CL Bellcrank must be made. This can be done right over and on top of the tray or rail where the servo goes.
When building the model, if you use blue Nyrod tube to channel the lead-out wires through the wing...this will allow the lead-outs to be removed easily and put back with little problem.
In the Starboard wing....simply make a hatch that will allow you to remove the Tip Weight.
The Decoder and Receiver Compartment must also have an access hatch, so that the Decoder can be replaced with your radio receiver.
Procedure in steps:
1.
Disconnect Elevator pushrod from CL Bellcrank.
2. Un-bolt hardwood Bellcrank Plate from over Elevator
Servo position
and slide Bellcrank and Lead-outs...out of the plane.
3. Cover Lead-out holes in wingtip with scotch tape.
4. Insert Elevator Servo and re-connect Elevator
Pushrod to Servo Arm.
5. Connect Nose Gear or Tail Gear to Rudder
6. Disconnect "Y" connection for
Ailerons, Rudder and Throttle
7. Un-plug servo leads from ScaleMaster Decoder
and replace Decoder
with your RC Receiver. Plug servo leads into their respective
positions
and replace battery hook up.
8. Check all plugs and screws. Assemble wing to
Fuselage.
In the case of the P-47. The tail wheel would be disconnected and locked down in neutral for Control Line flying and re-connected to Rudder for RC. The same would be true for planes with a nose gear.
Granted, this takes preparation and some building experience. But, the concept is sound and it can be done. Attention needs to be placed on servo placement and arm position so that the "neutral" points are closely matched. This should be done while in the building stage and/or before going to the field to fly.
A reverse procedure can be done to convert and existing, already built RC plane to CL. Drill bit extensions to make Lead-out holes and a Bellcrank Plate are not that hard to do. Adding wingtip weight is just as simple.
In short......Isn't flying what it is all
about? Given the choice wouldn't you rather have a multi-purpose aircraft that you
could fly in both categories and divisions of contests?
We no longer have to limit ourselves to just one sport or area of the model aviation
hobby. Its ALL there....if we just take a little time and make a little effort to
achieve it.
Happy Landings