planning stages for Century scale Airstar 350

[Cletus]

Thanks Garland, glad you like, here's a pic of the mechanics on my test rig in-flight. I've just about completed her around 2:00AM today and hoping for a full-up maiden tomorrow, along with the necessary pics and video.
The mechanics flew quite well and got the thing nicely tweaked and comfortable enough flying it. Now it's in the scale fuse, I presume a few minor tweaks will be in order to compensate for the additional weight and different aerodynamics.

[Cletus]

Here's the Maiden:


....and here's a little video:

[paulmedford]

That is a pure beauty! excellent work Cletus!

[Cletus]

Thanks Paul!
For those interested, two important points to note if embarking on this project:
1) Get the upgrade Machined Aluminum Clutch Bell w/gear CN2225. I tore-up to shreds, the original plastic clutch bell this morning after only 4-flights and had to essentially auto the thing in .....NOT FUN

2) Setup the Skookum SK-720 for Sport-Flying NOT Scale flying. The scale setting has the tail and collective responses way too sluggish and you'll be wondering why the bird feels so big, heavy and lazy. With sport response, and a little expo, maybe 15%, on the cyclic, she's a joy to fly)

[MotorRotor]

Now that is sweeeeeet!! Nice scale like flying also.

[Cletus]

Upgrade aluminum clutch just installed. Hopefully, this one will last

[MotorRotor]

Originally Posted by Cletus

Upgrade aluminum clutch just installed. Hopefully, this one will last

I found the standard clutch bell find for use with the OS32 to OS46 engines, but with the higher powered electric conversions, I would definitely go with the U/G metal bell.

[Cletus]

Hoping to get off early this afternoon and go do some test flights at the field

[Canadaheliguy]

Hi Cletus, just out of curiosity, where did you place the sk720...was trying to follow the wires in the pics, but can't quite nail it down exactly.

[Cletus]

Originally Posted by Canadaheliguy

Hi Cletus, just out of curiosity, where did you place the sk720...was trying to follow the wires in the pics, but can't quite nail it down exactly.

Behind the collective servo (no it's not touching):

[Canadaheliguy]

Hi Cletus...did you have any issues with clearance between the lock nut and the side of the motor? went to fit mine last night and I'm finding the motor is rubbing against the lock nut on one side...and it's too tight to even get the lock nut in between the bracket and motor on the other side. PS:...same motor..same mechanics.
did you have to do anything fancy to get that in there?.....or is something possibly pulling my frames in together tighter than they should be..? tough to tell without a direct comparison.

[Cletus]

Originally Posted by Canadaheliguy

Hi Cletus...did you have any issues with clearance between the lock nut and the side of the motor? went to fit mine last night and I'm finding the motor is rubbing against the lock nut on one side...and it's too tight to even get the lock nut in between the bracket and motor on the other side. PS:...same motor..same mechanics.
did you have to do anything fancy to get that in there?.....or is something possibly pulling my frames in together tighter than they should be..? tough to tell without a direct comparison.

Oops! .....must have forgotten to mention it. I solved that challenge with regular nuts and loctite

[Cletus]

Had some issues crop-up (tail vibration, and the tail was all over the place, I nearly put it in a couple of times). I tore apart the tail for a rebuild, turns-out the tail-rotor assembly came from the factory put-together rather shabbily. Much slop and some cracks in the plastic moldings. Had a bunch of spare-parts on hand and i spent an hour rebuilding the assembly as it should be. Now she flies great!