Durafly Tundra, My First Impressions

kacknor

Build another!
Received my Tundra in the mail today about 1:00. It is now 7:30 as I start this and the plane is ready to maiden save the velcro to hold the battery. Bank, shopping dinner and life slowed me down a bit. ;)

First thoughts: The unboxing was uneventful, save the right elevator came out of the box when the top was opened. Found the hinge was ripped about 2 inches from the root.

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A bit disappointing but fixed with a little hot glue and I continued.

I've been building so many small Mini FT aircraft that this thing seem BIG. Floats are nearly 28" long, wingspan 51". I don't know what I was thinking. How am I going to fit this in the basement? Oh well!

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One thing I did notice was the side of the box, there have been questions about whether a kit will be available as an option to the ARF. Word is maybe, but the box is ready for it. If it sells the only thing I can say is why wouldn't they?

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The unboxing itself was easy and has already been covered well here by DutchRC as will be the build by somebody I'm sure, so I'll just say that it was easy. Step by step, follow the sequence in the book save for the centering servos and adjusting linkages. They say to do it long before you get to the radio install.

There were only two issues I consider more than minor, even then they're only a bit more than that. The first is an easy fix. The screws. No less that 5 different sizes, 1.7x6, 2.0x8, 2.0,18, 2.3x6, 2,3x10. Really HK? There isn't ONE location that could not have used the biggest of these. Why force us (And you) to deal with the logistics and complication? Pick one, use it everywhere. It's all good. (That said, Hobby King did a fine job of identifying and separating them). The second may due to the admitted afterthought due to late the prototype testing discovery of the need for elevator bracing. There isn't a mount hole pre-drilled (minor and understandable) but the first time I bent the tab to check placement then straightened it out to rough it up for glue the tab snapped off the brace. It fixable, but a second look at the solution is needed I think.

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OK, that's out of the way. The build went very smoothly and easy. I'm already seeing things I want to customize, but that will happen no matter what. Parts slid, attached, installed with ease. No glue required save for the broken brace and that's is listed as an option. Radio installed with lots of room for the separate ORX stabilizer I added. Lot's of room for a battery too. The longest part of the build was adjusting the controls and setting up the radio and stabilizer. Rudder and elevator are a snap with adjustable stops and grub screw. The ailerons and flaps are threaded rods with snap clips and took a bit longer.

It does look impressive in a small condo. ;)

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Weather seems to be cooperating with a nice January thaw day over 50 forecast for tomorrow's maiden.

JD
 
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Andre

Fly yes... land no.
Admin
Foam tac that ripped elevator piece. Should be fine.
Even some tape will help.

Good luck!
 

kacknor

Build another!
Foam tac that ripped elevator piece. Should be fine.
Even some tape will help.

Good luck!

I wasn't sure. I don't have Foam tac, I have Welders. I should test inside the cover to see what it does to the foam, then again...

For the price paid you would think HK could replace that stab.

I think I will. You are right, for the money it should at least start whole. by the time it gets here though, it will likely have other issues. ;)

I was surprised a bit, thinking it was the largest plane I had, but the FT Simple Storch has a bigger wingspan and is just a tad longer too. Haven't flown it in so long I forgot.

JD
 

MrClean

Well-known member
tac it with welders and then use a small piece of blender tape in there, OR just clear packing tape on the welders. The packing tape is much thinner then the 3m blender tape. You could always do the Welders/Blender thing on the top of the elevator where everyone can see. They use that on my CrackYak so you don't have control surfaces catching and tearing off. Can't hardly see it.

I REALLY wanted one of these and may still succomb but what I really really want is a 4 stroke powered PAMPA stunter that would work in Intermediate and Advanced. I probably could make advanced sometime but I'll never make Expert. Doesn't mean I don't like the sound a a 4stroke running out after the pattern. Many of you don't know what I mean, some do and detest it others just had a moment of Deja Vu.
 

Andre

Fly yes... land no.
Admin
Yes go through the CS channel with HK but I'll pop a note in to Stuart for you.

Andre.
 

kacknor

Build another!
Yes go through the CS channel with HK but I'll pop a note in to Stuart for you.

Andre.

Wow, thank you Andre!! I went 'through channels' and requested a replacement or Bonus credit based on parts/shipping (never hurts to ask), either will work fine. Not possible (or practical really) to send anything back.

tac it with welders and then use a small piece of blender tape in there, OR just clear packing tape on the welders. The packing tape is much thinner then the 3m blender tape. You could always do the Welders/Blender thing on the top of the elevator where everyone can see. They use that on my CrackYak so you don't have control surfaces catching and tearing off. Can't hardly see it.

I REALLY wanted one of these and may still succomb but what I really really want is a 4 stroke powered PAMPA stunter that would work in Intermediate and Advanced. I probably could make advanced sometime but I'll never make Expert. Doesn't mean I don't like the sound a a 4stroke running out after the pattern. Many of you don't know what I mean, some do and detest it others just had a moment of Deja Vu.

The plane is supposed to be EPO, and it did look like it melted foam a bit when I tried a small bit on the underside of the hatch. I will try a spot on the elevator itself. I have the blenders tape. Use it for the same reason but I'm not yet a 3D pilot. I still crash way too much. It is obvious the Hot glue didn't work very well.


i need one but its so expensive if the box is ready then hk is ready to release a kit.

Need? I like the way you think ;)

JD
 

kacknor

Build another!
First Flight! Bad ending.

I took it out to maiden today. Checked local weather, 9 MPH winds and 43 degree F. Great day given the time of year!

Get to the local sports complex. Feels good. Start the Mobius, very nervous but take off was fine. Hit about 30 feet of altitude and WOHA, wind! It's blowing it all over the place! That's not 9 mph! More nervous now. It flew quite well, making up for it a little. Flaps ballooned it very much, need more elevator mix. I didn't extend them past half and retracted them after only a short time. The ORX stabilizer worked, but I had it dialed way back for the first flight and it wasn't enough to do more than help a bit. Wind was causing 5 to 10 foot altitude shifts. I wasn't compensating fast enough or too much. More likely a combination. Did get in a nice loop or two, and one barrel roll (at altitude). It rolls tight! Mostly I did circuits and tried to get the feel of it. Needs rudder in the turns or it drops a wing. Stalls seemed straight and easy, but hard to tell. When power was reduced it mostly just nosed up into the wind and fell off over backwards!

Five minutes of flying later (I set the timer short), it's time to land. Approach is on the short side of a rectangle of two ballfields. First two pasess are fine, dropping altitued each time. On the third the upwind turn to final ends up low. Plane looses the air before the airspeed and it kisses wheels to ground hard, pitches up and noses in from about 5 feet.

Arrghh.

Left wing mount is torn away from the fuse. Right wheel is a tad askew also.

It was the wind. Yeah, that's it. The wind.

It is already repaired. Epoxy is a wonderful thing. Pics below. NO FLIGHT VIDEO. One might think that if you start to record on a camera the darn thing might do something, beep, vibrate or whistle when you've neglected to insert the SD card. <sigh>

20160130_125822.jpg 20160130_130744.jpg

I got to wondering about that wind as I sat in the truck about to head home. Checked my weather app again. I was snakebit. App hadn't updated because the phone was offline. Temp was actually 50, wind was steady 15 with gusts to 25. Did I mention the tall treeline around the park? No? Decent windbreak.

Good thing I like doing this. Better I can build and repair. Figure I do that long enough and flying well will come later.

Heading to the Dome tonight to break some smaller ones! No wind to blame there. Ha!

JD
 

MrClean

Well-known member
Might I interest you in the SPAD webpage? These plane were designed in Wichita, KS. 15 mph is moring, easy breezy weather. I lived there for a year and a half and the wind didn't get under 10 mph except for two days.

If the breeze is blowing, until you have a lot of experience with an airplane, never use the flaps. Light STOL planes like this will have a stall speed that is in the negatives that way. Backwards landing is cool unless you didn't mean too.

SPADfest 2012 I took my first big airplane, a SPAD Ultra Spad Stick and of course the winds were blowing 15 mph that day in Slater, MO. What a day to maiden a plane I thought to myself, then I remembered that not only was it a SPAD, it was a Big Ugly Stick. That was the last I thought about it. Flew the snot out of it all weekend until I had a certain accident involving James Brown, dancing and the landing circuit. Two of these Three are ok to do together. All three? Nyet!
 

airhawk

Crashing Ace
First Flight! Bad ending.

I took it out to maiden today. Checked local weather, 9 MPH winds and 43 degree F. Great day given the time of year!

Get to the local sports complex. Feels good. Start the Mobius, very nervous but take off was fine. Hit about 30 feet of altitude and WOHA, wind! It's blowing it all over the place! That's not 9 mph! More nervous now. It flew quite well, making up for it a little. Flaps ballooned it very much, need more elevator mix. I didn't extend them past half and retracted them after only a short time. The ORX stabilizer worked, but I had it dialed way back for the first flight and it wasn't enough to do more than help a bit. Wind was causing 5 to 10 foot altitude shifts. I wasn't compensating fast enough or too much. More likely a combination. Did get in a nice loop or two, and one barrel roll (at altitude). It rolls tight! Mostly I did circuits and tried to get the feel of it. Needs rudder in the turns or it drops a wing. Stalls seemed straight and easy, but hard to tell. When power was reduced it mostly just nosed up into the wind and fell off over backwards!

Five minutes of flying later (I set the timer short), it's time to land. Approach is on the short side of a rectangle of two ballfields. First two pasess are fine, dropping altitued each time. On the third the upwind turn to final ends up low. Plane looses the air before the airspeed and it kisses wheels to ground hard, pitches up and noses in from about 5 feet.

Arrghh.

Left wing mount is torn away from the fuse. Right wheel is a tad askew also.

It was the wind. Yeah, that's it. The wind.

It is already repaired. Epoxy is a wonderful thing. Pics below. NO FLIGHT VIDEO. One might think that if you start to record on a camera the darn thing might do something, beep, vibrate or whistle when you've neglected to insert the SD card. <sigh>

View attachment 62760 View attachment 62761

I got to wondering about that wind as I sat in the truck about to head home. Checked my weather app again. I was snakebit. App hadn't updated because the phone was offline. Temp was actually 50, wind was steady 15 with gusts to 25. Did I mention the tall treeline around the park? No? Decent windbreak.

Good thing I like doing this. Better I can build and repair. Figure I do that long enough and flying well will come later.

Heading to the Dome tonight to break some smaller ones! No wind to blame there. Ha!

JD
Sorry to hear it, I was hopping for a successful maiden hopefully you'll get a successful flights out of your smaller planes.
Best of luck,
-Airhawk
 

kacknor

Build another!
No Worries

Might I interest you in the SPAD webpage? These plane were designed in Wichita, KS. 15 mph is moring, easy breezy weather. I lived there for a year and a half and the wind didn't get under 10 mph except for two days.

If the breeze is blowing, until you have a lot of experience with an airplane, never use the flaps. Light STOL planes like this will have a stall speed that is in the negatives that way. Backwards landing is cool unless you didn't mean too.

SPADfest 2012 I took my first big airplane, a SPAD Ultra Spad Stick and of course the winds were blowing 15 mph that day in Slater, MO. What a day to maiden a plane I thought to myself, then I remembered that not only was it a SPAD, it was a Big Ugly Stick. That was the last I thought about it. Flew the snot out of it all weekend until I had a certain accident involving James Brown, dancing and the landing circuit. Two of these Three are ok to do together. All three? Nyet!

James Brown, dancing and a short final. Yup, something had to go wrong. ;) I only tossed out the flaps to.... Well just to. I had vertical room. Kinda expected the result. I've been looking at the Ugly Stick design. Does good in the wind eh? I'll keep that in mind. there are two builds in the cue and that's going to be it for a while. Got a full hanger and recently took a look at the profits Hobby King is making on me. Ouch. Going to fly more, build less for now.


Sorry to hear it, I was hopping for a successful maiden hopefully you'll get a successful flights out of your smaller planes.
Best of luck,
-Airhawk

Thanks for the good thoughts Airhawk. no worries however, all is good in Columbus and it's ready to go once again. I may have to deal with the wind, but I'll have the camera going this time so everyone can see it. lol

JD
 

airhawk

Crashing Ace
James Brown, dancing and a short final. Yup, something had to go wrong. ;) I only tossed out the flaps to.... Well just to. I had vertical room. Kinda expected the result. I've been looking at the Ugly Stick design. Does good in the wind eh? I'll keep that in mind. there are two builds in the cue and that's going to be it for a while. Got a full hanger and recently took a look at the profits Hobby King is making on me. Ouch. Going to fly more, build less for now.




Thanks for the good thoughts Airhawk. no worries however, all is good in Columbus and it's ready to go once again. I may have to deal with the wind, but I'll have the camera going this time so everyone can see it. lol

JD

Glad to hear it by the way hk has a cheap ugly stick if you want one their $105
 
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kacknor

Build another!
heh im not helping am i (;

No, you re not. But I take my own responsibility. 17 or so flying aircraft, storebought, used, kit builds, scratch builds. Parts on hand to build at least 4 more of various sizes. I really need to concentrate on flying more than building. Did good tonight, even as I was tired. No hard crashes, save one with a noob at the controls. Got some mechanical issues, but my favorites are still flyable and nothing will be retired. It's a start.

OTOH, I clicked that link to HK's Ugly Stick and read the page. If they didn't have that silly looking plastic nitro motor on it it would have been harder to say no. lol

JD
 

BobK

Banned
That fake nitro engine just screams "quality" lol, that should make most people run from buying it. Guaranteed that is not a windy day airplane.
 

kacknor

Build another!
That fake nitro engine just screams "quality" lol, that should make most people run from buying it. Guaranteed that is not a windy day airplane.

Closest thing I have to it is a Baby Baron. Wind? NOT a good thing. back to the topic, I was very impressed with how the Tundra did in the wind. My landing aside, save a few very strong gusts it flew very nice given the conditions. Yeah pushed about a bit, but it's to be expected. Scale up the plane and wind together and it was flying in a hurricane.

I have no problem with the thought of launching it into 10 or 15 mph winds. Save my skills, but they will presumably get better.. :)

JD
 

jamboree1

Active member
Ah yes, the infamous tail dragger nose over landing, the only way i found to help combat this is full up elevator when the wheels contact ground. That is a good looking model though.
 

kacknor

Build another!
Ah yes, the infamous tail dragger nose over landing, the only way i found to help combat this is full up elevator when the wheels contact ground. That is a good looking model though.

Were it only that the wing mount might have survived. This was more of a "Contact ground prematurely and too fast, pop back into the air while idiot pilot over corrects into a nose down attitude." kind of thing. :)

I basically blew the approach. Hope to try again tomorrow!

JD