FT Bushwacker CG problems

[iceman2k]

Has any one else had this problem. I have tried to move my battery all electronics as far forward as possible and it is still tail heavy. Any ideal to solve this besides adding weight to the nose? Thanks to all who help in advance.

 

[Merv]

Has any one else had this problem. I have tried to move my battery all electronics as far forward as possible and it is still tail heavy. Any ideal to solve this besides adding weight to the nose? Thanks to all who help in advance.

To overcome tail heavies, I add length to the nose. I slide the power pod until I get the plane to balance. This estimates the length to add, I generally round it up to an even number. Then I cut the nose off and add in the foam needed. A simple but joint is all that is necessary to glue the nose back on.

 

[Bifi.baarlo]

Bigger battery? I fly my Bushwacker with a 2200 4S lipo, the weight is no problem it flies pretty slow.

 

[TheFlyingBrit]

I fly mine with a 3s 2200mAh just added the extra weight to the front, it flies superb. Running with the Emax 2215/09 1180kv motor excellent power house that motor.

 

[whackflyer]

Has any one else had this problem. I have tried to move my battery all electronics as far forward as possible and it is still tail heavy. Any ideal to solve this besides adding weight to the nose? Thanks to all who help in advance.

That's a known problem with the Bushwacker. You can put your battery inside your power pod or modify the chin of the cowling so you can move the battery forward. The best way to do it is to install your firewall upside down on a power pod so you can still install the battery from the bottom but shove it up in the nose. Hope this helps!

 

[Spitfire1]

I find that MOST of the FT planes I have built are TAIL HEAVY.
The FT guys must use some HEAVY motors and batteries.
I am using a 3S 2200 GOLD to power the motor and a second one for the added weight for balance.
I like the suggestion Merv said about making the nose longer to get the balance. I think I will try that to get this balanced better without the second battery.

 

[Spitfire1]

My first Bushwacker. Love the wheels, they actually roll over grass without nosing over. I also reinforced the body with popcycle sticks and doubled the foam on the landing gear to give them more strength. I went without the vertical fins on the elevator and did not have the counter balance on either the rudder or elevator.

 

[Scotto]

I was pretty disappointed when I went to balance mine after building it. I moved my wing back as a quick fix. All bushwackers should be turbo bushwackers.

 

[WillL84]

My Legacy V2 was super tail heavy. I bought some 1/2oz fishing weights at Walmart. It took 8oz in the nose to balance it out. A half a freaking pound of extra weight in the nose.

That was using the twin motor setup (so no nose motor) and the recommended 3300mAh 3S battery all the way forward.

 

[TheFlyingBrit]

I find that MOST of the FT planes I have built are TAIL HEAVY.
The FT guys must use some HEAVY motors and batteries.
I am using a 3S 2200 GOLD to power the motor and a second one for the added weight for balance.
I like the suggestion Merv said about making the nose longer to get the balance. I think I will try that to get this balanced better without the second battery.

I don't buy the flite test foamboard because its a ridiculas price by the time it reaches the UK. I have managed to source my own foamboard from Ebay over the last few years and originally it wasn't an issue with smaller models, but as my model sizes grew so did the shift in CG. I began to realise my foamboard density was heavier than the dollar tree stuff that FT sell, hence my tail sections where tending to weigh more.
Some people hate adding nose weight and to compensate increase nose length. That's okay for one off models, prototypes and non specific designs, but doesn't work well for Scale or Warbirds.
So my resolution was and always has been to add nose weight, this inherently increases the overall model weight so it may require some mods to increase power.
I recently watched a YouTube video of a foamboard model based on a model design from the XJet channel, it was originally sub 250g but this guy had added additional reinforced packing tape and didn't spare the hot glue. It's surprisingly easy to start adding weight to a model without realising, a bit more glue here some reinforcement there.
I don't build with an expected weight in mind I get what I get, if it struggles to fly I use a bigger motor

 

[ColoFlyer]

I was pretty disappointed when I went to balance mine after building it. I moved my wing back as a quick fix. All bushwackers should be turbo bushwackers.

I agree with this totally. My first Bushwacker always had a tail heavy problem, I had to add fishing weights to the nose to get it to balance.
Once I crashed it, I decided to build another one, but this time a Turbo Bushwacker with a 3" longer nose. solved all the balance problems. Not to mention gave me plenty of room to add a nose gear. As a bonus, it flies fantastic.

 

[Monte.C]

I agree with this totally. My first Bushwacker always had a tail heavy problem, I had to add fishing weights to the nose to get it to balance.
Once I crashed it, I decided to build another one, but this time a Turbo Bushwacker with a 3" longer nose. solved all the balance problems. Not to mention gave me plenty of room to add a nose gear. As a bonus, it flies fantastic.

It looks fantastic.

 

[bwarz]

My Legacy V2 was super tail heavy. I bought some 1/2oz fishing weights at Walmart. It took 8oz in the nose to balance it out. A half a freaking pound of extra weight in the nose.

That was using the twin motor setup (so no nose motor) and the recommended 3300mAh 3S battery all the way forward.

good to know. I just picked one up partially built... will likely move the servos way forward to help reduce the tail weight

 

[Hondo76251]

It doesnt take much hot glue in the tail to make an FT plane tail heavy. If you dont mind a little patience, gorilla glue, at least for the tail, can make a huge difference.

 

[Matthewdupreez]

I fly mine with a 3s 2200mAh just added the extra weight to the front, it flies superb. Running with the Emax 2215/09 1180kv motor excellent power house that motor.

Good to know. What prop are you using on this? I'm contemplating throwing electronics in my bushwacker that I've never flown.
I'll have the exact same motor and batt setup as you. Just curious about prop size

 

[Bricks]

As mentioned it doesn`t take much to add tail weight ( or overall weight ) the finish one gives a plane can make a huge difference in how much weight has to be added to find CG.

 

[TheFlyingBrit]

Good to know. What prop are you using on this? I'm contemplating throwing electronics in my bushwacker that I've never flown.
I'll have the exact same motor and batt setup as you. Just curious about prop size

I put a 1060kv motor in mine with a 3s 2200mAh Lipo and 12" prop

 

[Spitfire1]

I agree with this totally. My first Bushwacker always had a tail heavy problem, I had to add fishing weights to the nose to get it to balance.
Once I crashed it, I decided to build another one, but this time a Turbo Bushwacker with a 3" longer nose. solved all the balance problems. Not to mention gave me plenty of room to add a nose gear. As a bonus, it flies fantastic.

I will need to make another one like yours with a longer nose. Like the vents in the top and the top hatch.

 

[ColoFlyer]

I will need to make another one like yours with a longer nose. Like the vents in the top and the top hatch.

A few inches longer nose on this plane makes it a much better balancing plane.
If you have a 3D Printer I would be happy to supply the STLs for the Hatch, Motor Mount/Cowling, and Tail Fins. You can also have the parts to print the landing gear if you want a Tricycle type gear.

 

[Spitfire1]

I do not have a 3D printer yet, but plan on buying one in the next month. What printer do you have or would recommend that won't break the bank but is still easy to use without much problems?
Yes, please send me the STl files for all that you mentioned including the Tricycle gear. Thank you!!!
If you have any sweet ideas for a parachute drop that would be great too.
I think once I get a calm day I might actually get this Bushwacker to stay in the air. I have launched it a couple of times but crashed soon after. One of these times I will get it back on the ground safely. Ha Ha.