Mighty "Mini" PBY-5A Catalina - WWII Flying Boat

[Battery800]

that was quick!

 

[Homey]

Cowlings and skins finished up. Templates for canopy and observation bubbles taped on for the pic. So well designed!

Peter

 

[Homey]

Pontoons and cf braces. It is a solid build. Smooth it out and waterproof, maiden, then paint!

Peter

 

[Homey]

Had to switch up the props. The 5x4.5x3 looked cool, but not enough thrust. These 6045's have way more thrust but way less clearance! Lol

Peter

 

[Homey]

Too cold for a maiden, so messed around in the back yard taxiing. Plenty of thrust now!

Peter

 

[Homey]

And the maiden.

Peter

 

[Homey]

K, New plan. 5x45 bullnose. Clearance and enough thrust!

Peter

 

[Homey]

Good enough from a few feet away! Lol.

Peter

 

[danskis]

Very nice.....and now you don't need to worry about it going in the lake!

 

[Homey]

What can you see? (besides the crappy pilot) I thought maybe esc, but I came home and ran them up and down for a couple of minutes and they were equal.
Maybe best to replace both to make sure? They are just cheapos and mess up intermittently? That's my guess. Thoughts?

Peter

 

[Homey]

What can you see? (besides the crappy pilot) I thought maybe esc, but I came home and ran them up and down for a couple of minutes and they were equal.
Maybe best to replace both to make sure? They are just cheapos and mess up intermittently? That's my guess. Thoughts?

Peter

So maybe it's this stuff:
- uneven dihedral
- the fact the motors are so close together (although the props are contra-rotating)
- not enough vertical stabilization? Maybe add wingtip canards?
- the fact the angle of attack of the wing is so pronounced in design?
- maybe I have to fly faster and leave the throttle alone?
I just don't know! I'll try all the design stuff I can and let you know. If you have any ideas or thoughts, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[danskis]

I've never made a twin... But maybe back to basics. Thrust angles, CG or wing warp or surface alignment

 

[Rhaps]

I'd wager it's GC.
Tape a coin to the nose and see if it flies better.
(I mean the plane's nose)

 

[Homey]

I'd wager it's GC.
Tape a coin to the nose and see if it flies better.
(I mean the plane's nose)

Lol. Thanks! You know, I'm already flying it a bit nose heavy, but because the wings have a few degree angle of attack, this makes sense. I think I'll push the battery forward a bit more.

Peter

 

[Homey]

Had to get out, even though it was windy and cold..... cabin fever!

Peter

 

[Homey]

Had to get out, even though it was windy and cold..... cabin fever!

Peter

Going back in this thread, I had some problems and bounced around a lot of ideas I got here.
It ended up being a low transmitter battery! So stupid..... range disappeared! Lol