PT-17 Stearman 1.0

[SP0NZ]

General note: Yes it probably needs a degree or two of downthrust. I have a nice hunk of lead that lives in my nose ahead of the battery. 🤣

I don’t think the motor-pod has any angle built into it. Probably worth a release-revision. (Sorry @SP0NZ ) 😜

In the meantime, put a washer or two behind the top motor-mount-screws or trim the end of the motor-pod accordingly before gluing the firewall on.

Sorry for missing that guys!

I should have expected that by now. lol

 

[Mzaher]

If you're trimmed for level flight do you notice a sudden pitching down when you cut throttle? I wouldn't expect that behavior if the issue was incidence related (but maybe someone with an aerospace degree could chime in @Mid7night ).

OK, I finally had the chance to get her back in the air last night. Here's the skinny. I added 1 washer to increase the down thrust, reset the down trim to neutral, and raised the expo on the ailerons to 45% (mostly due to my limited stick time). The results were much better! Ended up having to use just under 1/4 of the down trim at half throttle for level flight and she only climbs a little (manageable) at full throttle. Also when I would cut the throttle, stayed right on the flight path, no pitching down. Was fun to fly, and for that reason, let's hope I can keep it in one piece until Filte Fest!

 

[wilmracer]

OK, I finally had the chance to get her back in the air last night. Here's the skinny. I added 1 washer to increase the down thrust, reset the down trim to neutral, and raised the expo on the ailerons to 45% (mostly due to my limited stick time). The results were much better! Ended up having to use just under 1/4 of the down trim at half throttle for level flight and she only climbs a little (manageable) at full throttle. Also when I would cut the throttle, stayed right on the flight path, no pitching down. Was fun to fly, and for that reason, let's hope I can keep it in one piece until Filte Fest!

Great news! I can't wait to see all the Stearman at FF this year!

 

[Yankee2003]

Just curious, those of you that have built this. How much weight are you putting in the nose to get this to balance? Even with a PLA-printed radial, I've added close to 2 ounces.

2 oz….you did good. I have a C pack and a 2500 3s shoved as far forward as it can go. I am going to be adding 3+ oz to the nose. The CG point (2.5 inches off the leading edge of the top wing) is pretty far forward in the planes length. The lower wing, most of the upper wing, plus the aft servos and the entire tail are all behind the CG point and needs to be balanced out.
I wonder if some of the down trim everyone is talking about might be from people being shy from adding weight to balance on the CG.
Either way the weight in the nose is going to be substantial.
I might weigh it out, but at this point I am going to do what is necessary to balance it. I would be interested in what others are doing to this airframe.
Glad to hear your Stearman is flying better.

 

[Yankee2003]

Stearman done. She’s not a beauty queen, but she is ready.
A final thank you to Ben, Carl and Dan.

 

[CrshNBrn]

View attachment 237630 View attachment 237629
Stearman done. She’s not a beauty queen, but she is ready.
A final thank you to Ben, Carl and Dan.

She looks gorgeous! Give her the blue ribbon- she IS a beauty queen. Good luck with the maiden!

 

[Yankee2003]

She looks gorgeous! Give her the blue ribbon- she IS a beauty queen. Good luck with the maiden!

You’re very kind. I know what level of craftsmanship you deliver.
But I will take it, thank you.

 

[wilmracer]

View attachment 237630 View attachment 237629
Stearman done. She’s not a beauty queen, but she is ready.
A final thank you to Ben, Carl and Dan.

Beauiful build! She looks fantastic!

Where did you pull the registration number? Looks like that N number is registered to an Archer now

 

[Yankee2003]

Beauiful build! She looks fantastic!

Where did you pull the registration number? Looks like that N number is registered to an Archer now

Those were the numbers that jumped in my head. And the “Tango” just looks nice.

 

[grasskisser]

It's not an AI file, it's a PDF. The PDF is in raster format, as you have already discovered. A vector file will not be provided at this time.

Sponz, when you say "at this time" . Will you ever?
This is just what I wanted and would love to make it. But I needle cut. These old hands will not take to tracing and hand cutting
Would be happy to pay for vector file or dxf.

 

[SP0NZ]

Sponz, when you say "at this time" . Will you ever?
This is just what I wanted and would love to make it. But I needle cut. These old hands will not take to tracing and hand cutting
Would be happy to pay for vector file or dxf.

That's Ben's call to make, not mine. It's his design, I just created the formatted plans for him.