Thinking of getting a 1/4 Scale Cub

[Strange82]

Hey everyone!
So, I'm looking at a nice deal on a Balsa USA 1/4 scale Cub. It's a gas powered engine. It's got a Spektrum RX, so I'll be able to use my current radios, so that'll be nice. I've got a summer of flying on my Apprentice and I'm pretty comfortable with it. Do any of you have large scale experience? Any tips or precautions to offer up before jumping in?
Thanks!

 

[pgerts]

Keep the speed up. No plane will like to be stalled - not the CUB.
Learn to fly the Apprentice in advanced mode using the rudder for all turns and land it with some speed - never let it fall the last inch.

 

[willsonman]

Pretty much what pgerts said. Keep your speed up and do not neglect your rudder. I've got one at 72" and the flaps are nice, not needed but nice. Just keep your speed up.

 

[mjcp]

1/4 scale wing span will be somewhere around 105" your eyes are used to looking and gauging range based on a 59" Apprentice... The old adage that its "twice as far away/as high as you think" will be *very* relevant here!

It was a big jump for me to go from the Apprentice to the various 40" FT models then to a 4m (158") glider... No panic button on the others... Some had lighter wing loadings and didn't penetrate well and got bounced around all over, others were so heavy they needed someone else to launch! Our field is a Heathland with no smooth areas so landings and ROG take-offs are risky every time...

Then the glider is a whole other skill set!

I guess if you have thought about the following:

Have you flown anything other than the Apprentice? (at the field, regularly, not just on the sim) Have you flown gas before? How is you dead stick handling?

If you can afford to turn it into a pile of match sticks, go for it. If have the time and skill to rebuild a dinged wing/wing box etc... go for it. If you can afford to buy and wait for the calm summer days...

go for it!

:black_eyed:

mjcp

 

[ScottyWarpNine]

I'm building a Sig quarter scale cub right now. you need to use the rudder to turn, not the aileron. The aileron is there to keep the roll under control and where it needs to be for a coordinated turn. If you just try to bank and yank with a cub, it will just keep going forward in a strange side stepping manor because of adverse yaw. They say Cubs are easy to fly, but difficult to fly well.

 

[mrwzrd59]

All these guys are basically saying the same thing to watch out for a cub falling into your turn if you're not good with a rudder yet. I have the big e-flite Carbon z cub and heeded all the warnings so I grew into flying it without the drama of a cartwheeled landing. My son in law spiked his carbon cub thirty seconds after take off and swore he was adding power and trying to roll out of the spin.....boom! Fire, smoke and of course heartache! Big Cubs are cool but you've been warned, keep up your speed in the turns and use the rudder to make it change direction, not the ailerons. "bank and yank" will not work. As for going for burning fuel over electrons, forget nitro and go with gasoline premix. It will start easier and you will be happier in the long run. I can also recommend the DLE 35 SA as a great engine!

 

[Strange82]

Thanks for all the input! I'm picking the plane up this weekend! I'm usually the kind of person that doesn't like to wish time would go by faster, but I'm REALLY looking forward to getting this bird!
I'll be practicing more with my apprentice before trying to fly the cub. I'll also wait for a very calm day to fly it.

 

[pgerts]

The ASP 160 boxer is just the right scale engine for the 1/4 cub.

 

[PeterGregory]

Good going on the 1/4 Scale Cub. Take the advice and just fly it. Don't overthink it but DO take the advice.
I picked up a Sig 1/4 Scale Clipped Wing Cub, barn-fresh, a few weeks ago. It came with an OS 120 - all servos, etc - for $125.
The engine took some heat from a heat gun and a generous amount of after-run oil, then started on the fifth or sixth flip.
I had a learning curve on the engine, though. I broke the first two props starting it on a test stand when it kicked backwards and struck my hefty chicken stick. They were used props, but new ones are $15 - $20. I need to get the engine back on the test stand and try the backwards flip method which is kind to props. I bought a very heavy pair of gloves on eBay, too - just in case.

Here's a quick vid of the engine running on the plane - the engine has been removed and I am going over the plane right now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAMc4jeV0rw

Keep us posted -
Peter

 

[Strange82]

So I picked up the Cub. I spent an hour with the seller and he talked me through all sorts of stuff on the plane, super nice guy. He also sent me on my way with several sets of plans and a few boxes of hardware, miscellaneous building materials and a bunch of different props.
So, the plane is 15 years old, far from perfect but I'm ok with. The electronics have all been updated with new RX and servos, new fuel system last spring. I spent Sunday afternoon getting started it took a few tries but I got her to wake up. The carb must have been a bit gummy from sitting, it wouldn't throttle up much before stalling out. I taxied around my field for a while, and I was getting ready to take the carb apart and it came out of it all on its own. Great throttle response now!
I also spent some time on my Dx6i set up, I've got the throttle dialed in so the cut off switch works properly and I have full throttle movement and it idles at neutral trim.
I had to work on the tail wheel, the springs were pretty mangled and it had a tendency to bind up, I'm not quite done with that yet.
I did take the time to mount the wings today. My daughter (8) has been by my side pretty much the whole time I've been working on it, and she really wanted to see it all together.
I'll keep you posted with my progress.

 

[AkimboGlueGuns]

looks like an Alaskan PA-18 super cub. In other words, you really scored. It should be a great gentle flier so long as you do it right. Remember, more rudder than aileron. It'll either be one big trainer if you fly it right, or a disaster-tastrophe waiting to happen if you try bank and yank.

 

[Strange82]

I'm just planning on crashing it. That way I can only be surprised if it goes well.

 

[The-One-Who-Never-Crashes]

Looks AWESOME! Just remember to keep your speed up and do coordinated turns. (Practice manually inputting rudder together with aileron on the Apprentice in "expert" mode, or just do a mix on your DX6i.) Remember to make sure it "mixes" the right way!

 

[Strange82]

It's supposed to be a PA-11 I'm thinking the builder was going for the PA-11 Special by the looks of the paint scheme.
I hope in the next day or two to have some time for some high speed taxi runs and a few hops. I've got to do some work in my rabbit barn though so play time may have to wait a few days.
I've been pretty much flying my Apprentice in expert mode exclusively. I didn't want to build a dependency on the training aids, so I started flying that way very soon after getting started.

 

[Frequent crasher]

OMG! that is a BEAUTIFUL cub! what manufacture is it? I'm guessing by now you have flown it, or if you are like me crashed it?

 

[Strange82]

So... I got it airborne, for a second. I wasn't ready for her to fly. I was practicing my taxing at high speed and a gust picked it up just as I hit a small rise in my field. I panicked cut the throttle, in hind sight I should've just let her fly. Instead it tip stalled dug in a wing and cart wheeled. I've got some repair work to do. A few fuselage formers, both wing tips and repair the firewall. Anyone got a set of plans they can spare? Oh well, I fully planed on crashing at some point, now that's out of the way. I figured if I'm gonna fly 'em I'm gonna crash 'em.

 

[BobK]

Sorry to hear it didn't go well. Do you know what brand it is? Maybe we can find some plans, sometimes the broken pieces of formers and firewalls can be put back together enough to make patterns. Doesn't sound like you are devastated and that is good remember it can be fixed

 

[Frequent crasher]

i was also wondering what brand, but from strange82's first post, it is a balsa usa 1/4 scale. i really like that color scheme and might build one of those cubs! i love cubs, but would like flaps. i think you could get plans from balsa usa. what engine are you using?

 

[BobK]

Oh I missed the Balsa USA part, yeah plans should be easy to get then.

 

[Frequent crasher]

i know, i even asked what brand it was! oops! i love that color though!