Topic: 1/4 scale SE5a

Well done, Shaun.
Mike

Thank you everyone but TBH I was disappointed in how it flew.  I know I can sort out the wrinkles and have most already but it was much to tail heavy, to much movement on rudder elevators and ailerons all easy fixes.

I took the cowl off just to check everything was ok in there nothing come adrift etc and noticed the exhaust is leaking making a mess inside there.  I guess I can just use epoxy as a gasket as a lot do on glow powered motors    I don't have any exhaust gasket material only carb type stuff and guess that would get hot and blow out?  Also need to make up some washers for the retaining bolts as they were leaking black goo out to.

Below is a short video of one of the better flights although not the best one which was not recorded.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2njLYD-b3U" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2njLYD-b3U</a>

And a couple of landings the 2nd needed to be more into wind with a touch more throttle.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYBi0z9XfBU" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYBi0z9XfBU</a>

It doesn't get much better than that, does it? Perhaps a bit more nose weight needed.  Sounds like the engine isn't even trying - I would be tempted to put a really big prop on it for the looks. I am interested in the DLE engine as a possible replacement for the CRRC pro 26 that struggles slightly in the 18 + lb Morane I built.
What is the all-up weight of the Se5?

Nice one

Tiposx

Nice flying Shaun; a bit of a bike clips job with the rearward C of G    The engine sounds very realistic and powers the model a treat .It would probably fly a 1/3 scale one quite well  email sent re 1/3 wheels

Alan

The props a 20 X 8 Menz already and as I'm still running in the DLE I don't really want to load it up to much but could try something larger later I suppose.

Nice flying Shaun; a bit of a bike clips job with the rearward C of G    The engine sounds very realistic and powers the model a treat .It would probably fly a 1/3 scale one quite well  email sent re 1/3 wheels

Alan

Email received cheers Alan reply on it's way.

Bicycle clips were needed + it was my 1st flight of any kind since last year about Sept time!  I'm reluctant to post the 1st take off 

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVntz84DbtY" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVntz84DbtY</a>

 I'm reluctant to post the 1st take off 

It's still in one piece which is all that matters, nice work, she looks a treat. You can see from the vids she is quite tail down in flight, a bit of weight up front and it'll be ace 

Really looking forward to seeing her soon 

Mud

Where is the revised C of G Shaun - I'm building one at the moment.
DB quotes 5.5" behind upperwing c/s L.E.-  sounds like thats too far back
Glad you got it home in one piece, it'll be a good'un when you've tuned it

Really looking forward to seeing her soon 

Mud

Prepare to be unimpressed, it's quite nice but not fantastic.

Where is the revised C of G Shaun - I'm building one at the moment.
DB quotes 5.5" behind upperwing c/s L.E.-  sounds like thats too far back
Glad you got it home in one piece, it'll be a good'un when you've tuned it

5 1/2"    Ummmmmmmm I have no idea why but for some reason I had a mark on at 7 1/2"    That would explain a few things    I have not assembled it completely yet with the lead all out and sub-C's in the nose rather than behind the cockpit but will report back soonest probably best to wait till after the next flight as it may still be wrong.  Mine is not as per DB plan as you will have noticed from the build I think/hope I simplified the fuselage and my wings are quite different in that they are routed out 2mm liteply with no capping strips and a flat bottom rather than under-cambered.  I used flat bottomed because I did have an old twisted DB SE5a years ago and the covering kept coming off the under cambered bit, I did not build it BTW just flew it on my old Zenoah 22cc and Futaba 148 servos inc a single one on the elevators and still had no problems with it.
I think what I must have done is marked the C of G on the wing before covering it then remarked it on the outside of the covering seeing what I thought was the original mark through the dope and Diatex............. I missed 

I've mistaken dark streaks in the grain of balsa sheets thinking they were my pencil marks
Looks like I'll stay with 5.5" for the moment and wait for your next thrilling flying  instalment

She looks and sounds fabulous. Well done.  She flies a bit like my BE2e, which was a bit tail happy until I decided lead was required in the nose and that sorted it.

Good one

Hi Shaun.

Well done with the test flights, looking good!

What percentage is the CG mate?  My SE5 is almost ready for flying and I am still udecided about where I should put the CG.

Bonzey

Sorry for the delay Ken

I have mine at 6" from the leading edge of the top wing (chord is 15-1/4") and it would benefit from being moved forward just a tad more as it flew today slightly tail down in attitude.
I had 3 successful flights today 1 ending in a nose over due to a wheel seized on the axle but no damage at all.  I'm happy it's ok to fly at Barkston as it is although if I get time I may add a few ounces to the nose to make it perfect.  It came out at 20Lb but I guess with all the detail I added that's not to bad and I even had it hovering in today's slightly blustery 10mph winds without it going soggy on the ailerons or loosing height.
It was rather difficult to hear the engine today with nasty little 2 stroke glows in the area but for a moment I thought I could hear the engine slow whilst on full throttle so I landed and richen up the top end 1/6 of a turn, no issues after that (if there was one in the 1st place).  Twice I had clevises come off on the rigging this is because the wires are tight an so makes it hard to get the clevis to click shut so I will slacken them all off a turn making it easier to hear the click as the pin locates in the clevis properly.

Hiya,

Will be using your thread to help me re-cover and tart up this...



Its a Duncan Hutson Se5a - just under 1/4 scale but a very scale outline and nice detailling throughout...

bought with engine and radio for a bargain price..

Looks very nice!
Mike

Hiya,

Will be using your thread to help me re-cover and tart up this...

Really    Looks better than mine just as it is do you really need to recover it?  It has a lovely patina that takes time to get 

I know what you mean but it has been sitting in a barn for 5 years,

It was that covered in cr*p that when I bought it home my 12 year old took one look at it and said  "Where's that been?...Underground?"

We had to get very wet sponges on it to clean..

There a a couple of areas where the covering has lifted plus a couple of punctures in two of the wing panels.

The insignia are a bit childish looking too, the top decking on these kits are fibreglass mouldings with all the rivets/panels etc and these are quite scratched.

Its a shame cos the builder has done a great job with the rib taping etc

Although the wings feel very solid, I wouldnt mind stripping them to check for failed glue joints - the fus certainly has a couple of loose formers where bonded to the F/G.

Jez

Hello shaun,
fanx for getting back, i will have a measure on wot i have on mine. I had another 3 good flights yesterday in what can only be described as perfect conditions ( wonder how long till that happens again )
I have found that the handling on the Cg poz that i guessed at seems just about right for me.
Know what you mean about the clevis's popping. I am a bit worried that they may do this on mine. I have put heat shrink tubing over my clevis links and done the fuel tube trick as well on some of them. One issue that I did find was that on my last flight yesterday, I had a hinge fail on the tail skid (was not sure how long it would last!).
Apart from that to sort, it is ready to go to Barkston. Looking fwd to seeing your SE, think you may have the edge on me as far as workmanship goes!

Bonzey

Hi there Shaun,

I am new to RCMF and enjoyed and learned a lot from your build.

It is a great looking Plane with great craft-manship.

I am also in the process of building a 1/5th scale SE5a which is almost complete.

I like the way you finished the exhaust pipes on yours. Is it possible that you can maybe give me a few pointers as to how you did it. I like the rusty look but never done it before.

Thanks

Martin

I like the way you finished the exhaust pipes on yours. Is it possible that you can maybe give me a few pointers as to how you did it. I like the rusty look but never done it before.

Hi Martin

Nor had I until I did the SE5a    All I did was to rub down the balsa dope it rub down dope till it was a reasonable good finish.  Once that was done I gave it a spray coat of cellulose primer then satin black both from cans.  All that was covered up (don't know why I bothered with the black) with artists acrylics using mainly burnt umber, black, white and I think a touch of ochre?  I put the paint on a pallet in blobs and dabbed a small piece of sponge in it then on the exhaust in fairly random places and just kept building up until I thought it looked about right.  It came out quite well considering it was in poor light and looked a lot different in the day    Because the acrylic is quite thick and I worked it for some time whilst it was drying it gave a little bit of texture which makes it look a little more metal like.

Hope this helps........... I'm not saying it's the way to do it but the way I did it and it was my 1st attempt.

Thanks a lot Shaun, This helps a lot.

I am definitely going to try it on mine.

Thanks
 

I am definitely going to try it on mine.

Thanks
 

Have a go at anything I'm messing about (and messing up) weathering and rib stitching on my Pup build but I'm learning all the time (I hope) but if you don't try you wont learn.

I'm hunting around for the Vickers Ian gave me, it kept dropping off because i did not permanently fix it not knowing if I would need more painting etc. and I put it "somewhere safe"    I would have liked it on before Barkston as it finishes it off nicely.

I'm selling it what's it worth?  Not what you would offer but what's it worth?  I think without engine is best way to offer it as it will take a wide range from 2 stroke glow, 4 stroke glow to largeish petrols.  I'm now thinking when I replaced the G38 as I needed a little lead in the tail end I was wrong and was going to the wrong C of G mark!!

Nobody got an idea of it's value      At Barkston someone mentioned £600 without engine possibly more is that reasonable?

I don't think anyone wants to see you sell it Shaun, we want to see you enjoy it 

It's causing me stress, it's worth more than anything I have, it's going to get damaged due to my lack of space.  I have put to many hours in it to stuff it in or damage it moving it around so I can work on other things so I would rather see someone else enjoy it........... just to stressy for me 

Is the £600 to much? I believe there was a 1/4 scale camel bought last year which needed finishing and £800 was parted with for it but that did have a small Zenoah up the front.

Shaun
That's a really sad post to read. After all that work you deserve to enjoy that superb model.
Mike

I'm with Mudflap.  You put a lot into that aeroplane and I think you'd regret selling it.   I know what you mean re stress.  I've just started back into flying again this year after the Winter lay-off (and lack of interest) and I realise I'm trembling whilst I have a model in the air.  Daft, isn't it? 

Geoff

you deserve to enjoy that superb model.
Mike

That's the thing, I don't feel I do, everything I have is a bit tatty rough and ready maybe because I like it that way I don't know  .  I'm not lokinf for offers just a reasonable price range so I can get it photed and advertised properly here, the BMFA and if that fails Ebay it no reserve just so I don't have to worry about damaging it moving it.  It's very unlikely I would stuff it in flown in any normal conditions it's easy to fly.......... I little more difficult to fly believable but all bipes are.
My garage is full to the brim to the degree that today I'm covering the fuselage on my pup and having to do it outside.  My trailer is also full and as we hope to be moving house some time this year I don't want the stress of moving one more airframe.  I don't cope well with all this so just want it done and out of the way.  I am on a downer right now but feel no different to before I took the dive so am confident I wont regret moving the SE5a on to someone that will enjoy it and fly it more than once every 3 month as I might.

Perhaps the 2nd hand WW1 market is slow right now  but I would be grateful for any suggestions to it's value.

As a dispassionate outsider I would say that anything north of £550 for the airframe would be fair. The market just won't support a price that truly reflects the builder's time and skill - you would be looking at around £1500 if it did - but any one forking out 500 or 600 quid is going to cherish your model, and you can be pretty certain of it going to a good home.

I'm probably out of step with the general feeling on this thread, but I try not to get too emotionally attached to my models. Selling off surplus aircraft does provide funds for a new project. And we should be looking forward, bot back, don't you think?

As a dispassionate outsider I would say that anything north of £550 for the airframe would be fair.

Thanks for that it gives me a starting point    Anyone else with a figure so I can get an average.

Hi Shaun

I have just bought a couple of models, Square Head's Bristol m1c and Von Sheephovens Camel,( badly in need of a cheer up )   so I'm trying to sell some stuff to replenish my dosh levels .I'm not having a lot of luck finding punters, even asking what I think are sensible prices ie. an untouched  Reeves 1/4 pup kit at £255.  and a nice geared up  Hannibal at £150 . If you are determined to sell the SE please don't reduce the price below £600 just to shift it quickly, its worth all of that, but the market at the moment isn't good. I'm not sure that stuff is fetching much on EBay ether

Alan

As a dispassionate outsider I would say that anything north of £550 for the airframe would be fair. The market just won't support a price that truly reflects the builder's time and skill - you would be looking at around £1500 if it did - but any one forking out 500 or 600 quid is going to cherish your model, and you can be pretty certain of it going to a good home.

I'm probably out of step with the general feeling on this thread, but I try not to get too emotionally attached to my models. Selling off surplus aircraft does provide funds for a new project. And we should be looking forward, bot back, don't you think?

Paul
You are probably right; look forward not back, and don't get emotionally attached.?
Just cannot do it; i wait months (years have been known) before I'll test fly a model ive enjoyed (loved) fettling.
Look forward; not back. ?
look at my Forum name to see what a sad old 'look backer' I am...

It's gotta go, I will do a proper advert and get it on the BMFA shortly I have just not got round to it yet.  I was reading back this thread a couple of days ago funny how you forget all the heart ache and time that goes into something.  There is still a small repair to do on the top wing but nothing serious about the same as my other nose over but I'm very angry with myself for taxing it off the runway at Barkston    I know better but was trying to clear the runway for safety reasons........... stupidity,  WW1 don't taxi write it down 400 times on the black board "WW1 don't taxi".

The top wing is repaired and repainted on the top surface but Phil's has not more of the doped linen I originally had it's not made any more so I will either try colouring the WBC with a little artists acrylic or just put the new paint on as is and leave it as a scale battle damage repair    The repair went very well and is as good as new structurally although as I said the patch can be seen + colour difference personally I think it adds to it's "been in the war" look.
Once I get it all painted up and everything checked pout again I will take it for a flight if only to finish running in the DLE, I may convert my Sovereign engine (same as NSS has fitted to his DVIII) and fit that instead of the DLE as I would like to keep that for a future project.

As a dispassionate outsider I would say that anything north of £550 for the airframe would be fair. Any one forking out 500 or 600 quid is going to cherish your model, and you can be pretty certain of it going to a good home.

I have dropped the price to £500 (without engine).

Sigh............ Weather is not great so it's not been out again, still unsold but apparently you need to advertise to sell    Must group my poop and make an effort to sell it on BMFA, LMA, RCMF etc and if all else fails Ebay.
Nothing wrong with it I just don't fancy flying it right now and if I had the space I would keep it till I did.

I have had a very nice but hard day, a really nice chap turned up to buy the SE5a we went through it thoroughly ran the engine up, such a sweet engine I will definitely be having another and a deal was struck    What a nice chap he gave me a little more than I was asking and I truly feel it's gone to a great home but watching it drive away in the back of the car was really hard 
Going over it all today checking everything was in good order I recalled all the effort and myself I put into it and TBH didn't want to sell it but a deal is a deal and like I said it's gone to someone that will love it and enjoy flying it so for that I'm happy.

Someone from the forum Shaun?

Are we likely to see it at any of the flyins?

A LMA member who is aware of the forum but not sure if he posts here I doubt it will be seen at any fly-ins we are likely to attend which is a shame he is a top bloke.  He is very passionate about aviation and is an experienced flier so hopefully the SE5a will live on for many years giving a lot of enjoyment.

Cracking model Shaun, glad it's gone to a good home

Alan