Guillow's Cessna 108, 200% scale, eflight build

[SaucerGuy]

I picked up this little kit from the LHS for $9.00, had the plans enlarged 200% so I get a 40" wingspan. I plan upon converting it to e-flight, aileron/elevator control and covering it with Ultracoat.

This one is for nostalga purposes since I built the original kit as a child and it flew quite well, this one should be a real floater so it won't need to be built for performance and I shouldn't even need to add the usual carbon fiber tube on the leading edge of the wing, but may change my mind on the last one once I start. I plan upon taking it out for the days I just want to relax as well, which is another one of the reasons I'm going for that configuration, also, for some reason, when I was a kid, I always leaned towards the Cessna's for some reason.

[Bill G]

I've heard of folks enlarging those small Guillows built-up designs, and having nice planes. They seem like they would lend to it, and I've thought of doing the P51 that way. I've enlarged the the 30" Hellcat by 125%, and the 25.75" FW190 by 200%, although they are form and stringer designs.

While you're at it, convert the kit too.:D
My 20" Guillows Cessna 150 flies well enough to be a first time trainer.

Bill

[SaucerGuy]

Convert the kit too, like I need another project hehe, what a good idea. What size motor and battery pack did you end up with on yours? Do you have any build photo's, it would make converting the kit easier since room is very limited. Also, do you think it would do well with just tail feather control?

I was also thinking of building the kit per the original free flight plans and have it piggie back on the RC plane so I can launch it from the air. I think the larger RC version would also make a nice trainer, I'd just hate to have a noob behind the creation due to the amount of time it's going to take to build it.

Again, Nice Work !!

[Bill G]

Convert the kit too, like I need another project hehe, what a good idea. What size motor and battery pack did you end up with on yours? Do you have any build photo's, it would make converting the kit easier since room is very limited. Also, do you think it would do well with just tail feather control?

I was also thinking of building the kit per the original free flight plans and have it piggie back on the RC plane so I can launch it from the air. I think the larger RC version would also make a nice trainer, I'd just hate to have a noob behind the creation due to the amount of time it's going to take to build it.

Again, Nice Work !!
Thanks for the comments.
This conversion was one of my best engineered Guillows jobs.
The build thread is here, starting on page 3 of the thread:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=348440&page=2
Even the nosewheel steers.

The plane is vastly overpowered with a DD 12mm Feigao bl motor and a small 3s lipo batt. Uses just a few clicks of throttle.

[SaucerGuy]

So you are scratchandbash, or are you Roger? That 150 looks really nice in that build thread, amazing how a simple 10.00 kit can turn out to be the pride of the fleet. I'm not huge on sheeting these kits except where mandatory, I like to see the bones and tend to internalize reinforcement with them lately, this also helps with the inerta encountered with the gear since it can serve two purposes at once.

I'm going light with the 200% scale version, in the micro one, I may end up getting a two cell and very small bl/esc since it's just not going to require alot of thrust if I get the gis of that build, then again, still debating if I want to just leave it as what is was originally intended to be, a free flight plane.

Overall, these are very similar planes, glad to see the 150 went so well, I hope the same goes for the 180.

Again, good job, this is what it's all about in the builders circut.

[Bill G]

So you are scratchandbash, or are you Roger? That 150 looks really nice in that build thread, amazing how a simple 10.00 kit can turn out to be the pride of the fleet. I'm not huge on sheeting these kits except where mandatory, I like to see the bones and tend to internalize reinforcement with them lately, this also helps with the inerta encountered with the gear since it can serve two purposes at once.

I'm going light with the 200% scale version, in the micro one, I may end up getting a two cell and very small bl/esc since it's just not going to require alot of thrust if I get the gis of that build, then again, still debating if I want to just leave it as what is was originally intended to be, a free flight plane.

Overall, these are very similar planes, glad to see the 150 went so well, I hope the same goes for the 180.

Again, good job, this is what it's all about in the builders circut.
I'm not Roger. He was cheering me on, though:D.
I thought you remembered the "ewo" stuff from the other place.:D

It literally is one of the most prided planes of the fleet. It turned out much better than I ever expected, especially for a little 10 dollar kit. As for the sheeting, I used ultralight 1/32" balsa for the plane. I buy this stuff up whenever I find it, since most of the sheeting available in the shops is of the "ironwood" variety.:eek:

As for the build thread, it does get a bit confusing when there are 3 builds in one thread.
I always thought it made sense to add a new build to an existing thread, so folks can find more info on a specific plane with less search effort.

Bill

[SaucerGuy]

So you "are" scratchandbash then, that helps me understand who I'm talking to since I remember you from the other forum and we were always on good terms. In fact, before I even delved into any plane related forums, I was scratch bashing foamies not knowing if anybody else did it in that manner and after discovering others did, your screen name I took particular note of.

Not trying to bring in old politics, I can't believe you got banned for an avatar, I doubt it was obscene or something breaking any real TOS, not sure what you mean with "ewo", I do recall a few members were completely out of line and there is one guy that trolls those forums just to report any micro fraction of discrepency to the admin even though nobody took any public offense to it at all. I left that place, moved onto another forum where they made me moderator and eventually site admin, so if I didn't cut the mustard, I'd never gained rank like that, but that's all behind me now, and again, not trying to bring up old politics, I'm sticking with WF and RCU. I like the WF style, with the members to how it's moderated to even how the forums are set up for ease of navigation. The fact they aren't forcing the banner ads or cluttering it up with ad's really helps keep this place a close knit group. I also like just being one of the guys and even more so, there are alot of builders here which is a big reason I love this hobby, and in fact, I get bored if all I'm doing is flying.

Also, I gotta ask, do you still participate with RCG?

That build log, it looks like you were the only one to actually complete your plane, I'll reference it once I start into the smaller one, but since these are two different planes, I'm still going to be breaking new ground which is good since that added challenge is part of the fun.

[Bill G]

Yep, I posted a guy's pic in my avatar:D, and got banned for the 10, or whatever points they gave me for it. I even got the pic from their site.:eek:
Yes, I'd rather have members as moderators, unlike that other place where "certain" members have been allowed by the admin to be "self appointed" moderators, like the one who got me banned.
I knew I would get banned from minute one taking him on, but he started crap with me completely unnecessarily, not even being his business, and I took him on to the fullest as he deserved. Why? Simply because he thought I would put up with his highly degrading comments and do nothing, due to his status.

Did you see the latest AMA parkflyer plan? Looks like its all you.:)
Very similar to what you will be doing here.

Bill

[SaucerGuy]

I guess that's one of the reasons I left, it seems that a few are excactly that, self appointed moderators and choose to insult people rather then using reason. I was a little floored talking to a few members that were regulars got banned in the past, so it's not just one individual or circumstance, it's bad managment overall which is why people end up leaving them in the end. I'm glad you are aboard here, I assume you don't post there any more, I haven't since I left and really never looked back even though I get reminded of the place from time to time with people posting links to build logs there.

I'll have to check out that AMA sphele, it is cool it's showcasing a similar plane, I'll begin construction next week, I'm due for some serious build and flying time since I've been killing myself on the job non stop for the past 4 months without taking a day off.

That all said, if I knew you were ScratchandBash, we could have cut through the chit chat at the very beginning, I know I'm talking to a player in the building world here. There is no need to hold your head in shame over some stupid game another forum put you through, I for one have alot of respect for what you have done and shared with the rest of us and hold that well above that other place buddy.

[SaucerGuy]

Well, on a side note here, I may put the 108 to the side and build the Guillow's Cessna Skyhack 172, it's a giant scale kit, and at 36" wingspan, no need to scratch build it. In fact, this one screams e-conversion, I can't believe it was designed in 1973, this is by far the most e-flight ready kit I've seen Guillow's put out, the ailerons, elevator, rudder, etc. are already set up by default to be functional so there will be no need to revise anything at all with it.

I picked it up yesterday because the LHS gave me another $10.00 off on the next purchase of 20.00 or more, and at 41.00 for the kit and it's size, I figured it made a good impulse buy, should be a simple build. Upon opening the box, I was very surprized about all of the extra's it had, ton's of detailed elments on this which will keep custom fabrication to a minimum, but alot more parts then I thought it would have, so it's going to be a fun build. The more I get into these Guillow's kits, now being an adult with an adult budget so can afford the expensive ones, the more respect I have for them, just one thing, consistincy is not there, ie. you simply do not know what you are getting until you open the box.

I have one reccomendation all vendors that sell these really should take to heart. If it's a LHS, take the shrink wrap off of the box and let the experienced potential clients go through it so they can see what they are getting, take it out yourself if they are inexperienced. Online vendors, take detailed photo's of the box's content including the instructions "this one has a very detailed set of them". Both will find dramatic increases in sales of these, if I would have known the kit was this nice, I would have bought it long ago.

On the opposite side of that coin, I did do a Javelen scratch build e-conversion with blown up plans last year, the die cuts in the original stock are indisinguishable and even a die hard such as myself cannot build from the original stock, a new builder, of which is what that one is supposed to be geared towards would be completely turned off to this aspect of the hobby if this was their first kit. I did build a Lancer a few years ago, it was better quality stock and buildable, but if I were the seller of the original Javelin, I'd send it back to Guillow's knowing it's not going to be usable outside of the plans.

[SaucerGuy]

I had a free Friday evening so I pulled out the 108 kit and decided to start putting it together as it was originally designed for, mainly thinking, I may be launching it from it's bigger RC version piggy back style.

The original build is a blur of course, but I'm glad I started on this one as is, stock and didn't even retrofit the die cuts for the most part., There are going to need to be some revisions in the RC version overall regardless and now I have a better understanding for what those need to be from the get go, mainly structural. I'll be revising the plans with the 200% scale version as I go along.

It's cool to get this far, this fast, I opted to see how quickly it would take to get the bones together on it, I still have plenty of sanding to do, but as you can see, it's taken form already in one evening. I may have it ready to fly tomorrow, I may even cover it, or part of it in tissue for nostalga sakes as well. I still have some Solite left over, will see how far that goes and decide from there. This is definoutly a light build and am keeping it in that context and of course, above all, keeping it fun.

The die's used on it were actually very good, I'd reccomend this kit for first time balsa builders, it's a pleasure to assemble.

The photo shows everything loosly taped and pinned in place.

[SaucerGuy]

I'm moving the build thread over to the builders section of the web site, here is the link:

http://www.wattflyer.com/forums/showthread.php?p=215704#post215704

I'll see you all there, that's where the rest of the updates will occure.