Official Black Horse 2280mm F4U Corsair thread

[predman]

Like I’ve mentioned I’m not a pro, not a newbie. A warbird must have retracts in my book! With the price point of this arf the retracts should be working and up to date, as with all motionrc products. Why they would continue to sell this with the older retracts with issues, then offer for sale newer ones is unacceptable. If I knew the retracts with this arf I bought were the “older” ones and not the new and improved I wouldn’t have purchased this. The solution just buy “Robarts”? Spend another $500? Getting close to toprc at that price.

[TwistedGrin]

I flew my bird often with Landing gear "Fixed Deployed" while contemplating my next step. After a couple of flights I easily made the decision to upgrade with Robart retracts.

Once you get the retracts sorted out.....I am confident you will immediately not remember that effort once you begin to fly it

TwistedGrin

[predman]

My retracts are the older ones, they included in this Corsair i bought, they have to be. The spare ones on the spare parts list are different including the tail retract. Frustrating as since it came with these, spare parts for them aren’t even listed for sale. The tail retract gave out, goes half way and shuts off or just gets stuck skipping. This arf was not cheap and I thought I was getting, the latest improved as advertised, but not the case. I’ve been buying from motion for a long time now and have always been pleased with their products and customer service. The actuator on these stock old ones have just a worm gear with no “coupling “ or sleeve. Of that worm gear get the slightest bend anywhere it will fail. Very frustrating!

[TwistedGrin]

Correct....this airframes retract are "Electric Worm Gear" both mains and tail.

I am nearly certain they are Phoenix hardware:
Tail Retract: http://phoenixmodel.com/AccessoryDetail.aspx?id=689

MotionRC Main Retract: Replacement motor actuator is different from original; does not ship with the trunion barrel; can't get the set screw out of the original trunion barrel
Photo attached
Top:Original Retract assembly
Middle: Original Motor Actuator shaft to the worm screw failed
Bottom: New Replacement Motor Actuator....needs the worm screw trunion barrel

I then purchased the Robart electric retracts for the Main gear

TwistedGrin

[predman]

This Corsair I have must have come with the older retract system, It doesn’t have the bell crank or that type of actuator. The motor just has a worm gear, I believe that’s where the flaw is. Everything should work correctly out of the box as with anything we purchase. If I had known I would have to order Robarts for this I would’ve just bought the TopRc Corsair. I pulled the trigger reading it’s a new design etc. the tail retracts are different than the spares I’ve purchased after 2-shipments of this plane at motion. So I am starting to believe this is an old stock. Now since I had to remove the retract I have to replace the pull pull too! All I wanted was a nice plane to fly without worrying about stressing too much as with flying my more $ planes. I don’t want to take a chance in the air and belly landing or cartwheeling because of gear failure and possibly ruining my radial engine as well. The plane isn’t even off the bench and having issues!

[TwistedGrin]

I believe the Blackhorse retracts are Phoenix hardware and electronics (as with the retract controller board)......I have the 80inch Phoenix P-40E so far the main gear is holding up just fine but the tail wheel failed. The trunion itself stripped out...whereas the motor and two stage screw works just fine. I overcame this by fastening a nut onto the trunion.....very tedious. I tried to solder the nut onto the trunion but could not get the metals hot enough for the solder to hold. I overcame this by cutting a slot on both side of the nut to hold a wire on each side and twisting it onto the trunion then running up the retract assembly to get everything in sync.

P-40 tailwheel repair:
TwistedGrin

[TwistedGrin]

The BH Retracts struts and twist-turn housing are fine....the motor actuators are the weak link one of mine broke. The motor actuators received from Motion did not have a means to attach to the retract. I replaced the mains with Robart electric retracts - even one of their motor actuators failed. After replacing the failed Robart electric retract motors - the mains seem to be holding up just fine. The tail wheel retract was failing to run its secondary screw output....several occasions I had to deburr and grease it up...run it several times to make it run both stages....working fine now.

https://youtu.be/pBFcNgcRz70

TwistedGrin

[predman]

Of course another issue, tail retract failed! This bird is still on the bench amd not even fully assembled! I have the BH P-40 and have zero issues with the mains or the tail retract. The p40 mains have the “duck foot” instead of the pins to rotate the main struts. Also the tail retract on the p40 has the “bell crank”. The Corsair I have received just recently I believe has the old gear, which has already failed before even completing the plane. I do know how to build and fabricate but for this price I shouldn’t have to! Pictured is a topflite corsair I’ve built from wood, fiberglassed, panel lines, rivits, painted insignias etc. I’m not a pro, nor newbie but this bh Corsair is making me second guess my purchase. I am relying on motionrc now so o can get this bird flying.

[predman]

Really starting to think my kit was a refurb, installed the tail retract and the retract wire barely reaches to under the canopy area, way too short to reach to plug into the controller in the correct location. See pic!

[predman]

Another issue surfaced with the build, the tail retract u it does not sit flush in the mount in the fuse. The tail retract has angles where it seats, amd the mount on the fuse is not designed for this so it will not seat flush. Has someone else experienced this?

[TwistedGrin]

The Admiral GP60 180KV motor; Castle 160amp ESC, 12s dual 6s 100c 8000mAh Lipo, 2s 3200mAh LiFe reciever battery, 2s 2600mAh LiPo Robart retract Battery, flying via 12x22 XOAR PJN prop performs excellent. I am now comfortable performing Loops, Aileron rolls, Hammer Head turns, Immelmans, Cuban Eights, 1000ft horizontal figure eights, touch-n-go, near knife edge display passes......flight times at or near 5min30sec landing at or near 3.79v per cell. I am hoping to extend the flight time by reducing throttle more and more. Currently I think I am flying at or near 75% throttle......I need at least 6min to complete my Scale Masters routine which includes touch-n-go to get two manouvers covered in the same pass to cut down on flight time....considering 9000mAh LiPo depending on the weight and expense of the LiPo's.....hate buying new LiPo's for one specific aircraft.

TwistedGrin

[TwistedGrin]

06-19-23 11:00am CDT to 2:00pm CDT Heat index 112degrees, furnace winds at or near 8-12mph choppy gusting conditions but on the nose down the runway......fitting today for 4 flights on Fireball 8. Confirmed performance is excellent with the reduced prop size down to the XOAR 22x12PJN. Still has plenty of power and bite....flying at my transmitter setting high rates with the Aura8 stabilizer gains at the dial 1'Oclock position. Robart retracts and new controller board worked perfectly. This is a top tier performing R/C aircraft.....hands down excellent flyer. I would have liked to fly it all day but it's just too hot for me....I can do 101degrees but once 110 is breached I'ma outta that.

No video of today's flights but did take a photo of the field today while another pilot and I had the field to ourselves before locking the gate and leaving the surface of the sun

TwistedGrin

[TwistedGrin]

1. It "Might" require Flap to Elevator compensation - this is usually resultant of CG and Elevator trim setting at normal flight - your results will vary
2. I do NOT employ flaps at take off
3. The piece that you have referred to earlier in this thread is meant as a removable battery tray.....I found the motor boxes supplied did NOT work for my motors to cowling fitment. I "think" this piece was intended to be a tray for these.....I use this piece as a battery tray support...just laid it on top of the existing tray for added support.

TwistedGrin

[N4Speed]

Reporting successful fire repair maiden of my BH Corsair....Robart landing gear retracts worked perfectly, all of the replicated replacement components worked as desired (180Kv GP160 motor, 160amp ESC, new switches, battery set up, Aura8 receiver stabilizer etc etc)...

Glad fire repair worked out for you. Your posts have been very helpful as I am assembling mine. I have couple of questions:

1 - Does it require flap to elevator compensation? if so, up or down elevator?
2 - Do you use any flap for take off?

[TwistedGrin]

Reporting successful fire repair maiden of my BH Corsair....Robart landing gear retracts worked perfectly, all of the replicated replacement components worked as desired (180Kv GP160 motor, 160amp ESC, new switches, battery set up, Aura8 receiver stabilizer etc etc)

The XOAR 22x12PJN prop worked well although definately observed lower WOT top speed however as eCalc numbers project - Peak Amp loads and temperatures will remain within limits even at WOT....as opposed to the 24x12 that exceeded calculated loads at or near 90% throttle.

Really enjoy the size and presence of this airframe......responds very well to throttle inputs and lands super smooth. I took off for the first test flight, landed at 2min:30 seconds....adjusted some transmitter settings and took off again for some WOT passes and flap trimming, then landed again at 2min:30 seconds......all good.

Looking forward to flying this bird every chance I get.

Highly recommend this Blackhorse model......

I have a few seconds video of yesterdays flights but only available on our club Facebook page.
Facebook: Greater Southwest Aero Modelers

https://www.facebook.com/Coptergraphics/videos/167749546124913?idorvanity=897108777041350

TwistedGrin

[davegee]

Thanks! I did take out the foam that comes inside the chute, head pulled it down. Will need to alter so I can get it all the way down! Thank for the tip!

You bet, my pleasure! The manufacturers did a pretty good job on this pilot figure, great for 1/6 or 1/5 scale airplanes. Unless you really researched it, you couldn't know how the seat parachutes would look. That technology disappeared pretty much after WWII for more sophisticated parachutes and harnesses.

As you mentioned, you might need to pull some of the padding out of the parachute case if he sits too tall in the seat on top of his parachute pack. And, they made the straps too short at the manufacturer so it might not get quite so far so he can actually sit on it. But if you can pull it down so all his parachute straps are fairly straight, you'll have it pretty much as they looked on the real things back in the day.

I'll attach a pic of one of those pilots in 1/6 scale that I had in a P-47M gasser I flew in competitions several years ago. You can see that the parachute straps with the black stitching are fairly straight, and the other white strap you see is one of the shoulder harnesses for the seat belt system. Fortunately, my wife could do some modifications to make it just right to my tastes.

Happy flying!

Davegee

[predman]

Thanks! I did take out the foam that comes inside the chute, head pulled it down. Will need to alter so I can get it all the way down! Thank for the tip!

[davegee]

Cockpit redone! 3d printed with a nicer detailed pilot! Now she looks great!

Looking great! I have used these pilots on larger planes before that I think were really well done and make the cockpit look better, too. One small observation, for what it's worth. The parachute that this pilot comes with is a seat-type parachute. It looks like the parachute case is right behind his head, where it would be better if you pulled it down to where he is actually sitting on it in the pilot seat. The white parachute straps would be pretty taut or straight without being loose as they appear in the pictures. Totally up to you, but since you have worked so hard on the rest of the cockpit, if all you do is pull the parachute down so he is sitting on it, you'll be all set. I think even the manufacturer of this pilot figure made the straps too short to sit under his butt. My wife had to add some extra material to make it work right. That may be more work than you care to do.

I'll attach a couple period photos that show how these things were worn.

Again, nice job on your cockpit!

[N4Speed]

Hi Guys,

I received my BH Corsair last week and started assembling it. The gears seem solid, I put a few drops of lub on the worm gears and using the provided controller operated them, seem to be doing ok. I personally like the weathering effects and overall build quality. For power, I am using a Saito 90R3.

I am not sure what this tray is for, I have attached an image of the tray. I also like to use a separate servo for the tail wheel steering, but don't see a place for it, I only see the rudder servo cut out in the equipment tray. Does anyone use a separate servo? If so where is the best place to put it

[Aros]

Nice job!