Official Black Horse 2280mm F4U Corsair thread

[predman]

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

[predman]

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

[predman]

I started working on mine finally as I finished my topflite GS Corsair kit. I did however did not like the stock cockpit that comes w the BH! I do appreciate and glad they do include it but it wasn’t going to work for me. So I 3d printed cockpit pieces to get it a little more scale(see pics) you can see my progress at RCDUDES

[predman]

Are all the new retracts have the new turn design like this one? This is a screenshot of the unboxing video motion did recently.

Thank you for clearing that up!

[alsummer]

Are all the new retracts have the new turn design like this one? This is a screenshot of the unboxing video motion did recently.

[TwistedGrin]

The BH stock electric retract housing and struts are fine but the actuator motors failed twice on me.....I replaced with Robart electric retracts to which one of those motor actuators failed.....replaced that motor with a Robart motor. All good. I think the BH Corsair predrilled retract mounts matched the Robart set.....but I do remember having to open up the holes of the retracts to match the mounting blind nuts size and thread.

If I see and read correctly it is interesting to see your replacement or "Second" set of parts ordered retracts are different.....the mounting holes appear the same pattern though!!

TwistedGrin

[predman]

I have a question just recieved mine today. What do the 1st version gear look like and was there a second version of main gear? I’ve heard there was issues w the first version and changed them? Also on the gear there are 6-holes on the gear mounts in the wing, and yet there are only four holes on the gear? Gear shipped to me with the Corsair on the left, gear I ordered for the bh from motion for 50cc on the right. 2-different types of gear!

[jhlagesse]

can someone power test an avian 8075-230kv and tell me how many amps they draw at max throttle with a 22x10 prop?

[jhlagesse]

I am using a 22x10 prop (APC) and I was amazed how quick the tailwheel lifted off the ground taking off...thanks for the advice. Your report on the fire was astonishing to read...very lucky to have the plane survive.

[TwistedGrin]

Good report jhlagesse....the flight times could be increased changing both to larger capacity LiPo and smaller prop perhaps.....the airframe can take the added weight as I am flying the GP60-180KV motor at 1240 grams via two 6s 8000mAh Lipo with 1lbs lead in the motor mounts.....I am flying at or near 22lbs for about 6minutes ....well - - was before it caught fire mid-flight.....So I am proping down to a smaller prop XOAR 22x12 from 24x12 and should get me a solid 6.5minute flight time. My repair maiden is pending this Spring

TwistedGrin

[jhlagesse]

Received my BH corsair in good shape. I installed an avian 8075-230kv motor which was a little too long for the cowling but does not look bad with the "A" style prop nut I was able to get from tru-turn (Wendy there is a real pro). Still had to add 8 ounces of weight to get it balance out using a 160 amp esc by Phoenix and two 6s 5000 ma batteries. On the avian motor, the drawings are wrong in that the shaft on the motor is 10mm and not 8mm as shown. I had good luck getting the retracts installed and functioning OK with a little lubrication and a 3200ma 2s battery for power. Used the same 2s for the receiver and servos with a BEC. On the wingtips and nav lights, I used some stick on drone lights I found on Amazon that work well and required no wiring that way. They were only $16.99 and then I used mini magnets to hold on the light covers. I can only get about 4 minutes fly time with the 5000ma batteries, would have to go bigger I guess and see what happens to the CG. Flies nice, no gyro needed with this big bird.

[Spikedcheeto]

Hey,

Just looking for the size of the cowl inside. I want to put a 5-cylinder 360cc. Is it about the size of the Hanger 9 Corsair? Just trying to see which one is the best buy. I like the paint job because it's South Pacific. I can weather it without having to repaint it.

Thanks

[alsummer]

I have a Phoenix Corsair that I put the BH electric gear in that I purchased from MotionRC. The gear has held up well, but the controller is where I think the problem is. I did have some problems in the beginning and replaced the included controller with a JP ER-120 and they have worked well all this year. But no, they are probably not Robart or Sierra quality. I believe the 148's are a drop in fit with the third bolt hole missing.

[Katniss]

Hello, new to Squawk.
I should be receiving my BH Corsair tomorrow.
Lots of great info in this thread.
Kinda bummed to read that even now, after several versions, the retracts are less then reliable.
for a $1400 plane to be equppied with junk gear is a problem.
Anyway....will probably invest in the robart 148s.
I do, however, have a set of Sierra gear, but will have to determine if it's worth trying to retrofit.

There is another option....
Jp Hobby has a set of gear for what's listed as an Aviation Jet F4U 2.7m corsair.

https://www.jphobby.eu/en/struts-sets-and-full-sets/2580-jp-hobby-er-150-bicycle-rotating-full-set-aviation-jet-f4u-corsair-27m-ou-p40-controller.html

Thoughts?

[TwistedGrin]

Just for information and observance....the inner covering of the fuselage is some sort of printed vinyl perhaps the same material as the outer covering. I really think this makes the fuselage really strong but still very light. The battery flames melted the inner cover and it peeled back in some places while the outside covering is undamaged.

The inner lattice and bracing decking is a fiber glass sandwhich to plywood....in some places the plywood burnt away but the strands of fiberglass weave is still present.

While the inner latice and bracing looks nasty (and it is) the most damage is to the left side....this can easily be rebuilt/re-inforced with balsa stock.

The bottom tray where I had switches for the reciever on one side and the retract on the other...is still strong and servicable with no repais needed.

The bottom tray where both 6s 8000mAh Lipo for the motor is servicable with no repairs needed.

I am amazed the materials suffered minimal damages...a testimate to the manufacture and design structure.

Most likely as I continue to use a brush next to break away and remove more Fire Retardent Powder....the interior front fuselage will look much better of course. I plan on spray painting the affected area in Gloss Black once I have everything fortified and ready for flight.

This is an amazing flying airframe and much sturdier than it appears thanks to the dual skinned fuselage

I am including photos for now just for archive purposes.

TwistedGrin

[Aros]

Again, the silver lining is the mess sure makes for some realistic weathering. 😉

[HangarQueen]

Yeah, fire extinguisher powder is a mess. I remember from my youth, when a friend of mine was frustrated that we didn't have a white Christmas, and he decided to empty a fire extinguisher on some trees in the garden. It didn't end well....he had a white Christmas for the next ten years or so 😆

[TwistedGrin]

The fire extinguishers did NOT put the fires out...but did snuff them out repeadly instead of just cooking all the way down at once.....think of multiple times for flame out instead of one long burn. We did fling the batteries out but by the time we could see where to grab a power lead they were already falling apart. The fire extinguisher did help....convinced it kept the flames and heat down. Short repeated burst of the fire extinguisher each time the flames roared up worked.....

Make no bones about it though....the airframe stinks and the powder from the fire extinguisher is a real mess. I spent a good hour at the barn blowing out the powder then wiping down the exterior with Windex and paper towel....I have yet to unscrew the canopy and get the cockpit cleaned up...

Both sides of the upper deck lattice work of the interior shelving close to the motor firewall will need plenty of new support bracing

The servos are all good - but the wires are melted....so of course everything needs replaced except the servo arms and cables and rods

I have inspected the wing saddle looking very closely at the wing tubes....it looks good with no damages...the wing saddle looks good as well. So far the damages are just where the flames were licking the battery hatch and either side of the battery tray......

NOTE: Due to the long motor box not working with my set up......I used the short box with motor stand offs which placed the batteries resting just aft of the motor firewall....the rest of the batteries were open laying flat on the lower deck just under the battery hatch......this also probably saved the airframe as the flames would have melted the nose off if the LiPo's would have been underneath the firewall.

I do like my planes in clean shape tidy and pretty inside and out....so I am torn not to get a new bird......will see how the repair efforts go....and I still have not removed the cowling yet for final inspection....although I am confident it will be good to go

Wish I could report what started the fire.....I check all batteries after and before each flight.....all voltages were in good nick and the batteries were well balanced none had a sleeper cell. The motor is grindy but I am thinking it is full of Fire suppressent powder

Interesting I had motor power and all surface control including the retracts as I pulled an immeleman to circle back for the landing....greased the landing on power and control to final stop....flames were already licking out from the battery hatch gaps

I'll be sure to make a photo journey of the repairs

TwistedGrin

[HangarQueen]

Quite the story, and pretty impressive handling!
I'm amazed about the fire extinguisher, though. AFAIK, Lipo fires are chemical fires, meaning they don't need oxygen to continue burning. I'm trying to understand how you were able to extinguish them.
Anyway, I'm really glad and happy for you that the plane wasn't destroyed with such a serious mishap!

[davegee]

All four batteries were on fire....no way to tell what started the fire....will have some covering distortion on top in front of the battery hatch and a couple spots on the wing where floating embers of the battery skins "Weld Melted" onto the wings....while the inside is pretty charred the exterior is untouched.....hopefully I can reconstruct the frame work of the forward upper decking shelves where I had the receiver battery and retract battery fastened.....interestingly the main floor I had used for the main batteries looks good no damages. The firewall is good...but any wiring is :Weld Melted" to the interior....hopefully I will be able to remove it without further damaging anything

The bird simply has to fly if nothing else for the novelty of surviving a mid-flight fire

TwistedGrin

Good work getting it down in one piece with an inflight fire(s) going on!! Hopefully you can get it all sorted out and fly it again.

I've had a couple of battery fires, one was at home on the charger when I was away on an errand and my wife was home. I think the smoke alarm in my shop downstairs came on and she put it out with a ABC rated fire extinguisher that was nearby. No damage, other than to the battery, which was destroyed. After that, I usually hang around nearby while I'm charging batteries.

Another time I think I had some plane, maybe a 1400mm P-51 or something, and just as I plugged it in as I had 100 times before, a fire broke out and a jet of flame went right through the side of the fuselage but somehow I was able to get the fire out. I don't think I flew the plane again, although it was probably fixable, with a lot of work. These batteries can and do misbehave sometimes!

Best of luck getting your Corsair flying again.

Cheers

davegee