Official Black Horse 1724mm Dornier DO335 Pfeil ("Arrow") Thread

[Terminater007]

https://www.manualslib.com/download/...ier-Do335.html

or

http://www.ripmax.com/Instructions/a-bh163.pdf

should be the same manual...

[Oxotnik]

Swaths of covering, upper and bottom surfaces, provided. Approximately 7.25” x 8.5”.

No assembly manual provided. Hopefully, one will made available on the Do-335 product page soon, like very very soon! :-)

[Terminater007]

Also I cut out the induvial pieces of the exhaust as the supplied ones are way to big..

[Terminater007]

I would suggest that u reinforce the 2 places shown below in the cockpit area…. seems to be a weak spot on mine it started to crack in these corners after about 40 flights..ps used your pic..

[Oxotnik]

Vacuum-formed pieces. Pilot looks very cartoonish. I’ll probably look for a better pilot.

Struts look very strong, with suspension. Fixed. Metal plates for mounting struts. Mounting shaft measured to be 5mm.

Wheels are hard rubber with plastic hubs. Can’t really tell how well they’ll hold up. Mains measured to be about 3.25” dia. Nosewheel, 2.5”. Wheel diameters seem kinda small for a plane of this size. Not sure if the wheel diameters will be a problem on grass fields, but don’t think so.

[Oxotnik]

Wing root. Wing attachment looks very similar to my Phoenix Model A-26. Structure looks to be ~3/16” lite ply.

Wing bottom, with servo wells for ailerons and flaps. Ailerons and flaps are hinged with CA hinges, not yet glued in place.


Wing Upper Surface. Landing Light piece included in misc parts box.

[Oxotnik]

Battery Bay, forward of cockpit.

Servo Bay, aft of cockpit.

Cockpit
Cockpit removed to see internal structure. Tubes can be seen for pull-pull nosewheel steering. (See attachment)

[Oxotnik]

First glimpses.

Popped the top...


Beautiful weathering printed into the covering.

1 battery bay, to answer my questions from a day or so ago. Servo Bay behind the cockpit

[Oxotnik]

I invite you all to live vicariously though my exploits.
I admit it. I'm as giddy as a school girl at a slumber party, to have finally gotten a nice Do-335.

I'm still debating about which motor to get: Flightline Spit 5055-390kv, Flightline F4U 5055-325kv (or there abouts), or the Admiral GP10 5030-400kv. I have both the Flightline Spitty and F4U at home. I'll look at those motors and prop adapters, to see if either of them will work well with the Do-335, assuming MAS 16x10x3 props.

[handyman220]

No sets left of the 3-pack XWave retracts, thanks to me. :-)
There are some two-packs left though.

Was going to order those but was wondering what everyone was using for the nose gear retract? Let us know you're feelings after unboxing the arrow!

[Oxotnik]

For retracts, I went for the XWave RM400-90 called for on the Motion site. I've used them on another larger bird and like them. Pretty solid unit and they run smooth. Only two sets left.

No sets left of the 3-pack XWave retracts, thanks to me. :-)
There are some two-packs left though.

[Oxotnik]

As a reward for being one of the first to punch the please-send-me-a-super-cool-Black-Horse-Do335-right-this-minute button, I had a big box sitting on my front porch when I returned home from the flying field today. Had a great day at the field, made even better with the delivery of my big, beautiful Arrow! Unfortunately, I didn't get a a chance to open the box, as I had to immediately leave the house again. I'll probably be up all night, though, fondling my new toy. :-)

[handyman220]

Even though I cannot justify it and told myself I didn't need another plane, you know what happened. DO335 on the way. I will see what I have hanging around that could be used before ordering anything else. I do have an eflite 105 degree retract that might work for the nosegear.... anyone with any thoughts on using it?

[WAYNE888]

For retracts, I went for the XWave RM400-90 called for on the Motion site. I've used them on another larger bird and like them. Pretty solid unit and they run smooth. Only two sets left.

this one needs to be shelf cured for a bit.....I am sure something will turn up by the time it has ripened

[Twowingtj]

For retracts, I went for the XWave RM400-90 called for on the Motion site. I've used them on another larger bird and like them. Pretty solid unit and they run smooth. Only two sets left.

[Oxotnik]

Alpha,
I'm still curious about your thoughts on options for retracts.

It sounds like there's room for only one 6S battery. So, both motors will have to be from from one 6S 5AH (or so) battery? Two Power 60 [ish] motors, pulling 70 or 80A each, pulling off of one battery, doesn't seem like it's going to get a very long flight. What flight times were you getting?

[TwistedGrin]

Excellent as usual sir....landing like an EDF is great analogy sir!

TwistedGrin

[Oxotnik]

So, it sounds like my bad habits of landing too fast with almost no flare are fortuitous for flying the Pfeil. :-)

Alpha, thanks for your thoughts on the flight characteristics.

[Alpha]

TwistedGrin I've flown it several times and can comment on its flight performance. As with balsa in general, these ARFs can be configured in different ways. 6s or 8s, 17" 2B props or 16" or down to even 14", it all depends on user preference for amps/rpm/consumption. In general, OV-10's approach may prove a good one for most pilots. One thing I'll say is that for any of models of 60A or 80A ESCs you choose, there's a good chance you'll need to extend the wires. ZTW ESCs are my Go To for this configuration. We're updating the website today with more accurate electronics component information to give pilots a clearer head start, but anyone building an ARF at this level probably already knows what to look for.

A few highlights to consider based on my observations when operating this bird:

1) Battery space is sufficient but not excessive. 6s 5000-6000 can CG, and 8s 4000 also, depending on the pack dimensions. Don't plan on 6s 8000 or something like that --it likely won't fit and/or CG.

2) Motor can diameter should be observed. We're tweaking our recommendations on the website today to ensure easier fit and clearance. There are so many possible motor configurations that we're trying to spec a reasonable middle ground with reasonably wide props. I tend to prefer lower amp, higher voltage setups, but that's mostly driven by my field types.

3) Ground clearance is obviously something every Do-335 must be mindful of. Flat rotations and approaches are advised. Don't yank the elevator during takeoff. I haven't had any issues off of grass, yet, because the model doesn't suddenly leap off the ground. It's sedate. The ventral fin does not break-away, and it is part of the fuselage, so you really must avoid landing on it. Thankfully, the Do-335 rotates predictably and lands easily when flat. Use flaps to keep power on and wings level and fuselage flat with a minimal flare at ankle height. This bird rewards throttle management throughout the descent instead of yanking the elevator.

4) In the air, the Do-335 is a pattern flyer. It's really quite a straightforward operator. I attribute this to the contra-rotating prop setup and the overall layout of the aircraft including its wing shape and position. Cruise on a ~1500w setup is about 65% throttle. It penetrates well through wind, and flies closer to an electric jet than an electric warbird. Its overall wing loading is right where you'd want it for sport flying. I would not call it a fast flyer, but it's not slow or "sluggish" at all. The rudder doesn't have much authority, but I don't feel like I'm reaching for more rudder, anyway. One thing it won't do very well is extended slow rolls, but barrel rolls are easy. Loops to 300' are achievable if entered into properly but airspeed will bleed rapidly near the top. Successive loops are achievable if the first is entered into from a dive. Not that I recommend such things for general flying.

5) Due to the Contra-R setup, I would not recommend purposely deadsticking during flight. Keep airflow moving over the surfaces, like the AL37 airliner. In fact, it's helpful to think of the Do-335 as an EDF airliner in terms of throttle management and energy management --keep it moving, but it doesn't need to be going fast to fly stably. Keep energy up in a turn, and limit your bank angle to <30 degrees if your airspeed is less than double your stall speed.

6) Stalls are typically down forward and slightly to the right. You'll see wing rock as the airspeed drops, so power up soon after otherwise you'll risk a stall. Stall recovery is relaxed elevator and power to maximum (another benefit of the contra-R configuration).

7) I don't recall a flap to elevator mix. Technically the model lands fine without flaps, a bit like the Freewing 80mm A-10.

8) Landings are also straightforward, as you would fly a large EDF. Longer approach, flatter angle, managing descent with throttle, power off at shin height if you're too fast, tiny flare at shin height. Once the mains are down, I push forward elevator to pin the nose to the ground throughout the rollout. This increases friction to slow the plane, while also increasing the nose's steering authority while importantly reducing the risk of the rear prop striking any grass or debris. If you're landing with more than a third power, you're probably way too fast, even with full flaps. I set a conservative 30 degree flaps.

9) I ditched the stock pilot, but I kept the stock wheels. I happen to like the wheel material for the surfaces I fly on in Vietnam and China. The nose wheel is small, they do the job plowing through grass, which is probably why I prefer their level of firmness.

10) The model can be scaled out with a more accurate spinner and other bits. But we'll leave that to Elbee and Dirty Dee and Co.

[TwistedGrin]

Gents, landing this aircraft looks like it has to be flat panned three pointers....pancakes.....no flare. Long take offs only on the wing of course too....anybody have comments of flight performance of this model?