Unique Models Stearman PT-17

[SloMoe]

I've been looking for a second Biplane, I have the/ HorizonParkzone S.E. 5a, , a CL find a few months ago, mint, not or never flown, just hung on the ceiling, dusted up but it cleaned up well, even the stock prop.

I was looking for the Abatros to partner up with itbut gave up on that after viewing s few video's from Ytube,
Anyway I decided to try and hunt down an E-Flight PT-17 but found none for sale so far, so I settled on another option, rare from what I can tell, the Unique Models pt-17 in Army colors, blue & yellow
.
Didn't want the Dynam kit, not enough attention to detail parts, and the kit has some common production issues, then I stumbled across the video again, 870 fuselage number and on Aliexpress I found the same fuselage number and the same attention to detail in the kit, it has a weak rudder foam hinge but the manufacturer supplied hinges and indents in the foam for installation so my best guess is that it was intended to have the hinges installed by the hobbyist and the tail section was molded as one piece so the paint could be applied true to each surface.

It's been confirmed payment received and waiting on the shipped confirmation email, could take up to a month but I think it will be worth the wait, just looking for any input from members here on the pros or cons of the kit.

[SloMoe]

Got an email from the seller, it's actually a Hookll kit, I canceled the order, for one they are on ebay and I can have it in a week, and two, I've seen the problems with the Hookll kit, serious down grade on detail, nat as bad as the Dynam, but still not what I want for this kind of money.
I'll wait, if on doesn't ever show in the online sales sites then I guess I'll wait for the inevitable E-Flight kit used to show.

[SloMoe]

Well, ended up getting the Hookll through Aliexpress from the now manufacturer of the kit, Flit Model Shenzhen Limited.
The fuselage arrived with a damaged turtle near the junction of the tail, I contacted them and they declared it not to be their problem, piss poor customer support, I would avoid any purchase unless you're willing to deal with the fact that you get what you get no matter what their customer feedback stats are.

I did find an Eflight PT 17, from the classifieds on another site, it has never flown, some hanger rash, nice looking kit, I detailed the dummy engine a bit, gotta tell ya, these are a nose heavy plane, need a runway with either very short grass or pavement,

Crashed both the SE5a and WACO on take off, the SE5a will never look good again and the WACO, well, think the wings are not set proper decalage so it won't go back up, think I'll offer it to a hobby shop to display.

[SanExup]

SloMoe Do you know if you dummy radial was the factory weighted version or was weighted by the previous owner?

I have the factory weighted version and mine flies and lands great, even from short ish grass I do touch and goes without nose over.

I'm just wondering if your radial has too much weight. I know from reading on the forums that people were drilling and adding weight to the originals.

[SloMoe]

I haven't flown my Eflight PT 17 yet, it is a second version that Eflight updated with the weighted dummy, and I've also read the forums where the first version needed up to 3oz added with the battery moved as far forward as possible.
I did some minor detail painting to it then clear coated with a flat finish.
The matte or flat finish kind of makes it look right.

I guess that most don't realize just how heavy the engines were in the early years, so a short nose was part of the design, ,look at the Albatross, the Germans were powering them with diesel engines, then the DR1 triplane came along and used a radial, it's a short nose, hard to rc

[SloMoe]

Or another real good example is a side by side of the SE5a and Sopwith Camel, those old engines were heavy, and to fly a scale plane you're going to have to make that engine scale weight.

I've got an older WACO foam kit the the battery is stuffed up right behind the motor and it's still tail heavy, by the instructions the CG is almost 2/3 of the upper wing cord back from the leading edge, the two times it got off the ground it went straight up off the runway with almost no control, still researching the true CG, I'm thinking I should just try to set the preflight CG at 1/3 back from the leading edge of the upper wing and glide test it.

By the time you get them set the plane that was powered by a radial is going to be almost heavier than you want to fly,

Better to be nose heavy than tail heavy

[SanExup]

This is one model that I wish were still available. I'd buy a backup to the one I own, it is really fun to fly. I did upgrade my esc to a higher amperage. I don't know if it's completely necessary. I use 4s 2500 and 3000 packs. I glued a dowel perpendicular to the battery to ramp the battery up into the void above the esc and motor. It CGs perfectly without weight. Mine is the second gen radial as well.

The one upgrade I will do very soon, is to change out those tires/wheels. They look great but they are hard enough to crack asphalt. And since they don't sell them anymore, I'd like the gear to last.

[SloMoe]

Well, as i learn more about it the more I'm worried about flying it from the runways I have available.
It was never even powered up, someone at the factory had all the connectors to the receiver reversed so the signal & ground wires were on the wrong pins, once I corrected that it powered up perfectly.
If I didn't have to ship it I think I would sell it.

[SanExup]

It wouldn't be too difficult to put larger wheels on it. I even debated throwing on a set of turbo timber wheels on it to fly it off of gravel roads. It flies well.

[SloMoe]

it's an idea, the scale look is gone but I guess it could work.
The club may be building a new field soon, hopefully we'll put in a packed dirt runway.