Originally posted by Papa Boozer/Dots
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Official FlightLine OV-10 Bronco Discussion Thread
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Hello fellow Squawk pilots, I am pleased to announce that Alpha asked if I would be the customer representative to do a build review of the OV-10A Bronco and of course I couldn’t refuse, so without any further blathering do to my exhilaration of this super scale model here are my observations.
My first observation was the scale fidelity is really superb other than for two obvious points. The most apparent was the gear whereas the main gear looked close to appropriate geometry but not scale even though it was specifically designed for this. The nose was a carry over from the Avanti nose gear but no where’s close to scale geometry. A closer gear to utilize could have been like the one from the 90mm Yak 130 but then it would need a $100 110 degree etract. It is all about the final cost point being affordable and these are acceptable compromises in my book. The other was the prop diameter is undersized whereas this 1/9th scale model should have 11” diameter but is supplied with 9.5x7x3 counterrotating props and motors from the FL B-24 setup. Again it is a cost measure to use some equipment that exists and also to help those pilots minimize prop damage in the event of hard compression of the gear springs in those moments where landings skills aren’t always the best.
(not everyone can always land as good as Alpha )
The thing that I’m really stoked about is the 3 piece main wing that has sections outboard of the engine booms.
They can be removed with 2 screws per panel and one connector for the nav lights, flaps and ailerons.
This I hope will become the standard for all future Flight Line designs because it will allow the airframe to stand on it’s undercarriage(gear) during transport and storage.
You’ll see what I mean towards the end of the review.
NOTE > you should be able to click on each pic for a larger view.
Here is the first look after opening the shipping box. It is simply labeled OV-10A Bronco. Because this is the first and only foam Bronco out on the market, Alpha did not feel the need to identify it as the 1400mm(55”) Bronco.
The foam packaging is done in a upper & lower tray. The upper section contains the 3 piece main wing. As is the case with all Flight Line ARF’s, the main wing wiring is routed appropriately with a UBEC in place and XT60 connectors which appears to be the forthcoming standard on Motions Admiral 4S and less LiPo batteries.
Here’s the port outboard wing showing the male CF support tube, the quick disconnect circuit and the two female couplers.
Port side of the center main wing with the 2 male couplers, female CF support tube and the 8 pin male electrical connector.
Last bits from the top tray of packaging are the centerline drop tank and the port/starboard sponsons.
The lower tray packaging contains the fuselage, two engine booms, horizontal stab, props/spinners, four 7 tube rocket launchers(Hydra 70 M158, “Zuni’s”), glue in goodies like antenna’s and guns for the sponsons and the hardware bag.
This is the view of the pre-applied decals on the vert stab.
I fired this pic off to Alpha to alert him that the application was inconsistent between port and starboard lettering whereas the bottom lettering details were not level.
Since this was number two (James got #1) pre-prod run off the line hopefully this can be avoided
down the full run line. Soaking with a damp cloth didn’t allowed for a reposition of the water slide decal which are all applied at the factory.
Since my fleet battery structure is wired around the EC5 connector I need to remove he XT60 connector and replace with EC5’s in a parallel configuration.
I didn’t want to use an XT60/EC5 adapter right after my EC5 serial adapter because I’m using two 2S 5000 in series.
Because I am using 2 serial pairs in parallel I will have a total of 10000mAh for both motors.
I always wire my twin setups in parallel so to avoid a catastrophic engine loss on a twin due to losing a battery dedicated to a single motor.
Since I was soldering, also added a JST connector to the UBEC for easy replacement if/when needed.
I went with a 8A UBEC, the stock one is a 5A and is wired off the starboard power leads.
Organization of the control wires in preparation for placement into aft fuselage to be plugged into the MCB-E control board.
Here’s the battery tray with the MCB-E control board. Trying to connect all those wires way back in there was going to be very problematic for someone like me with hands the size of a catchers mitt so I will be removing the four screws that hold the tray and pull it out.
Here’s a view of the MCB-E box down in the fuselage from the access where the wing wires are fed down in.
Here’s the area aft of the MCB-E location where I intend to install the Rx on the aft vertical bulkhead.
The battery tray removed and pulled forward so that the wires from the wing that are inserted down into the fuselage can be connected easily.
This is the 4 page manual insert(one side English/other side Chinese) that shows the layout connections for the MCB-E and the MCB-D control boxes.
The MCB-E is what is in the Bronco. Nice and handy during wiring.
Starting the process of tucking all the wires back in. Established a path to the left hand side to route the Rx back in first. 2nd pic is tucking the rest of the wires in as I move the battery tray back in.
Build review continues into the following post.Warbird Charlie
HSD Skyraider FlightLine OV-10 FMS 1400: P-40B, P-51, F4U, F6F, T-28, P-40E, Pitts, 1700 F4U & F7F, FOX glider Freewing A-6, T-33, P-51 Dynam ME-262, Waco TF Giant P-47; ESM F7F-3 LX PBJ-1 EFL CZ T-28, C-150, 1500 P-51 & FW-190
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Here is all the wires tucked in and secured. Those are my two sets of serialized 2S 5000mAh Admirals.
The satellite to the Rx sits in a recess that I carved in the overhead bulkhead so that it didn’t interfere with the aft bulkhead of the canopy hatch.
Examining where the hatch securing pin engages.
In the second pic the lower square area in the center has as plastic strike plate for the locking pin to run into the hole.
To install the wing wiring into the engine booms was best accomplished by leaving the gear retracted and set the fuselage and booms on a padded surface
(in my case a vinyl padded card table) then make the appropriate connections and then tuck all into the boom.
2nd pic is of the booms that now have the screws(5 per boom) installed.
Flipped the bird upside down to screw the outer wing panels together and install the push rods for the flap and aileron control surfaces and
glued the sponsons on . I did come across where I was missing one of each, a clevis and a pushrod buckle.
Fortunately I happened to have a little FW parts box with some in it.
Here’s pics of retracted gear CG’d per the manual spec.
By this time James had already test flown his and he said the CG was spot on and the two 4S 4000 he used were all the way forward in tray area.
Some great lighting going on here. Red strobe on bottom of fuselage and white strobe on top of the horizontal stab.
Here’s the CG with slight nose down attitude with gear deployed/extended.
This is where the 4 2S 5000 ended up in location at 1.5 inches aft of the forward bulkhead of the tray.
I cut a piece of foam to keep the batteries in the aft location, I don’t like spaces where stuff can slide.
And now the piece de resistance, with the outer wings panels removed for transport it fit into the crew section of the F-150 with room to spare.
Any other 55” warbird would have to go in the box or have the wings removed.
As I said in my intro, I hope that this will become the standard that FL does with all new stuff.
Maybe a 1600mm F6F Hellcat to start the adventure on, a foam version of the TF giant scale where the wing panels attach outboard of the main gear.
The only thing that I can’t report on at this time is the flight characteristics because at the time I finished the build the upstate NY weather was not giving me a break.
Then when the weather started to show promise three weeks ago is when all hell broke loose with the pandemic.
I’m sure James can follow up with his impressions of his maiden flight (which I know are positive) of how this really nice rendition of a FAC/COIN/Light Attack airframe of the Vietnam Era performs.
Until my time comes to be able to launch I’ll just have to live vicariously through some other fortunate pilot that has the ability to do so without risk.
Be safe everyone and best regards,
Warbird Charlie
HSD Skyraider FlightLine OV-10 FMS 1400: P-40B, P-51, F4U, F6F, T-28, P-40E, Pitts, 1700 F4U & F7F, FOX glider Freewing A-6, T-33, P-51 Dynam ME-262, Waco TF Giant P-47; ESM F7F-3 LX PBJ-1 EFL CZ T-28, C-150, 1500 P-51 & FW-190
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Originally posted by Aros View Post
Nice choice!
just sent pics to callie to have her get them ready for when mine arrives. I've waited a long time to get the "right" OV-10 to do this scheme and MRC hit this one out of the ballpark in size and price point.
SO EXCiTED!! 😁
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Originally posted by mr.frankenjet View PostLooks like a nice job and a good flying twin. OV10 is going to like it me thinks. Not the most elegant looking bird to me though
thanks for bringing all these new planes online, you all are doing a fantastic job ! Keep up the good work !
I’m sure these will sell well, but much as I love twins, this one is not a plane I’d buy myself.
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Rudderman98 Hey I just noticed you are in Sumner. I am in Maple Valley! Just a hop and a skip away. I may have to come down and watch your OV-10 fly when it's ready!My YouTube RC videos:
https://www.youtube.com/@toddbreda
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Just finished updating and posting across social.
Thanks so much for joining us today guys. It's much harder to watch yourself and be able to read every comment then just actually being live, but I hope all the info your guys could need or want was/is there for you.
You will LOVE this aircraft. Bummed I cant go fly it right now. Mayb speak with Callie and do a repaint
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Oh no, another OV 10. I have the Rich Uravitch and the ProFly. This one is slightly bigger than the Uravitch version. I'm on the fence about ordering since the bigger ProFly flies so well. It's a pain to transport, I leave the wings on the fuselage, and takes a few minutes to assemble. I'm afraid that if I get this version I wont fly the bigger one so much. Ah, decisions, decisions.
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Originally posted by MANFRED View PostWould have been great if they had also offered a primer only version. So many great schemes. Also, hopefully one of you 3d jocks can design a long nose version for the nose.
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Originally posted by Bob Vincent View PostLooks Great Guys! Does it use the same motors as the Tigercat?Warbird Charlie
HSD Skyraider FlightLine OV-10 FMS 1400: P-40B, P-51, F4U, F6F, T-28, P-40E, Pitts, 1700 F4U & F7F, FOX glider Freewing A-6, T-33, P-51 Dynam ME-262, Waco TF Giant P-47; ESM F7F-3 LX PBJ-1 EFL CZ T-28, C-150, 1500 P-51 & FW-190
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