A&D Aircraft 20cc Gee Bee R3

[akent]

Just a word of warning:
Those R2's are a LOT harder to fly! They are much shorter coupled and are stall monsters, usually.
I don't know about that particular one, but I have yet to see one fly worth a flip, other than the ultra micro one from Horizon...
Kent

[akphill]

The real ones were tough to fly till the pilots figured out that they were addicted to speed faster you go the better they flew also the fuselage is a flying wing on them also with a geebee speed has always been it's friend

[19000rpm]

I may have mentioned this elsewhere and apologize if I did.

My Dad flew an R2. He was a test pilot at the time so he was fairly used to hairy aircraft. He told me nothing he ever flew was scarier than the R2. Like you say Phil, the only time the plane was happy was at full tilt.

My Dad said he almost killed himself on the first takeoff. Gave it too much throttle and almost torque rolled it. Then he almost stalled it trying to land it too slow. But in between takeoff and landing it was like riding in a bullet. That he really liked!

[Doozer]

Lot of F words in the video, so I'll show some images....







I'm not getting another Gee Bee until more reputable people start selling them. My next plane is The Aeroworks 50cc Ulitmate. Though I probably won't start piecing that together until February. I won't be using an IBEF. I'll be using an ignition battery and a Rx battery. Even though I have a working IBEF in my Reactor, I don't trust them anymore. That same IBEF was on the Pitts and the Gee Bee did the same thing as the Pitts. Other than a few servos, the ignition, and the engine there was nothing else the same in the Gee Bee.

It's just too bad it cost me about $2000 between two planes to figure out ALWAYS USE A SEPARATE BATTERY FOR THE IGNITION. I believe akent tried to tell me that...

[akent]

Separate LIFE ignition battery for the gas engine = very good idea. There is a massive amount of NOISE that comes from these engines. A separate battery makes the radio side immune to the noise.

A separate LIFE battery for the radio and servos is also a good idea. I do this with all of my larger planes (> 60 sized).

Redundant power systems are always a good idea with bigger stuff!

All of my big stuff is electric. So, I need to post some threads on them. They rock and have far more power than any gasser!

My 30cc Sbach 300 from Redwing burns 4,200 watts on 12s, or more than 5.5 hp! This thing turns an 18x8 prop at 10,400 rpm! (This runs a Rimfire 1.60, an HV 120 amp Castle on 3300ma 12s (2x6s)). 106 mph on GPS, but it does some nice 3d as well!

My 50cc Goldwing Sbach 300 (yes, I like the looks of the Sbach single seater!) burns 5,600 watts, or around 7.5hp, on 10s, spinning a 24x10 prop! (This runs a Rimfire 50cc motor, on a 160 amp HV Castle on 5000ma 10s (2x5s)). 103 MPH on GPS and this thing flies SMOOTH!

I also have a wonderful 50 sized Katana running an Eflite Power 52 on 5s. This is one of my favorites! Only 96 on GPS!

Kent

[19000rpm]

Those are some great aircraft kent. Please post on those.

[Doozer]

For about 10 months I've had the carnage of this plane in a lawn garbage bag in my closet. I normally quit flying over the summer due to heat in Phoenix. Because I have the bug again, and because I've got something new to fly, I reached into the bag to try and salvage what I could salvage. But before I started, I read this thread. I looked at all the comments I made about the quality of the kit, and I guess, in hind sight, I should have expected the outcome.

I think before I buy another kit, my first question will be, how old is the kit. I should have sent this one back when I noticed the yellowed and brittle control surface hardware, but because I wanted the plane so bad, I was willing to accept a sub-standard product. The fact that it flew a little more than a minute was probably a miracle.

I managed to salvage a matchbox, couple of the high torque Hyperion Servos, and a bunch of fastners. I did find the IBEF, but I'm hucking that in the garbage. It's been in two planes that have crashed and I can't rule out that it may have been the culprit. I'm staring at the DLE 30cc engine questioning a rebuild of it. This will be its second crash rebuild... it's probably scared of me. Not like i really have the time, but maybe over the winter break from school. I'll be getting a new ignition for it if I do rebuild it.

Anyway.... starting a new adventure soon...

[19000rpm]

I never replaced my Cermark R3. I've been eyeing the HK model. Looks to fly very nice and the detail is much better. www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/store/uh_viewItem.asp?idProduct=37644

Good luck with your new adventure!

[Doozer]

I don't know of anyone that has the $101 ones, but I know Graves RC has a couple of plug and play Cermark Fantasy Racers($169). My LHS has one that they use for a foot rest for some odd reason. I want to build another but don't have the time or the funds right now. I just know that whomever I buy it from is going to have to answer a few questions before I buy it. But I agree with you, the HobbyKing Gee Bee R3 foamy is nice on the eyes. I just don't want any more electrics. I'm tired of batteries.

[19000rpm]

You could convert it to gas. Heck, I've seen some guys convert electric foamy EDF's to gas turbine!

[Doozer]

Just pulled the trigger on a Goldwing Gee Bee R3 20cc that the guy has in stock. Everything looks fairly similar. Thinking about a Saito FG 21. but I'll have to wait until after christmas. Working on a tighter budget these days. The guy says he guarantees the plane is sound.


Goldwing Gee Bee R3

[19000rpm]

Great! That's going to be fun. I can see you doing knife edge fly by's.

[Doozer]

do you know anything about the FG 21.... maybe Phil, or akent if you're lurking out there. I'm staying with 20cc for weight. I've read some bad things about the FG 20. That engine seemed like a roll of the dice whether you got a good one or a bad one. Most of the problems with the FG 20 were a couple of years ago...conrod issues.... and I know they've, Horizon/Saito, changed things up a bit... Some people swear by the FG 20 some people say it's a huge fudge dragon.

But yeah, this is my last crack at this bird, but I'm doing it right this time. Two batteries, and a kill switch. There's just something about it. I was seriously considering an Ultimate .40 with the new FG 11, but I don't know what to say... unfinished business I guess.

[Doozer]

eh decided to stick with the DLE engines. Ordered up a 20cc. Better Power, I don't have to have a 3rd fuel can, easier to tune, I know the engine, and the price is 1/2 of the saito. Plus the CG on the Gee Beewas established using a DLE 20. I've read quite a few threads about the FG 21 engine and I feel I should probably start with a cheaper Saito .... like a FG 14 or FG 11. So if I make a paperweight, I wont feel as bad.

[19000rpm]

Go with your experience and gut feeling.