Hempel KA-6 "cockpit"

[LRFitch]

Guys,
Can anyone share how they have "decorated the office" in their Hempel KA-6 glider. I seem to recall some very nice photos of the gliders after you folks improved the looks of the cockpit areas of these gliders. I've found a slightly used version that could use some improvements, but haven't found a single photo of what the full scale cockpit is supposed to look like. I'm not trying to make a scale cockpit out of a semi-scale glider, but would like to make it a little more "inviting" for the pilot figure (if I can find one of those too).

Thanks,
Larry Fitch

[Steve P]

but haven't found a single photo of what the full scale cockpit is supposed to look like.

Mr. google knows cockpits

https://www.google.com/search?q=ka-6...w=1920&bih=949

[LRFitch]

Steve, Thanks for the link. Gene Cope called this morning and told be basically the same thing. Amazing how adding cockpit to the search opens lots of doors. That shows how my mind has been working the last few days.

Thanks Again,
Larry Fitch

[LRFitch]

My slightly used Hempel KA-6 is now in my shop, and other than a single paint scratch on the nose of the fuse, all appears good. I will be playing with it in the shop, assembling and messing with it until I'm sure I understand how it fits together, and what I need to do to make it mine. Happy times!!!!

[ARUP]

No pictures?

[LRFitch]

ARUP, No pictures, at least not yet. I don't believe I have ever posted a photo on this or any other website. Len has tried to help at least once, but so far "no cigar". Just not my thing I guess. Kind of "an analog man in a digital age". That according to Joe Walsh.

[ARUP]

Bummer! Would sure like to see your new bird.

[LRFitch]

ARUP, It's just a Hempel 50% KA-6, just like all the others that have been on the site from time to time. To me, the only difference between mine all most of the others is that mine was Bill Hempel's personal bird, so is used a bit, with the attendant bumps and scratches. I've always had a soft spot for the KA-6 and finally was able to get one, a quite big one. I'll attempt to take a few pictures, and see if I can post them.

[ARUP]

Since it was Mr. Hempel's personal bird then we really wanna see it! lol I have an ~ 1/4 one that will get built soon. I like their looks, too!

[JimD]

Hi Larry, what do you have in the way of a camera?

Do you have an iPhone or android phone?

[LRFitch]

Jim, the only "camera" I have is the one in my Samsung Note 5 smart phone. I have taken a few photos, and attached them to emails, but that is about my current limit.

Larry

[JimD]

That is a perfect camera, but what makes it work super with the forum is resizing the pictures you take. Check this explanation:

https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00040702/

If you photo editor will let you resize your selected pictures to a width of 800 pixels x height of 600 pixels, the pictures can be directly uploaded from your phone album into the forum using the "Upload Attachment" button that appears to the bottom left of the text typing box after clicking on the "Paper Clip" at the top right of the text typing box.

Once upload, click the picture you want to insert and select "full-size"...This will place a nice big photo into your thread like the ones in my posts...a little cryptic on first time but easy peasy lemon squeezy after that!

[LRFitch]

Guys, bit of a different issue with my new toy. I've partially assembled the glider in the barn, and so far have checked the tow release, rudder, elevators and left side spoiler servos, and all work fine. However, when I hook up the left aileron, and turn on the power the servo goes "crazy" flapping up and down without regard for the aileron stick position on the transmitter. The aileron has the longest servo extension (about 160" long), but not sure what to be looking at. I will replace the Futaba S-9156 servo tomorrow and see if the current servo is the problem. I've not seen this issue before, so thought I'd ask the more experienced pilots of large gliders. Thoughts???

Larry

[JimD]

What batteries are you using? I have seen this with older servos that (while great servos on 4.8v) are not happy on 6.0v 5-cell NiCd or NiMH packs and really not happy on 2-cell LiFe 6.6v packs (even though servo specs list 6.0v stats).

Might want to go with a servo whose stats start at 6.0v and go higher, just my experience.

Futaba makes this inline voltage regulator for 4.8v based servos.

https://www.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXBHZU&P=7

[lenb]

Larry,

It sounds like the servo is the issue, sometimes if you go into your radio and change the sub trim on that aileron by a bit you'll get a servo to stop 🛑 searching around. Worth a try.
Its usually nothing do do with the servo lead length as long as your flying a good modern radio, ( enter Spektrum here) ....on 2.4
The days of choking servo leads is a distant memory

Len

[LRFitch]

Jim, The flight control system is powered by two 5200mah Fromeco LiIon batteries connected to a Smart Fly power distribution panel. The receiver is a Futaba, and the transmitter is a Futaba. After all, Bill Hempel is a Futaba sponsored pilot.
Len, I have borrowed a couple Futaba S-9156 servos that have 340 in-oz of torque at 6.0 vdc. This is the same model servo that is wagging in the air currently. I will try out a new servo tomorrow and see what I can find about the cause. I agree, a ferrite ring is not the answer to this issue in these days of 2.4 ghz FAAST systems.

[JimD]

Considering this setup, I have to agree that it sounds like a bad servo...have seen this too, but it has been a while!

[LRFitch]

Well, I now don't think it is the servo. I plugged in a brand new S-9156 servo in place of the one that came with the glider, and it has the same issue of wagging on it's own when power is turned on. Not sure where to go from here.

[JimD]

Try another servo extension. Bad plug or "black wire syndrome."

[LRFitch]

Jim, What is the "black wire syndrome"?
Larry

[JimD]

When copper wire degrades and corrodes. Only fix is to replace the entire length of wire.

[RShelby]

Just plug the new servo directly into the receiver and see what happens. If it works fine, plug the old servo directly into the receiver. When in doubt, cut out the middleman.

Rick
Team Horizon