Konrad
Very Strong User
I just got off the phone with Duane Gall and learned that the NMPRA is electrifying the old Scat Cat (Q500, AMA 424). As there are no suitable 0.40 cid 6.5cc sport glow engines being manufactured. This is to try to, once again, entice the novice flier to enter the novice racing class. Personally I think this will just dilute the pool of racers split between EF-1 (9x6 prop) and this class. Looking back at my progression into racing. I raced Q500 with the 8011 K&B 40 as a means to learn how to race in the hopes of gaining the skills to race 0.15cid Quarter Midget. I liked the size scale and cost of QM verses the models and high nitro of F1. Loved the Scat Cat as a sport ship, as a racer not so much.
To my mind EF-1 was close to the perfect entry level racing class, good looks and size. True it is a little under powered as they don’t knife edge like the higher level class of racers do. (I think the new (APC 9x6E prop may help make these a little easier to fly).
But the powers that be are looking at this to try to bolster, stop the sharply declining, involvement in RC Pylon Racing. In my attic I found this Scat Cat (set up as a sport ship). I haven’t flown a sport glow ship in close to 30 years. So, I really had nothing to loose making an attempt at converting this to a Q500-E class racers. You can tell this is a bottom of the junk drawer conversion as I’m using a HK EF-1 spec’s motor and E-Flite 60 amp ESC. I expect this to come out on the heavy side as the fuselage has an epoxy glass surface finish (trying to make it slime proof) under the Monokote.
So the first thing was to remove the Fox 0.40 that I had converted to a Combat Special with a 15mm crankshaft (The stock Deluxe Fox 40 used a 1/2 crankshaft). Then try to see what would fit where. Much to my surprise I’ll need to keep as much of the conversion well forward on the fuselage.
I lowered the thrust line to keep things a bit more inline with the center of drag and to allow me to thread the motor leads through the firewall. Next I’ll need to develop a hatch to allow for fast changing out of the 335 gram 4 cell LiPo.
So here is what I have after only about 20 minutes into the conversion.
To my mind EF-1 was close to the perfect entry level racing class, good looks and size. True it is a little under powered as they don’t knife edge like the higher level class of racers do. (I think the new (APC 9x6E prop may help make these a little easier to fly).
But the powers that be are looking at this to try to bolster, stop the sharply declining, involvement in RC Pylon Racing. In my attic I found this Scat Cat (set up as a sport ship). I haven’t flown a sport glow ship in close to 30 years. So, I really had nothing to loose making an attempt at converting this to a Q500-E class racers. You can tell this is a bottom of the junk drawer conversion as I’m using a HK EF-1 spec’s motor and E-Flite 60 amp ESC. I expect this to come out on the heavy side as the fuselage has an epoxy glass surface finish (trying to make it slime proof) under the Monokote.
So the first thing was to remove the Fox 0.40 that I had converted to a Combat Special with a 15mm crankshaft (The stock Deluxe Fox 40 used a 1/2 crankshaft). Then try to see what would fit where. Much to my surprise I’ll need to keep as much of the conversion well forward on the fuselage.
I lowered the thrust line to keep things a bit more inline with the center of drag and to allow me to thread the motor leads through the firewall. Next I’ll need to develop a hatch to allow for fast changing out of the 335 gram 4 cell LiPo.
So here is what I have after only about 20 minutes into the conversion.
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