ElectriFly's New PBY Catalina

[Gerryy]

Watch for a review of this WW2 Classic Flying Boat in the September issue of Model Airplane News
This electric powered twin is a blast to fly of of water.

[tailskid]

Shouldn't fly off glass like that - it might break and give you 7 years of radio hits on 2.4!

[Debra]

For our initial flight test, I flew it from our grass RC field after I had removed the water rudder. The plane balanced at the recommended CG using the 3200mAh ElectriFly LiPo battery. You can use a smaller pack, but then you’d have to add weight to the nose, negating the advantage of the lighter battery. The twin brushless motors provide plenty of thrust for easy hand-launches and a healthy climb rate. We then went to a large lake where the PBY is more at home. Changing between land and water configurations takes only seconds: just remove or install the water rudder with one setscrew. Slow-speed taxiing is a little challenging as the water rudder barely touches until speed is built up. I found the best technique for water takeoffs is to hold full-up elevator until between 1/3 and 1/2 throttle, and then relax the elevator until flying speed is achieved and a touch of up-elevator gets the model airborne. Once in the air, the Catalina can fly quite fast but very solidly.

General Flight Performance
>Stability The PBY is very stable, and intermediate pilots with low wing aileron experience will find it a joy to fly. The rudder and elevator are very effective.

>Tracking Tracking on the water once the model builds up some speed is very good. In the air, rudder should be used to counteract the adverse aileron yaw.

>Aerobatics The Catalina looks the most realistic doing a slow flyby, but it has ample ability to perform basic aerobatics such as loops, rolls and inverted flight.

>Glide & stall performance The model was very predictable in a stall with no nasty tendencies. The glide is very good, although some power during the landing approach helps flatten it out.


Pilot Debriefing
The PBY Catalina is a well-mannered twin that is very easy to fly. I flew it on high rates the entire flight and did not find the plane overly responsive. Landings are also easy; just line it up with the runway or lake, and it flies itself to touchdown. For water landings, it’s best to fly it onto the water in a level attitude rather than attempt a flare, as you risk burying the nose in the water. Soon after touchdown, the model will slow to taxi speed.

If you’re looking for a unique, realistic semi-scale subject, the PBY Catalina is a great choice. The electric motors take much of the hassle out of flying multi- engine aircraft, and the model’s quick construction will have you patrolling the lake in a short time.

[Kmot]

Sweet! Thanks for the report! :)

[gulliford]

I am now flying the featured PBY and I really do enjoy it. There a few things that I have through about thirty flights. Early on I noticed a tendency to drag the left tip float and trim in flight was needed to correct the problem. On inspection I found the plane was tip heavy on that side so I started to make plans on how to correct with weight. When I turned the plane over a fair amount of water came out of the float pylon. Easy correction, I sealed the pylon to the wing. Subsequent flights went fine except I had a radio failure. When I looked inside I found the receiver drenched. There are no openings that could allow water to get in the fuselage except the wing saddle. The saddle showed about a sixteenth of an inch of space at the leading edge. This allowed water to enter and drip onto the receiver. The easiest solution for me was to insulate the receiver
and seal the wing in place. I also noticed that the horizontal stab was very weak and the control horn located quite far our on the elevator. The push rod was moving the entire left elevator and stab. The only horizontal strength of the stab is the trailing edge of the stab, about a half inch. Haven't found a solution yet but have installed two one sixteenth carbon fibre rods through the vertical stab below the horizontal extending about two inches on either side sewn in place with carbon fiber thread.
No expert, just a Sunday flyer.