This C-160 was lovingly named "Moby" do to its large white fuselage. This was originally a glow model converted to electric power. The C-160 is a great big bird to add to any hanger. This bird has all the things the dudes are looking for, great scale looks, power and a pleasure to fly. This was the dudes’ 1st fiberglass model. Up to this point, the dudes’ only had balsa and foam planes so a fiberglass model was a welcome addition to the hanger. The cavernous fiberglass fuselage provided plenty of room to work. The fuselage was supported internally with a balsa and ply endoskeleton. The wings and control surfaces were constructed from balsa and heat shrink white covering to match the body of the plane.
With any glow to electric conversion project there are two important tasks that must be addressed:
Center of Gravity – By making the conversion from glow to electric you will be altering the plane from the manufacturer’s original plans. The CG will NOT change location, if the manufacturer states the CG will be 4 inches from the leading edge of the wing it will remain at that same location. However, to achieve this CG you will need to be cleaver with the placement of the battery (the heaviest addition of the conversion process). Also, electric motors tend to be lighter than their glow counterparts. Electric motor mounts will need to be fitted to the planes existing firewall. Air flow and placement of the ESC will need to be considered for cooling of all the electric parts.
Power – Choosing the correct motor, ESC, prop and battery are crucial for a successful flight (see Nude Bird Fail). The 1st thing you’ll need is a meter that will mount in-line to monitor the amount of current being pulled from your chosen battery and the amount of current being passed through your ESC. Selecting and testing different size and pitch props can add or reduce the amount of current being pulled (see Funster). The more current being pulled = more power. However, the meter will help determine if you’re operating within the specs of your chosen equipment. For the safety of your plane and the folks around you, do NOT draw over the specs of the manufactures stated maximum limit.
Given the manufacturers .25 glow suggested engine size and the limited room in the engine cowling the dudes went with two Jeti in-runner 30-3 brushless motors. These guys would easily fit into the space provided and provide the needed power to get the large C-160 off the ground.
Two 3S 4000 mAh batteries were installed “in parallel” to provide enough power to the two Jeti motors. Installing batteries in parallel has its advantages. First, 3S batteries are one of the most popular batteries in the sport of RC and they are easily reusable in other planes in your hanger. Second, they are relatively inexpensive as compared to a much larger battery pack that would be required to provide the needed mAh for a reasonable flight time. Please note, when connecting batteries in parallel the batteries MUST be identical. They must have the same amount of volts and mAh. Also, before connecting the batteries it’s a good idea to attach them to a volt meter to be sure they are at the same peak levels.
The most difficult part of the build was the rear control surfaces. This is a long fuselage and getting the flex out of the lengthy control lines was a chore. The dudes are not big fans of the old fashion control rod/wood dowel combination but sometimes you got to do what you got to do to make things work.
The C-160 was one of those birds that just looked great at the flying field and received a lot of attention from fellow flyers. Takeoffs were quick and easy with the power it possessed. The C-160 had a tendency to want to climb and would require the pilot’s attention to apply some down elevator when needed. Landing was like any scale bird; just fly it right to the ground and you’ll have no issues at all.
Sadly, Moby did not last long. During a routine takeoff one of the Jeti motors came apart and the C-160 rolled over and came crashing down (much like a breaching whale). During inspection, the base of the Jeti motor had broke loose and separated causing the fatal crash.
As the two dudes sat at the bench looking at the failed motor one dude suggested the Jetti motor could be salvaged with the use of some 30 minute epoxy. The other dude did not want to risk this Jeti motor taking the life of another plane and considered it a complete loss. Like they always say: “One dudes trash is another dude’s trainer upgrade”. See the Hobbico Superstar for the new home for the epoxy Jeti in-runner 30-3 brushless motor.
