Stinson L-5
I am looking for a copy of the Stinson L-5 plan by SIG or a good L-5 plan that could be scaled to 48" span. Thanks Bill
Posted on: 11/19/2009 5:49 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9265855

RE: Debolt Champ, My Love Affair
As therapy for my little fire incident I started back to work on the scratch build 40" Champ. I have got a bit done while sulking and kicking myself in the ^$$.
Posted on: 11/1/2009 8:12 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9221087

RE: Just ain't my day!!!
Hey Dan! How you been? They were 3 cell Lipo batteries and Eflite chargers. Never had any problems in the past and have always been careful but I just have no idea what happened. The Lil Esquire and the Live Wire Trainer are salvageable but the Super Cub. Jr Skylark, station wagon. and all electronics are toast.
Posted on: 10/30/2009 6:39 AM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9214498

Just ain't my day!!!
I had just been bragging about all the flying time I have been getting in over the last 6 weeks,to good to be true. I knew there was something not right. I have never enjoyed this much actual flying time before. Well all good things must come to an end! After another beautiful day of flying we took a lunch break and I went home to work on my Live Wire Champ I am building. After a couple of hours good progress I decided to go fly some more. I walked out to my car took out a couple of batteries put them on charge, went back in the shop, came out 30 minutes later to go to the field and this is what I found.
Posted on: 10/30/2009 6:18 AM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9214471

RE: Maybe it's a sign that I'm just getting old...
Hello James! Hows it going? This is the original power supply for my Dads LW Trainer escapement and my Jr falcon and Lil Esquire.
Posted on: 10/27/2009 10:19 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9207882

RE: Twin .020 Jr Skylark build thread
Bob Harris, Correct me If I am wrong, but didn't you take some dihedral out and change the spar arrangement on the Early RC design? Cheers! Bill
Posted on: 10/25/2009 10:37 AM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9200415

RE: Twin .020 Jr Skylark build thread
For information sake, here is a scan of my original Jr Skylark plan/balance point
Posted on: 10/24/2009 10:24 AM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9198191

RE: Twin .020 Jr Skylark build thread
For what it's worth again, my Skylark electric conversion was original single channel and flew wonderfully as a single channel ship. When converted to 3 channel I had to put a 1/16 shim at the LE of the wing(lowering the LE of the wing)and a 1/16 shim under the LE of the stab raising it up. It is a little over powered by original standards but it takes off in about 20-30 feet no wind and climbs at a comfortable rate with no elevator input. I can fly it at about any speed I want with a little trim touch up and it lands at neutral trim very nicely. It took me several flights to get it right but it is sure fun now. At its original single channel configuration it would just reach to the sky with a climb rate that full down trim wouldn't tame and as soon as you cut the throttle it became a glider just like in the old days. I never analyzed from an engineering stand point what I changed by these shims but it now is a pleasure to fly. Cheers Bill
Posted on: 10/21/2009 2:15 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9191102

RE: Debolt Champ, My Love Affair
Well, I made a little progress today. 20 bucks worth of balsa and 10 bucks worth of glue. I'm gonna try and cut the ribs tonight if the ball game turns out to be a bummer. Cheers! Bill
Posted on: 10/19/2009 7:42 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9186328

RE: Debolt Champ, My Love Affair
Hey Coos! how you been? Yeh, I always liked the first version better because of the open bay stabilizer covered with silk and the silk covered open area of the fuse. I have about 3 different debolt plans and pictures of Hal and his original champ with the stabilizer mounted on the bottom. Will talk more later! Cheers! Bill
Posted on: 10/19/2009 12:47 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9185337

RE: Debolt Champ, My Love Affair
The baseball game is 11 to 0 and Da Bears! just went 30 yards backwards to loose so BACK TO THE CHAMP. I was on another forum the other day complaining about how heavy my Lil Esquire was due to all the years of repairs so I called talked to Bob Harris and ask him to weigh his Lil Esquire wings and let me know what his weighed. He had 2 and they averaged 5.2 oz each. I weighed mine and it was 7.84 oz so I decided to build a new wing for the esquire and when I went to get the plan from my Dads I found the original Champ plan. I was driving home and it dawned on me. If you are going to build a new wing for the Lil Esquire why not scale down the Champ and you could use the same wing. So I did! I scaled down the Champ for a 40 inch wing and started to cut parts. Bottom line I am going to build a 40" Champ and finish it just like the original. I will start posting pics as I go. Here are the only pics I have of the original one and my Dads friend is looking through his pics to see if he may have one.
Posted on: 10/18/2009 11:53 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9184234

Debolt Champ, My Love Affair
It started in 1955 I was 5 years and my dad had just lost his Live Wire Trainer he had built in 1952. It just flew away never to be found. He then built the most beautiful model I had ever seen, a Debolt Live Wire Champ. I was in awe!. I remember going to the field across the street where he and his best friend would test glide their planes and he had 2" sticks body lead with holes drilled in them to balance the models. He had always flown single channel, rubber band escapement but this one had the latest Debolt servos, OK Cub 14, rudder AND elevator with all the bells and whistles of the day. It had a beautiful red silk job with yellow accents. He had never flown with an elevator before so on his first flight he was not going to use the elevators so he blocked them off and pinned them neutral. We went to the field some time after that to fly it and the fun began, the running in of the OK14 which was different to me because everything before this was diesel and I missed that smell, Then the tuning of the radio watching the meter hanging over the side of the radio box. It was time to fly! The OK14 was fired up the radio checked and the plane was hand launched and flew off just as straight and true as any I have ever seen. In fact it flew as straight as it could until it could not be seen. My Dads friend Tommy jumped in the Stinson L-5 and took off in search of the plane but it was never found. That was basically the end of all RC and model flying for Dad. It was about 1959 when a friend of my dads came to the house and said he had just done an estimate to put cabinets in a mans house and he noticed an airplane hanging in a room and it was Daddys. Daddy went back over there with him and after hashing out the story and Daddy proving to the man by drawing the radio layout the man turned the Champ over to Dad. I did every thing I could to get him to fix it and fly it but he would just not have anything to do with it. Finally he said if you want a larger plane to fly we will fix the LW Cruiser but I never intend to ever fly that Champ. I was heart broken but the LW Cruiser did get fixed and flown. I still loved the looks of the Champ and it hung over my bed in my room for a period of time. One day a guy at our field crashed his plane and and had nothing to fly so I thought to my self If I can talk dad into selling it to this guy at least I would get to see it fly. Dad did not hesitate selling it and the guy took it recovered the open section of the fuse and cut ailerons in the wings and put in a bigger engine. I went to see it fly and on the first flight the outside end of the wing broke and the Champ spun in and all that is left is the landing gear. The Ball Game is on! To be Continued! Cheers Bill
Posted on: 10/18/2009 10:40 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9184064

RE: Maybe it's a sign that I'm just getting old...
Steve, I didn't mean everyone here was that age I just meant the guys that I hang with in the 7:00 morning fly sessions . The rest of the club age varies but there is hardly any interest in building anything and no interest in old stuff. Here is my Dad with his Live Wire Trainer 1952 he is 82 now. He doesn't fly much any more since Mom got sick but he will stop by the field once in a while and polish up his thumbs.
Posted on: 10/16/2009 1:22 AM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9177209

RE: Maybe it's a sign that I'm just getting old...
If you feel more comfortable here then maybe you need to stay for a while! I am 59 and I go to flying field every morning at 7:00 as long as it ain't raining. I am the youngest there. The ages run 70-80 and we fly old stuff and some new but we go early because a lot of the old stuff we fly won't fly in the afternoon winds. There is one gentleman, about 80, that I see every day that has about 50 or better models all made from 1937 to 1955. Some free flights that have been converted to RC as well as early RC stuff. All my stuff is 1949 to 1960 so he calls me "TIME WARP" because all my hobbies involve stuff from 1930 to 1960. I feel more comfortable around them and they appreciate me restoring the old stuff. I feel good there!
Posted on: 10/15/2009 10:02 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9176751

RE: Re-living a past life?
Amen on the old kit crushing! definitely wasn't the greatest. I Talked to Bob just today trying to find a cutter that could cut me a scaled down Debolt Champ. I had no luck so I took out my original 1955 Champ plan and started scaling it down to about 40-42 inchs. It will make me a good winter project. If I finish it to quick I am going to build a Jr Falcon to go with my Jr Sky Lark unless I can find an old debolt model that needs to be restored. If anyone knows of any debolt models in need of restoring that can be bought send them my way. Cheers! Bill
Posted on: 10/15/2009 8:23 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9176508

RE: Re-living a past life?
Here is the only pic of a LW Yankee I have. It called for a .074-.09 and I think it had a 42 inch span but I really can't remember. I never liked the looks of it but I sure would not turn one down if one comes available to restore. It had a swept back fin and a pointed nose. I bid on this one on ebay a couple of years ago but didn't win it. Here is a LW Rebal as well. Cheers Bill
Posted on: 10/14/2009 3:11 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9173037

RE: Re-living a past life?
Oh, I think they definitely had a purpose then. A single channel will take off beautifully if you have a place to do it. Here is an example of the fields in this area in the 50s. My LW Trainer takes off great on a closely mowed field.
Posted on: 10/14/2009 12:55 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9172707

RE: Re-living a past life?
Here are a few Debolt pics I posted on here last year. Even a couple of the Master himself! http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_7285298/anchors_7285367/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#7285367
Posted on: 10/14/2009 10:15 AM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9172357

RE: Re-living a past life?
Automike, The LW Trainer original weight was posted as 35 oz WITH radio an to use any .09. It was originally single channel. You don't have to build or use the flite box and you can also use the small receivers and serrvos. Mine weighs between 38-40 oz depending on which battery I use. It is about 4 1/4" wide and a lot of unused space so you could make it more narrow if you wanted to shed some weight. The LW Trainer with the .09 was just a slow flying Trainer and was very forgiving however it does not fly well with a lot of horsepower with out some balance and incidence changes. I added a little power to mine so I could take it off the grass. I never saw an original one ROG because in the 50s all the fields were plowed up or they were wire grass of broom straw. The Rebel posted weight is 21oz WITHOUT RC equip and calls for an .074-.09. The Champ will be to heavy for a .09 it is 56" and calls for a .15-.19. Here is a few of them. Cheers Bill
Posted on: 10/14/2009 10:09 AM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9172343

RE: Re-living a past life?
Bob, We have emailed on several occasions but I have always wanted to tell you that I have admired your persistence in educating people to the "Old Timers". James, I have always read your post and know you are an avid Debolt fan and appreciate you interest in Debolt history and would like to share it with you any time. HighPlains was instrumental in helping me with my Live Wire Trainer. For those who haven't seen or know my history or Debolt history it is. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_7285298/anchors_7285298/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#7285298 AutoMike You are right that the ARF/RTF has a purpose after all I would not be here right now if it were not for it. But there is a satisfaction that continues to call me from past to save the past. That is why I like to restore models that have been cast aside because thanks to my Dad who is still kicking strong at 82 I have actually lived some of the storys they can tell. Cheers! Bill
Posted on: 10/13/2009 5:22 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9170457

RE: Re-living a past life?
When the word "Debolt" is mentioned I must jump in! I see some familiar names here! The Debolt Live Wire Trainer was for the .09 engine as has been stated. My Dad used a .075 diesel in his and his best friend used a Mckoy .09 diesel. Mine is an electric conversion with a .075 diesel dummy engine in it. Now for the "Rant"! I must admit it was an off the shelf foam electric Super Cub that got me back into the hobby after a 40 year absence. It wasn't long till I missed the old Debolt models my dad flew so I went in search of a Live Wire Trainer to restore but finally had a kit cut and I built it. Then I started restoring my Dads LW Cruiser which is about complete. All of the people in the flying clubs around here with the exception of one person who is about 80. Buys a RTF or an ARF on Monday and comes to the field and says I built it over the week. It seems the term BUILT now means install a motor,radio,servos and maybe hook up some control surfaces. Most of the people around here think it's kinda silly to spend that time building a model when you can buy one off the shelf and they definitely think I am crazy for spending all this time restoring old models. Can't help it! I love the old stuff! By the way, I need a Debolt Champion to build or restore preferably the first version. Cheers! Bill
Posted on: 10/13/2009 2:38 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9170039

RE: Octoberfest 2009 Oxford, PA
Thanks for the wonderful pics!! WEDJ your machine is beautiful!!! Cheers Bill
Posted on: 10/11/2009 9:11 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9164993

RE: Babcock Aeronca ready for maiden
Russ, here are a couple of pics for you!!! and anyone else!! Yes I do remember the National crash in Bolivia. My dad was there for 2 solid days picking up body parts and searching for bodys with the L-5. The bomber was the last one found and was about 4 miles back from where the plane rained down. Hall Watters a fish spotter using a super cub found him and it was his hanger at the airport that the FAA or CAA used to put it back together. Hall took about 400 pictures of the scene that were later donated to the Library. Hall was a major aviation contributor to the area and when he died a year or so ago his family went to the library and took everything out that he had contributed including the 400 pictures of the crash and about 2000 more of his aviation pictures and contributions.
Posted on: 10/11/2009 6:17 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9164465

RE: Babcock Aeronca ready for maiden
Bill is gonna ramble again! I feel that Russ' "Airknocker" is flying at it's weight limit. My Jr Skylark and Jr Falcon original single channel flyweight was around 18 oz. Now they are 22 oz with a 37" wing semi-symmetrical 235sq in. Russ has 26 oz and 240 sq in. Even in real planes the more you approach weight limits things tend to get touchy. I am assuming by trip strips you mean strips on the leading edge near the fuse to make the root of the wing stall first to help stop tip stalls?. I feel that Russ' plane will fly fine without the extra fin once we hit on the on the exact cause of the problem. From my experience here is what I would do: Take off the aux fin, set the throws to 3/8 ",balance it nose heavy, remove the down thrust, prop it at a static thrust of 52% of its weight, go strictly to hand launch until I resolve the problem. When I launch it if the nose begins to drop and I have to blip some up elevator if not excessive I would trim and fly it only as long as it took to observe it. I would remove some nose weight until it would rise instead of drop. At 1/2 throttle if the tail wanted to hang I would start by changing the incidence at the stab, if it is solid mount I would change the wing. On a normal weight model I would start with 1/16 shims but if it is a troubled model, known to be heavy, I would use 1/32 shims. I would start with the trailing edge of the wing up or the leading edge of the stab up. If that did not make it better I would do the opposite. If it made it better I would go to a 1/16 shim. I know I had no trouble with pitch with my "heavy one" but it was still wishy washy until I got the balance right. Still if I vary 3 grams either way especially towards tail heavy I will have some problems. Any more than 3 grams the plane starts to fly me and I am trying to save it all the time and dreading getting close approach speed. After you get it to fly like YOU want it then go back to ROG takeoffs. Enough rambling!!! NOW lets go to my modern day Super Cub. 29 oz flat bottom, narrow cord 47.5 in span 365 sq in area very same power set up as the lil esquire but 4 degrees right thrust and 4 degrees down thrust but is balanced about 2 1/4 " from leading edge It flew great right out of the box and still does. I went from 9.6V 165 gram NIMH batts 10x8 prop to 100gr 1300mah LIPOs 9x6 prop. The battery box is right at the CG so the plane just got lighter so I went from 2" to 2 3/4" wheels. I had to do a repair on the tail and had to add 2.66 times the weight added to the tail, to the nose to get it to balance but it still flies good. Cheers Bill Waiting for return ramble!
Posted on: 10/11/2009 5:51 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9164460

RE: Aluminum landing gear
James, you can go to Tower Hobbies and look up DURAL landing gear and you can find them. James, a few months ago you emailed me about using some Debolt pictures I had. I emailed you back and said it was OK by me. Did you get them OK? If not let me know and I will get them to you. Cheers Bill
Posted on: 10/10/2009 7:54 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9162410

RE: Babcock Aeronca ready for maiden
UStik, I have not had any luck with using down thrust in my flat bottom winged planes but have had to add right because of the increased torque/prop size. Down thrust just doesn't make them respond to my liking. However I have to use it in the Goldberg models but I am only using about 2-3 degrees instead of 4-4.5 degrees. The flat bottoms will thermal and so will the Goldberg @22oz but when it comes time to land the Goldberg needs more speed during the approach. Cheers Bill
Posted on: 10/10/2009 6:09 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9162227

RE: Babcock Aeronca ready for maiden
Not to change the subject but something for Russ! Russ we discussed a DC-3 approach in one of my model slides about a year ago. I was finishing up all the model slides and ran across this. It was taken from a Stinson L-5 on final in Wilmington about 1954.
Posted on: 10/10/2009 1:21 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9161768

RE: Babcock Aeronca ready for maiden
For me I will say that the main enemy in my quest was the added horsepower. When I first flew them as long as I pulled the power back and let them lumber along as their design dictated they were fine but as soon as you tried to fly them in a controlled manner, not just interrupting it's direction with a blip here and a blip there, they became wishy washy and a trim battle. Now, just for info, the plans for the Esquire 40" .049/051, Live Wire Trainer 48" .09, had no right, left, or down thrust. As the same models got larger LW Senior 67", LW Cruiser 65", .19-.35, the plans started to call for right thrust. But none of them ever called for any down thrust. All of these planes were large 4412 flat bottom airfoils. Now, my small Carl Goldberg models under 40" semi-symmetrical airfoils had no left, or right thrust but as much as 4 degrees down built into the firewall and had higher stall speeds. Just rambling. Bill
Posted on: 10/10/2009 12:10 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9161636

RE: Babcock Aeronca ready for maiden
Russ, read this and visualize it several times. Not to say it is the answer but I know it has helped many a person including myself. http://www.modelaircraft.org/mag/FTGU/Part%2029/29main.html there is 4 pages. I think you are a LITTLE tail heavy. My Lil Esquire is so heavy that just 3 grams of weight will make it go from an enjoyable fun plane to a miserable flying machine. I even carry weights with velcro and if I change batteries I make sure I have the same weight going back in the plane. I had the same effects you are having and I never suspected how sensitive it was to balance. Work with no more than 3 grams at a time with weight and 1/32 at a time in changing incidences. Believe me that airplane is very capable of flying well but will land heavy you just have to be gentle bleeding off speed as you have been doing. I promise it will work. I know, I fought that lil esquire for a couple of months trying things. I refused to accept that so little weight would make so much difference then one day it dawned on me. That plane used to weigh 24oz and now it weighs 32oz. and then I visualized 1/2 of a pound of lead being put in my plane then it all made sense. Go for it! Cheers Bill
Posted on: 10/10/2009 12:10 AM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9160914

RE: Am I still the
Amen!! on the kid part. I live a mile from the flying field and I ain't figured out how to get a plane to the field on my Cushmans. I have been looking for a Cushman side car but all of the ones I find are 1200 miles away. I would feel safe to carry anything up to a 4ft span in the side car. Cheers Billl
Posted on: 10/9/2009 10:18 PM by Author "billmod12" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=9160669