RE: Old Hobby Shack Model
I think the new lower price is about $60 too high for something that might fold a wing. I can't think of an easier design to scratch build. Then you know how strong it is.
Posted on: 5/22/2013 4:52 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11519672

RE: A Notice of GOOD SERVICE Received!!
Good site and a good tip, thanks!
Posted on: 9/12/2012 6:27 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11226720

RE: Dope cover question
Silver really works as a UV blocker. I have a 40 year old VK Nieuport that still has its original silk and still flies. But an old Goldberg Skylark covered in silk and painted with orange dope deteriorated quickly after bringing it out of basement storage. Of course you can use silver butyrate and it will have the same effect. However, if you try to paint red, yellow, or white over silver, it looks dark. I'm surprised Aerodyne doesn't seem to offer a white nitrate dope, but I imagine their cream would do fine as a base. Jim
Posted on: 9/11/2012 10:09 AM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11225137

RE: Dope cover question
Sorry Zor, it was just another thread from quite awhile ago, I shouldn't have mentioned it. I think nitrate dries quicker and doesn't keep shrinking as long as butyrate, so I think there is a little advantage to using silver and/or cream nitrate for a base coat. Of course the final coats still need to be butyrate for glow fuel. Years ago some people who flew diesels would use nothing but nitrate. You could do the same with gas, but water based paints are popular for gas. Jim
Posted on: 9/10/2012 6:28 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11224413

RE: Dope cover question
Yes, Randolph has tinted. Pigmented nitrate is also available. We've been through this before. I gave the source for pigmented nitrate dopes. The site still works. They still sell pigmented dopes. I have some. Zor does not believe me, but I can't help that. http://www.freeflightmodels.com/index.html Go to Building Supplies...Paint and Related Products. They carry non-tautening nitrate in blue, red, orange, silver, cream and olive drab. The silver nitrate makes a nice base coat. Jim
Posted on: 9/10/2012 12:10 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11223977

RE: Gere Sport 30 just about finished.
I can see you got a nice fit, but for me there always comes a point where I will do what I need to do to get a plane flying, even if it means cutting new holes in a nice cowl. Changing the throttle linkage probably is not as hard as you imagine. To each his own, but to me, they gotta fly! Jim
Posted on: 9/7/2012 11:54 AM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11220889

RE: Dope cover question
Shrinkage from dope and shrinkage of the material are separate issues. Dampened silk will shrink as it dries unless pre-shrunk. My experience with Thai-Silks, which is pre-shrunk, is that even taughtening dope will barely shrink it enough. I put it on wet, doped around the edges, kept the surface damp while the edges dried. When the whole thing was dry I applied taughtening nitrate dope (Randolph from Wicks). The dope made it wrinkle, but as it dried it shrank. It took a full day or so to get it taught again. It was frustrating and I will not use Thai Silks again. Dharma is supposed to provide some shrinkage. Jim
Posted on: 9/7/2012 11:36 AM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11220864

RE: Gere Sport 30 just about finished.
Oh, that's lousy. A poor running engine will definitely kill the enthusiasm. I have a lot of different engines, but no STs except a pretty old model (good as gold). You might post your problems on the engine forum and see what comes up. But if you're really at the end of your patience with this engine, then after all that work and such a nice plane, why not put something nicer in it? I bet a simple plain bearing OS .46 LA or TT .42 GP would fly the plane just fine with a low pitch, high diameter prop. They are simple, reliable engines. Then of course there are four strokes. It's a nice plane, live it up! Jim
Posted on: 9/7/2012 7:24 AM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11220620

RE: Gere Sport 30 just about finished.
A year later...any luck? Jim
Posted on: 9/6/2012 5:33 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11220082

RE: Dope cover question
The burn test makes complete sense. I'll check out mine.
Posted on: 9/6/2012 4:52 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11220047

RE: Dope cover question
Whatever Dharma and Thai Silks carry, it is WAY lighter than Koverall or Ceconite, and it is not expensive at all. If it's not silk, there's been some blatant fraud passing unnoticed for many years. I've only tried Thai Silks, which was difficult because it is pre-shrunk; I mentioned Dharma because others said it shrank better. Nevertheless, for smaller models when I'm counting grams, I will usually use Polyspan (NOT Skyloft, which is worthless). I bought my last dope in quarts from Wick's; before that I bought quarts from Aerodyne, Jim
Posted on: 9/6/2012 1:00 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11219822

RE: Indy 400
Nice design and nice builds! Wouldn't scaling up 12 1/2% be an Indy 500? You'd have 25% more area, so 500 sq. in. To get 600 you'd scale up by 25%, right? Then area would increase 50% to 600. Seems a little more reasonable for a .46. Or maybe you guys are just real power hounds! Jim
Posted on: 9/4/2012 6:56 AM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Scratch Building, Aircraft Design, 3D/CAD"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11216811

RE: Another Kadetito Build
Congratulations, what a sweet airplane and a great thing to do for your Dad! Hope you build another for yourself. Jim
Posted on: 9/3/2012 5:56 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11216243

RE: Dope cover question
Polyspan is a great improvement on silkspan. It looks similar but is much stronger than silkspan and it is heat shrinkable. Lighter than Koverall. I like it a lot, and I like Koverall for large models. Silk is available from Dharma. Many threads on all of this.
Posted on: 9/3/2012 11:07 AM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11215810

RE: First Time Kit Builder: Project GP Super Decathalon
I see I misread...the $150 Magnum is brand new...no problem, good luck. I'm sure if you are careful about technique you can avoid the dreaded tip stall and enjoy the plane. Jim
Posted on: 9/1/2012 9:41 AM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11213534

RE: Need a project for OS.15LA
I like Wicked Wanda, from RCM plans. I flew mine with an old Enya .15 and thought it was perfect. There's one in my gallery. I assume you can still order plans from RCM. Jim
Posted on: 8/31/2012 11:31 AM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11212742

RE: Engine Choice for a 73 inch J3 Cub.
I've seen so many Cubs that look like Cubs on the ground but in the air, they just look like another sport model zooming around because they have so much power. Everyone says, "that's what the throttle is for" and then they fly the plane fast and with a ridiculous rate of climb. I've had high powered planes and low powered planes and they are different pleasures and require different skills. If it were me, I'd enjoy the Cub for what it is. Full scale pilots at airshows do amazing routines with low-powered Cubs, but it is a different kind of flying. The LA 46 will swing a 12x4 prop just fine and provide moderate power. Jim
Posted on: 8/29/2012 8:07 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Sport Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11211058

RE: Best replacement for a worn OS40FP
I wouldn't hesitate to buy a used 40 FP that looks good in photos from someone with a good reputation who states that it is low time and responds well to questions before the sale. Yes, even with all that you could be disappointed, but if it doesn't meet the description you should be able to send it back. I've had pretty good luck this way, though not 100%. Jim
Posted on: 8/29/2012 2:22 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Glow Engines"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11210646

RE: First Time Kit Builder: Project GP Super Decathalon
That Magnum is WAY overpriced. You can get a brand new one for less: http://www.hobbypartz.com/4strokeengines.html ASP is the same.
Posted on: 8/28/2012 5:09 AM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11208778

RE: SIG Mark II Engine ?
I really like doing break in and/or testing on a test stand where the fuel system is right where you can inspect it and I can take my time with it. I like to go to the field knowing how my engine likes to be primed, and confident everything is working about right so all it will need it a needle tweek. It's much more enjoyable that way, in my opinion. Good luck! Jim
Posted on: 8/26/2012 1:00 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11206633

RE: First Time Kit Builder: Project GP Super Decathalon
I once read a post about this plane from a guy from Great Planes who said they learned a lesson not to put a kit on the market without plenty of flight testing. I believe he said it was the first scale kit they ever marketed. It sounded like they were kind of embarrassed by the plane. Obviously some people have mastered it and like it. I wouldn't advocate lengthening the fuselage, but if it were me, I'd go with about 20 to 30% more stab area, given all the complaints about it. That means increasing linear dimensions by 10 to 15%. Anyway, it's looking good. Best of luck with it! Jim
Posted on: 8/25/2012 5:15 AM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11205316

RE: First Time Kit Builder: Project GP Super Decathalon
I have not owned or flown this plane, but for whatever it may be worth, I have a theory about the tip stalling on this plane. I think it's the small size of the stab. The stab stalls and you lose control over the angle of incidence of the wing, and it snaps. The solution is to build a larger stab. Here's why I think this: The wing is very conventional and it is not tapered. It is not super thin and it does not have a sharp leading edge. It is NOT a wing that should have a tip stalling problem. But the stab is quite small compared to the stabs on other RC planes. I think that's the problem. I think it's also the reason people seemed to keep having problems long after the symptoms were well known. People tried washout, or a more forward CG, but no one tried a bigger stab. Of course, the stab is scale size, and the full size plane flies just fine. But the models operate with much lower Reynolds numbers and the stab on a 1/6 Citabria is a pretty small aerodynamic surface. Just one guy's opinion. But this problem was discussed a lot without anyone coming up with something that worked. I almost bought one just to try it. Jim
Posted on: 8/24/2012 7:22 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11205050

RE: How do you teach?
I'm using an old Sig Kadet Mk. II with OS 40 FP to train. It's an odd one because it has a foam wing with no ailerons. Tx is set up with rudder on right stick AND left stick so you can taxi and take off with left stick and fly with right. It flies nice and slow at a little under half throttle. I can see where a Senior, Senorita, or LT could be even better, but it works great and students seem to like it. Jim
Posted on: 8/24/2012 7:07 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11205038

RE: How do you teach?
I just started instructing and got a great tip from a guy who's been doing it for several years. While the student is flying, move the sticks the way YOU would move them. Then if you suddenly have to take back control the sticks are already where you want them...instant recovery. I found it also kept me from saying "right" when I meant "left", because my hands know what to do, and nothing gets lost in translation if I just tell the student to do what my hands are doing. Also, once the student is doing most of the flying, you don't get caught suddenly having to bail him out when you've let your attention relax! Of course, you would never relax your attention, right? Me neither...if I'm moving the sticks. The guy who gave me the tip likes to get people on the box without much talking. Explain what the controls do, get them going. As someone said, one principle before a lesson is sensible. I do think the aerodynamics are valuable, but explanations can come in small pieces as you go along. I taught myself on a 2 channel .049 all-balsa trainer, so I never went through the student process with an instructor. I had learned a lot from free flight and control line before I started RC. I think that makes it hard for me to put myself in the student's shoes, so I listen in on other instructors and do what makes sense to me. Jim
Posted on: 8/24/2012 7:00 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11205030

RE: SIG Mark II Engine ?
Yes, that's a good price...much less than an OS 46 LA and it has a metal backplate, not plastic...be happy! Excellent choice for the plane.
Posted on: 8/24/2012 6:30 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "Beginners"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11204997

RE: Good 2nd Low Wing?
David, I've been doing some knife edge with the LA Racer. I don't know if it's a good plane for that or not since I'm just learning and don't have any comparison for that. The Twist is definitely for a different style. The LA Racer is faster and quite "fighter" like. I would expect the fat airfoil of the Twist to give you much slower, tighter maneuvers, and it's probably easier to fly. It depends on what you like. What I like changes. Right now I'm really enjoying the giant, fast, roaring, towering maneuvers I can do with the Racer. Also inverted spins, flat inverted turns, snap rolls and bad looking (so far) slow rolls. I suspect slow rolls would be easier to learn with a Twist though. Jim
Posted on: 8/23/2012 4:00 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11203850

RE: Good 2nd Low Wing?
Another vote for the Skyraider from World models, or actually what I have, the LA Racer, which is almost the same plane, but with a cleaned up look. The price has gone up, but the plane is worth it. I fly mine with an Irvine .39 and it is a terrific performer! Towering figure eights almost right out of sight with that power. Excellent aerobatic trainer in my opinion. I'm on my second season with mine and I just like it better and better the more I fly it. Very straight tracking, easy to land, fast but it is light enough to slow down really well. Practicing knife edge and slow rolls with it lately. Jim
Posted on: 8/23/2012 12:48 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum "ARF or RTF"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11203663

RE: Herr Little Extra w ASP .12
Yes, I had a minor crash and the carb got skewed, so obviously the draw bar was not really tight. That's what started me thinking that your carb leak idea might be correct. Jim
Posted on: 8/23/2012 4:54 AM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11203098

RE: Herr Little Extra w ASP .12
I think there's an air leak at the carb. I notice that it is hard to choke the engine with a finger over the intake...very poor draw. I will have to take off the carb, check the O ring, and replace or maybe clean up and put on some RTV. I tried a new glow plug that I could not identify and it didn't help. Then tried an Enya #3, and that did help, but I'm still not getting a smooth throttle response. Jim
Posted on: 8/22/2012 7:47 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11202820

RE: Another Kadetito Build
It looks terrific. Over-sized wheels are excellent on grass, especially for small airplanes. It's amazing what will take off from a rough field if you just make the wheels big enough. Jim
Posted on: 8/20/2012 12:49 PM by Author "buzzard bait" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11199888