RE: NATS 2012 : Let the journey begin!
Many thanks to Arch and all the volunteers that made this years NATS run so smooth! It was a fun week. Steve
Posted on: 7/30/2012 10:36 AM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11174610

RE: New Griffin by Xtreme Composite
I took a close look at the Griffin at the NATS and was very impressed with the looks and quality of construction. What an amazing plane at a very reasonable cost! Steve
Posted on: 7/30/2012 9:41 AM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "Electric Pattern Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11174547

RE: Show us your charging system.
Flyer 88 - I use a portable chargering case at home and at the field to charge my large batteries. My case includes the power supply, Power Lab 8 charger, and a storage compartment. You can find more info at: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10342680/anchors_10342680/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#10342680 I built mine myself but VQuick (Vquick_500@hotmail.com) sells these already built for a very reasonable price. Steve
Posted on: 6/29/2012 7:57 AM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "Electric Pattern Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11136443

RE: FARM Pattern Contest
Great contest, thanks Larry! Steve
Posted on: 5/30/2012 1:43 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11100278

RE: FARM Pattern Contest
Hey Larry, I'll be there! Steve
Posted on: 5/15/2012 8:48 AM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11081547

RE: The 2012 Northern Virginia Pattern seminar
Looking forward to it! Thanks, Larry, for helping to make this happen. Steve
Posted on: 2/29/2012 7:28 AM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10981345

RE: R/C herr engineering Bonanza completed
Steve - Beuatiful work! I love flying but building is the most satisfying part of this hobby in my mind, especially when you are challenged with design mods and such. Nice job! Steve
Posted on: 2/27/2012 1:43 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "Park Flyers & Backyard Flyers"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10978688

RE: Which Futaba TX for pattern flying?
sabreflyer - I moved to the 8fg this Spring and absolutely love the radio. I was initially disappointed with the design when it first came out because it appeared too simple, but now I find it modern and the traditional style looks bulky and out of date. I was looking to spend more money on a new radio because I thought I needed to, but I was always coming back to the 8fg as the best value and fit for my needs. I have small hands so the size is perfect for me, and it has all the features I need for pattern and 3D flying - plenty of channels, plenty of customizable mixes, safety features such as alarm and throttle cut, etc. I've been using Futaba for over 25 years so the new programming took some getting used to but it became intuitive quickly and now I don't look back. Steve
Posted on: 10/6/2011 7:32 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10752278

RE: Fredericksburg, VA pattern contest 17-18 Sept
Great contest! Thanks to all those who helped out and of course Fredericksburg RC Club for hosting the event. Steve
Posted on: 9/23/2011 1:48 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10730831

RE: Radio Options
I also highly recommend the Futaba 8FG. It's an awesome radio that will serve you well for pattern and anything I can think of. I used a 7C for years (the 72 MHz version) and it's a nice radio but it lacks the ability to program a throttle curve and the number of mixes is limited and less flexible, so you'll outgrow it more quickly. I've been extrememly impressed with the 8FG and it fits my hands well. I considered a few other radios and did a lot of research, but I always came back to the 8FG as the best option for me - functionality, price, and fit. If you ever get into jets or larger models, you'll be happy you have 14 channels. I would recommend you go to a hobby shop, try them out, and see what feels best in your hands. Futaba is now offering a free second receiver with the purchase of a transmitter, so price wise it is within your range. Good luck! Steve
Posted on: 8/23/2011 8:19 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10684425

RE: Fredericksburg, VA pattern contest 17-18 Sept
Hi Larry - I plan to be there unless work sends me out of town. Looking forward to it. Steve
Posted on: 8/18/2011 11:01 AM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10676250

RE: Nat's Scores Day 1
Congratulations to everyone and thanks to all for making my first Nats experience a great one! Steve
Posted on: 8/6/2011 7:29 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10658867

RE: Proctor Mini Anti-Bipe (with mods) Build Thread
Here's a video I made that captures the successfull maiden flight and some pictures through the construction. Steve [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOTnfQuVo8c[/youtube]
Posted on: 7/29/2011 6:20 AM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10644699

RE: Dead spot on throttle
Tim - One of the guys at the field had a similar problem. He made a throttle to throttle mix to enable a switch to act as a kill switch, but he made the offset -125% rather than -100%. This caused the motor to not turn over until the throttle position was advanced at least 30%. Changing the offset to -100% fixed it. Steve
Posted on: 6/23/2011 12:01 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "Electric Pattern Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10588664

RE: Proctor Antic Mini Bipe turned Curtis Jenny
Thanks, guys! I'm certaintly proud of it, this was the most challenging and rewarding build in my 25 years of modeling. Up next will likely be a VK Models Nieuport 17! Now I need to focus on practicing with my pattern plane for the Nationals. Steve
Posted on: 6/22/2011 8:40 AM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10586702

RE: Proctor Mini Anti-Bipe (with mods) Build Thread
Pat - You shouldn't have any problem selling the partially built kit for that price. I've been building kits for over 20 years and this was by far my best experience. Good luck with everything. Lee - Hopefully the third time will be a winner! When designing my front end, I pushed the motor and battery as far forward as possible - luckly it worked out perfect and my CG is right on. Actually, since I clipped the lower wing by one rib on each side, I had to move the CG forward 1/4" from the recommended location. Mine is already overweight so I'm glad I didn't have to add any extra unnecessary weight. Good luck! Steve
Posted on: 6/22/2011 8:28 AM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10586684

Proctor Antic Mini Bipe turned Curtis Jenny
After 2.5 years in the making, I finally completed my Proctor Antic Mini Bipe redesigned to resemble a Curtis Jenny! It flies great and everything about the plane (fun of build, beauty, flight quality) really exceeded my going-in expectations. The final weight is 6 lbs, 6 oz which is a little heavier than the stock weight of 5.75 lbs with a glow setup; the weight increase is likely due to the redesign and the scale embelishments. With a total wing area of about 1100, the loading is still pretty light so it flies very scale like. The Eflite Power 46 and 4S 3000mAh pack balance it out perfectly and provide more than enough power. Here are a few pics, including the stock photo so you can see how it was transformed. I'll some detailed pics soon. My build log, maintained through covering, can be found here: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_8270605/anchors_10584372/mpage_6/key_/anchor/tm.htm#10584372 Steve
Posted on: 6/20/2011 7:17 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10584382

RE: Proctor Mini Anti-Bipe (with mods) Build Thread
All done and successfully maidened on Sunday! The Jenny-Antic flies great and came out beautiful. The final weight is 6 lbs, 6 oz which is a little heavier than the stock weight of 5.75 lbs with a glow setup; the weight increase is likely due to the redesign and the scale embelishments. With a total wing area of about 1100, the loading is still pretty light so it flies very scale like. The Eflite Power 46 and 4S 3000mAh pack balance it out perfectly and provide more than enough power. Here are a few pics, including the stock photo so you can see how it was transformed. I'll some detailed pics soon. Steve
Posted on: 6/20/2011 7:07 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10584372

RE: Anderson Power Pole Connectors. Have you had a failure or not?
Here's a pic to illustrate how I reconnected my APPs to simply turn the ESC into a Y. Steve
Posted on: 6/15/2011 5:20 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "Electric Pattern Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10576100

RE: Focus Sport Wanted
I have a used, great condition, Focus Sport with YS 110 that I've been trying to sell. I live in the DC area so it would be a bit of a haul to pick up. Please shoot me a PM if you're interested. Steve
Posted on: 6/15/2011 1:59 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10575818

RE: Anderson Power Pole Connectors. Have you had a failure or not?
Joe - I too have had only good experiences running APPs in my planes. I love the ease and flexibility they provide. I charge each pack individually, so when I first setup my plane I would rearrange the connectors to run the packs in series. This saved the need for a separate dedicated Y but was somewhat tedious having to rearrange the connectors before and after each flight. In a moment of mediocre brilliance, I realized that I could simply make the Y on the ESC side by simply adding a single short length of wire - in essence turning my one connector into two connectors connected in series. This only added one additional connector, so it was a much better option that using a dedicated Y. Best of all, because I use APPs, I could rearrange my connectors without having to redo connections! Steve
Posted on: 6/15/2011 11:30 AM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "Electric Pattern Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10575580

RE: FARN CONTEST
Great contest and many thanks to Larry and the FARM club members for putting on a well run contest as always - fun times and I received some great coaching and trimming help! Anyone interested in building a portable charging station like mine (pic below) can find my parts listing/build link at: http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_10342680/anchors_10342824/mpage_1/key_/anchor/tm.htm#10342824 Steve
Posted on: 5/29/2011 7:16 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Pattern Flying"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10547283

RE: Sealing and weathering over solartex
I finsihed up the brown wash and then sprayed on a satin clear coat. It's looking good, and I'll continue to build up the weathering to add more character. Steve
Posted on: 4/25/2011 1:28 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10484270

RE: Is this hobby Like an addiction to you ??
yup, addiction here too. I'm still a little pissy because I couldn't get out to fly this last weekend due to weather :) Been doing this for 20 years, and other than taking a few year break after college, I've been obsessed with building and flying. My additiction can now only be satisfied with building scale and pattern flying. What's interesting to me is to see how one satisfies the addiction has changed over time - because ARFs weren't really an option when I first got into the hobby, we satisfied our addiction with building and many many hours of flying and tinkering with one or two planes, whereas now days I see many satisfying their addiction with frequent buying/selling of RTF and ARFs. There is just so much great stuff out there, keeping a kit or scratch build on the workbench is key to me keeping me focused and my hanger a reasonable size. Steve
Posted on: 4/19/2011 1:53 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "3D Flying!"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10472658

RE: Sealing and weathering over solartex
I applied the dirty wash last night and it came out good. I made the wash by mixing dark brown acrylic paint with a small amount of grey and lighter brown and then thinned with water. I turned out well, sometimes the wash would get under the finishing tape and really darken that area, but it looks good and gets rid of that prestine look. I found that the dirtier and drier my towel got, the more effective it was in weathering an area. Now that the base is done I would like to highlight a few areas with maybe a dark gray. Any suggestions on which areas I should hit? I'm thinking that the areas behind the control horns and strut attachment points are good candidates. Also probably the areas just behind the cowl that would be exposed to engine exhaust. Steve
Posted on: 4/13/2011 2:02 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10460837

RE: Sealing and weathering over solartex
thanks guys for all the help! Steve
Posted on: 4/9/2011 5:39 AM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10452415

RE: Sealing and weathering over solartex
abufletcher - I did find that thread a couple weeks ago and had a great time picking up tricks as I read through it. I figure I'll start with just putting a brownish was over the covering and clear coating. Then I want to fly this thing!!! I then will take my time and weather certain areas at a time. One thing I really couldn't find a lot of info on is what a "wash" really is. I like the idea of using coffee paste, or just thinned brown acrylic paint. Since I don't have an airbrush I'm a little limited, but I'm just building a fantasy scale model so it doesn't have to be too perfect, just a little perfect [;)] thanks, Steve
Posted on: 4/7/2011 10:53 AM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10449070

RE: Sealing and weathering over solartex
Jerry - your Nieuport 11 looks beautiful! Thanks for the tip on building it up in layers. I don't have an airbrush so I'll have to do my best with a brush and/or towel. I was planning to clear coat with flat but noted that you used satin. Is a satin finish more accurate than a flat finish? thanks Steve
Posted on: 4/7/2011 6:58 AM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10448626

RE: Sealing and weathering over solartex
Tom - Using coffee is a great idea, I'll give it a try. thanks. Steve
Posted on: 3/29/2011 5:46 AM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10429817

Sealing and weathering over solartex
Hello - I have finally covered my Antic Bipe-turned Jenny with Antique Solartex (stitching, finsihing tape and all!) and would now like to add some weathering and a flat clear coat over the covering. Would it be best to first apply the clear coat so I can experiment with weathering without having it all absorb into the weave? What is the best flat clear coat to use over Solartex for an electric model? It just looks too perfect now, so I've been researching WWI weathering techniques and it sounds like a 'wash' over the entire model and then applying chaulk in other areas might be a good approach over the entire model. Any tips for basic weathering? Thanks Steve
Posted on: 3/28/2011 1:23 PM by Author "insalacosm" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10428437