RE: ME-410 Build
Do you have a picture that shows fuel tank placement?
Posted on: 7/21/2012 8:11 AM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "RC Combat"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11163453

RE: William Bros Wheels
Why not ask the source. I spoke with the guy who runs William's Bros. a couple of years ago. He was very willing to discuss applications.
Posted on: 5/11/2012 9:22 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11077663

RE: Balsa USA 1/4 Scale Nieuport 28 Build
Since it looks like you are just getting started let me suggest getting the aluminum cowl from BUSA. I got one for my N17 and really enjoyed the way it turned out. I used the plastic cowl to test fit around the engine before commiting to cutting the holes in the metal. I used a dremel with the router attachment and a rotozip bit.
Posted on: 4/18/2012 7:03 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=11047886

RE: Need help with lightweight twin rudder linkage
Hmm. with the Spiderwire one could tie the rudders together and set it up as a closed loop with horns on the outboard side of the rudder. The down side is that your linkage is all hanging out in the breeze. I find myself linking BobHH's setup. Simple and light.
Posted on: 11/13/2011 10:19 AM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10809945

RE: Need help with lightweight twin rudder linkage
A pull - pull system with Spiderwire fishing line would be very light. Sounds like you are looking for R/C assist so if you do just one rudder there will be a little bit of asymmetrical drag but it should fly like a plane with a small rudder and a big fin. The Twin Lizzie has been on my to do list for a long time. I have a Lulla-Bi fuse framed up and need to finish cutting wing ribs some day.
Posted on: 11/6/2011 7:47 AM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10799199

RE: 4 Star 120 kit
A really great way to strengthen the 4 star fuselage is with Dave Brown carbon fiber tape. It is stiff so it is easy to manage and attaches easily with CA or epoxy. It strengthens the high stress areas on the lite ply fuselage without adding bulk or weight.
Posted on: 9/18/2011 9:15 AM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "Crash & Rebuild"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10722480

RE: P_51 Mustang crashes into crowds at Reno
My sympathies go out to the dead and injured. One thing about this crash is that it will probably be well documented. Not just from the witnesses and photos but with some hard data. I don't know for a fact that the "Galloping Ghost" was so equipped but a part of the multi million dollar investment in the unlimited racers is in telemetry equipment. There is a lot of real time monitoring and recording of what goes on with the airplane. Given the terrible nature of the crash I suspect that all of the data will be reviewed. Several other posters have cited the possibility of flutter. This may have contributed to the appearance of the tail wheel. The flutter or whatever lead to it may have also damaged the hydraulic system operating the tail wheel allowing it to drop but not truly extend. It's easy to do arm chair analysis but to really know we will have to wait for the data. Though I'm not yet an "older pilot" I do take exception to the many comments on the age of the pilot both with the exaggeration of his age and the implication that his reflexes might not have been up to par. While it's is true that our reflexes do degrade with age it is also true that the people who successfully engage in such activities often have above average skill and reflexes. I'm betting that the eventual conclusion will be that this age was not a factor.
Posted on: 9/17/2011 8:06 AM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10720949

RE: GP .40 Cub Clipped Wing w/Flaps
I had a GP .40 Cub a number of years ago. It makes a great fun flying airplane with clipped wings. IRC mine had a single servo driving both ailerons but if I were going to do it again I would use a servo for each aileron. I doesn't really need it for aileron authority. With a clipped wing the ailerons cover much of the trailing edge. Although not scale you use mixing in your radio for functional flaps. I can't say that the Cub is likely to need them but that often isn't the point. If you want it, go for it. I enjoyed mine with a .60 four stroke.
Posted on: 8/21/2011 10:34 AM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10680102

RE: Lost WWII pics
Thanks for these cool photos. Most were new to me.
Posted on: 8/6/2011 4:09 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10658677

RE: 1980's Sig Colt.
I will probably go over to right stick for the rudder at some point. There were several times as I was flying that I tried to correct with the right stick instead of the left. Like I said, the rudder practice doesn't hurt, but it isn't very convenient. As I mentioned in my first post this is my second go around with a Colt. There is a lot of pleasure in going back and doing it right. I may have to put a new needle valve on the Enya .15 that I had on the first on to really recreate the experience.
Posted on: 8/1/2011 6:35 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10650303

RE: 1980's Sig Colt.
I went out this afternoon and put in a few flights with the Colt. The weather was hot (105 F) and windy with 20 mph gusts but the little plane handled it well. It really shows how ham-fisted I must have been as an untrained beginner because the plane is really quite forgiving. I actually managed to get my original colt into th eiar and down in one piece on several occasions. I also parked in a tree on one occasion and in a swamp on another. I have the rudder set up on the left stick and it is giving my thumb some much needed practice. It is an interesting experience to use the rudder to roll the airplane. Landing require a little more forethought but once you are lined up with the runway, just use the throttle to control the descent and it flairs nicely into an easy landing.
Posted on: 7/23/2011 9:58 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10635792

RE: Morris Yellow Jacket-Any experience?
Even though the weather was atrocious, at 104 degrees and winds of 15 gusting to 20, I got in a few good flights with the Yellow Jacket. My engine is well broken in so it is an easy starter. I did seem to have some trouble with it wanting to run too rich in the air but it was taching 19000 + on the ground with a cox 5x3 rubber ducky prop. The hand launch is easy needing only a light toss at an upward angle. The climb out is good. Although it will speed up in a dive, it doesn't seem terribly fast. The roll rate is pretty good and it tracks well. I added a little down thrust as suggested in an earlier post. The Yellow Jacket is reasonably aerobatic but a throttle and rudder would help a lot in this regard. All landing are dead stick. This plane is not a glider. The plane is easy to control engine out and it didn't have any problems with bad stalls but the angle of descent is pretty steep. Keep it over head and maintain a little altitude during the last part of the tank and you can park it at your feet. The Kit was a pleasant build and the quality of the material was good. If you get a chance to buy one of the planes, snag it.
Posted on: 7/23/2011 9:42 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10635778

RE: 1980's Sig Colt.
Thanks Jeff, your design holds up well over time.
Posted on: 7/18/2011 5:27 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10627545

1980's Sig Colt.
Just wanted to share a couple of pictures of my Sig Colt that had its maiden flight last night. The Colt was the first plane that I tried to learn RC with back in 1983. It didn't work out too well but I still have the Enya .15 that powered that first plane. I later found a local club in Weatherford, OK where is got buddy boxed on a Goldberg Eagle. I always wanted to try again with the Colt. I found this one at an online auction and snapped it up. The Norvel .15 is an anachronism but flies the plane with power to spare. The plane flies nicely and with no ailerons, it provides good practice for my left thumb.
Posted on: 7/17/2011 10:02 AM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10625141

RE: Gee Bee Ascender
I wonder if the wings were borrowed from the C-2 along with the engine. If so, that would establish wing design and some of the scale proportions.
Posted on: 7/17/2011 9:53 AM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10625129

RE: Morris Yellow Jacket-Any experience?
I finally finished up the Yellow Jacket and got in a maiden flight. The power plant is a franken-motor. The back plate is a sure start. The case may have been a black widow. The cylinder has the large exhaust port and sub piston induction. The case has been on several planes and has been spun up using an electric starter so the nose of the case was a little worn. I trimmed a brass washer to fit the snout of the crank and fitted it behind the propeller boss so that there isn't any play in the crank. I used a cox 5x3 rubber ducky prop. My best guess is that the all up weight is around 12 oz. JR radio with elevator and aileron. The fist flight was a little short as the engine flamed out due to a too rich setting. I just made a lap around the pattern. I leaned it out a little for the second flight and made it through a one oz tank. The launch was very easy with just a gentle toss into the wind. The airplane has a very positive climb out. The roll rate is good and it loops with ease. I must have build in some positive incidence as it takes several clicks of down trim for level flight. Power off glide is fairly steep. The stall was benign but you're not going to soar very far. All in all a nice little sport plane.
Posted on: 7/17/2011 9:36 AM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10625112

RE: P-51 & Skyraider collide, no fatalaties!
Looking at the BBC video it looks like the collision took at least a chunk of the horizontal stabilizer along with whatever damage to the fuselage as already mentioned.
Posted on: 7/11/2011 6:30 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "RC Warbirds and Warplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10616941

RE: I love velcro, I hate velcro
The stuff I used on the Yellow jacket is "Velcro" brand velcro, made in the US and sold through the local mega store. It is described as "industrial strength". As for its actual strength it is pretty strong. I don't know if Velcro has a specific rating system, perhaps hooks per square cm, but once you get more than about 4 square inches you have to be careful pulling on it without wedging it apart so that you don't damage the underlying material. I usually treat it as a semi permanent attachment. There does seem to be variation in the strength of velcro grip. I tried a piece of random velcro strap with six sq in of over lap and I could pull it apart without too much difficult but trying to pull apart two pieced of the industrial strenght with 3 sq in of overlap was substantially more difficult. Given that not all velcro is created equal I would test what ever velcro you intend to use with the stresses that it is likely to be exposed to in mind. Make sure it is anchored securely to the supporting structure and place it so that the most commonly experienced load compresses the two pieces together. My best results come from keeping things in place to be supported by the structure rather than expecting the velcro to take the place of structure. When attaching velcro to balsa I usually seal the grain of the wood. Sand it smooth, making sure that the surface is clean and free from sawdust before I attach the velcro. Even if it has a good adhesive I usually secure the part attached to the wood with some additional CA adhesive. If the attached object is something that I dont want to get CA on, such as a reciever I can attach the velcro with a zip tie. I've even sewn velcro to those cushioned radio wraps with good luck. Velcro locks in position-Structure secures.
Posted on: 7/11/2011 6:04 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10616910

RE: I love velcro, I hate velcro
I did manage to get my Yellow Jacket buttoned up and made the maiden flight. The first flight was only one lap and the motor flamed out due to being too rich. Following a little bit of needle valve adjustment the next flight drained a 1 oz tank. It's a zippy little thing.
Posted on: 7/10/2011 7:12 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10615375

RE: I love velcro, I hate velcro
It wouldn't be good for things that require precision locating like servos but for small batteries and recievers the industrial grade velcro is pretty handy stuff. I CA the hook side to the airframe and the natural vibration of the motor seems to tighten up the bond with the loop side till you have to wedge a popsicle stick in between them to get it to turn loose. I often use foam as well. I was mostly just kvetching about not having any velcro on hand.
Posted on: 7/10/2011 9:09 AM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10614608

I love velcro, I hate velcro
After a several month layoff from building due to back surgery, than catching back up at work and so on I've finally got back down to the basement to do some serious building. everything was where I left it and I've gotten back on task with a Morris Yellow Jacket and a Sig Colt. It was here that I ran into one of the mysteries of modeling. Why is it that you can have 10 feet of fuzzy velcro but you always run out of the hook side? I'm installing the radio in the Yellow Jacket and a little velcro is just the ticket for holding it in place. and now I have to pop out to Wally World for some more velcro.[:@]
Posted on: 7/9/2011 7:38 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10613993

RE: Holy Smoke kit on the way ??RUDDER??
[quote]ORIGINAL: hattend Trailing edge of the wing or of the control surface? Don [/quote] The trailing edge of the control surface as shown on the plans. Mine is at the stock dimension. One option given that the plans are lacking is to use the longest rib and the wing tip measurements to calculate the mean wing chord and use that as a starting point for setting the CG. Here is a picture showing where mine balances. I reinforced the sheeting and put a 4-40 screw in at the CG to hang it from.
Posted on: 6/18/2011 7:40 AM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10580229

RE: Holy Smoke kit on the way ??RUDDER??
I can't find my PDF of the plans but I took a look at the tile print that I still have on hand. The center of gravity is 14.25 inches ahead of the trailing edge.
Posted on: 6/17/2011 1:01 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10579091

RE: Hobby Helpers plans -PT 19
Hmmm, I'm thinking that it really wouldn't be that much work to convert. If anything, modern hardware would simplify it quite a bit. It looks like the original design weight was around 6 pounds. A modern radio would knock off quite a bit of weight. A .60 four stroke with a big prop ought to putt around quietly. In my initial look at the plans it looks as though the wing center section is permanently attached to the fuselage with removable wing panels. I suppose that is workable but it is quite a bit different than I'm used to.
Posted on: 5/29/2011 9:39 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10547538

RE: Hobby Helpers plans -PT 19
Thanks for the info. The plans are in fair shape and the previous owner had already traced a set of rib templates. I'm going to see if the local Kinko's can make me a copy of the plans to build on top of. The firewall would need to be set back a bit but it would probably make a cool project with a 4 stroke .60
Posted on: 5/29/2011 8:30 AM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10546424

Hobby Helpers plans -PT 19
I scored an interesting purchase at an auction today. A set of Hobby Helpers plans for a PT19. There are three sheets printed on both sides. The plane would span 72" but calls for a K&B Torpedo .29 and a Babcock BCR 5 tube receiver. The plans are described as "Group #856. The accompanying writeup is copyrighted 1956 Smith and Street Publications. Three channel control, the plans show Bonner escapements and a K&B 2 speed needle. Does anybody know anything about the plans or the plane?
Posted on: 5/28/2011 10:46 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "Golden Age, Vintage & Antique RC"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10545969

RE: Smooth moves...NOT!
How about forgetting to put the rotor back under the distributor after a long day of working on your MGB and then wondering why it wont start?
Posted on: 5/17/2011 7:06 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "RC Scale Aircraft"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10526484

RE: Sig 1/6 Cub Build
I built this kit nearly 20 years ago. As others have mentioned it is a builder's kit but very rewarding. I built mine completely stock and then over powered it with a K&B .40. It wasn't ridiculously over powered but it would fly around at half throttle all day long. This plane is a good first tail dragger or scale project. It is the sort of airplane that just adding a few scale details can really make it pop without having to go overboard on the work. After flying it with the long wing for a while I used one of the die cut sheets to get a rib profile and built a strong, one piece, clipped wing of 75% span. Lot's of fun. Once built and covered the fuselage is plenty strong. Hang in there and finish it up, you'll be glad that you did.
Posted on: 5/7/2011 7:54 AM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum "Kit Building"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10506428

RE: .061 on a 2X4
A product .049 pulled my gentle lady around just fine with landing gear no less. I never got a successful ROG as it tended to run off the side of the runway before it had rudder authority (no tail wheel) but it flew nicely with a firewall on the nose and a 1oz tank.
Posted on: 4/21/2011 3:33 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10477106

RE: Firing up a couple of Vintage engines
If by glow plug threaded head you mean the head that is set up for a standard plug that is what all three of my OK Cubs have. I'm not too worried about producing amazing power. Since it runs well I may stick it on a Laumer design one of these days.
Posted on: 4/15/2011 6:01 PM by Author "mgnostic" in the forum ""1/2 A" & "1/8 A" airplanes"
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/fb.asp?m=10465161