HAL9KPCM

I bought one and it was a perfect match of the plastic one.

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

I've found FiberGlassSpecialties products very close, if not identical to the original shape and fit... In my eyes everything I've bought from them has been identical to original really... I've probably bought a dozen cowlings and wheel pant combos over the years... and nice thing about FS is they have components available for dozens of out of production models...

I didn't get a chance to pull my Komander out this morning, as life and responsibilities are happening today... but I'll pull it out soon and take a "before" pic...as at this point it's pretty much how it was when I rescued it... I'll throw a pic up in a few days... It's not pretty.. but it has potential I think.

... and again HAL thanks for the plans and info on the canopy and cowl..

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

I just ordered up a cowl from FiberGlass Specialties, and canopy from ParkFlyer Plastics. I've still got to get my plane out of my storage shed... but this might make a nice project. I've been thinking of engines I have on hand... I'd mentioned an OS .70 Surpass four-stroke I have... and after pondering, I'm now thinking about an OS .46FXi I acquired that just might be brand new.. It sure doesn't look like it's been ran anyway. The idea is to NOT over power this thing like I (we) are prone to do these days... Just a nice clean classic.. we'll see. I'll get some before pics in a few days. I hope I can handle this bad boy... They are way cool planes from the past right.

Big Stikflyer

Back in the day I flew mine with an OS Max 50FSR. Plenty of power for aerobatics or what ever else you want to do. (No 3D) I'm going to work on mine this winter to get it finished up. I want to fly it again before I'm no longer able to. And yes once again I'll put that 50FSR back on the nose. In my opinion it's a perfect combination.
​​​​​​​I hope you guys enjoy flying yours as much as I enjoy mine. Good luck and happy flying.

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

We put an OS .60FP in one many years ago, and it flew very well. I'm stlll deciding(and won't know until it's done.. ha).. on an engine. I really like four-stokes these days, and have several... alot might depend on what everything looks like when I get to that stage... as this OS .70 is a real kitten... and four-strokes in general are much cleaner and quieter.. and have equal (or better in many cases) performance in alot of different planes. There might be some logistic work in getting a .70 four-stroke in there... maybe.. we'll see when the cowl arrives and things are studied a bit more... again I'm not looking for any speed, definitely not 3D type stuff other then what's natural for this plane... and it was free.. (well except for the accessories I bought today.. ha...) so I'm just having affordable fun with it.

Enjoy your Kommander as long as you can Mr. Big Stikflyer.. that 50FSR is an animal no doubt... and thank you for your service Sir.

I'll get some pics up one day right.

Big Stikflyer

Thank you Mr. Grant,
I too am a big fan of four stroke engines. So far all I've flown with one is a BUSA Phaeton II with a OS Max 61 FS. Plenty of power for that plane the way I fly and sounds great. I can imagine the Komander would sound great with my OS Max 72 FS. Yes I really do like OS engines, it's just a shame they've become so expensive and are slowly disappearing from the market. One day I want to try the new gas engines they are making. I may never go back to nitro.

TomCrump

Never say "never". I once said that I'd never go back to glow. Two of my last three Giant Scale builds are glow powered. LOL

I said that I'd never fly electric, too. I have four.

AA5BY

The Kommander having generous wing area and semi foil doesn't need a major power plant. It was designed as an intermediate trainer / aileron trainer. It was my first plane and the one I both learned how to fly and learn aerobatics.on.

Gosh... that was a while back.

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

The OS .70 four-stroke is the biggest I would put on it... I remember our Kommander with the .60FP was pretty fast.... but I do like the bit of "grunt" these four-strokes have, and they run clean too. I do the gas thing too.. and have several gas engines.. but these smaller glow engines and planes are intriguing me again for the last few years now...I've come a full circle at this point like many modelers. These size and types of planes are way more fun then serious.

.... And yes.. the wing on this plane is incredible, and I'm sure a big part of what makes it work so well. The combo of the taper, the airfoil, the area, the dihedral just really makes it.. as it's always been appealing to me. The Kommander from my past was a plane that I helped a friend build well over 20yrs ago, and I test flew, and actually got to fly it quite alot as we'd all go out as a family with our planes, and just swap them around. I'd always wanted one of my own.. and probably wouldn't have sought it out really... but this one literally begged me to take it home and fell into my lap.

I hope the one I'm about to restore is half as good as I remember the first one being. I'm just hoping for a simple, quick to get done, relaxing flyer that just cruises around.. and that looks decent. I'm thinking I'm going to do the stock scheme, probably in different colors... which will be determined when I get into my Monokote inventory... Just a "use what you got" scheme... haha.. I've got to grab some pics of the "before" as it sits right now... and I probably won't take but a few pics along the way, as I just want to get 'er done I think... and we know how they build pretty much I'm sure..

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

Here's a few "before" pics. I now know really what condition this thing is in. Although reasonably rough.... I'm actually not seeing fuel/oil anywhere... the firewall ares is clean of anything...There is signs that someone was planning an engine install... blind nuts in the firewall and such..... but there's no evidence an engine was ever ran on that firewall..... However, I do see damage on the left wing, crack/breach/break. I'd wondered as there was some splice in the covering.. so.. The repair looks suffiecient, yet puzzling.. and the wing is straight straight. The vertical stab didn't pass my "pressure test"... and I busted that away easily.. that was after I found the dorsal wasn't even glued to the rear turtle deck. After inspection, I found the vert.stab/dorsal didn't match the fuselage/turtle deck angles.... and someone just used a few scabs to make it fit... of which it didn't.

The wing repair is really true and straight though.. as I couldn't feel it.. until I saw the patches.. and even then I can't feel it.. I'm wondering now if this is a donor fuse... or wing.. as they don't seem to add up.. ha.. oh the mysteries of resto jobs right.

So at this point I have an airframe that in my opinion has never seen any air, and wasn't finished correctly obviously. What servo rail system is in there looks to be all balsa railing, with a ply servo tray screwed in.. hmm... I don't remember that from this era of plane.. I never screw a servo tray into balsa... so that will be addressed in time too... After less then an hour, I had most of the covering off.. just by hand... I didn't even need an X-Acto as it just kept pealing very easily ..

This little guy is going to learn what a sanding bar and sand paper is, and I'll make sure everything matches and mates as it should. I'm now thinking I'll go with my OS .46FXi, as it does need a home, and that way I won't have to pull the .70 out of another plane at this point.

So... Here's a Kommander that hopefully might see the sky someday..... probably for the first time for this plane... Wish me luck.

northrop n9m

My Feedback: (19)

Hi
If anyone is interested I just listed a Komander kit for sale. 175.00 obo
thaks

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

Very tempting!!! I must resist though, trying to save up funds for a new DX system... but... I'm going to ponder it for a bit anyway of course...

My resto-job is coming out nicely so far I think. I try and work on it a little each day. I'm still in the tear-down stage, and just about ready to build a new hor.stab, as the existing stab didn't pass my test.. Building a simple stick structure like that is the fun part I think. I've got to just pull out some stock to use, it's all simple 1/4" thick sticks, I'm sure you guys know.

I got the new canopy last Friday, great shipping from Park Flyer Plastics, as well as the cowl yesterday.. and again great shipping Fiber Glass Specialties... and the components all look fine.

Big Stikflyer

Is this kit still for sale and does the 175.00 include the shipping?
​​​​​​​Than I s Jay

Big Stikflyer

I just ordered a set of Komander core wings from Eureka Aircraft. I'm hoping the cavity for the landing gear blocks will be cut as well but if not I'll get the measurements from an original set and cut them in myself. I should get the core right before chirstmas, what a present. I do have a canopy from parkflyerplastic. I'm going to order a cowl from FiberGlass Specialties. All that's left is to come up with a set of templates for the wood and I'll never be without a Komander again.

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

There's a set of plans(or something I recall that you can build from).. somewhere.. I know I've got some info here in my computer somewhere. I'm glad to see this thread coming around again too. The above plane was tempting to me also when it first came up... ha..

My Kommander Resto is in much better shape lately, as it cleaned up well. I got it to a stopping point, and shelved it for a bit to work on other planes... but it's definitely going to get done. I've got the new canopy, as well as the cowling too... so I've invested a little into my "free" Kommander... ha. I've got to build a new hor.stab/elev... and it will also get new ailerons... all stock to do so is already on the shelf with the plane... I have tried to use as much original parts as I can though.

I will look into any info I might have to plans... If memory serves, aren't they in like 2 or 3 sheets?... and you splice to make them full-size?... or... hmm.. I'll look around here though.

Excellent info on the wing supplier!!! Thanks for that.. . that's awesome. I thought early on I might need a wing ... as the one I have has a huge repair in it that I didn't see until I got it uncovered.. but I worked on it a bit and determined the repair is sufficient and will be undetectable once covered... but if I want to build another one(or many more).. that wing info is excellent! I'll get back here with plan info... It might even be already in this thread too... very possible. Cheers!

HAL9KPCM

It's a single plan sheet of just the fuselage. You have to cut the plan to get a full top view and there is only a partial side view, but you can get the fuse length by measuring the top view. Plan sheet and manual is available on two websites in this thread. Sorry, I don't have 10 posts yet, so I'm not allowed to post the URL's

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

Ah,, I found the sheet. It's pretty much a reference sheet is all.. although probably full size.. no template patterns per-say... but I like your idea about having templates ready to go.. very cool.

I also have the manuals... and quick look at those jogged my memory as to the plane/kit having the template/cut marks printed directly on the wood... at least for the fuse siding... and I'm sure(as well as I'm sure you know more then I do..LOL).. the firewall, ply, and hardwood components were pre-cut to the greater degree. You probably have much more info on this plane then I do... but I'll post up that sheet here anyway... just in case, or just because. If you don't have the manuals I can post those up as well.. but you probably already have all of it.

HAL9KPCM

Ya, not a full plan, but with some drafting paper and a long straight edge, you can figure the rest out.

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

Yep... that's what I was thinking. If it outputs full size at a local large format copy shop.. just cut and tape and you'd have it... my guess is (although I can't remember a thing about it).. they might have intended for a builder to do just that... maybe.

Fortunately most of us that are old enough to have built one of these, are now crafty enough to make it work however we want.. we have experience right!!

skylark-flier

If it helps, I've got Kommander plans on my website, including the instruction booklet and wing template. Check out https://wanderings-ds.jimdo.com/sig-rc-kits-21-40/ - about half way down the page is the original Kommander & the Mk-II - - kits RC-32.

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

Ya know... that site looks very familiar... That's where I got that file I posted above... So yeah.. You've also got the manuals and all. Very nice of you to do that, Thank you.

That's quite a website you have there I must say.... very nice resource for us Sig fans... a great way to preserve info on the old classics... I'm going to bookmark it, as it's very good info... again thanks.

Every time this thread comes up it makes me want to start up again on my Kommander too. I sometimes wish I could work on things faster, but then that would change the whole dynamic of the hobby for me. Some of the best stuff I do takes forever, but in the end it's so worth it.

TomCrump

For many builders, it's not the destination, but the journey, that proves to be the most enjoyable.

DGrant

My Feedback: (4)

Great quote Tom! Watching you and others builds inspires me to do some creative thinking..(sometimes crazy thinking too...)...all enjoyable.... and it sometimes becomes a challenge and reward to simply do the best job possible with certain tasks... no matter how long or how much work is involved.... and I don't care how long it takes... but it all gets done... and pretty decently for the most part... I'm sure you know what that's like. It really is about the journey my friend.

My friends know I'm not known for "fast"...

skylark-flier

I thank you for the complements on the website - it's been huge fun putting together, and rather surprising too. I never thought it would be as complete as it is.

I've often considered doing a Kommander from scratch - I really like the lines she has. However, I'd like to try it with a built-up wing, just to see if I could do it. None of my planes will ever win prizes for "best of show" etc., but they fly, and many/most of them last 40 years or more (got several that can attest to that). It'd probably be an interesting project.

robbtennis

All the recent interest and activity warrants an updated progress report since my initial thread comment in 2014. But first a quick history, I bought this kit 30+ yrs ago as a kid. After the initial build and many flights it sat in my garage for many years until I pulled her out to show my son. She flew perfectly but my eyesight and judgement landed her in an oak tree poorly positioned at the runway's lee side. That was in 2014 and she sat in storage since then with some repairable damage inc broken stabs, landing gear and canopy as well as minor wing damage. With abundant time, resources and a renewed interest in RC I recently decided to rebuild this bird from the ashes. This time with full retracts, which I've been awaiting for over a month, a new cowl and canopy, reconfigured tail, and the pièce de résistance a fiberglass skin with scale rivets and panel lines. It's going way beyond her design but the old bird deserves a complete facelift. Everything else inc wings, fuse and OS FS 70 motor is still OEM. By far the most challenging of these repairs and changes has been learning the art of glassing, finishing and paint matching. The somewhat complicated processes I derived from auto repair for glass finishing and plan to complete with marine paint to provide fuel proofing. Here are original pics along with some current ones. She's not much to look at now but she'll be a real head turner and great Sunday flier for beginner intermediate or advanced pilot. You can expect more pics once this project is completed.