hombresinropa

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Anyone have any good drawings or ideas for a stooge? I want to make one for my larger scale warbirds. I'd like to keep "helpers" away from my planes (had a guy break my tailwheel helping me). I have padded stakes, but with large planes, it's a little annoying (especially when I'm alone flying) to dance around the airplane to remove it.

I am sure I can figure one out, but I'm sure you experienced guys have some good ideas, and I'm a fan of doing things right the first time. Mainly I have that opinion because I've done it wrong the first time too much... heh. I want to make a stooge that is robust and safe; one that won't accidentally release while I'm in front of an OS 1.20.

thanks in advance guys,

Mike<br type="_moz" />

Villa

Hi hombresinropa
I'm not familiar with the name "stooge". From your description I assume it is some type of airplane restrain. I have a design for a free airplane Safety Starting Stand made of treated lumber. Interested?

ispirit99

I know of "Three Stooges" but they may make things worse. Just kidding! Couldn't help it.

SeamusG

Most of the guys at our field with big planes do not use human help. Rather they have a soft strap looped over the tail as pictured and use a carabiner that's easily unhooked with one hand. Our field has a chain linked fence between the hot pits and the setup tables which the use to hook up to. In the absence of a fence maybe a stake in the ground or a 20# weight.

hombresinropa

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Fellas,<div></div><div>Actually, I expected waaay more 3 Stooges jokes... so no worries! </div><div></div><div>I do indeed mean a restraint system. Guys normally have stakes in the ground or some kind of yoke that sticks into the ground, allowing you to run up your engine and tune it. Much like the restraining posts on the flight tables at your local flying field.</div><div></div><div>I want to create one of these that anchors into the soil, and the restraint flips down on a hinge, so I don't have to pull up stakes or pick up the airplane with it running. This is mostly a concern for me when I'm by myself at the field. I imagine that a gate latch would do the trick, with a couple pieces of bent wire or rebar and a spring. a bit like a mousetrap. I wouldn't want a strong spring.. and hell, probably don't need one at all.</div><div></div><div>I fly a lot of tail-dragger warbirds and they swing big props, so picking up the tail to clear the tops of the stakes I have isn't the beat way to keep props healthy.</div><div></div><div>People around here call it a "Stooge," maybe its a regional thing. A couple guys talk about them, and it's a pretty intuitive idea, but nobody here has one and before I make one, i was interested in finding plans for a "refined" or "tried and true" design, before I spend lots of time shopping for material or tinkering with design ideas. Heh, I like spending time on the plane more than the other stuff.</div><div></div><div>In any case, it's not an emergency or anything, and I can handle things the way I do them now just fine. I was just wondering if any of you fine, experienced fellows on here had any good "stooge tips," besides tips for the stooge pilots I have tripping their ways up and down my pits at the field... heh.</div><div></div><div>Thanks guys</div><div></div><div>Mike</div>

hombresinropa

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Seamus,

Nice drawing! I have used that method too, and it works great. I'm trying to also find a strap that I can use FASTEX buckles on, so I can just unclick the strap, like buckles on luggage straps. That method works well, and is cheaper and faster than a stooge. The good thing about a stooge is that it works anywhere... fence or no fence, concrete, dirt, grass, etc.

I'll keep you guys posted on this thread as to the progress. It should be simple, portable, robust, and most of all, effective at restraining a big plane but also gentle as not to dent any leading edges.
<br type="_moz" />

Lnewqban

For two good ideas, just go here and click on accessories:

http://www.donshobbyshop.com/

Note that both are spring armed, but one has a release mechanism that can be actuated by foot, while the other relies on a simple loop at top of both vertical holders to be pulled by hand.

kenh3497

I knew EXACTLY what you were talking about.

The fly by wire guys would use a stooge when flying by themselves. The only way to start the engine and get to the control handle with the engine running..... Unless you could run REALLY fast

YAT-28E

You will love those aluminum stooges! We used them at our field and it is nice!!

SDR-Hammer

A few years ago I made just what your describing buy using a standard entry door hinge. However I didn't use a spring, just the mechanics of the hinge to limit travel in one direction. When I'm ready to fly I just pull the plane back a foot or so and push the restraining arms down parallel with the ground and leave them there until I need to use it again.

One caveat though, my design is all steel so it is something I welded together. I can take a pic of it and post if you would like?

SDR-Hammer

Edit: Duplicate post. [:@]

What the hell is going on around here?

hombresinropa

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Hammer,

that would be great! I'd appeciate it!

Radical Departure

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Hey Ranger... in one of the Batts by chance? Former A Co. 1/75th here... I used this product for a number of years on my 30% extra. Guy sells them here on RCU. Works great. YEARS of life still left in it..

[link=http://www.rcuniverse.com/market/item.cfm?itemId=813791]Tail Hook[/link]

RLTW!

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

That's funny,, I was ignoring this thread because that's what I thought it was about,,


I have a 15' strap from a light duty ratchet strap tie down, like a motorcycle tie down size,, I tie a loop in the middle and use the metal hook end to loop around the tail and hook into that loop,, it makes for a quick release once you're behind the plane and holding the tail. I've used this method for years,,

I either tie the other end to a fence post, bench/table leg, or I carry a large screw driver to use as a stake

good luck

Flyin Beagle

My Feedback: (1)

Not that you can tell it by looking at my portly figure now days, but I used to do a lot of backpacking. I use an old nylon strap with a plastic buckle that was for strapping tents and sleeping bags to my pack. It is very easy to unclip with one hand while holding the air plane or transmitter. It also is adjustable in length so I can attach it to a fence post, starting stand or whatever is around.

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___48054

You could probably find something very similar at a local sporting goods store or even walmart.

JH313

I have a wood board laying horizontally, with two holes in the back for stakes. Attached to it by 2 door hinges are two boards where the tail is held back. When you pull the plane back the boards fold in allowing you to simply roll the plane over. If you have any interest, I'll take some pictures.
Hope that helps.

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

Stooge is the common expression for a mechanical release by the controlline folks as well as some of freeflight fellows however for those who use rubber power, it was more to support the airplane so the motor could be stretched and wound with a winder.

I used this one as a controlline stooge for years without the servo and just a pull line. Now it serves well as an aerotow release with mods for my glider tug.

It is not really appropriate for what you want though, however if you can get ahold of the January/February 2012 issue of Sam Speaks. This is the magazine of the Society of Antique Modelers, perhaps a member can copy the photos for you. There are pictures of a stooge that could be built with plenty of size and heaft for your ship and its very simple made mostly of wood. This one use's an articulated horizontal tail stops and a trigger out behind the tail and release's them just by stepping on it.

I built a trigger release stooge one time just for Q-500 V tail Pylon racers one time just for those times when practicing alone but this one I described is much simpler and can be made with the heaft needed.

John

hombresinropa

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JH 313,  I'd love to see some photos!<div>
</div><div>John, that's awesome... thanks for the info!  Does SAM Speaks have online e-magazine?  I'll see what I can find.</div><div>
</div><div>I appreciate it, guys!!</div>

JohnBuckner

My Feedback: (1)

I have no way to scan, If you care to e mail or PM me your mail addy I will just snail mail the magazine to you.

The design pictured would easily size up to a 120 ship by using a 1x12 base board about two feet long and a little aluminum angle for the triggers. Sorry my powers of description are so poor.

Any stooge of course needs to be anchored to the ground and two large twenty four penny nails (I beleve that what they were) always seemed to do the trick and were quickly removable (just kept a claw hammer as part of the field tool kit. Hmm sounds just like the high start guys

John

SDR-Hammer

Edit: Double post again [:@]

SDR-Hammer

hombresinropa,

Sorry it took so long to post these pics for you. I don't check in on RCU as much as I used to.

In the first pic I didn't push it into the ground all the way so you could get a better idea how it's constructed. Second pic it is pushed all the way into the ground and lying flat out of the way. Please excuse the rough foam padding. I do leave it out all summer and kind of takes a beating in the weather.

KW_Counter

All very nice and very complicated.
What many in our club did was attach a piece of
rope in the middle to the ground (your choice of how)
and bring the two ends under the horiz stab up over
the fuse and tie them with like a shoe lace - usually with one loop.
When ready to fly, pull on the appropriate rope end to untie and taxi forth.
No lifting or moving of the plane required.

Attaching to the ground could be a heavy bag of lead, a screwdriver, tent stake
or tied to a fence pole. Make sure your anchor is commensurate with the size of your plane.

Simple and very effective.

Good Luck,
KW_Counter