born2build

Am I the only one who likes to build balsa kits for park flyers? Say it isn't so! How about converting rubber kits to electric? Anybody?

fox35

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Penn Valley Hobby Center This is a good one !

born2build

Funny you should mention the Taylorcraft. This is from a Great Glanes kit, converted to electric. 56" wingspan with an all up weight of 3lbs 4oz. Definitely not a park flier, though.
Laser cut Comet kits? That does sound interesting. One can only hope they are using better (much) wood!
Thanks for the tip. I will certainly check it out. How about you? Anything interesting to report? I'm all ears!

born2build

Here's one from Dumas' 30" rubber scale series. I converted it to 3-channel electric.

fox35

My Feedback: (9)

Here's the Comet Taylorcraft. It is a model of the real one I had. The wood was excellent. A very nice kit for the money. Weighs 15 oz. and flies like a dream and very slow. I made the mistake of covering it with tissue which is too delicate. It's a little beat up with hanger rash . Yours looks real good.

born2build

Thanks, buddy. Coming from someone who's owned a real T-crate, that means a lot. I've watched videos of full-size clipped wing Taylorcrafts doing airshow work. I want to emulate them as much as possible. All I need to figure out is how to incorporate a smoke system on an electric powered model. Hmm. As for yours, at 16 ounces, that's not an airplane, that's a kite! Ha! You should measure the wing loading at grams per square foot. I can see where what covering to use on something like that can be a bit of a dilemma. Too big for tissue but not strong enough for Iron-ons. Silkspan maybe?

fox35

My Feedback: (9)

If I could do it over again I'd use Coverlite

Coverite CoverLite Film Covering

Ouch, it is now $7.99 a package. But much stronger than tissue and requires no finishing. Doesn't go around curves very well.

Or maybe I'd go with silk . . .

Here's the real one. If you click it the image goes right side up.

Good luck with your electric endeavors !

fox35

My Feedback: (9)

Excellante !

born2build

Now, that's what I call an airplane! I had to hold my laptop upside-down, though. I wonder what causes that. How long ago did you give it up? I am so sick to death of Cubs. I've never built one and I never will. Why own a Cub when you could own a Taylorcraft, or a Stinson, or a Monocoupe, anything but a Cub! Come to think of it, I still haven't built a Monocoupe 90-A. Any idea where I can get one? It's gotta be full span though.
I've never tried Coverlite, although I have used Aerolite. That stuff is a real pain in the bazooka. As soon as you pull the backing off, it sticks to everything! It sticks to itself, It sticks to your elbow...
That's a Gee Bee Model E, of course. I'm glad you like it. I have another one (kit) for more scale detail. I may do it as rubber scale this time. We'll see. Hey, wanna win a bet at the field? Tell the guys the first Gee Bee was a biplane, the Model A. Nobody believed me. Ha! Well, I have a Sig Rascal that ain't gonna finish covering itself. 'Till next time...

fox35

My Feedback: (9)

Yea, the Cub cruised at 75 mph. Mr. Taylor greatly refined his design of the Cub. The Taylorcraft cruises at 100 mph on the same 65 hp motor. Mainly because the airfoil is semi symmetrical ( NACA 23012 ) and creates much less drag. Mine had the 75 hp upgrade and it would cruise between 100 and 110 depending on the wind. You cruise at flat out full throttle.

I don't think any light plane has ever surpassed the Taylorcraft BD 12 for beauty and efficiency. It gets 25 mi. to the gallon, and if things had worked out I could have flown from Kentucky to Chapel Hill, NC to see my kids in 4 1/2 hours, half the time of driving. And for 2/3 of the gas !

The Taylorcraft was, and is a CLASSIC !

Easy Built sells a 40" Monocoupe kit. I have one. Good balsa but you gotta carve the cowl . . .

born2build

I guess my last post didn't load. While I applaud Easy Built and their efforts, I was hoping for something a little more...substantial? I don't mind carving the cowl, or even the wheel pants. I've done it before. I'll look it up.

FlyerInOKC

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I just bought the Dumas Dragon Rapide Pat Tritle designed. I have ordered EMAX CF2805 10700 KV Outrunners with aluminum stick mounts, Sky Power 20A ESCs with switchmode BEC (The 12A were out o stock) and collar prop adapters with spinner nuts. I'm planning on using and APC 7X4E or 7X5E props. Battery will probably be a 2S 1300 mAh 20C.

Have you seen the new Pat Tritle designed Lancaster Brodak/Dare just released? It's gorgeous! I have been drooling over his Connie in the Dare line up. However, I'm leaning toward his Sky King Songbird kit as my next acquisition.

FlyerInOKC

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Don't tell Pat but I'm also looking at SIG Mfg's Dornier DO-217.

FlyerInOKC

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Any chance you have a picture of how you did the rudder horn on this bird? I'm not crazy about using a toothpick like Pat did.

born2build

Welcome! Glad to have you aboard. Both the rudder and elevator horns on the Gee Bee are made of 1/16" ply, epoxied to hard points I added. Nothing special, really. I added 1/16" balsa pieces inside the fuselage to support the 1/16" wire pushrods.
I'm not exactly married to Tritle designs only. Although I like most of his subject matter, and the Dumas kits seem like a good value, Lots to choose from there. I'm also looking into Easy Built, among others. They have a 40" Monocoupe 90A I've got my eye on. It doesn't appear to be very scale, though. Honestly, As I've said before, "So many airplanes, but only one lifetime."
The Rascal is coming along slowly. I think I've got one of your dead turtles working on it. Ha!

born2build

Off topic. I noticed you're a Kadet and a Ryan ST-A brother. In my inventory, I have a Kadet Senior and a Sig Ryan, both still in their boxes. How do you like them apples?

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

My Ryan projects are the SC-M and SC-W, my Kadet is a LT-40 built from a kit. I keep watching for a SIG STA kit but either I haven't got the cash or its priced out of my hobby budget.

I was thinking of using small tube on the Rapide's rudder with a kwik link glued to each end for the pull-pull system.

born2build

Okay, the Ryan SC series are a different can of tuna altogether. I've seen Sig Ryan kits go for as much as $350 (!).
I think I'll keep mine. You might want to take a look at Dubro's line of micro hardware, if you haven't already. Some useful stuff there. Little, tiny control horns and itty, bitty clevises and things like that there.
The Kadet Senior was acquired with the hopes of getting into float planes. I even bought a Saito 62 just for it. Yet another thing I want to do before I kick the bucket. And on it goes...

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

I can relate! In addition the Graupner JU-52 and Dumas Dh89 Dragon Rapide I have a 1/4 scale Globe Swift short kit and plans, an A-36 Bonanza short kit, plans and Robart gear, A Uravitch C-195 Businessliner short kit and plans, Top Flit 1/7th Mustang and Sea Fury kits. Partially completed projects waiting in the wings are a scratch built Dornier D1 i loss for 10 years and only recently found again, House of Balsa T-6 and P51D that were given to me and a partially built TF .60 Corsair I traded for because it had a full set of Robart retracts and 4 Futaba servos in the wing. Build quality on the Corsair is good but not great but I can fix the mistakes. Oh nd I didn't mention my current project VK Models Fokker DR.1 and a TF Cessna 182.

born2build

Recently, I have imposed a rule for myself. I'm not allowed to start a new project until I've finished the one currently under construction. When it comes to model airplanes, discipline is not my strong suit.
Which means my next task at hand will be refurbishing the Great Planes Skybolt I built about ten years ago. I have a new cowl, pants, and canopy for it. It shouldn't take too much work to get it looking good and back in the air. I just can't stand to fly an airplane that's all sad and tired looking. Gotta keep 'em looking fresh! She's one of my all-time favorites.
Got some work done on the Rascal last night. This is one of the best flying rudder ships I've ever flown. Rolls, loops, inverted flight, snaps and spins are all well within this bird's capability. Or, you can pull back on the throttle and hunt for thermals. Is this the perfect park flyer? Pictures should be coming soon!

FlyerInOKC

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I have the Rascal C its a great flier! I need to repair it after an unfortunate mishap while on landing approach and some hanger rash. I did mine in the white/green pattern on the box with gold pinstripes.

born2build

I went a different route with my Rascal. I planked the top of the fuse in front of the cabin, replaced the top and bottom sheeting aft of the wing with diagonal trusses, changed the nose a bit, and added a steerable tailwheel. I covered the entire airframe with transparent orange Monokote, and painted cream trim, also with gold pinstripes.
I still have to paint the trim on the wheelpants, install the receiver and the windows and...I think that's it!
Funny how that works out. Suddenly, you're done! I'll list the specs when I post the pictures, if I can get them to load.
It won't be long now.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Try downsizing the photos a bit that sometimes help.

FlyerInOKC

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I got my outrunner motors, prop adapters, ESCs, and a 130 A Watt Meter yesterday. I placed an order on Tuesday 11/14 with Heads Up R/C out of Florida and mailed a USPS MO as payment. The payment showed up on time as the USPS predicted on 11/17 and I received an email saying so. They shipped Saturday 11/18, also sending an email with tracking, and I received the pristine package on Monday 11/20. Order was perfect and the amazing thing was shipping was only $2.50! Outrunners came with 2 mm connectors installed and a stick mount. ESCs are 20A with Switchmode BEC (They were out of 12A) and came with matching 3 mm connectors to install on the motors. Shipping and everything came to a total of $70.25 with $15.00 being the Watt Meter.

born2build

This is the stuff for your De Havilland, right? Sounds like you're in business.
The Rascal is virtually finished. Just a couple of things to tidy up. All up weight is 24 oz. (with a 450 power system). It's the same set-up I used in the other Rascal. Full throttle is not used! But flight times are ridiculously long, up to 30 minutes.