whitennerdy

I am a RC pilot just giving CL a try so I can fly at my own property. I have a 1/2a Skyray ready to go with a testors .049 when the weather improves. I am also completing a half built Ringmaster kit. I have an old Enya 35 cross flow engine for it but I can't find the plans for the kit so I don't know the exact cg or whether it needs extra weight for the outboard wing tip. I know this thing was very common back a while so hopefully someone can help me out. I also have a set of unused Sullivan flight lines that appear to be made of some sort of synthetic fiber (not steel) and I was wondering if anybody knows how these work out.

icerinkdad

The Ringmaster is a great plane but the kits tend to have a few issues related to the design being more than 50 years old. Is this the kit with the large leading edge or the sheeted leading edge? Make sure the bellcrank platform is very secure (most folks replace the light ply in the kits with a larger 5 ply piece) as the original design is a bit lightweight for current engines. The Ringmaster will fly with an engine as small as a 19.
As far as the Sullivan fiber lines they are really draggy. They will work but only if you move the leadouts back a couple of inches as they will bow badly behind the plane pulling it inward as you fly. .015 steel lines would be better and can be ordered from Brodak or Sig or check the web for a company called Good-To-Go models (a friend of mine who runs a web based CL specialty shop, Ed is a fountain of good CL info if you have unlimited minutes on your cell phone). Most folks use the sulivan fiber lines to reinforce things like spar splices as they glue well with CA and epoxy.
Regarding tip weight you will need about a half ounce to keep the plane tight on the lines. With tip weight and proper leadout placement you need very little outboard rudder (maybe 1/8") and little engine offset (maybe one washer under the front mounting bolts) to keep the lines tight.
See ya in the circle!
Bob

jcralley

Bob has given you some good information. There is a forum which is devoted to the Ringmaster in all its various forms (and there are a bunch). You will need to register to view the forum but you will find friendly experts who will answer your questions no matter how complex or simple they may be. Ringmasters are great fun to fly when properly setup and trimmed. I have three myself plus three more to finish building. Two of mine are converted to electric the other is Fox 35 stunt powered.

The site for the forum is: [link=http://www.brotherhoodofthering.info]The Brotherhood of the Ring[/link]

There several different forums and a great album section with photos of building tips and many Ringmasters.

Check it out.

John

whitennerdy

The wing in the kit has a square leading edge with notches cut into the ribs and sheeting back to both spars if that tells you which version it is.

Lou Crane

Yep, that identifies the version...

The original Ringmaster from Sterling had one spar, about center height in the ribs, and a milled "D" section leading edge piece (also notched for the ribs.)

Not a great matter for your intended use. If you really get into it, and take up Old Time Stunt, this one wouldn't be eligible. It came out way after the original, which was from 1952 or so. The sheeted forward surface and spars may make this a better flier and more durable than the original.

The original Sterling kit didn't have plans showing side and top views, it was more like an extended cartoon strip, with lots of words, showing how the assembly steps went. I don't recall info in that kit on CG location, but you should be good with the ENYA 35, which is a bit heavier than the usual Fox 35. If it balances about an inch back from LE for starters, you should have enough stability. If it doesn't turn well once you get used to it, , you can add tail weight a bit at a time to move CG aft, while keeping it usefully stable .

Think in weights like two or three pennies worth, not whole ounces of metal. When the CG is at optimum, a straight, reasonably light Ringmaster is a lot of fun to fly!

Enjoy!

PipeMajor

My Feedback: (1)

That would be the S-1A version with the sheeted wing. Not legal for Old Time Stunt but I felt it flew better than the S-1 OTS version. I've had several and still have an S-1A with the venerable Fox 35 Stunt engine. Still one of my favorite combos to fly.

BTW, my first CL kit was a [link=http://home.comcast.net/~steve.scott8/images/ringmstr.jpg]Ringmaster[/link] powered by a McCoy Redhead .35 engine. I got the kit for Christmas when I was age 13 and built the kit, covered, finished and flew it successfully.

If you go to the photo link and are wondering what that mountain in the background is... That would be Mt. Aryat on Luzon Island, Republic of the Philippines. The building is the USAF hospital at Clark AB, where my old man was stationed in the mid 1960s.

cutaway

Balance it on the front leadout and it will be responsive. With an Enya.35 you'll need to put some weight in the tail unless the fuselage and tail are made out of ironwood.

icerinkdad

Chuckling... I defer to Lou in all things related to control line... and wish I remembered half of what he has told me in the past. That said many many thousands of Ringmasters were built stock and flew well enough for a beginner to get his feet wet. I have one in my garage that is about 50 years old, oil soaked and has a Fox 35 on it from that era. At a minumum hundreds of flights. All without any modifications and with the crappy glues we use to use on models. Lots of good advice here (much of which I would take) but the plane can be built to plans and flown... most of the advice will let you keep it longer if you do not have too many hard landings (read crash).
Have fun and see you in the circle,
Bob Furr

w8ye

My Feedback: (16)

I built this Ringmaster in 1965. It has the big milled leading edge and no sheeting. OS Max 35S with Tatone Peace Pipe. Still very loud.

gcb

whitennerdy,

You have been given a lot of good advice on the Ringmaster but no one addressed the Skyray. I would suggest learning to fly on the Skyray because it is less likely to be destroyed in a crash. Next time you get a kit like that, trace the parts on back of the plans (or other paper) so you can eadily make replacement parts. Landing gear is not necessary and not preferred...unless you are flying alone and do not have someone to hand launch for you.

I would set the controls for minimum movement at first...per the plans. After you have learned to fly you can adjust the controls for more movement.

I would suggest 15%-25% nitro fuel with ~ 20% lube. ALL Testors engines are iron/steel and should have some castor in the lube. You can "doctor up" RC fuel used for big engines if necessary. BTW, which Testors engine do you have?

At first dacron or spyderwire are sufficient, but .008 steel cables are much better. Start with 35' lines.

You WILL get dizzy at first. This goes away after awhile. You also WILL crash...that's part of learning CL. That's why I suggest learning on the Skyray. The Ringmaster is a much better flying plane but is also somewhat fragine in its design. Save it for when you crash less.

If at all possible, fly with a group, at least at first. It is much easier and the learning curve is shorter.

Of course these are only an opinion, your choice.

George

whitennerdy

I am planning to use the Skyray for training. I have the Testor's 049 with the plastic crankcase and nylon tank it seems to run well on Sig Champion 25%. I don't know of anyone or any club anywhere near me that flies CL and I will probably go it alone. Like I posted earlier I am looking for flying on my own land as there aren't even any RC clubs very near me. Thanks for all the good words and help.

icerinkdad

Hey were are you in Indiana? There are CL guys in Indiana around Indy and down in the south that I am aware of... and Muncie is the home of the AMA with a great flying site for AMA members.
Bob Furr