Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

Guys, I’ve been thinking…

I know that most of you have already stopped reading after that first sentence but one or two of you may be willing to plunge ahead until the TV commercial is finished.

What say we put our heads together (the sound of that should be something like an Ugly Stik hitting the ground WOT) choose a design and then make ‘kits’ for as many of us as cares to play. Each participant could sign up to provide one part of the total (like wing ribs, formers, firewalls, LE/TE/spars, covering, fuselage sides, tail surfaces, hinges/horns, LG wire/pushrods, etc.). Then when we got together at some flyin (like Rog’s next one in the fall) we could exchange parts and go home with a complete kit. Fast forward four to six months and we could have a mass launch, get our pictures in all the English-language magazines and attain immortality – or just check out each other’s variations and watch ‘em fly.

Or in order to bring the process along more quickly, we could US Mail our parts to each other kinda like one of those chain letters; Send 12 wing ribs to each of the names at the top of this list and in 4 days a fully assembled ¼-scale playboy centerfold model will ring your doorbell – or you will receive parts from the other guys. And when I am thinking “US Mail” I’m thinking a 37-cent, business-size envelope. (LE, TE, and spars would be exempt I guess). Fuselage sides could be spliced.

There would be things that you would still have to provide yourself like wheels, clevises, etc. And we’d have to determine what to do about plans – if we’d even need them (what if you only got that part of the plan that you were responsible for and didn’t get a copy of the whole thing until some time later).

With your permission I would like to offer a few thoughts about the model selection – in random order because I have made notes in some strange places and times. The following are a few of the things to discuss and decide upon. They are not even recommendations.
• Pick an engine limit/range: such as Cox Reedies, Pee Wees, or up to .074.
• Give each of us the opportunity to offer up their favorite designs or designers. Such as: have each of us “players” submit one (two, up to ten) design recommendation and then take a vote. Each submission could be accompanied by an explanation of why it would be the best choice for our project.
• Maybe limit selections to proven designers like Willard, Strader, Kampen, Randolph, etc.

An alternative would be to just pick a design through whatever process everyone could agree on, pass around plans and have just a few up us offer to do some of the harder parts involving plywood, wire, ribs, whatever.

I’m sure there are other variations of the “Common Creation” concept that would be workable, cheaper, logical, less complicated, etc. Let’s run it up the flag pole and see if anything waves in the breeze.

By the way, I absolutely do not want to infringe on any current or future kit/plan venture that ANYONE on the 1/2A forum would be considering. I’m thinking especially of BobHH, PTUlmer, BipeFlyer, etc. or anyone else. Please guys I don't want to “compete’ for business. But if at any point you feel we (I) am getting too close to your toes, speak up and we’ll fix it or stop it – and that includes before it starts.

I don’t propose this as a way to save money. I don’t propose this as any kind of competition. I only propose this as a way to keep our Carolina Crew active, interested, and together. I think we have something a little special and maybe out of the ordinary as far as modeling groups go. I don’t know, maybe it’s too “out of the ordinary” but I thought I’d run it by “youse all” (that’s a combination Yankee/Southern term that I think may be appropriate since I understand that most of us in the crew are not necessarily “native”).

Whatcha think? Anyone? Everyone?

mr_leffe

I would like to suggest the Name.... "YOUSE-ALL"

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Raymond, while I'm not really part of the crew, I will offer my plotter/cad skills to the project if you want to do something new. BTW, I'm out of business(kinda), so no toe stepping here. Not that I would have cared anyway. Sounds cool!

BTW, what kind of looks are you looking for? Sharkface type/trainer/aerobatic? Those designers had a pretty wide range. Mark Fain has a beautiful rendition of the Pacer that is worth looking at. And there's enough darn parts in that thing to give everybody plenty of work. But the final result is worth it. I think it comes out around 14-16oz with a Norvel .061?

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

Here's my 2 cents. Base the plane on the Cox product engines, there's plenty of them floating around. Make it a design that would allow for a slow pylon race and set the Oct fly in as a target for having the kits distributed and built. Then race them at the fly in. I suggest choosing a slow design so the race is more about fun and finishing than all out speed.

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

PT,

two things,

thing one, Actually I mentally included you in our group since you had flown with us at Rog's last thang. Also, we have already included South Carolina via Hollis. Can Georgia be far behind? It is Georgia isn't it?

thing two, I think the first order of business (well, second. the first is to decide if anyone wants to do it) - is to decide on the type of model. I would offer up something that we had not already done (like Sharkface).
Not a trainer.
Not Guided Mite or any of the other plans that we've already shared.
Not anything too complex. But it should have a built-up wing at least.

Chuck,

The product engines are fine with me.
Any pylonable designs in mind?

combatpigg

My Feedback: (3)

Build GLHs that are sized for product engines!

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

I'm in. Make it easy to build since I stuff everything I fly anyway. [sm=bananahead.gif] I don't want to drive home and have 3 hours to think about how much time I spent on the pile in the back seat.[8D]

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Well, the problem with going to the sheet wing GLH or some other simple airframe is that there's no work to be done. I'd probably pick a design I'd never build without the peer pressure. The Pacer plan I spoke of has ALOT of parts and is a really, really nice airframe. Something along those lines would keep everybody busy. Raymond, you can count me in, but I probably couldn't make the mass launch.

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

You're asking me about designs? Remember, my smallest plane has a .15! Anyway, I do have an idea. RCM plan 723, S-Tee. I happen to have some parts (ribs and other stuff) from a short kit that I was going to build a really long time ago. From what I remember, a group of us in the show team I belonged to were going to build these and use them for pylon races at our shows.

piper_chuck

My Feedback: (12)

I'm sort of in Vic's camp, I want to keep it fairly simple. I've got too many projects already underway, and my wife continues to nag me to get going on cabinets for the family room.

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Chuck, think about. Raymonds idea would take a project that's a real pain and turn it into something simple. How long would it take to cut out the formers for several airplanes. Not long! Then at the next meet or whenever, you just collect what's needed to finish! It won't work with something simple. It's just not necessary. I can make all the parts for a sheet wing racer in about twenty minutes. It would take longer to get everybody onboard than to just do it myself. Assembly takes about the same amount of time no matter the design.

Deadstik

My Feedback: (8)

Raymond,

Sounds good to me.... Something along the lines of a 1/2 a Banshee pattern ship comes to mind........ at any rate.. I think it is a great idea.. and I would really like to do this. Keep me in the loop...

Dan

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

Hey if I'm thinking about building does that count as building,? cause if it does I'm workin on about 40 planes...CP what is a GLH?...Raymond, I'm listening....Rog

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Rog, GLH= Goes Like Hell. It was an Ace R/C product.

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

The GLH would be an excellent model. It could be built to go fast (make Vic happy). You could probably put ailerons on it and make Dan happy. But I'm not sure its old enough to make Bob and Brian happy. The only problem I have with the GLH is that I think it was a kit only - I don't remember published plans. Yes, I know we would not be selling anything but I'd hate to have the blessed lawyers come after me (I have had an unsettling experience in this area).

Oo, oo...

How 'bout we look for a pre-65 design that could accommodate ailerons (even if it didn't have them to begin with). AND we could allow/encourage "small" modifications like changing the size or number of moveable surfaces, reducing or adding to the span, round fuselage corners, etc.

Huh?

I wonder when Ken Willard's Showmaster was published? I always did like that banana wing rib but it could be made with a flat bottom airfoil and still be "legal" (?) Hey why not allow changes as drastic as making it a low-winger? Now I'm thinking this could be really intersting to see what our group of talented, intelligent, handsome,... well it could be fun to see what we could come up with out of one design to start with.

flyinrog

My Feedback: (1)

I wonder when Ken Willard's Showmaster was published? I always did like that banana wing rib but it could be made with a flat bottom airfoil and still be "legal" (?) Hey why not allow changes as drastic as making it a low-winger? Now I'm thinking this could be really intersting to see what our group of talented, intelligent, handsome,... well it could be fun to see what we could come up with out of one design to start with.


RCM 1-1970,,according to the RCM catalog...Rog

Raymond, there are very few designs in the pre 65 era in the RCM catalog

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Alright Raymond, you've lost me... how would that be possible in keeping with your original idea??

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

I think if Patrick drew up a GLABOH[sm=bananahead.gif] (a bat outta ). This could be a compromise, thus avoiding Ramond's shady past. Heck Tim W could even do his in black with skunk stripes in keeping with hacking off the man.[8D]

fireman7875

My Feedback: (7)

Bob, I think he's saying we only fly old planes. Oh my gosh... he's RIGHT!!!

I think it sounds like a cool idea. I like all these events that you creative fellas come up with. They give me a reason to build something out of a sense of "necessity". That's how it is presented to the wife anyway.

Brian

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

To tell the truth, I don't even know what a GLH looked like. I'd be more than happy to do it though. Combatpigg already mentioned doing a GLH knockoff with a sheet wing. I'm certain he could get us the basic info.
But there's no need for the spread out parts for something this simple. Heck, I could even get it all laser cut if you guys want a built-up wing. Cost would be about fourteen bucks each. (shipped)

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

I am begining to recognize why I wanted you to have that servo at Rog's fly-in. [X(] At $14 it seems all good things come back around. Thats worth it just for the wood. How about cutting up CP's racer plan? I can send you a copy of his print if you didn't pick one up at the meet.

Raymond LeFlyr

My Feedback: (2)

Umm, Patrick I'm afraid that I was thinking "out loud" with my Showmaster comments. I just really like (and miss) Ken Willard and his designs.

But frankly, I do like the idea of all of us having some freedom to "enhance" the same design. Once I got to thinking about the guys I've had the pleasure of flying with and the fact that we tend to like different aspects of the wonderful world of little model airplanes, I thought that given the latitude to experiment a little would be more appealing than just building the same model.

I am embarassed to admit that I don't know what a GLABOH is but I do think it would be cool if we used a design that was originated by one of our august assemblage.

We haven't heard from a couple of the major players in the C1/2AC. I think that there is no hurry to decide what we do so let's keep the comments coming until we achieve con-sen-sus. By the way, I don't think that anyone is limited to positive comments. If it isn't worth the trouble its OK to say so. I won't (sniff) mind.

Vic,
Stand by for an important PM.

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

This is only stupid me (bbmf) If he burns it, I will build it. I will build Chuck's too if he needs me to.[sm=bananahead.gif] At such a low price how can we miss? How bout a mass launch of Patrick's bad little delta? Course I am gonna tear Raymond a new one with my lekky version of the plans he sent me next time we fly togeather[>:],combat experience or not.

Sweet dreams my friend

ptulmer

My Feedback: (5)

Vic, the little sheet wing beasts can't be cut. Well, the wing can't anyway. Not cost effectively. BUT, you can have one of these if you want. (see pic) There's one on my desk right now with a VA for the power source, but a speed 400 w/lipo MIGHT work. Firewalls for glow and electric are included. You'll like another project that's in progress. One of my deltas with a Novarossi .15 w/pipe...

Raymond, here's another idea. It's worth every penny you've paid for my advice too! You guys put your heads together. Make sure nobody has CA in their hand first. Come up with a design that you like. Ken Willard-like or not. You guys design it and I'll CAD it and get it cut if you want. We can give BobHH the drawings when we're through so he can kit the FAMOUS CCCC GLOBAH. You guys get your names in the magazines and Bob gets rich! How cool would that be!

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

Thats the way to carry an idea through![sm=stupid.gif]
Looks like a simple enough plane to me.[sm=thumbup.gif]