max cook

Are the Cox Surestarts any good? Im thinking about geting in to 1/2A CL and that price is looking really good.

Thanks, Max

gcb

Yes.

George

dieFluggeister

That about sums it up!

The surestart is a good 'bang for the buck' but by no means a precision crafted engine. The piston to rod fit is sloppy and most need to be reset to give a good running engine. They are simple, easy to find parts for, and a lot of resources here on RCU if you need help. They would be considered a disposable engine. In fact I have even bought the surestart just for it's glow head to use in my other cox engines (its sometimes cheaper than buying the head seperately) and thrown the rest in a box. In the right hands they can be modified to give 'lively' performance.

adam_s_101

i have recently bought one of these engines and your right they are damn cheap, if anything breaks on them you dont have to worry about finding/buying replacement parts, you can just get a whole new engine.

i have looked about a bit on these forums and there are a couple of things to look out for that i have found. when you get it open it up and as the other guy said check the fitting of the piston rod. also check that there are no metal shavings in there. basically give it a once over to check that nothings wrong with it. to be honest though you just cannot argue for the price.

gcb

Max,

A good plane to start with is the SIG Skyray. If you build from scratch, anything about that size is OK. The 1/8" sheet wings are simple to repair when (not if) you crash.

The radial mount on the Skyray is set up for engines with a tank. For the Sure Start, I would suggest two options. First choice: you can add some square hardwood spacers to accommodate the choke tube. Second choice: You can remove the needle, remove the choke tube, and reinstall the needle. This will allow you to mount the backplate against the firewall without spacers (but you lose the ability to choke it).

You will also need to supply a tank. Check out the thread on making a film canister tank. Or get a small metal one, if available.

To start with, you can get dacron control lines and a handle as a package at most local hobby shops. I THINK Sullivan and Cox both make them. You can also use Spyder wire or similar fishing line as control lines. About 30' is good for this setup.

As someone mentioned, you might consider getting two engines to have a spare glow plug, if nothing else.

George

Clean

Don't forget to check out the models at www.blackhawkmodels.com

He has a bunch of the Musciano (I just know I butchered that) style 1/2A hollowlog planes. They're pretty neat.

gcb

To anyone unfamiliar with the term "Hollow Log", these are solid balsa fuselages with a hole routed out. You hollow some more, to your liking. They were invented at Scientific (not sure if Walt Musciano designed the concept) with Walt designing a whole bunch of planes that used them. Many of the planes appeared to use the same fuselage block. A lot of us old guys started with them, myself included.

Hollow logs are set-up to use engines with tank mounts. Although I have mounted a tank inside the "log" back in the fifties, it is a bit difficult. You need to take the engine and landing gear positions into account to bring the fuel tube forward, and also make provisions for the fill and overflow.

For a Blackhawk models product, I would recommend a profile such as the "American Boy" as shown in the thread about finding an old plane.

The Brodak Basic Trainer is another one.

Of all those, I would still recommend the Skyray, with controls in the trainer position.

Just one opinion.

George

brED

I was thinking about getting a set for a P-38. The idea of an e-powered one didn't sound as appealing

gcb

brED,

If you are making it CL, if you set up both nacelles the same way, most start the outboard engine first so it should quit first.

If you are converting a rubber or electric ship to wet RC, remember to provide enough strength for the extra vibration.

If you are converting to a twin FF, good luck.

George

brED

Yes, she was a rubber bird, but it (will) looks too darn nice to just wind er' up and toss around, so it'll be an R/C ship. I have started on the wings already and sheeted about a 1/3 of it and filled with polyurethane foam, but it's still kinda flimsy on the tips. I've never built a gas P-38, should I place a single tank in the center pod or one in each wing?
Thanks.

gcb

Silkspan for a wing covering would probably add more strength and rigidity than an iron-on.

George

max cook

thanks for the help, i'll check out those planes

max

brED

George,
Perhaps you know the kit, it's a Comet. Bought it a few years ago and had it sitting around since.
My plan from the start was to sheet it all with 1/16" then give it black and silver monokote. To keep the weight down I was going to tediously sheet between each stringer[], like they say to do in a Guillow kit. Really what I'm trying to do is get everything straight now, so I have a good plan to follow. I'm sure you can relate