soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

How about a Design contest? We could decide on the design criteria:

New design.
1/2A powered.
ROG or Non ROG?
Cool factor?
Cute factor?
Have a date to be test flown, say March 15, or April 1.
Post five pictures of each then run a poll to see who wins.

Any takers?

fastlash

My Feedback: (7)

I think Matchlessaero has it won already with his a4

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

Could be. There doesn't seem to be any interest in contests, just good times, NOT A BAD THING!

prole

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No, that might be fun, not a contest but maybe we could set some parameters and see what everyones interpretation of it winds up being.

I've never designed anything but I have a brand new set of Ace Foam wings that I'd love to make something original for,


I guess what I'm saying is...

Let's not make it a contest, lets make it a group experiment, with the object being the comparison of planes built in different cities all around North America sharing the same basic parameters.


Anybody into that idea????

soarrich???...

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

Expound on your idea and run with it.

matchlessaero

Great Idea Soarrich!
They have been doing this on the Ezone for some time, and for the reasons Prole mentioned above, it is really interesting to watch/follow.



Keep it simple. (the contest)

Design it.
Build it.
Fly it.

Before April 1.

Poll starting on April 1. Most votes wins.

1/2A and below only (.061's allowed since they are so popular)
Anything else goes.

Oh yeah- Cox powered planes get extra credit on the cool factor, Norvels get penalty points. hahahahahahah


Thanks Fastlash for the nice comment above , I have another something on the mental building board I would like to enter......

wild fred

My Feedback: (3)

sounds good, I have an 061 sitting around and a few sets of ace wings; I'm sure I can come up with something neat!

fastlash

My Feedback: (7)

HMMMMM Cox gets extra credit??? But I think he said it has to fly, that kind of leaves Cox on the start up bench!!! ( couldn't resist)got to many kits to do still but I will watch!!!

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

Sounds good to me.

Contest proposal.

Design it. .061 and below only.
Build it.
Fly it before April 1.
Post 5 pictures.


Poll starting on April 1.
You vote once, and can't vote for your plane.
Most votes wins.

I'm in, mine is taking shape in my head now, now out to the cold garage.

DICKEYBIRD

G-r-o-a-n, I've just about got wifey talking to me again after the smallest airplane contest thing. She hated that.

What about May 1 instead of April. Besides, with all these so called "humorists" around here (myself included!) April fools day might be a bit much.

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

OK, we gotta keep the wifes happy, (or why am I'm going to the Philadelphia Flower Show.), so May 1 sounds OK, the April Fools thing made me a little nervous also.

I'll wait a day and see if there's anymore input, then start a thread with it finalized.

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

I'm in guys!

Andrew

DICKEYBIRD

Cool! Then May 1 it is everyone? Maybe this will help some of us get off our arses and get something new finished before S.M.A.L.L. at the end of May.

Oh, and tell matchlessaero there's no bonus for quantity. If you don't he'll have 2 or 3 new ones finished by May!

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

May 1st works for me, most of the snow will be gone by then

April 1st would be still cold and more negatively - WINDY here where I live.

I have some ideas floating around in my head allready.... that VA and pipe might get a home sooner than later!

Andrew

prole

My Feedback: (3)

I'm gonna try this guys...

I've never scratch built anything so this will be my first try so please go easy.

May 1st sounds good, it will give me a good cushion. I was a but nervous about April 1st just cause I have to move and don't know how long it will be before I get the shop up and running.

This is gonna be fun, I'm all tingley....

phuffstatler

My Feedback: (20)

I'm in.

Any size (plane), number of engines, etc.? Ok.



phil in austin

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

I'd say yes, if you limit it to .061 total Dickybird would be forced into building a B-36 just to show us it could be done. Even a B-36 with 6 .061 would be pretty small though.

I personally like 1/2As BECAUSE they can be one piece models and can be thrown on the back seat or in the trunk ready to go.

phuffstatler

My Feedback: (20)

I didn't really mean a 'giant scale' though that thought gets the wheels in my head rolling...

I'd prefer a one piece plane as well.


I was thinking of another XB-70 Valkyrie, not the one I scratch-built and converted to R/C from the MA plans for a single Norvel, but something a bit bigger and more than one engine. My Blazer will hold something up to 8 feet long, if I keep it skinny enough...

I just picked up a Wing Mfg. foam cutter at the swap meet in Seguin last weekend..... hmm.

Hmm, 140" total length and wing span is considered 'Big Bird' for a jet.... XB-70 is right at twice as long as it is wide.... so....

48" span, 96" length... Just at 8 feet long, ok... makes the wing chord about 60" or so at the root... Whew! Getting big!

I guess it would take all 6 .061 Norvels, (6 like the original) and keeping the weight WAY down... Probably wouldn't be very practical, but it would be way up on the cool side of things.... A literal Ton of drag, too...

I'll keep thinking. Sure is fun, though... Heck, 6 Norvels would be around $300 ! Ok, let's shrink it a bit...

Thanks to you guys who thought this up...

phil in austin

LoneRanger

My Feedback: (1)

ummm can I enter if I am scratching someone elses plane that has allready won? just UP sizing it a bit- lol movin to a .049!







L.R.

DICKEYBIRD

Naah, I get all warm & fuzzy inside thinking about a Connie myself! Not enough time left for that one right now....maybe next year!

Speaking of multi-engines....I wish you guys coulda seen my face when I went to my 1st S.M.A.L.L. fly-in and as I got out of the van, looked overhead and saw Dan Walton's Spruce Goose with 8 TD .010's on it. Man, what a rush!

Seriously, my vote would be to limit it to .061 for each engine on twins or other multis. Having done a plane with twin .049's last year and knowing 1st hand the "fiddle factor" involved, anybody that wants to try it oughta be allowed to. (Not trying to grandfather mine in...that was last year's project!)

Digger-RCU

I want to get involved, but I feel very ill prepared. I have never designed a plane, nor do I have any sort of softwear to ease the job. I am going to make an attempt as long as y'all let me ask questions on how to do certain things.

Can that be a rule
"Helping each other is allowed and encouraged"

Randy "Digger" Birt

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

Hey Prole, dont worry - mine will be simple and cheap too! I am on this kick the past 1/2 year to design and build inexpensive (yet good flying) planes that I dont mind flying with reckless abandon!

Now I need something fast yet aerobatic in a small package that will impress the guys I see at the summer fun flies, that generally fly larger (40 and up) size planes. This is a good incentive to do just that!

Andrew

ajcoholic

My Feedback: (10)

Digger,

"Software - we dont no stinking software!!" HAHA! Designing planes is not as hard as youmay think. Just keep your first one in the "that looks about right" range and it probably will fly.

I have a good book by Andy Lennon (used to write regular design and aerodynamic columns in MAN) that in plain English tells you how to go about designing a model plane.

I think if you want to ask questions, ASK AWAY!! I'll try and help the best I can...

Andrew

wild fred

My Feedback: (3)

well, I just figured out what plane I'm going to build, but I'M NOT TELLIN- just in case it turns out to be a real turdplane! But if it works, you all will see it! let me get the cap done, and I got a giant stinger on the way (hey; gotta see how the other 1/2 lives!) so about mid-april; might show some pix if it starts lookin' good! here is an old one I built in the meantime...

soarrich

My Feedback: (98)

Wild Fred
Dazzling, cool!