smpr_fi_mac

Having never done powered flight (aside from rubber) I'm jumping in with a bit of trepidation, but both feet first, none the less.

Just won a few auctions on fleabay for some Cox 049's and 020's. Still trying to figure out which bird to build for them.

Gonna go RO, as it seems fitting for the bird...Like I said, not sure which it will be, but it IS gonna be one of the bigger stick and tissue jobs on the "Plans Page" listing on the free plans sites listed on the Scratch Build forum.

Haven't done airplanes for some time, so still gathering up the tools and equipment to build, so it'll be a while before I get my bird into the air for her maiden crash, er, uh, flight.

I don't like the looks of the 'modern' birds, so that's why I'm going with the old timers. Again, an older engine for an older frame design. Sure, the old Cox engines may be harder to run than today's power supplies, but I'm about to build a Harley from the ground up--I figure that if I can do that, I can run one of these engines.

I've taken a gander through the postings on this forum and have found lots of good information. I'm probably gonna have lots of questions for you all though. Please be patient with me!

Probably gonna be one of these two, if not both, as they both look tough and durable:

Lanzo's Record Holder

http://www.theplanpage.com/Months/23...hermalizer.htm (minus the dethermalizer, as I'll have rudder control to keep it over the field)

The Pacemaker

http://www.theplanpage.com/Months/2305/pmaker.htm


What do you guys think? Any advice or warnings before I start?

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

I honestly haven't seen an Old Timer rubber endurance model converted to glow power. But, with the 1/2A texaco stuff the spans are usually 48" or less with wing areas around 300 sq." or so. The main thin you will probably have to consider is shortening the nose. Those rubber designs were built so that the center of a long rubber motor fell around the balance point. But, I don't see why it couldn't be done. They would fly somewhat like powered gliders.

On the other hand, I think any of the 30" Earl Stahl scale designs featured on that web site would make great .020 powered models. I have a Stahl Taylorcraft framed up from plans I got from there that would fly great with a Cox Pee Wee .020.

http://www.theplanpage.com/esp/tcraft.htm

David

fritzke

My Feedback: (1)

I'm pretty sure RCM published a Korda Wakefield, enlarged and converted to electric RC not to long ago.
Dave

smpr_fi_mac

Got any links or resources on it? I've seen several of Korda's stuff and really like the looks and performance.

buzzard bait

It's a great idea, Mac, and very workable I would think. You'll need a fair amount of downthrust to fly either of them RO.

I taught myself on .049 RO, but I incorporated an elevator pushrod and used the clevis for elevator trim. Later it was easy to connect it to a servo and fly with elevator too. Also, I had a needle-through-the-intake "throttle" on my reed valve engine. I could slow it down when I got scared, or even shut off the motor. That saved me a couple of times.

RO is difficult in wind. You want to keep it upwind at all times and start in very light wind. Learn to do S turns, always into the wind like the slope soarers do. One downwind turn can put you downwind in a hurry, and very hard to beat your way upwind again, especially if you haven't completely mastered the orientation problem.

If you aren't going to have any throttle control I think you might be better off having elevator along with the rudder. It's hard to get out of trouble when all you have is a rudder.

Show us your progress--I love those old planes.

Jim

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

Chet Lanzo, along with Henry Struck, is one of my favorite OT designers. I built several of his designs including his 96" span Record Breaker. He also designed a 50" Puss Moth for which an R/C conversion laser kit is available, along with lots of others.

Here are some rubber models converted to electric:

http://www.bhplans.com/OTELEC.html

and here are a ton of OT rubber designs:

http://www.bhplans.com/RMPg1.html

smpr_fi_mac

Well, after some research I figured it would be easier (and safer!) to order a kit instead of doing a conversion on my own. After I get a feel for the 1/2A's I'll try converting. For now I've ordered the Lanzo Airborne 1/2A from http://www.bhplans.com/GMPg2.html --figure it'll go well with a .049 tossed in.

The kit is just plans and laser-cut balsa parts. I'll still have to supply all the sheet and strip stock, along with all the other ins and outs. Can't wait for it to arrive! My balsa board just arrived from Guillow, as did a balsa stripper from Micro-Mark.

Time to start ordering balsa stock!

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

That's great to hear, smpr_fi_mac! Those Guillows building boards are the best tool you'll ever buy. I used to build on scrap pieces of drywall. What a mess. Now that I have a balsa board, I can't imagine how I got by without it.

That Airborne is a great looking design. Please post some photos of your progress.

David

smpr_fi_mac

I would love to build more of those rubber powered birds, but I'm scared to lose them. When I was a kid, I never had to worry about that, as I never built anything more than 36" in span, and wasn't successful in getting long flights--but then again, I just loved that it would fly!

Nobody ever taught me that you were supposed to launch them and then after the prop stopped spinning it would coast slowly back down--no wonder I was so disappointed in the short flights. I always launched them level instead of pointing up.

How did your Record Breaker fare?

brad

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

I "donated" it to the dept. at my last job. The last time I saw it, it was still hanging from the ceiling over a colleague's desk. Now I wish I still had it. I do have the plans, though.

buzzard bait

I never got rubber powered models to fly well till I was an adult. I only built small ones--12 to 24 inch span, but once I learned to build light and straight I was amazed at what they could do. The problem was they kept winding up in trees and I got tired of all the climbing and switched to RC. But the rubber experience really influenced my approach to RC.

I think the Lanzo should be a really good project for you. But you might be surprised by the performance! Put a 7 x 4 prop on your Cox to tone it down on your first flights, and it would be good to be able to stop the engine, or else really limit the engine run on the first flights. It will get small alarmingly fast. Jim

BMatthews

I've gotten a lot of fond memories out of my rubber models from the past 20 years as well as free flight in general. And with any luck they'll keep amazing me for another 20.

Good dethermalizers is the key. And that often means either avoiding the smaller ones or accepting the risks. But with the small viscous DT timers available now there's no reason why even an 19 to 20 inch model can't have this protection.

Anyhow, while I appluade your guts to go with RO I'd really suggest adding that second channel until you're better trained at flying. And if you are building a version of the Lanzo or Pacemaker around the size normally used for 1/2A Texaco then look at the mods needed to tune the engines to run with larger props.

And if you don't mind buying your plans then check out the Miss Tiny at www.bhplans.com . It's a cutie and a great flyer. I had one for years before selling it to a friend that had a stroke and could not run his left hand for throttle and rudder anymore. We set him up with my Miss Tiny and a tray so he could fly one handed.