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New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

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New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

Old 09-09-2012, 06:15 PM
  #2176  
wjvail
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

What year is your Super Sport from?
Err... Well I don't remember. I first flew it Oct 8.2006 but the kit was under construction for years before that - maybe 7 or 8 years? I would guess the kit is circa 2000.?.? Maybe earlier? 1997? I think it's this kit -> http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...?&I=LXJ576&P=7

LOVE the colors and scheme!!

What did you use to cover it with!?
Hey thanks! I do a lot of kits in a similar fashion. I like the sun shinning through the wings going overhead. Maybe I've been at this too long but I love the look of balsa. I like the look of the structure. I like to SEE a wing. Every part...

I'm a MonoKote man. Nothing I've used stays tighter, is clearer or shines better. Yes it shatters easier and it's harder to apply but I'm OK with that.

Throw it at the ground? Sounds like you may have had some exposure to Douglas Adams.
That's really funny. I love Douglas Adams but have never made the connection with his "learning to fly" and my "Throw it at the ground..." I've read the "Guide" several times along with everything he wrote in his too short life so I guess it shouldn't be surprising I arrive at similar thoughts. As hilarious as Douglas is with his suggestion of learning to fly, there is some element of truth to it as it apples to my flying. "Give 'er some welly and hope you're not too focused on flying to miss the ground".

Bill
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Old 09-09-2012, 08:53 PM
  #2177  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

Scheme is awesome!
Old 09-10-2012, 03:53 AM
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!


ORIGINAL: Kostas1

Scheme is awesome!
+1 on that, looks stunning. I would be too afraid to fly it. Well I had an eventful flight this weekend but no issues. There was a 15 knot crosswind but the gusts were up to 25 and coming from any direction at times. I decided to put her in the air but it was not fun. The turbulent wind justthrew it all over the sky.figured after a couple circuits that it wouldgetbetter butI was on pins and needles the whole time. After about 5 minutes I attempted a touch and go on the grass runwaynext to the concrete one (just in case)butI then figured that if it came in even remotely clean I would put her down for good. Did that and she landed with no issues. I decided my nerves had enough and it was time togo. I had the plane upside down on the stand and afterremoving the wing and placing it in my truck the wind blew the fuselage off my stand and it gell about 3 feet to the ground!! Fortunatelyonly the spinner got a little tiny scratch and the landing gear took the brunt of it. Just another example of whyI amso happy with moving the LGto the fuse.My wait for the perfect flight will have to wait but the engine is running perfect so at least that is all resolved now. One more thing I wanted to mention. The NGKCM-6 spark plug can be purchased at your local AutoZone for only $2.99. This was the best price Ihave seen and the 2 in my area that Ichecked had it in stock. Here is a link http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...er=933028_0_0_
Old 09-10-2012, 08:48 AM
  #2179  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

This bigger plane (the one in the topic of this forum?), when running engines in them of the sizes we are, I can't see that built up nose being very practical? The rear carb config of most of the engines would be really out there, and access to the carb, fuel lines, choke and throttle would be a genuine PIA....
Well... I don't know about this. If you look carefully you'll notice the Laser in this smaller SS is a very long engine, particularly behind the cylinder, with both the carburetor and muffler behind the engine. Look very carefully and you'll see I've moved the firewall back a bit as the SS was never designed to accommodation a 4C engine. I don't think it would have been difficult at all to mount a gasser on the the Giant Super Sportster.

It seems to me that the front end of most ARFs end in a flat firewall and a cowl slips over the engine and the fuselage. To my mind this gives a very unfinished look but I understand the appeal to the builder of ARFs. In the case of an ARF, as opposed to a kit built plane, the finished model could have just about any engine installed and the marketer of the kit wants to put out a kit that suit the greatest number of configurations possible. Truncating the front of the fuselage in a flat plate (firewall) and telling modelers to "bolt engine here" is understandable. "Cut cowling and slip over engine" naturally follows.

Personally I think a nice compromise is when an ARF has a slip on cowl but the cowl has been "fitted" to the fuselage. The new Dirty Birdy is a good example. Notice the fuselage has a small shoulder the cowl slips over. http://pics.towerhobbies.com/imagel/g/lgpma1975.jpg Again, not as nice and the original fuselage but a nice compromise for an ARF. http://www.bridiairplanes.com/hangar/dirtybirdy60.html

Bill
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Old 09-10-2012, 09:29 AM
  #2180  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

That's a clean engine install, and a great looking covering job, no doubt!

I'll stick to my point though, regarding how practical that installation type might work on a GSS powered by a gas engine w/rear carb. Comparing it to yours, your carb. would be burried down behind your engine, in line with your crankshaft. Getting access to the carb and choke linkages, the fuel line, and mixture screws would require a hatch somewhere. When you get past that, then you have to deal with what a gasser's exhaust might do to the picture? I don't think so, not for me.

A fitted cowl would surely be nicer, not saying the GSS is perfect. Considering the options, I'm pretty happy with it as is. That's me though.
-Al
Old 09-11-2012, 07:20 AM
  #2181  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

Hey... Before this thread dies... Does this page load incredibly slowly for anyone else? My internet it lightning fast but this thread is sloooow to load.

Bill
Old 09-11-2012, 07:43 AM
  #2182  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

When I run into the slow mode, I change browsers, moving back and forth between FireFox and Internet Explorer?
Old 09-11-2012, 08:02 AM
  #2183  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

I tried Chrome and IE and they were equally slow. This is Firefox and a little faster... Is this an RCU thing? All other sites I visit are crazy fast with any browser.

Bill
Old 09-11-2012, 08:16 AM
  #2184  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

This just started with RCU about 2 weeks ago. It used to be lightning fast. I am on IEas well but will try it on FFas it drives me crazy to
Old 09-11-2012, 08:25 AM
  #2185  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

I have subscribed to several different threads on RCU. When I acces those threads through the email link it is encredibly slow. If I access the threads by by opening up a desktop icon for RCU then going to the thread It moves right along.
I wish they would get it fixed.

Galen
Old 09-11-2012, 01:47 PM
  #2186  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

Shorter threads load faster. 1-page threads are no problem. This one - 3 to 5 minutes on average. We've been complaining to RCU, but nobody cares enough to do anything about it.

~ Jim ~[8D]
Old 09-11-2012, 02:04 PM
  #2187  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

Maybe they could go to ebay and find a couple ofold Commodore 64's and use them to replace their current servers; theywould be wayfaster and more reliable.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot, got to stay on the subject and not get off track, they are ruthless about finding that: Syssa, engine, airplane, got to work on covering my GSS, blah, blah, blah, etc.
Old 09-11-2012, 04:00 PM
  #2188  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

If they worked as hard on connectivity as they do on nailing us at every turn. . .

Giant Super Sportster, engine, Syssa, etc. Lol

~ Jim ~
Old 09-12-2012, 05:15 PM
  #2189  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

Back to the future, I mean recover job.

The weight of the wing bothered me a lot and the new covering will add a lot of new weight.

It looks like they used a hot glue gun to put the wing together, heavy stuff, maybe lead based.

I thought it might be a good idea to cut out some of the uneeded wood and save a couple of ounces. I think I saved two ounces, not bad for about four hours of work. I did make a jig to cut the holes in the wing ribs to make that go a little faster.

I also made a jig to center the hinge point holes. My little one just doesn't do the job on the big surfaces.

Got the hinges on the movable tail surfaces installed. Didn't forget to clean them either. Used white Gorilla glue this time, it seems like it hold things well and does not expand and get all over thingslike the brown stuff.
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Old 09-12-2012, 05:22 PM
  #2190  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

Be sure to rebalance laterally before covering after chewing out wood from each side.

You're having too much fun now.  ;-)
Old 09-12-2012, 06:40 PM
  #2191  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

I don't worry about the lateral balance in a plane unless I need trim adjustments. Usuallywing warps and control surface misalignmentscause more problems than weight differences.
Old 09-13-2012, 04:10 AM
  #2192  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

I have to admit, it would never occur to me to lighten the wings, with all the square inches and lift this bird already has. I suppose it's a good idea to be concerned with the extra weight of the covering, though. Oh, well, it's not about how much work it takes, anyway; its about each of us doing up our birds just the way that makes us happy.

I've just about got my fuse ready to recover now, so I took the wing down to do a careful inspection. It's worse than I originally thought. There's some wood damage where the wing was locked into the saddle notch, which held it there and didn't allow it to shear the bolts. The back of the saddle bit into it pretty hard. Looks like surgery will be in order to get that back into good shape.

I installed some large tri-stock into the fuse right behind that corner at the back of the saddle, and I've carefully cut off the saddle notch at the back. It's now refinished into kind of a ramp, angling back away from the saddle, so it will allow the shear bolts to do their jobs and shear away next time there is an impact, allowing the wing to break away rather than tearing up the wing structure. I always build these ramps into my birds, but this GSS came as an ARF. At the time, it seemed like a shame to cut on a brand-new bird.

I'm paying the price for not taking the time to do that, now.

It's coming along pretty steadily, though. I've now got my new RC Guys Super Decathlon here, competing for space and attention (what a gorgeous bird). I'm continuing my work on the GSS for now, because the engine for the Decathlon - the last item I'm waiting for - hasn't yet arrived. If I haven't finished it by the time the engine arrives, the GSS may be laid aside for a while.

~ Jim ~[8D]
Old 09-13-2012, 12:22 PM
  #2193  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

I got some work done today on mine. I finished the rebuilding of the fuselage, and the "spackling job," smoothing it all out. It's just about ready for the new Monokote.

Taped off a sprayed the cockpit with a lighter color than the current black. It's now a gun-metal gray. Not as light as the cap, so I was disappointed in that, but it looks nice.

While I was working on it, I spotted the JR R921 receiver in it, with 2 satellite receivers. With my Decathlon project coming up, I could really use that receiver, especially if I decide to add smoke. The next thing I knew, I had a spare AR7000 receiver I had lying around, and was fitting it and binding it up. I feel like I stole something from my good ol' GSS[], but I'm sure it'll fly just fine with the AR7000. I've never had any problems with one before.

Does that make me a bad person?[&o]

I'll just have to find some way to live with myself.

'Cause the Super Decathlon's getting the R921 bad-boy receiver with satellite Rx's, and the extra Rx port for the second battery pack. Oh, yeah.[8D]

~ Jim ~
Old 09-13-2012, 04:22 PM
  #2194  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

Wing half with the cutouts to make it lighter. That big expanse ofwood next to the aileron cutout still bothers me, but I don't think it will be much of a weight savingsif I take out a couple ofsquare inches from there. It is hard to stop 52 years of "make it lighter so it will fly better, faster, and farther" practice.

Got the hinges put on the tail feathers. What monkey?

Need to get the wing covering finished. I hate that part, may need to rest up for a few days and recover, no pun intended, well okay maybe a little.
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Old 09-13-2012, 05:06 PM
  #2195  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

Know what I think? I think that with all the lift and square inches the GSS has, you could have done nothing but recover it with the fabric, and it would fly light anyway.

The important thing is that you had fun, as long as you didn't compromise the structural integrity. I wouldn't mess with that "expanse."

I didn't see a monkey under the cradle either. No, really I didn't.



~ Jim ~
Old 09-14-2012, 04:45 AM
  #2196  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

Steve:

I see you plugged the holes for your old hinge locations. Does that mean you will re drill holes in a different location for the new hinges? If so why not just drill out the old hinges and replace them in the same holes? Too big maybe?
Old 09-14-2012, 05:21 AM
  #2197  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

I put the hinges in new holes. Since I used a brass tube to cut out the old hinges, the holes were at least 1/16" too large for the hinges. Even though the old holes were plugged, there were still some gaps and rough edges around the dowels. I moved the new hinge locations at least two hole diameters away from the old ones to get the maximum strength. I know that 1-1/2 is the minimum, but for soft wood I like to go to 2 or 3 diameters.
Old 09-14-2012, 06:33 AM
  #2198  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

I liked your brass-tube-cutout innovation. Did you fill in the holes with balsa, or micro-balloons, or??

~ Jim ~
Old 09-14-2012, 09:18 AM
  #2199  
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

I filled in the holes with balsa dowel material the same size as the brass tube.

I can't take credit for the brass tube removal method for the hinge points; that idea'sbeen out there since they first came out. I saw it in the "tips" section of a model magazine.
Old 09-17-2012, 03:26 PM
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Default RE: New Giant GP Super Sportster!!!!!

I forgot to post the picture of my Robart hinge point jig. I have a small hole in one end for the "pilot" hole and a 3/16" hole in the other end for the "finished" hole size. It is made from expanded PVC foam, the same material I'm using on the Bell Hop (AKA Faux Cat)build.
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