Skip

My Feedback: (76)

It's getting down to the nitty gritty now. The horizontal stab has been fitted, the rudder hinged to the vertical stab, and except for final sanding the fuse is ready for cover. I am not thrilled about the lack of glueing area to hold the horizontal stab in place so I am going to use some strips on each side underneath to add to it's strength. I am going to cover as many components as possible prior to gluing them in place. Like an ARF. After that I will do the radio installation and run the pushrods etc.

Lou Melancon

Skip,
You mentioned earlier "squeezing and truing" the fuse to fit the top block. With the 1/2" triangle stock on the fuse sides wouldn't you sand into the triangle stock to get fuse shape? Thank you for being about 10 steps ahead of me and helping me get my Primus done right.

Skip

My Feedback: (76)

When you put a square along side the fuse it must be 90 degrees. I found mine to be just slightly off. So when I said squeeze I just mean truing the side when the top block is glued on. That way the sides are parallel and even. I am going to take a 5 day break from the 20th to the 25th because I have to leave town. When I get back I will finish the plane. Today I will ultra cote some parts.

Skip

My Feedback: (76)

Here I'm starting to Ultra cote the fuse. As I said before, I want to precover everything I can prior to assembly. The engine compartment has been epoxied to prevent fuel soaking. I decided to leave it alone (natural) and not cover it. The stuff tends to come off later anyway.

Skip

My Feedback: (76)

Fuse is coming along. I chose to cover what I could before assembly. This is a double-edged sword. It makes it hard to make neat joints where the two parts mate when using epoxy.

Skip

My Feedback: (76)

I'm finally done with the Ultra cote and I painted the inside of the tiny canopy. (which I don't really think is all that attractive !) I will take a 5 day break and then do the engine and radio installation as well as test fly the plane. I will post pictures and comments at that time.

Paternguy

My Feedback: (1)

Yeah that canopy is the pits. The rest of the bird looks great though. If it was me I would find a more atractive canopy for this bird.

Skip

My Feedback: (76)

[] I had 4 canopies laying around but none of them fit. I am going to just go ahead and use this one. I built this plane just to see how the older designs fly. I keep hoping I can get my hands on a fiberglass fuse Phoenix or something similar to build which I know will be a good flier. I have a Dirtry Birdy kit I am going to build next. I will put 3/4 ounce glass on the fuse and paint it like I did on the Phantom.

kingaltair

My Feedback: (4)

I know I'll be in the minority here, but to me, the Taurus canopy is quite distinct, and nice looking if done right, (naturally my opinion of "done right" means "...the way I do it" I like to put a 3/16--1/4 wide strip of black vinyl tape around the base as was commonly done back then. I think the tape sets off the canopy. It is a bit small, but it's distinctive, and makes the plane "look" more like a traditional Taurus. If you go to the SPA website under "Member Pictures" there is a picture of my Taurus. You might still think it's "the pits", but "to each his own". See attachment

With an OS FX .61, (I like to hear the 2-stroke sound from time to time), and modified with the larger fin/rudder, and decreased dihedral, my Taurus flys great. In the hands of an expert pilot, (ie Cass), it really performs. Cass did every Expert maneuver in the book, and it looked like it was on a rail, (Knife Edge, 4-Point Rolls, Slow Rolls, and even a Figure M)!! It was the first time he had ever flown a Taurus--imagine how he'd do with practice[X(].

Skip, you should be very happy with its performance--it's a forgiving, "fun" plane to fly. It moves along pretty well without "burning up" the sky. Only difference I've noticed is that I have to hold a little more DOWN inverted due to the semi-symmetrical wing.

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Nice work Skip, very nice! Looking forward to the flight report, pictures and hopefully some video. Is the top of the fuselage that intersects with the vertical stab shaped per Jeff’s plans?

Skip

My Feedback: (76)

I cut a channel long enough to accomodate the vertical stab and epoxied the stab in place. I wanted to have some more support so I put some triangle stock on either side of the stab and used some ultra cote red. It doesn't look that great but I didn't design the plane. I don't want it to break off. The stab shape and rudder are my own work and not that of the plans. Skip

windslore

If I remember, the vertical stab was always getting knocked off on the original design, I think your mod should sort this. It looks like the fuselage is now stronger just forward of the horizontal stab? The tail of the Taurus was not it's strongest point, has this been modified from the the original?
John

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

This is way before my time, but in the 7/75 MAN is an article for the Comptaur by a Don Botteron. It is an aerodynamically modified Top Flite Taurus intended to better suit the flying of that time. The biggest changes were a decrease in dihedral, straight TE and a redesigned fin/rudder. I bring it up because of the mods that I'm seeing done to the Primus kits here on RCU. I just thought it might add to the discussion.

Skip

My Feedback: (76)

I will be posting pictures soon. I am in the process of doing the radio installation today. I don't like the vertical stab/rudder design. I may end up using support wires if I have a problem during test flying. I am anticipating some movement of the stab under high loads. We'll see. I will test fly the plane tomorrow weather permitting.

Skip

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Well the plane is finished and weather permitting Iwill test fly the thing Thursday( tomorrow). Weight 6 3/4 pounds. I had to add some lead to the tail to get to the balance point indicated on the plans. The muffler is kinda heavy.

jjpetro

Skip,
When I built my first Taurus 25 years ago, I had a few problems of my own with the fin/stab joint. I ended up installing a fillet into the fin root. This helped greatly. When I built my first Primus two years ago I decided to add balsa fillet in the same area again. The tail held up beautifully with that arrangement. It appears you have reinforced the fin/stab joint too, is this true?

It's been a great build thread Skip. Thanks for choosing the Primus. I hope you are as satisfied with your "Taurus" as so many other guys have been over the years. I've enjoyed those I have built and flown.

Lou Melancon

Skip,
It looks great. Can't wait to hear the test flight reports. I am way behind you. Tonight (I have to do this thing called "work" during the day) I rough sanded out the fuselage. I had planned to silk and dope but have since decided to paint the plane with Klass Kote. The wing and stab are covered with Doculam, an adhesive backed thin clear mylar, over about 8 coats of dope/talc and sanding eased with elbow grease. Right now I am debating on the fuse cover. Either doculam or 1/2 ounce glass cloth, then Klass Kote primer followed by more elbow grease, then color. I had to go to the Graphics Arts dept at work today to find out what primary colors to mix to get purple. Us LSU fans love purple, gold and white.

Jeff, I think wood under the stab and fillets on the fin/stab intersection may be the best way for me to go. I am looking at different fillet materials now. In the way back days of CL stunt I did fillets with Epoxlite mixed with micro ballons (very hard to sand but durable) or microballons mixed into polyester to form a thick paste. Carved balsa fillets blended in with light weight spackling may work out best. In any event when I get it finished I will post pictures.

I took the easy way out with side mounting the engine. I cut away the right side of the fuse at the firewall. The engine and muffler fill up the space so it is not noticeable. The WingMfg canopy looks good but if I keep sanding out the fuse there won't be enough surface area left to mount it.

Jeff, you have really produced a great kit, my hat is off to you for the labor of love it must have taken to bring this plane to market.

BTW Skip if I can learn to fly the pattern by the Atlanta contest I will judge my success by comparing my score to yours. Gauntlet now cast.

Skip

My Feedback: (76)

Ok let's address some issues. My workshop is ALWAYS neat and clean except when I am working in it. It seems I have had more e-mails and comments regarding this than my Primus thread. I am a bit of a "neat freak" That was addressed to Steve Byrum especially. My workshop is where I hide from my wife and her never-ending list of "honey do's" which has hit critical mass since I retired. My next project will be to build an Anniversary Cub for the second time. It's a great flying plane with the clipped wings. No build thread though. Lou don't worry about beating me in Chattanooga . I usually beat myself first!!

Skip

My Feedback: (76)

Ok, I just test flew the Primus for the first time and wow am I impressed! For a plane that was designed more than 40 years ago it really does fly like a modern SPA plane. I had all of 5 minutes on the brand new OS 61 and had really not done much with the high speed needle or the idle setting but it did OK. I was only able to get in two complete flights due to the fact that the rear of my muffler decided to drop off into the woods. The engine went lean and I immediately landed. The plane took two clicks of aileron and one click of elevator to fly straight. I have added some tail weight twice to get the desired inverted pressure on the stick and a more axial roll. I really like this plane a lot and can't wait to expand the envelope some more. All in all a plane worth flying in competition despite its age. What was really a surprise was how fast it could fly yet land so slow.

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Great news Skip! Don’t you love it when all the sticks and sheets of balsa come together with awesome results! Enjoyed your build a lot and I hope it inspires others to share their work on the “classic pattern” forum.

Your field looks like the Georgia Jets field.

Skip

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Thanks, It is the Georgia Jets field. I love this place!! It's been so hot lately it's hard to stay out too long but fall is just about a month or so away and with it great flying weather. I can't wait.

Deadstik

My Feedback: (8)

Skip,

Great job on the Taurus!!! Hope that you get it all trimmed out the way you want.... moving that CG back can certainly help inverted flight... but the big thing on the axial roll on the Taurus is getting the differential for the ailerons correct. I'm going to have to get down there and fly at that field....


Dan

Carolina Custom Aircraft

8178

My Feedback: (17)

The Georgia Jets http://www.georgiajets.org/ flying site is pretty impressive but a long drive from the North Atlanta area.

The property is owned by and was developed by an avid turbine flyer. His F86 in Boeing colors is shown below. It is always nice when you can build a field to fly your turbine and include your flying buddies. The club was formed for mostly turbine flying but they include non-turbine flyers to help support the field maintenance. They have worked out a process for flying non- turbine aircraft in-between turbine flying sessions. Although the day I was there some guy flying a giant gaser of an unknown type got a few moves behind his aircraft and was flying over the parking lot and while he was trying to get control almost fell down. Those kinds of events always make me feel like I may be with someone that doesn’t know what he is doing or shouldn’t be flying. The turbine flyers on the other hand were very much in control of their aircraft and professional.

The turbines are so graceful in flight that it is absolutely stunning. Much like supercharged versions of Tiporare, Blue Angel, etc, type flying. The contrast between the turbines and the prop jobs flying at the same field is so significant that the giant prop jobs I saw there seemed insignificant and somewhat irritating, flopping and buzzing around.

I found them all to be a friendly group and they gladly spent time explaining turbine flying to me. It was well worth the long drive!

Skip

My Feedback: (76)

Let me clarify some issues here regarding our field. We prop guys , many of us retired, usually fly between Monday and Friday. We like the turbine guys to have the field to themselves when they fly during the weekends. They are always gracious enough to let us fly our stuff when they are there but I prefer to just watch them fly and not participate. Their planes are very expensive and complicated compared to our stuff. I also recognise the inherent danger of 200 mph flight. The group I usually fly with several times a week are both safe and courteous. We rarely fly with more than one plane at a time. When a new plane is being tested we all pay attention as well as offer assistance if needed. I am aware of the incident to which you refer and it is an isolated event. I can assure you we don't tolerate unsafe flying of any kind. We have few newbees to R/C at the field and the ones we do have are very well supervised. None of us want to mess up a good thing. We love the field and the facilities. I agree with you that the jet pilots are very professional and meticulous in the way they carry out their preparations for flying. We have a very mixed group of members both of age and experience. EVERY one of the guys are great to be around even the grouchy old farts. We do about as much BS- ing, joke telling as flying. That is what this hobby is all about. Skip

8178

My Feedback: (17)

Thanks for the clarification Skip. With all the professionalism I saw exhibited by the other flyers I didn’t think I was witnessing a normal event.

I can easily see how you would rather watch the turbines fly when they are out and park the prop job. I could spend all day doing that. The turbine flight is absolutely stunning and you can tell that many of pilots must have been pattern flyers in the olden days. Too bad pattern flying didn’t continue to evolve to look like the turbine flight, with super sized graceful maneuvers. It started evolve that direction but didn’t make it. The large graceful maneuvers have immense appeal to me and I think it would have been one heck of a spectator sport.