Godsey

Hello everyone. Iwas considering getting this and was wondering if anyone had any advice. I really do not like foam planes. Iprefer all wood, vintage combat wings. But I would rather nock a foam wing around than a more intricate wood combat wing I spent hours scratch building. I hope to try and use my Space Hopper and RR 1 on these. So, any advice?

Rolla

robotfan

My Feedback: (14)

Rolla - The RR-1 and Space Hopper are very nice items to own. Collectible and irreplaceable and really should not be knocked around. However, if you really don't care about putting an RR-1 on the front end of a flying chunk of beer-cooler and plantingit face-first in mother earth then seriously, justsell it on ebay along with the hopper. Do a search on "completed listings" to see how much they sell for.Then take the money and go to Bernie's shop (coxengines dot ca) and buy a brand new Stunt Bee, or Black Widow 2, or even a Venom 2, and you will havemoney left over to buy some airplanes. You will be much better off engine-wise.

Brodak sells a two-pack of combat planes called the plastic fantastic, for $50 (that's for 2 kits). They are quite indestructable and with a hot engine and 42+ foot spiderwire linesthey're a blast! I have heard that the Lil Hackers are very similar.

Happy flying!


Paul

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I thought I was wrong once, but I was mistaken.
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Godsey

I am definitely not selling these engines. I am also not going to let them just sit. If these engines were used on a Hacker it would be on the second model after my skills are better. If I were to sell these then I highly doubt I would be able to afford one again. I got lucky. $15 for the RR 1 and $20 for the Space Hopper and a Killer Bee together. I will not ruin these engines. I enjoy them too much. But accidents do happen when flying. They will certainly taste dirt no matter how long I wait to fly them. Just how it is. Even when careful, accidents happen. Also cannot afford $50 for that plane. That is why I usually scratch build. Thanks though.

Rolla

nitroairplane

I say do it Rolla what kind of model aero engine can't take a few knocks, there are a few guys flying RR1s out there Rusty flies CL with one and Kim flies RC with 3 one one plane

R Bush

My Feedback: (73)

Hi Rolla,
I've flown the Hackers with Big Mig .061's and with a Cox Medallion .09. Both worked well on suction and were fun and fast. The serious combat guys I know change the needle valves on the Norvels and go to bladder tanks. After a few crashes (including some midairs) my Hacker got too heavy to fly well.

How to mount an external tank is a real problem with the Hacker. A firewall-mounted engine will avoid that. So the Hacker is OK but kind of heavy.

For better flying with a low powered engine, I would suggest a Combat Kitten (modified) or a Baby Flite Streak if you're not doing combat.

If you want a sharp-looking plane with landing gear to keep those rare engines above the dirt, consider the Sig Deweybird. It won't turn as tight as the above, but it will look sharp doing loops and eights. And it builds quick.

For nostalgia ( if you are old enough to have that problem) one of the many Walt Musciano / Scientific designs may suit you. They will not stunt as well as the others.

My opinions are based on seeing these planes flown with various Norvel and Cox engines, but I haven't flown a Space Hopper or an RR-1.

Randy
Alameda Aer-O-Nuts

Godsey

Idoubt I will compete with these. More of a quick, fun plane to whip through the sky. Is there supposed to be a hole behind the firewall? If so could one fit a pressure system in there? I have experience with pressure tubes. Iwas considering using a pressureless bladder. Ihave never used them though. It will save from having to get a high speed needle valve assembly.

Rolla

Godsey

I thought I should add, I have some experience with Combat models. Both built up and plate wing. Idefinitely prefer planes with an actual airfoil.

R Bush

My Feedback: (73)

As I recall, the leading edge of the wing ends up close to the firewall to keep the plane frombeing nose heavy.

Cutting a bladder compartment into the wing seems like a good idea. It's the hard tanks that are hard to mount. As I recall, the combaters put the bladder behind the spar as there wasn't enough wing ahead of it. These were very early versions of the Hacker. The airfoil cross section may have changed. You might ask Phil at The Corehouse.

I've used "floppy bladder tanks" made of baby bottle liners. They work fine but take up a lot of space that a half A doesn't have (and are ugly and draggy). They will tend to lean out during the run. Do you know of a compact pressureless bladder?

Godsey

I have seen several people use party balloons. They seemed to work well.

aspeed

There are some bladders that are being used that look like a kitten sized condom.  They are used for resealing caulking tubes and are available at Lee Valley Tools in Canada for about $5 for 20 of them. They are a very thin wall, low pressure balloon thickness pretty much like a pacifier. They don't last too long but are ok for a couple of sessions likely. A normal needle could be used because of the lower pressure.  I just bought some latex tubing from the medical supply store that is surgical tubing with a 1/16" hole and a 1/8" OD that I plan to use for a bladder.  We used to use a cigar aluminum case or a suitable sized syringe without the plunger that was trimmed and screwed on to the side of the plane's profile fuselage. It could be stuffed into a combat likely too, or just attached to the top of the wing somewhere handy.

paw080

Hi aspeed, I've used 1/8" OD surical tubing for 1/2A combat and 1/2A speed bladders before.

That size basically has pressure that is to high for easy and consistent needle settings. I

then switched to 1/32" wall by 3/16" or 1/4" OD and the pressure was much easier to set and

the bladders lasted MUCH longer! I was using Dale Kirn's and Joe Klause's fine thread needle

assys on my TD 049s.. These were encased in either 7/8" or 1" rocket tubes. exposed external

floppy tubing tanks are subject to cutting breakage or impact hysterisis(reduced pressure) caused

by bumping the airframe, by glancing opponents models.

Tony

aspeed

The "Little Red Cap" Kitten sized condom like thing has lower pressure than the regular bladders. They could likely use a regular needle. I still have a few of the KirnKraft needles that I use.  I thought the combat planes aim for the streamer? :-)   not the tank.  I thought I would make a few needles myself but 128 threads per inch means the hole sizes have to be within a thou. or so, plus the taps and dies will be at a premium if they are even available.  I haven't found the thin walled 3/16" yet, but got some thicker walled 3/16" that has to stil be tested.

Godsey

I picked up some balloons today. I am going to see if Ican work up a pressureless system. I have an idea on how to do it.

R Bush

My Feedback: (73)

Godsey,
Which engine have you decided to use?

Godsey

I am going to try and use a Tee Dee .051. I was running the engine and got hit by the prop. Small cut. It was running nice. It was rich but no sudden lean outs. This may be the system I use. I will need smaller balloons. The ones I got are way too large. 12cc of fuel in it and you cannot even tell.

Godsey

Got some more runs on the TeeDee. It does pretty well. It can hold a rich setting and a lean one. This will go on the second Hacker. The first one will have a Bee type engine.

Rolla

paw080

Hi Godsey, If you prop your TD for RPMs correctly, you'l use as 5X3 prop. The Lil Hacker is capable
of G forces that will ruin a suction system delivery. You do need to run the TD on pressure when
flying a well designed 1/2A combat model....you really have no choice. So check on any Combat
forums that you may find, and ask how to make and use a pressure fuel system. All of us old
retired Combat flyers learned by asking the appropriate person. You may have to mail order the
components such as rocket tubes, 1/32" wall 3/16" OD surgical tubing and a set of forceps
to pinch off the fuel flow. Almost forgot; a fuel syringe.

Tony

Godsey

I already have the necessary items for a pressure system. I will not be able to get the Li'l Hacker. It turned out to be too expensive. Idecided to build a Combat plane called Cheap Imitation. He shows a Tee Dee .049/.051 on pressure system. I will be using a monokote tube thoroughly fuel proofed. Ihave talked with Ray Stone quite a bit on how to do it.

Aero B

I just finished a pair of Hackers. One has a Norvel with a 6x3 and one has Tee Dee. Covered them with scraps of low-temp covering. I have flown the Norvel powered one. Running the suction tank and found out real quick that it would turn quick enough to kill the engine. Never flown combat and most likely won't, but the Hacker is a blast to fly. I'm got them so my son could learn the stunt pattern. I like it!

aspeed

Did you use the muffler pressure on it?  Just wondered, I don't like the bladders, I am always too slow to unpinch the clamp, and they still go sour on me.

paw080

Hi Allen, Muffler pressure will not cut it when trying to get constant fuel delivery

when flying a 1/2A Combat model. You absolutely will need a fuel bladder tank.

Phil Cartier has the components to make bladder tanks and I believe he has bladder

tanks ready to go. Reach him at his business: The Core House

http://home.earthlink.net/~philcarti...pricelist.html

Your Lil Hackers will fly much better when you change your 6 X 3

for 5" X 3" props. The 6x3 prop holds those engines back too much.

The model will fly faster and turn much tighter. The larger dia. prop will be okay

if your just learning to fly a 1/2A Combat model... for several first flights; change to

a 5" X 3" as soon as you can.

If you want to your son to really learn to fly Stunt; then I strongly suggest you buy

him a two-line Stunt Kite, attach both lines to a single 15" handle, and fly it on 75'

length lines. Fly in medium wind: 08-12 mph (approx). We've taught many new flyers

using stunt kites; and all of the neophytes(9-40 yrs old) were able to fly insides,

outsides, and lazy eights on their very first powered control line attempt.

You'll save a small fortune using a stunt kite as a primary trainer. Best of luck;

Tony

Aero B

aspeed,
No muffler pressure, just suction feed.

Tony,
I know the bladder will work better. I built these for fun so I'm not to concerned. It will turn pretty good. It's just funny to be able to cut it and listen to the engine sag.
I have some 5x3 and 5x4 props for the engines because we also have an Ace GLH pylon racer with a Norvel in the works. It's replacing my son's Sig Hummer we wore out. My son has been flying stunt kites since about 1999- 2000. He can fly most anything but he hesitates to fly one of my full size stunt models. He says he doesn't want to tear up one of my big planes. I got the Hackers to let him fly something that cuts quick and he can work on the pattern. I am finishing up a Midwest ME109 for him because I know once he tries it he will like it.
Thanks for the suggestions!

paw080

Well Allen, In that case, I'm sure your son will do just fine flying a stunt kite

using a single handle for both lines; he should learn very quickly. I do repeat,

flying a stunt kite using handles in both hands is not the same process and

requires very different learning. In essence, your son has trained both lobes

of his cortex when he learned to fly the kites. He will need to train a single lobe for

both line inputs. With his experience, I suggest that your son get a Prism Micron

and fly on 60' 30 lb Spectra. He'll probably love it. The Micron is extremely fast

and will speed over 65 mph in 18 mph wind. In 16-18 mph wind, the Micron will pull

as hard as an FAI combat ship and will turn faster than a 1/2A Combat model.

I still believe the stunt kite is the best intro to control line areobatics, and it can

survive countless crashes without breaking. Stunt kites can do all aerobatics

except overhead stuff.

Tony

Aero B

OK Tony, now I understand!
Using a stunt kite on a single handle sounds like great fun and a new way to practice. I have a nice kite that will work great for that. I just bought new lines for it a while back so I will make up some kind of a handle for it and try it out.

paw080

Good For You Allen! I used a 7/8" dowel with two eyelets spaced 15 inches
apart, for medium size kites. You can try smaller spacings if you wish.
Best of luck;

Tony