setxws6

So late in 2005 I bought my first Sportman Aviation F20. It single handily rekindled my love for RC flying. I started flying back in 1995 but went through a 4 year break while in college chasing girls, driving sports cars, and living it up. I graduated college, leaving with a diploma and and pretty young girl that's still my wife to this day! A little while after college I found myself dusting off the old TT .46 Great Planes Stick I had since before college. After flying it a couple times it bored me beyond belief. So I said lets see whats out there at the time and ran across the SA F20. Man did it change my outlook on RC, as before it I hadn't had a plane that could go near as fast and pull amazing verticals. Since the SA F20 and to this day I never got out of RC like I did in college. Here's my original post on RCU
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/extr...cs-inside.html

And here's my first SA F20 from back in 2005!



Unfortunately all planes have a due date eventually and mine lasted about a year, but not after many many flights. After loosing my first F20 to a failed elevator and not pulling out of a dive, I went to purchase another one and found they had been discontinued! So I searched the web, made some phone calls and found a hobby shop in Cali that had 2 left at a deep discount so I purchased one (should have bought both lol), Here's that thread from back then.
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/extr...-sa-f-20s.html

So I started on the second SA F20 in 2007, gluing the wings, stabs, and control surfaces on. Also mounted the landing gear and some trimmings here and there. But at the time I had a large 50cc Yak and was starting out getting into electrics. So suddenly the second F20 sat. And eventually made its way into the attic. And it sat. For 10 years in the attic. Until something came over me a few weeks ago and I pulled it down, cleaned it up. Lubed up the original Thunder Tiger .46 that was in a box for 10 years as well. I ordered 2 hitec servos for the elevator (yep changed from the original 1 servo to 2 for elevator), one high torque Futaba for the ailerons and had a small digital servo laying around for the throttle. Life battery and Spektrum reciever. Oh and no rudder or steering servo, had them locked out. I locked the steering out back in 2007 because my first F20 had a lot of repairs to the front gear...now I know why, because the CG was too nose heavy on first F20 causing rough landings and dead stick landings.

So I just finished the old new bird up and got to fly it today for the first time in 10 years! After a little trimming it was like learning to ride a bike again. I was making low level high speed passes 2 foot off the deck like it was nothing. I was so comfortable with the plane it was weird. I really had a blast! Here's a pic from today at the field.


So the first question that comes to mind is who else still has their Sportsman Aviation F20 out there or maybe knows a guy who knows a guy that still has one deep away in the hanger? Don't tell me I got the last one on Earth?!?! LOL

dhal22

Could that be scratchbuilt?

setxws6

I'm sure it could. If you dig around you may be able to find a Juno RC kit schematic or something. Juno used too sell the exact plane as a kit along time ago. Here's a link to someone that was selling a NIB Juno kit last year and some pics of the box, wood and schematic diagram.

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...rshark-Kit-NIB

kmtranmd

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I have one that I put many flights on but no crashes, laying around in my hangar.
I'll send pics if you're interested. Just send private email to me.

setxws6

Cool! Sent you a pm kmtranmd

Razor-RCU

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This is awesome congrats! I remember trying to dragrace Flyboy Dave when he had one of those and I had my Patriot/Jett 50. Good times

Flyboy Dave

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... Yo, Razor... it's many years later... I have those pics.