KC10Chief

Hey!!! Cool thread!! Somebody recommended this to me after I posted pics of my recently completed US40. I guess I need a Ultra Sport Brotherhood number! I built a US60 back in the late 90s. I still have it. It has a tired old Super Tigre G90 on it and mechanical wire retracts. It's in need of a new canopy, a recover job, new motor and some new pneumatic retracts! I'll get to that eventually. Currently, the plane is stored in Oklahoma. Didn't have time to bring it with me when I moved to Alaska. Here's a picture of it.




I recently completed a US40 kit that my wife bought for me for Christmas of 2009. Between TDYs and deployments, I got her done finally! I love building kits and the Ultra Sport is definitely a great, sturdy plane to build! I installed a Jett SJ .56LX on this plane. It turns an APC 10x6 prop at 18,000 RPM. I have also installed some Robart pneumatic retracts with Robostruts. I am flying it with my Futaba 7C and high torque, metal gear servos. I covered it in metallic covered monokote. Metallic charcoal, gold and red. I would not recommend that anybody ever use metallic colored Monokote. This stuff really sucks. The charcoal is particularly bad. It does not shrink much at all! I finally flew my US40 yesterday for the first time. It is incredible. It is VERY fast and the sound is awesome. The following video doesn't do it any justice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMlil7i1ZFU







Here's my retract system. I built all of the equipment on a piece of lite ply that screws into the fuselage with two 4-40 bolts and blind nuts. This way, I can remove everything with ease if I need to. It's right behind the tank. I've already had to remove the fuel tank once. It was great that I was able to remove the retract gear easily.

Tango Juliet

That looks fantastic! Great job.

smkrcflyer

KC10Chief
Nice plane and I like the colors. How did you tint the canopy?

KC10Chief

I use Rit fabric dye. You can find it at Wal-Mart or any fabric store. It comes in a lot of different colors too. Not all plastics will accept the dye, but the canopy plastic that Great Planes uses, will accept the dye on pretty much any of their kits. I also dye my APC props. I hadn't done it yet when I took those photos, but I dye them black. APC props accept the dye really well too. The Rit comes in a small box with a paper packet of dye inside. It costs about $1.25 a box or so. You just mix it in some hot water and dip the canopy or props in. The longer you let it soak, the darker the tint gets. Be careful. This stuff will dye your clothes, shoes, hands, etc.

scottrc

Cool looking planes.

Tango Juliet

Oh wow! I never knew you could dye APC props. This opens up a lot of new possibilities. When you plan out your covering scheme, how/what do you do to cut it to the sizes you need? Do you make patterns, cut on glass, etc.?

_Tommy D

My Feedback: (20)

Can you join if your US is the 40 ARF version??

Thanks

KC10Chief

Well, I always plan something real elaborate. But it never works out that way. You'll notice that most everything is a straight line in my covering scheme. If I need a rounded part, I find a round object in my house somewhere and cut around it. HA! Quarters, cups, cans, whatever. I like everything to flow together from the wings to the fuselage and from the top of the wing to the bottom. As for my cutting surface, I went to a fabric store and bought one of those big, self healing cutting mats. They sell them in the hobby shops sometimes, for about three times the cost. They're great for cutting Monokote. This is the one I have.
http://www.joann.com/joann/catalog/p...ODID=prd791871

Also, I've never tried to dye an APC any other color than black. The other colors will dye it too. I just don't know how they'd turn out with the grey background.

catspaw

For covering techniques, see if you can find the book "Tom's Techniques" from the yellow Harry Higley series. That book will teach you a lot about about covering with iron on coverings. I'm sure there are some stuff on video out there too, but I've never looked.

My covering cutting surface is a sheet of tempered glass from a truck window that got replaced by a sliding window. Monokote wont' stick to glass (or hardly at all), so you can make a bunch of overlapping colors, using a iron on low to stick them together, then move it en masse to your plane.

KC10Chief

Excellent tip! I never knew that! I might have to give that a go next time. Thanks!

Tango Juliet

I pretty well do the same things, except I use a sheet of glass like catspaw does. None of my ideas ever come out quite like I envision them though. My US60 will get painted instead of Monokoted.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

You got it!

Yes!

Official USB (Ultra Sport Brotherhood) Members list:
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2. Mike Buzzeo - Minnflyer
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daisy shoot

So.....My work has exploded with business! Rare thing these days. I'm beyond busy right now and have an omp hybrid on the table right now. It's go na be a long time before it's done, but I have an itch. The itch is an us40 kit. I will not be able to get to it probably until the spring, but I just need to fly it! Anybody up for some building? Pm me if interested, we can talk about the details! Thanks!!!!

corch

My Feedback: (1)

Going to do one of these as my first kit.  I have a several club members willing to walk me along as it will be my first kit build.  40 or 60 size?  I have everything I need for the 40 size already, but the only thing I would need for the 60 is the 75ax.  I'm not opposed to buying an engine

Tango Juliet

I like bigger airplanes, so I would recommend the 60 size. But that's me .

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Either one is a winner. One advantage to the 40 is that because of the smaller size it gives the impression that it is faster.

BelAirBob

But the 60 is easier to see and if you are flying off grass, maybe use bigger wheels....

KC10Chief

I've built both. They both build the same and fly the same. Personally, the 75AX would not be my choice for the US60. The US60 will easily take a 90 size two stroke motor. Mine has a Super Tiger G-90 on it. It fits just fine. The motor sucks though. I'm going to get a new motor for mine. I was thinking on putting the 95AX in mine but I just noticed that Evolution makes a 1.20NX two stroke that is the same size and weight as a 90 size engine. It would be a ton of fun with a motor like that! The 75AX will still fly it fine though. I just like a lot of power on the Ultra Sport. They do real well with extra weight too.

Quikturn

My Feedback: (12)

Hey KC,

I'm just curious,what's so bad about your ST90? I've run 2 so far that I purchased used and they run great. I got one to idle around 1,800 rpm on a test stand but get better response to WOT from around 2,100 rpm. On 5% fuel too. My only problem is that I have one on a Super Hotts 60 and it's starting to rattle the wing to fuselage mounting dowels loose due to vibration.

KC10Chief

Sorry. I guess I should have clarified. My ST90 was purchased in the late 90s sometime. But it has always been very finicky and I've had a lot of dead sticks with it. Perhaps the new ones are better. Still, I've never had a very good flight with this motor.

Quikturn

My Feedback: (12)

KC,

No worries. I was just curious as to why you felt that way. I'll send you a pm so I won't hijack this thread.

matadco

My Feedback: (1)

Ever thought about a Magnum? I have a couple of 60s I'm impressed with. Another in my club has a 90 4-stroke which we both are impressed with. They appear to be copies of OS except about half the price. Was able to interchange some Magnum parts with an OS 70 4 stroke with no problem except the price was about half.

Zor

Quikturn,

I have a ST90 and experienced some problem with idle and transition. I fixed it.

After all it is just another piston that goes up and down in a cylinder and the problem is obviusly not there.

The problem is with the carburetor in the method that the mixture controlling opening has been machined.

They call it a "cat's eye" and you can see why when you look at it.

Take the carb apart and clean up the burrs left by the machining process. Just make sure there is no burrs left and no loose machining chips.

You will then find an engine easy to tune like most others.

Zor

Gordie M

Just getting back in the saddle.... startedon thereplacement kit for my US60 today. I've had the kit on the shelf for 9 months or so since my first US60 bit the dust.

Only took two weekends and 6 flights with my new Tower Kaos / 55AX to remind me what I was missing not having a US in the hanger ready to fly

Only about 5 months of building to go....

Cheers,

Gordie.

corch

My Feedback: (1)

Re: US40, I have an OS 46AX and OS 55AX.  Which in y'alls experience is better combo?  I don't mind speed, but I hate adding dead weight in the tail.  I fly off of grass and plan on using retracts/struts.  Is there a mod to mount the rudder and elevator servos in the tail?