Free Bird

Here's a couple of pics (of the plans and a 60-size Atlas) of the latest kit that I came across. I had never heard of this one by MK. The Mattlas 40 looks like a 40-size Atlas and was designed by Wolfgang Matt and M. Kato. I went to the classic pattern images on the Trenton RC Flyers and compared the pics of the 60-size Atlas, and this 40-size little brother is a dead ringer! The kit has been molested but not started, I need to inventory the parts against the plans to see if all the parts are present (looks like they are). It's designed as fixed gear, but the plan shows optional retracts for the wing, no details for the nose gear though. I might do like doxilia and copy the parts and plan before starting the build. Overall build is typical for an MK kit, lots of nicely shaped blocks that require a lot of shaping!

Three questions: Does anybody have any info on this kit? Should I go with retracts (lots of extra work), and does anybody know what year this kit was produced? TIA Guys!

FB

Gene Margiotti

My Feedback: (4)

WOW - MATTLAS 40!!!!

This is a kit that my Dad and I bought from Indy R/C in ~1980 and flew until batteries caused its demise in 1998. This was built with an OS Max 40 and fixed gear. It was the fastest thing around and extremely stable. We also flew a Dirty Birdy 40 at the same time frame and I really felt that this plane flew and "grooved" better. Of course I am talking about sport flying - we never entered any pattern contests. Currently, we are scratch building another one from the original plans and we will put Robart retracts in it. We will also power it with an OS Max 46 AX / 2.4 receiver and digital servos!!

Congratulations on your find - post pix when you're finished - I know you'll love this little plane.

Gene

s. wallace

My Feedback: (24)

I had two in the mid-late 80's, first one had an Enya 45CX and a later one had a YS 45 w/pipe; both flew great. I didn't bother with retracts in either of them, I had 60 size pattern planes for that and the Mattlas' were just for fun. I recall buying the first kit in around '84 and I'm sure I had seen them advertised for some years earlier. MK also kitted a 20 sized Mattlas, and I had two of those also

Beautiful kits, very enjoyable to build. Wish MK were still available and afordable!

Free Bird

Thanks for the reply guys! I'm happy to hear that I got a good flying model.

Gene: How about posting some pics of your build? We'd love to see them!

Cheers ... Rick

kestrel0222

My Feedback: (1)

I flew the .60 size Atlas for many years and just loved the way it flew!!! It had a Kratf .61 with Rhom-Air retracts. Here are a couple of pictures of that model:

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

FB,

way to go on that kit! Great find.

I'm looking forward to this thread and getting back to the smaller siblings soon.

David.

Free Bird

David,
This one is down of the list of builds. I need to finish a couple of other projects that are started. In no particular order, Banshee, Aeromaster, Cutlass Supreme, Aurora 45 and Taurus. That's going to keep me busy for a while.

FB

Rendegade

Kestrel, love the fact that is ostesibly a Curare paint scheme on an atlas, that must bend a few heads!!!


like putting a mercedes badge on an audi!

flywilly

My Feedback: (121)

Great Looking Atlas!!

Free Bird

I agree, very nice looking Atlas!

FB

Free Bird

Question for you guys that are familiar with MK kits.

Is a fuel tank usually included in MK kits? Reason I ask is that the Mattlas 40 kit I recently got doesn't have a tank. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, but the forward fuselage bulkheads are cut for an oval shaped tank. So with that in mind, what do you guys usually use?

FB

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

FB,

I think the larger kits used to come with tanks and spinners. My 40 size kits came with them but my Arrow 40 didn't and I think they were just removed. The 20 size kits mostly didn't come with tanks and spinners (at least the two kits I've seen didn't).

Nonetheless, MK formers are basically cut to accommodate their own tanks which as you point out are mostly oval shaped. Some of these tanks should still be obtainable in Singapore and presumably in Japan. I believe that Zubba enlarged his Curare 20 formers to allow a Sullivan cylindrical 6 oz tank to fit. I imagine a similar modification might be doable for an 8 oz tank on the Mattlas 40 (nice find by the way!)

MK designs tended to use smaller tanks compared to what I'm used to installing (1-2 oz less on the 40's and 2-3 oz less on the 60's). The 20's were mostly designed for 5 oz tanks (150cc) but we have none here. The Aurora 25 was the exception which used a 6.5 oz (190cc) tank.

Hope that helps.

Building her this winter?

David.

Wow! At 53" that's a pretty short span for a 40!

Free Bird

Thanks for the thoughts David. The kit does have a spinner in it. But being the kit was molested, I wasn't sure if a tank was suspose to be included. It shouldn't be a big deal to get something to fit, unless I go for retracts.

I'd like to build it, but got other things that are started that need to be completed first. I'll probably trace the parts when I start on her. Never know when I might want to build another one!

FB

bem

My Feedback: (1)

Hi,

Some info from old MKcatalog back when MK kits was sold - see images below.
I have a MK Blue Angel 40 kit and it will have retracts.

/Bo

rv7driver

My Feedback: (105)

Rick, great find!, look @ the plans and see if it tells you the size of the Tank it will be in cc's. I might have the correct size you need I have a lot of MK tanks, if not I go to Singapore every month and I can pick up the right size for you from Singapore Hobbies. I have 20, 40, and 60 size MK kits and they all have tanks included with the kits.

Regards, Pete

Free Bird

BEM - nice pics, thanks for posting them!

[quote][Rick, great find!, look @ the plans and see if it tells you the size of the Tank it will be in cc's. I might have the correct size you need I have a lot of MK tanks, if not I go to Singapore every month and I can pick up the right size for you from Singapore Hobbies. I have 20, 40, and 60 size MK kits and they all have tanks included with the kits.

Regards, Pete
/quote]

Thanks for the offer Pete! I'm at work, so I'll check it out when I get home and drop you a line. Care to sell any of those kits?

FB

dhal22

what about a photo of the BA kit? [sm=teeth_smile.gif]

rv7driver

My Feedback: (105)

FB, nope, took me a long time to get them! so I'll keep them LOL!!! I'm in Singapore now but leaving in 3 hours so it will be a few days before I get home will check my MK tanks then. Pete

bem

My Feedback: (1)

Hi,

I assume You mean my Blue Angel 40 kit?

Sure, I can take some photos tomorrow and post here.

/Bo

Free Bird

LOL!! I know what you mean about the time factor. Anyway, the size of the tank is 220CC. If it'll help, I can post some pics and dimensions of the tank. LMK. Thanks Pete!

FB

rv7driver

My Feedback: (105)

Rick, no pic's needed they are oval I'll check my stock when I get home and let you know. walking out the Hotel door from Singapore to fly home via Amsterdam, weather not so good hope no delays back to Hotlanta. Pete

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Have a good flight back Pete!

it seems to me that 'round about this time last year, Pete was bringing goodies back from Singapore!

FB,

I was about to bet that they designed it around the 220cc which is a 7.5 oz tank (a little less actually). As mentioned, they tended to use smaller volume tanks. I typically install an 8 or 10 oz tank in a 40-46 size bird. But... with those specs it really is a 40 size pattern bird. It would probably fly nicely on an OS 40SF (pumped if available). Nice specs by the way!

Span 1350 mm = 53.1"
Length 1180 mm = 46.5"
Area 33 dm^2 = 511 sq in
Weight 2200g = 4.85 lb!

Rick, please do make sure you "save" this one. I for one would love to add it to my 40 size MK fleet (I have it's twin, the Arrow 40 - no tank). If you get a chance to scan the plans, maybe we can work on a CAD version of it together. You could do the wing/stab and I could do the fuse or some such. Hey! is this the beginning of a 40 size conservation project!?

In a pinch, a muffled YS 45 would do nicely too.

David.

BERUSTY

My Feedback: (3)

MK Atlas/Mattlas...a small deviation from the subject...

BEM...

Great photos! I notice the first picture with all of the models...has a Champion!

Rusty Dose
Team Futaba

bem

My Feedback: (1)

Hi,
Here are some photos of myMK Blue Angel 40 kit. Got it out of the box today and then back to in the box to continue "the beauty sleep" - not going to build it, but since I have the drawing, all wing ribs etc it will be easy to build one from scratch if I want. To make a copy of the clear canopy will probably be the most difficult part of building a scratch built copy of this MK Blue Angel 40. While I had the kit spread on the table I made an inventory of all parts compared to the drawings and all was in the box. What is not in the box, it is optional, are for example: MK main and nose retractable gear (SStype), main and nose wheels (50 mm), MK aileron horns (x2), MK elevator horns (x2), MK rudder horn, MK spinner 57 mm, MK fuel tank 270 cc oval shape.

/Bo

doxilia

My Feedback: (3)

Nice kit Bo!

I'm pleased to say that I've one too. While wheels & retracts didn't come with the kits, the spinner, fuel tank and hardware should have. I can't recall the exact details of mine, but I'm fairly certain they're there. The kits certainly always came with control horns. The good news is that all the items can still be obtained - with a little difficulty. In any event, the plans and the wood are what make MK kits!

Speaking of plans though, I wish they'd put the entire fuse on one sheet. When I get a chance to scan the original plan, I'm going to do a little re-arrangement and lay them out as they should rather than how they fit in the box. I'll make sure to post them so you can have a copy. I guess rolled plans are the only thing the Japanese preferred not to do - optimizing space to the maximum!

David.