Cub Flyer Fresno

This should be a fairly short thread, albeit slow (knowing me).

I am repairing my first ever giant scale build, first real build in 30+ years of being out of the hobby. This is the one that really got me started building, and I love it! I built this plane under the "Giant Scale - Getting Started" thread. Here are some before and after (the accident) photos.

Cub Flyer Fresno

OH! You may be wondering what happened. The day started by flying other tail draggers. I finally got the Cub put together and running, it has been a while since I've flown it. So, forgetting about the torque susceptibility of the Cub, I poured the coals on. It wouldn't have been so bad, only a gentleman with a camera was kneeling near the runway just down from where I was taking off. If I hadn't had the rudder on low rate, I may have been able to avoid him, but at least the prop missed him and the left wing caught him across the chest sending him flat on his back.

So, on to the repairs. Here are a few post mortem photos.

flyingagin

Hey I'm in
Going to enjoy the repair but not as much as you.

Ken

stevegauth30

hey I think this is the first time I've subscribed to a thread when it started. I usually show up to the party late, as everyone is getting ready to leave. count me in buddy.

VincentJ

Me too!

spaceworm

+4
Happy New Year to You and Yours.

Sincerely, Richard
Cub Brotherhood #187; Sig 1/4 (Koverall/dope), (Zenoah G23 ECDI); H9 100 inch (Gen 1) (Solartex/?), (YS F 120); GB Anniv Cub (NIB)
Club Saito #635; Saito 56, 100, 120abc, 130T, 180
Kadet Brotherhood #96; Mk 1 Kadet, Kadet Junior,
Sig Kougar, Sig 1/4 Cub, Sig 1/4 Spacewalker II
Carl Goldberg Tiger Club Member # 81
YS F 120

WacoNut

subscribed and watching.

Dave it took me 1 month to repair, cover and paint my Cub. I think you need to get busy with it.
Later!!
Anthony

flycatch

My Feedback: (26)

Nothing is impossible just harder to do and you have shown the way.

flyingagin

Quite the gaggle of plane builders here now Dave.
Hey Steve much better being late to the party that the late great.
The bird is broke enough to require some skill, but not so broke as to make a repair or toss decision needed. Glad you are repairing. I've known so many that would just toss. Hey I like them too, a lot. I Snag up their tossings and then turn them back into flying machines, cheap and easy.

Ken

Truckracer

My Feedback: (19)

If all the full scale classics were just tossed when they were damaged we would have very few around to enjoy these days. My compliments to the builders and rebuilders, both full scale and models! "Keep em flying!"

jwrich

My Feedback: (17)

I'm watching , it happens to us all. Mine was repaired and still flying

Rich

Cub Flyer Fresno

Gee Rich, your damage looks similar to mine. Is that a Sig or a BUSA? If it is a Sig then I've got questions, but my guess is it's a BUSA.

Anyway, I was wondering why I wasn't getting any replies on this thread, forgot to turn on the instant email notification! So I'm back!

I have been working on it here and there, just getting the fuse repaired first. But before I go into any of that, I'd like to take a moment to comment on what happened to me today. I was out flying my Four Star when suddenly I see yellow pieces flying off. I thought I had lost a fin, stab or some sort of control surface, it was really flying... not too well! I made a pass over the field but couldn't tell what was missing. I struggled to circle back downwind, almost losing it at one point, line up with the runway and brought it in for a gentle touch down. It was at that point that I plopped down on the tarmac and took a deep breath, I was a bit shaky to say the least! On of the other guys went over and told me I lost the top part of my wing. No wonder it didn't want to fly very well. On closer inspection I found out that the covering had been put on with the edge at the apex of the L/E of the wing. There was also a break in the L/E. I'm not sure if that had always been there or if I hit a small bird. This plane had been given to me, so there is other damage on it unrelated to this incident. Anyway, as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words so here are two thousand.

flyingagin

Hey buddy, ya missing a part or something there?

Like I said on the phone today I lost the bottom covering on a arf Ugly stick 40 that I had modded to a twin. Flying great and fast at a distance, when all of a sudden it just goes goofy. I saw something depart the plane. A couple or seconds later I heard an odd loud noise from it. I Thought I had encountered flutter. So I chopped the throttles And got the plane level again. Then turned for the runway and hollered that I had a problem and was going to land NOW! I made the run way rather hot, after wrestling with the plane the whole way. I was not able to hold the nose up and hit the asphalt hard. Not worth repair. Bummer it was my first and so far last twin. The bottom covering of the right wing had come off. No overlapping of the covering. And right at the apex of the LE.

In retrospect I really should have caught that, but you know. Hindsight make for perfect engineering I quesse.

Ken

stevegauth30

It happens. That's why I don't generally buy or fly someone else's handy work, unless I know them and there building skills. Good job bringing it in David.

spaceworm

Damage looks like my Sig Cub after an over eager TO tipped the plane into the ground. I replaced the connector spar and it is still flying today.

Many years ago (late 80's) I witnessed a new flyer maiden his kit built trainer. Right after takeoff, large pieces of the Monokote covering came off. He landed and the pit experts determined he had not taken the backing off of the covering before "ironing" it down. He "recovered", emotionally and literally, and became an accomplished flyer. I have cut pieces of "kote to fit areas and found when starting to iron it, that I had cut it with the adhesive side out, so the piece would not fit. Now I test the film with a hot iron before I cut or iron it. These days I use fabric covering. Same issues though, but it is easier to tell which side is to be out.
Sincerely, Richard
Cub Brotherhood #187; Sig 1/4 (Koverall/dope), H9 100 inch (Gen 1) (Solartex/?), GB Anniv Cub (NIB)
Club Saito #635; Saito 56, 100, 120abc, 130T, 180
Kadet Brotherhood #96; Mk 1 Kadet, Kadet Junior,
Sig Kougar, Sig 1/4 Cub, Sig 1/4 Spacewalker II
Carl Goldberg Tiger Club Member # 81
YS F 120, Echo 16cc, Alpina 330, K&B 40s and 60s, OS of all sizes, etc, etc.

Cub Flyer Fresno

Back to the repairs: I started with the easy part; gluing the two halves of the fuse bottom nose. That's a no brainer!


I determined that I need to start at the rear of the fuse working forward in order to get everything put together right. On the outside left edge of the L/G block, since the outer ply had torn away, I decided to add a couple 1/8" dowels to pin it into the balsa fuse side. I think this will be strong enough without being "too strong" and ripping the entire fuse up in the event of... well, another event.


I moved on to the wings just to start inspecting. Didn't get too far yet, I just got the aluminum strip removed. Next will be tearing into the covering which I think I will take off from the middle of the center section to the first rib. That should allow me enough access to get the repairs done.


That's it for now. I'll have to see when I can get back to it.

Truckracer

My Feedback: (19)

I don't remember what the original covering and paint was on your CUB. I am curious what it was and how well it held up to the stresses during the crash. Especially any stress cracking or peeling away from the obvious damaged areas? I always try to learn from these unfortunate incidents.

It always leaves one sad to see things like this happen but they are an unfortunate part of our hobby we all have to deal with from time to time.

FlyingGreg

My Feedback: (4)

I've been away from flying for a while and not as active in these forums. Nice to see Anthony is still around. He goes by WacoNut now, but used to be CubNut and his clipped wing cub build is still the quintessential thread on building a Sig cub. Hi Anthony. Mine is still airworthy, but don't think I had it up at all last year. The one crash I had was a result of not being able to recover from a flat spin, at least until the ground did it for me. Another time, both my wheels came off, but I was able to land and skid to a controlled stop. Had quite an audience.

Good luck to the OP in your repair.

Cub Flyer Fresno

Thanks Greg! I followed Anthony's thread when I built my Cub, got a lot of ideas from him. In fact he was my first contact when I started building. As for the wheels falling off, I had one come off. The Cub left the ground but the left wheel didn't even bounce, just kept rolling right along. I made for an exciting landing, but it was totally successful. I was able to hold off the left wheel until the airspeed bled off, then it just pivoted around on the bare axle, didn't put a scratch on it!

I had my wife pick up some more Streamline tubing for my struts today at the LHS. I'm also ready to cover the damage on the fuse, all the repairs have been made. So it will be on to the wing shortly. No photos for now, sorry.

flyingagin

My wife doesn't drive. She just sits in the car when I go to the hobby shop, unless it is one we have not bean to before.

Ken

WacoNut

Hi Greg,
We need to hook up this summer and go flying. Nice to see your still around as well.

David,
Glad to hear the repairs are going well, remember what Robert say's no pictures and it didn't happen.
Later!!
Anthony

Cub Flyer Fresno

No pictures... uh... yeah. Um... how do I say this? Yesterday was my day off of work, so after going to church, doing yard work and repairing the clothes dryer, I worked on the Cub a little. Got the fuse covered, just no photos. I still have to clear coat it, but for the most part, it's done. Sorry, but I'm tired and sick. I guess too much work and not enough quality rest isn't a good thing.

acerc

I don't believe it if I can't see it!

WacoNut

LOL,
Hope you get to feeling better Dave.

flyingagin

I'm with Robert here.

Now you get to feeling better soon. We can set a flying date for next month.

Ken