Big_Bird

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Roger, I got the pilot from DGA Designs. Unfortunately they went out of business. I sewed the body and clothes using their patterns. I threw him against the wall a couple of times during his construction uttering bad words. I sure wish someone would pick up the line. Sure makes a great looking lightweight pilot.

I am crazy about Solartex fabric from Balsa USA. I've used it on 2 giant scale planes.

rabacon

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Thats pilot abuse!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, DGA pilots were pretty good. Been using Aces of Iron but they just recently began offering 1/3 scale and both of those are for WWI birds. I would love to see them come out with a 1/3 scale vintage civilian pilot. I still use solartex for rib tapes and reinforcement tapes.

kevin mcgrath

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-25o here today........thats bloody cold whichever scale you use and a good reason to spend the day in the shop and at the keyboard.

Big_Bird

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That is too cold for me. I think the coldest temperature that I ever experienced was -18 when I visited the St Paul Winter Carnival about 30 years ago. For a native born Texan, that was quiet an experience. Sorry, not trying to hijack the thread.

kevin mcgrath

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One of our local scale fiends is slowly selling off a lifetime,s accumulation of scale stuff and he had the full body 1/3 scale dude up for sale and I think I got him for $10 or maybe it was $20 but either way he was a bargain by todays standards.He is made out of latex and is a civilian pilot in slacks ,shirt and tennies and is designed to hold a stick in his right hand.There is no trademark on him and Im sure he is long out of production.
I too liked the DGA 1/3 pilots but I understand they could not stomach the latest increases in prices for raw latex and so discontinued the product line.No idea if that is accurate.Fortunatly all the clothes that came with the DGA product fit my pilot so I dont anticipate any problems doing him up as a pre wwII german airforce aviator.
My buddy Cec the welder is going to wire feed tack my main LG next week and I finished the engine installation and tail wheel assembley today and will likely fit the cowl tomorrow.
I expect to have the wing ribs here next week and will start in on the final major structural build.The AGM of our National Association (MAAC) is in mid March in Alberta,,and then Toledo in early April and then a meeting with the AMA brass,and then an IMAC seminar,but the time between now and these dates is going to be devoted strictly to building.

Big_Bird

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.........and what do you do in your spare time?

kevin mcgrath

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Socialize with my much better half,make a little wine (started 23Litres of California red tonight)
and from May to October do some touring and the odd show with my 69 MGB,and do as many flyins and events in my zone here in Northern Ontario as time and the budget will allow.
I do like to keep busy........
Also have a Ziroli twin beech,a .90 size flying boat,a big lazy ace,and a three meter glider under construction along with the Jungmeister,and fly a 30% IMAC plane and a 1/3 Spacewalker in competition a couple of times in the season too.........

Big_Bird

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You really do have a busy schedule, very similar to mine. I make 5 or 6 big bird flyins every summer plus a number of local flyins. For many years now I have flown at Bomber Field in Monaville Texas. This June we are having the IMAA Rally of Giants at Waco Texas, about 100 miles from Arlington. I'll go down on Wednesday and come back Sunday. Besides the Jungie, I fly a Hostetler PT-19, a Giant Aeromaster, a 1/3 scale Hostetler Super Decathlon, and a 101" ws Extra 300S with a Brison 6.4. I'm currently building a 1/4 scale Pepino Waco YMF-5 that will have a G-62.

Speaking of the big Lazy ACE, Chuck Cunningham was a good friend of mine and I still really miss him. He really did love to fly before he got so stooped over with Parkinson's disease. I used to fly some of his planes for him so he could watch.

kevin mcgrath

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Dont know if you knew but the rally of the giants is in Canada for the first time in 2008 (or is it 2009?) In Ottawa our nations capital and that will be an event worth attending.
I have built four lazy aces in various sizes but my favorite is the second largest. I sold my last one and the new one uses a twin 44cc from RC Showcase,a simplified cabane done in aluminum strip a la Pitts,the semi airfoil and four ailerons.Just wouldnt be right not to have an Ace in my air force.

rabacon

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Morning guys, your squadrons of giant scale models are an A-list of classics. I will have to search for a suitable 1/3 bust that doesnt look too dollish to fab a full-body pilot out of. I looked at Axels scale pilots out of Germany and if I had the inclination to buy one from him I am sure it would be first-class but I would prefer to make my own. Finished most of the tail group this weekend. Just need to align it, bolt it in place, and build the fairing. Ken I know you built yours onto the fuse. I was really tempted to do same for simplicity and weight reduction but chose to go with the removable for a variety of other reasons. It remains to be seen if I suffer the need for nose wieght. Hope not but then again hope aint a strategy is it? Ken, would love to see a pic of the Waco if you ever are so inclined. My hanger consists of 1/4 scale pup, 1/4 Neuiport 17, 1/4Pitts S2B, and a 1/3 scale great lakes. Will retire the Great Lakes this summer as next winters project will be either Gary Allens 30% moth or a Pepino 1/4 scale Albatross DVa. Either way need the space and the engine from the great lakes and it has seen better days.

Big_Bird

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Kevin, I have been to 4 of the IMAA Rally of Giants and have always had a great time. Some year I would like to go to the Joe Nall but that is a long way from here.

Roger, it has gotten to be a problem trying to find a place for all of these big planes. I don't dare mention putting one in the spare bed room. I keep a couple in the trailer, a couple in the garage, and a couple in the barn (all true Texans have a barn).
When I looked at the price of Axel's pilots I realized that you were not simply buying one, you were adopting one. Sounds like you have a nice stable of planes.

rabacon

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Hi Ken, they do take up space but they are worth every inch of it. Thanks, all of my planes are daily fliers, cant see the point of building it and storing without the payoff. Life is to short to fly ugly models. Yes, I think one of Axels little dudes better do more than just look pretty in a model. They would have to earn their keep at those prices.

rabacon

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Its time for a Bucker Sitrep. I am ready to cover the fuse and empenage. Its all done tip to tail, enging, fuel system, cowling, cockpit details, radio, etc. All done. Guess I had better build some wing panels as all I have right now is a very expensive and elaborate German 3 wheeled sportscar. I did find a 1/3 scale DGA bust new in the package at a local swap last month so at least I have a head for my pilot. Aces of Iron just released a 1/3 scale bust of their generic aviator. I am tempted but need a full body on this one.

Wings should be cake. Hows it going with your Buckers, guys?

kevin mcgrath

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Hello all........hope everyone is well and building.........hit another hitch.....
Im fabricating the top wing center section......Ken has a good photo of the area on page 1,second last entry from the bottom third photo from the left of this thread.....
The two center ribs ,W1,are considerably narrower where they intersect the rear spar of the assembly compared to ribs W 2,3 and 4,and consequently the spar fits all the ribs very well except the two center ones.If anyone has hit the same problem you will know exactly what Im talking about.
Are these ribs badly drawn on the plans or am I missing something?

rabacon

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Kevin, this section is fresh in my mind so if I may elaborate. The bottom rear spar is a solid piece of spruce, 1/4x3/8 I believe. The top rear spar is made up of four laminations of 1/4 X 1/16 spruce. You do this by laying in the 1/16 spar marterial one at a time laminating to the curvature of the ribs. Works out very well and really stands out once you have it complete. Ken alluded to it earlier in his thread and I think he just built up the ribs to meet the spar. The lams give a nice flow to the taper of the trailing edge of the center section and its easy to do. I can email you some digital photos if like. Best Regards, Roger.

kevin mcgrath

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I was going to do the same as Ken and just build up the two W1 ribs but yes I would very much like to see the photos of the "real thing"..........
Im glad to see Im not losing my marbles.
I ordered the last of my supplies for this project this week from BUSA including ten Meters of white iron on fabric.
With some concentration I may be done with the fuse including the wing centre sections in the next week or so and I expect the wings to go quickly since they are pretty straightforward and all the ribs are ready to install.

Big_Bird

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Kevin, I think that I didn't understand the laminations when I built my Jungie. However, now that I know, if I ever built another one I will go with the lams. Gary Allen is a great designer. I wish he had shown the bell cranks that he used to inter connect the ailerons rather than the method that he showed on the plans.

Roger, how about post those photos here?

Homepylon

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Hi all
Here's a few progress pics on mine. Probably about a month or so away from the maiden. I'm at 25 pounds without the radio and batts. CG came out right on the money without any ballast.

Really looking forward to getting this puppy in the air.

Brad

Big_Bird

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WOW WOW and WOW!!! That is a work of art Brad. I forgot what engine you are using.

rabacon

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Brad, love that color scheme, looks outstanding.

Ken, I dont have the proper software on my puter to do the photos but I can take some of this area and send them to you if you want to post them up. I am documenting my build on our club website. Heres the link. http://www.chainolakeseagles.com/index.php

go into forums, building tips.

Its gonna be a Bucker fest this summer with all the new 1/3scales being done here.

Big_Bird

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Guys, if you are building a Bucker Jungmeister, there is a gold mine of photos of Roger's Jungie in the link that he listed. Here are a few.

Homepylon

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Thanks for the kind comments, guys.

My Jungie is getting a G-62. We ran the engine on a test stand this week. I had installed a CH ignition and wanted to make sure it would run OK. Fired right up on the third flip.

Roger, yours is looking GOOD. What color scheme are you going with?

Brad

rabacon

My Feedback: (11)

Thanks for the compliment Brad. As far as scheme goes I was going to do Alex Papania's original YR-PAX but after realizing I have the wrong mark of Bucker I think I am going with a more subdued Gray and natural aluminum in a pre WWII German flying club livery. I always start out a model with an intent to do a complicated and dramatic finish but usually at the end of the build I opt for a simpler scheme. I wish I were a better painter.

Cirque

Hi all, bouth of your projects look OUTSTANDING. I've had my short kit for a month now but it's kinda on the back burner
because of the wind storm we had in westewrn Washington about two months ago. I plan on getting started on my Buker
somtime in June/July. I can't wait.

Regards
Paul

rabacon

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Paul, thanks for the compliment. Hope you post some pics of your progress when you get going. This model is a great build.