4unlimited

Hello Marcus,

A standing ovation from the Netherlands ! What a fantastic scale model did you build.

You are miles ahead of me on this Decathlon project, but The End of your video clip sums it all up; The time spend, efforts made and the persistence involved makes it all worth.

So in every aspect a job well done (understatement), I hope you will fill her log with lots of flight hours.

As soon as my ā€œgarage aka workshopā€ is realized coming year, Iā€™ll start with my Decathlon project and will keep you all posted. In the mean time I have spend some time with a Great Planes Extra 300 Patty Wagstaff ARF (ouch ā€œA-R-Fā€ yeah yeah I know, I know). Due to some extensive modifications this has become a small project, which I intent to post on one of the forums. (I will inform you later on)

Oh and Marcus: Next time a video with some (uuuuuuuuhhh correction) LOTS of smoke ? ! ? ! ? ! ?

Regards,
Rick

Kellermann

Rick,
thank you very much for your nice words.

As Ken said it very properly, "itĀ“s all worth it now" - indeed it is.

Now, I will advance also step by step - first, I have to break the engine in properly, I canĀ“t push it too hard. I also need to get used to the planeĀ“s characteristics.
Later on I will of course install the smoke pump and tank, to eventually re-enact those smokey take-offs or low passes as in the two pics below...

Speaking of the engine, I feel that the 50cc is the lower limit for safe flying with this 11.5 Kilo plane (if my math is right, thatĀ“s some 25 pounds for you imperial measurement buffs) ...

Rick, just go ahead with your project. As far as I remember, youĀ“re into building the EMHW Bellanca Decathlon, right? A couple of countrymen of yours (www.teampluvier.nl) built 3 of them at the same time and also posted some pics on these pages here.

Good luck - and donĀ“t worry that much about admitting you built an (Ughh!!) ARF - I did the same with my Bunnywalker, itĀ“s a GP Spacewalker which I fitted with a Stihl 25cc gas engine, just to have a plane at hand to fly between one project and other...or crash.

Marcus

ghealey

Hi Geoff,

Nice to see another Aussie on the site building SD's. I built a 30% a couple of years ago and it is a great model. I have just ordered Wendell's Aeronca Champ plans for my latest project.

Where abouts are you from? I am in Dandenong Victoria and my club is P&DARCS. It would be good to see your progress in picture. I hope you enjoyed the threads, it has been a wonderful thing to be able to share all the progress of the contributors.

Here is my SD and Jeep.

Cheers
Geoff Healey

Newflee

Nice going Marcus!
It really does sound and fly great.

Lee

Kellermann

Thanks Lee
now itĀ“s your turn...hehe

I have corrected a few spots after the first 2 flights, I changed the choke linkage to manual (access thru the "oil inspection" door), and fastened the exhaust pipe with a wire loop screwed to the firewall, to prevent it from vibrating loose.

I also built a baffle to increase the airflow over the cylinder, itĀ“s more a duct that forces the airflow down over the cylinder and muffler. Of course I painted it black to disapper from the eye when the cowlĀ“s closed.

Now itĀ“s up to enjoy the upcoming flights, will post pics or more videos

Marcus

Kellermann

HereĀ“s the baffle installed

RCBuilder42yrs

Congrats! Marcus! ! !

Beautiful Aircraft, and certainly beautiful Job of Building, well executed.

Steve, Marcus and Ken, JFYI, I live down in the Houston area and I have discovered a "Reprographics" company which is very very reasonable for their services. I recently had "Bob Nelitz" plans blown up 150% which would give me a 50% scale J3, I also had them put the plans on CD for me so if i need any more in the future I need only take the cD to them. Anyway the entire bill was only $56.00 for enough paper to cover a "Conastoga Wagon" (50% J3) and they only charged me $10.00 to put the plans on CD. Total bill including the CD was $56.00. So I'm more than pleased, I have used them twice and both times they were more than willing to help with my projects and the prices were very reasonable.

Ken, you might appreciate this, I had an Old set of Carl Goldberg "Comet Clipper" plans, I had them blown up to build a 10' wingspan "Comet Clipper". Now, I'm not going to build it as a free flight! I had one 10 yrs ago that was 96" flew with a .60 and it was 3 channel. Anybody could fly the plane without a buddy box. I simply told them if they got in trouble release control sticks and of course the plane immediately turns into wind and will start a gentle decent. Here again, the Reprographics company was very reasonable on enlarging these plans as well.

Again, I'm so glad to see that this thread has not died. I'm still waiting to get a day when I can paint the Giles and then Im going to begin my own SD, and of course do it up "Texas Style!

Ahhh the aroma of Balsa Dust. Now, like John Denver... That makes me high!

RCBuilder42yrs

Kellermann

RC Builder,
thanks for your words.

Actually, I guess youĀ“ll have to build a hangar at a landing strip first, to shelter all those 1/2 scale models youĀ“re planning to build - or buy one of those NASCAR-type trucks to haul them around...good luck with your projects.

I donĀ“t think this thread will die ... ever
Marcus

Kellermann

A little off topic now...

Has any of you guys ever seen a J-3 Kitten with a trike gear and a Super Decathlon livery?

See the pic - looks beautiful to me, although I would have preferred it to be a taildragger...

I am only posting this because my buddy Frank is restoring a fullsize J-3 Kitten and it looks like an overgrown model - itĀ“s tailfeathers are 3/8" thick, which is exactly the non-scale thickness of my GP BunnywalkerĀ“s stab thickness...

Would love to someday build a 1/3 scale model, Emil Agosta of Dry Ridge models has the plans, it calls for a 1.20 glow or 23cc gas, with a 120" (aprox. wingspan) should be a real floater...

Marcus

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

That's cute. Just the opposite of a friend's airplane. He took a Tri-Pacer and converted it into a tail dragger Pacer.

Did you indicate that the 50 cc engine is a little small for your SD?

What's your next project?

Kellermann

Ken, I like the Pacers, both the taildragger and the Tri-Pacers. But would prefer the taldragger.

My next project? Hmmmm, first of all, finish my new Mutley - I am a Mutley fan and there is no better plane for everyweekend flying. After that, I`ll have to finish a Top Flite Texan for a friend of mine who lives in Austria. That Texan is lying on my attic for a couple of years now...

But my next scratch/plans built model will probably be a Vultee "Vibrator", aka as BT-13 Valiant - I bought the plans last year online from a guy called UncleWillie, but the plan was actually drawn by Pat Hartness - which is the host of the Joe Nall Fly-in, if memory serves me well.

The Vibrator has a wingspan of 100 inches, and best of all, has no retracts yet it is a true warbird. Some would call it a poor manĀ“s Texan, but itĀ“s actually a different plane. Guess it should fly very well - a real builderĀ“s project. The plans are very accurate and show many details. I donĀ“t plan taking another 3 years to complete the job, though.

See ya around
Marcus

Kellermann

And Ken, yes, it seems that the 50cc is the lower limit for safe flying - but thatĀ“s my oppinion after only 2 flights. On the second flight, I was flying alomst fullpower all the time. Later I discovered that the muffler vibrated loose, causing the engine to drop rpm.

I am also told by the manufacturer that the engine will unleash after break-in, so I will keep the mixture rich for the next 15 litres of gas (25:1) - and if I see that it still isnĀ“t enough power, I can always switch to a 60 or 80cc...

Marcus

Kellermann

Hi fellas

did two beautiful flights yesterday with the SD - flying low and slow, inspite of the cross strongwinds, a picture perfect blue sky, for the guys to take pics.
And pics they took, see below.

But it was also one of the saddest days in my entire modeling life, I am still in shock, but the SD crashed on the second flight due to an engine flame out on the downwind leg at no more than 20 feet so there was no way to bring her in dead stick. I tried to jump over the surrounding fence but Murphy was there. With the wind on her back the elevator became less effective and she didn't make it.
She just tried to make it thru the fence...and you can imagine the result.

The cause of the death of the engine is that the 24 oz was dry! I couldn't believe it. I just made 2 short flights of less than 5 minutes each - I had no idea that the fifty was such a sucker (sic!).

The good news is that after spendig some time inventorying the remains, I can tell that damage to the wings was minimum, tail feathers are 100% ok, and the entire firewall with everything in front of it remained in one piece, and was thrown thru the fence - a few scratches here and there, but nothing that can't be re-finished.

As you all may remember, I have a second, almost finished, fuselage lying around on my attick, so I will finish that one and make the plane fly again in a couple of months.

Maybe not as detailed as the first one, but as good as it to fly. Or even better. The pilot window, the door, the seat, dashboard and instrument panel, everything is on good order and will be used again.
The main damage was to the cockpit area and wing roots, as well as the wingstruts, they will have to me re-done.

The pix below show the plane in flight as well as the crash site. Somewhat shocking but I will overcome it and the Zulu Papa Alpha will raise from the ashes...like a Phoenix.

I will of course report as always.

Have a nice week you all.


Marcus

Flying Hog

Marcus.... I Just got this sick feeling in my stomach........ Sorry about the crash. Everybody said that I was crazy to put a 32 oz. Tank in my plane. But that was one of the things that I feared with a big plane. Even after a 10 minute flight, I still top off the tank even though there is still 3/4 of a tank left. I have to ask.... Is that where the pilot ended up? Or did someone hang him there?

Kellermann

Bob,
even the crash is a scale one...! The picture depicts the exact location and attitude of the plane and it's pilot. He broke his neck and the nose, so he's dead...
No one touched anything before the pix were taken.

Marcus

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Marcus, what a shocker. I'm like Bob in that I fill my tank before every flight no matter how short the last one was. I also try to fit a fairly large tank in every plane that I build. The SD has a 40 oz tank and I never fly over 15 minutes. I'm sure it will look as good as the original when you repair it. Mutley will have to wait.

They say confession is good for the soul so here goes. About 2 weeks ago I was flying my Giant Aeromaster with the G-62 and crashed it due to a stupid error. As you know an avalanche is a loop with a snap on the top. I started doing these and added a snap on each loop. I was up to 5 snaps and came out about 3" low. Actually the plane hit the top of a hill. The landing gear and bottom wing sheared off but the plane came to rest flat and upright. The engine is partially locked up. I'll send it to Ralph Cunningham for repair. When I got home I drained the fuel and put it away as my winter project. I think it actually sustained less damage than yours Marcus.

I sure am sorry that your plane went in.

Kellermann

Ken, I could not believe it when in happened. I just stood there, with the transmitter in my hands, for a while, speechless, frozen in. And now, long after, I still think of what I could possible have done different to avoid it, both the dead stick situation and the crash landing.

I, by principle, top up the thank of every airplane I assemble at the field, right away, after each flight, before anything else, so if I go tho the club canteen to have a cup of coffe or a little chat there is no way to distract myself and start a new flight with an empty tank.

What happened on Saturday was different: when I mentioned 2 flights, I actually landed after some 5-6 minutes of low and slow passes, turned back and took off again because the first landing wasnĀ“t as beautiful as the one on the video (there were strong crosswinds) so I just wanted to make an additional round to try to grease in a landing by the book. I had to abort the actual aproach and was about to go around when the engine died. The worst ever possible situation, I had turned some 120 degrees from the landing path when the engine stopped, the wind already on her back right quarter.
She gained a little speed and overran the field crosswise but there was not enough energy left to make her jump over the fence, or even to try a new turn into the grass surrounding the runway ends. To make it easier to understand, our runway runs diagonally to the ground borders, so it ends a fence corner.

Of course, IĀ“ll keep humble and learn my lessons.
a) not let my ego and pride overrun safety checks (although I couldnĀ“t really imagine that the tank was about empty after such a short flight).
b) put a bigger thank in it
c) double ground check everything before any new flight. A la full-size.

Well, will keep you guys posted on the progress of the repair.

Ken, sorry you chrashed your Aeromaster...any crash sucks, no matter how bad it is.
Marcus

Kellermann

A small P.S.: Mutley is about ready, will only bolt on the engine and finish the cowl - need a plane to fly, the Bunnywalker was sold last saturday!
Marcus

Gremlin Castle

My Feedback: (14)

Marcus, Ken crashed his Aeromaster on purpose because he saw how much attention I got when I splashed my poor old Carden Extra 300 a couple of weeks back.
The nice thing about balsa airframes is that you can clone them back from a tailwheel. Even though the Carden is ten years old I will rebuild it and put the original scheme back on it.

Crashes are disheartening but they are all survivable. I too will follow your rebuild with interest.

Ross

Kellermann

Hi Ross
your signature says it all. With tailwind the elevator simply didnĀ“t work, at least not enough to pull her over the fence.

Yes, crashes are disheartening, but are hard on the soul, especially if they happen at your 4. flight with a plane that took you 3 years to complete.

And yes IĀ“ll survive. Better and faster than expected...as Arnold said, IĀ“ll be back!

See ya

marcus
P.S. sorry for your Carden Extra

Big_Bird

My Feedback: (1)

Marcus, I think we have all been in the same boat at one time or another. Many years ago I built a really large Weeks Special powered by a Brison 6.4 twin. I spent a lot of money on it and a lot of hours building it. It only lasted half on one flight. The ailerons fluttered and broke both servos at the same time. It rolled over on its back and went in. Here are a few photos. Ross witnessed the crash.

It doesn't fix your plane but I sure know how you are feeling.

The photos are a little poor because this was before I had a digital camera.

jaycam

Marcus,

What a tragedy to see your Decathlon photos. I stalled a Pilot Decathlon two years back and the results were the same. The horrible nausea I felt lasted for days after the crash. Ironically, I rolled my Great Planes Corsair yesterday about three inches too low, not a total loss but there was still plenty of damage. Hang in there brother!

Mike

Kellermann

Mike, Ken, Ross and all the others,
thank you for your supporting words. But be sure itĀ“s not letting me down, I am finalizing today the dismantling and right after the Mutley is ready IĀ“ll start rebuilding. In my mind I already started...I canĀ“t wait to begin....

Will keep you all posted.

Marcus

Flying Hog

NO More Bunnywalker?????? That was Cool! Marcus... I won't post any of my crashes.. I think you have seen enough. Can't wait to see the FAST progress on the new fuse, and I still want more video of you flying the ZPA!!!!!!

Kellermann

Bob, I sure have seen enough crashes, all of the sudden everybody started posting crash pix - I thought I landed at the wrong thread...

Well, it will take me some time but I sure will repair her asap.

See ya 'round
MArcus