smkrcflyer

Here is an update on my Fleet. I took the covering off the elevator (just the bottom) and rudder. The elevator was hit and the wood around the outside and the internal were damaged. The wood was extremely light almost like foam. I’m going to replace the internal wood but try to keep the outside wood in place to support the covering on the topside. The rudder is a total loss it to was hit but it’s just too warped to keep. I’m thinking about building a new one with solid wood and adding some holes to cut down on weight. What do you guys think about this?
I’m going to get paint matched at Lowes and spray it with Lusterkote.

Fleet

Easy to do and not so time consuming. I'd think I could frame up the whole shebang in an evening or so. Salvaging a bent or broken piece of the primary control got to lead to some 2nd guessing when your flying your beauty.

Secondly, what a great time to build up one of the other models of Fleet. I prefer the 16B fin and rudder as it is much bigger. The fin per se didn't change that much as the rudder did go through some mutations.

Any weight saving may be negated by your choice of heavy paint. Just my $.02

Ray W.

Nintendomaniac_00

All
Good thread! I have a 1/6th scale Concept fleet under construction and would like to join you guys on the journey if possible. Thanks, NM

Fleet

Welcome aboard.

Ray W. 
FB #7

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

"Holy smokes! This is the plane with the ASP radial on it? What happened?

You never mentioned it in the engine thread! Did your engine suffer crash damage?"

Tom,
I hate to say it again, but the Fleet was the victim of something stupid that I did. Since Futaba does not see a need to have the feature of not being able to bind to an aircraft wrongly selected, I took off with my PT-26 inputs. I'll say this; do not talk to anyone while you are setting up your aircraft for flight. Distractions take a toll. My Pt-26 settings are the same as the Fleet, except for ailerons and therein lies the rub. Before I could recognize the difference I rolled it into mother earth.

Anyway, the ASP only took a strike on a pushrod housing. It wasn't a head-on shot. The pushrod itself is not damaged and I was able to straighten out the housing.

My present build has slowed a bit, but I'm almost up to paint. I have the top wing to add glue drops and then it's on to the finish application.

Bob

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

Nintendomaniac_00 welcome and your number 22.

Have any idea what you will power it with?

Bob

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

Steve,

Depending on your power, Steve, you shouldn't have to worry about added weight in that area. My Fleet needed some weight in the tail and I accomplished that by moving the servos to the rear and placing the batteries under the floor in the rear cockpit. Of course the main reason for this was that I have a 6.17 lb. engine hanging out front.

Bob

smkrcflyer

Thanks for the input.

I'm #22 so I think Nintendomaniac_00 is number 23.

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

Steve,
Now you know why I had the wrong aircraft selected. Here are the numbers, as of today. In MS Excel they number the first column for you and you enter the numbers in the second column. I mistakenly looked at the first column. Steve, you are 21. See, you moved up already. Sorry for the mix up.

RCU Member
1 Retransit
2 meanrc
3 knucklebutt
4 geoardsog5
5 Mein Duff
6 Planejaw
7 Fleet
8 Mangolo
9 Yank II
10 dabrown
11 Cliff Ozier
12 412t1
13 skipb
14 landeck
15 Jaybird
16 Elmshoot
17 PLANE JIM
18 gordon_mcln
19 dreid
20 Hot Coals
21 smkrcflyer
22 Nintendomaniac_00


Bob

Nintendomaniac_00

Thanks. I am going electric on this one which is a bit new for me, a dyed in the wool Saito guy. Having said that, any input on motor - battery selection would be appreciated. NM

#22 in the Fleet Brotherhood

HOT COALS

   Bob  what did you think about ur asp eng?. I have been thinking of changing  over to 5 cyn. 2 of my fleets have  S/T motors in them 2500 . They run good, problem is I keep losing W/B cylinders on them. And one has a 38 zen. engine.  Flys & runs good with rubber motor dampers. Servos monted in the rear. 1 has a O.S. 5 cyl.  Runs good has a lot of time on her. So!!  my ??? is Price. O.S. is high dollar now. Compare to ASP eng. I know there is a wght. diff.  Have  u  heard any faults with the A.S.P. eng. .   HANK # 20

HOT COALS

   Sure glad to see more members comming aboard  BOB. Also glad to see younge members comming into the hobby. Im 75 been in this since  I was 8yrs.  I get upset that the A.R.F.  taking over.  Plus that they are made in CHINA #@@#. And high dollar at that. Its a good feeling taking a bunch of sticks & cloth and making a creation. Comming to life.  HANK # 20

Kmot

My Feedback: (24)

It has happened to everyone. That's the reason Spektrum radios have a certain feature to them.

Glad to hear your engine survived. Being a stick builder I presume it's just "another day at the office" for you.

HOT COALS

   Steve look at your plans, when you get them. There is a space at the rear of fusage. On the bottom near the stab.  U  can cut the open area. make cross pcs. w/lite ply mount  ur wght. cover with 1/8 ply.  All my fleets have the servos  mounted in the rear. Only motor servo  monted in front. Also if  u  are rebuilding you stab & fin. I would use 1/16 strips instead of balsa. Wet each pce. wrape around a old paint can till dry . this will give the curve  u need. HANK # 20.

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

I haven't had any problems with my ASP/Magnum except for an occasional cylinder drop-out which can be challenging on takeoff. I have a McDaniel glow driver on it. There has been some problems in the past but from what I have read, they pertained to engines manufactured in the '90's. I have mine since 2010. You can go here to read about difficulties and fixes:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_67..._1/key_/tm.htm

I paid $777.00 from Hobby King with about $50 for shipping. Currently they are out of stock. A couple of weeks ago they had stock. You have to keep checking back on the website. Also Hobbypartz is another source, though it may cost more.

An alternative is an Evolution 77cc seven cylinder at Horizon for $1299.00 but is also out of stock. The only thing is that it has two more cylinders than would be correct for the Fleet. It is a Seidel design manufactured by UMS in India and sold by Evolution at Horizon. I would think parts are easier to obtain than from ASP.

Bob

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

Steve, this image shows where I mounted my servos for the empenage on my first Fleet and am also doing it on my current build. The only difference on this build is that I used 1/16" ply instead of 1/8" on the first one as Hank used.

Bob

geoardsog5

My Feedback: (31)

Hey, Bob. If it's a Warner powered Fleet, the 7 cyl. radial would be correct. John R.

Fleet

Bob,

The flyin in Feb... any not allowed freqs or all 2.4?   I'm reassembling my Fleet and am deciding on which radios to use.

Ray W
#7

smkrcflyer

Bob,
I like your servo setup.

HOT COALS

   Thanks Bob for the info.  Yes I know every one is out of stock. A.M.R. in canda has them. they want $1000.00 & s/h.  Also I herd  some problems with HOBBY KING.  There service not very good.  Looking at your fleet set up is pretty much like mine.  I was thinking about the 7 cyl.. Don't know if i go that high a dollar. Something I have to think about.  AS said before Im 75yrs old and these bird's are not far behind me . I just finishing making  up new cowls  F/G  for them.  Leaving the cyls. off.  Since now I am not all in to scale anymore. Just enjoy flying them.  HANK # 20.

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

John, thanks for the 7 cyl. Warner info.

Ray, all AMA frequencies are allowed at our Giants event.

Hank, keep an eye on Hobby King for availability.

I put together a quick video on the method I used to simulate screws on the wing ribs to secure the fabric. If you ever colored and decorated Easter eggs with melted crayon and a straight pin applicator, you should be good to go. Same principle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1xYF...1&feature=plcp

Bob

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

Another paint scheme for the Fleet from the Naval Air Museum in Pennsacola, FL.

Bob

Fleet

I'm going to make that a priority soon...visit Pensacola.

The trapease trials on the Macon was done with a few different planes and that appears to be one. I think I detect the trapease gear atop. They later settled on the Curtis Sparrow Hawk.

The picture is the only surviving F9C. The others were lost with the Macon.

Ray W.
#7

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

Put the trapeze on yours, then you will have a point to hang it up.

Bob

retransit

My Feedback: (18)

Does anyone know, besides the fuel filler, what the rest of the pieces are on the Fleet's upper wing topside are?

Bob