khodges

My Feedback: (1)

The kit hasn't changed since Emil first designed it. Maybe the quality of wood is better, Aaron (latest owner, who I got mine from) said he got his wood from BUSA. My plans are the exact plans that Emil Neely and Joe Zinno designed, the date on them is Oct '84. My wood quality is better than average, on the whole.

As for what have I been doing to my YMF, big goose-egg.[&o]

ChrisCifra

I've just started building a 1/6th laser cut Pica Waco. I am building the top wing center section and am about to attach the shear webs to the front spars. But the spars are not parallel to each other, the top spar is rotated to match the curvature of the airfoil. With this arrangement the shear webs do not seem like they will have a large enough contact area with the top spar to be strong enough. And since the webbing grain runs vertically there is not much ability to curve the webs.

Does anyone have a good solution for this or will the joint be strong enough?

airplanegeek

chriscirfa,

I know exactly what you are dealing with. I waited till the end of wing construction to install the sheer webs. I just used lots of clamps with alphatic resin. worked out ok.



I am experimenting with alumiweld and k&s tubing for the interplane struts, initial tests are very promising. My struts should come out pretty close to scale - with some luck[>:]

yel914

OK, here's my Ikon N'West UPF-7 story. A friend hired me to build his UPF-7 kit for him. I like the YMF much more but thought I could practice on the UPF. Then I thought, "Why build just one when I can build two at twice the price!" So, long story short, I'm building two, one for my friend and the other to most likely sell. I can use the procedes to finance something useful, like a YMF-5! As for the Ikon kits-builders kits for sure. Burn the instructions-totally worthless! Plans are pretty good, but I have made a few changes. Balsa quality is OK, but I built a Bruce Tharpe Venture 60 a while back, and I suspect it has made all other kits fall short in my eyes. Pictures of my UPF-7 will follow sometime in the future-perhaps when the girls are framed up.

skylarkmk1

APG,

I hate to do this to you but in the interest of scale fidelity, the actual interplane struts on most Wacos are a flatten oval, not a teardrop like the K&S strut material is. Glenn Torrance Models has the correct profile in the Hanriot struts http://www.flygtm.com/web/pages/alu-struts.htm but they are too wide for the 1/5th Pica YMF. The cross section profile shown on the Pica plans (all versions) is wrong (see the cross section of the Hanriot strut) and each leg of the interplane strut is separate and the front and rear legs are adjustable (see P1).

The Pica method of sandwiching a tube between 2 strips of wood is a good way of fabricating the struts as long as the two sides are rounded and one side is not pointed forming a tear drop. Using the right size tube with some threaded connectors and clevises, you can come up with some pretty scale looking interplane struts. P2 is a close up of the center leg to the forward leg, the other end is the same.

The interaileron strut on NC 14081 is round, but other Wacos use a smaller oval shape strut than the main interplane struts.

P1 Overall view of the struts on 1987 YMF Classic NC 14081
P2 Close up of center/forward strut (center/rear strut is similar)
P3 Forward strut to wing attachment.

skylarkmk1

Yel914,

I have lots of pictures of the 7 different UPFs that where at the AWC Fly Ins at Creve Coeur Airport in 2007 and 2008. A couple just to get you going.

P1 NC 39748 our own Waco Joe's UPF
P2 NC 29927 done up in a faux Military paint job (do yours in this scheme and it will be scale)

yel914

Thanks John. I've collected some shots of UPF's along the way-probably your pics, but more are always welcome. My client wants something in red and silver(sigh). I may be able to sway him though. I'm partial to the cream and green number.

nine o nine

My Feedback: (1)

John...Waco guru...biggest help on the Waco site! Do you have measurements of the "sheild" and striping of the typical YMF super? Thanks to you I've got my lettering figured out but now I need to scale down the graphics. I need the fuse as well as the wheel pant graphics. I also need thickness and spacing of the fuse stripes. I can sort of get it from all the photos you've published but actual measurements would be invaluable. Thanks in advance. Mitch WB100

big max 1935

My Feedback: (9)

I would like a little info from you Waco boys . I have a set of Norm Rosenstock's Waco HKS-7 1/4 scale model plans & cowl & was wondering if any of you have built it & if it was worth the life of a balsa tree to do it .
Been awhile since I built a bipe . Started with the Sterling U-control ones (Waco & Flying Fool ) . Then came Aeromasters ,My own design ,Stearman & a Pulsar that were all flown at the National Multi-Wing at Omaha. Flew a Platt Jungmeister at the Joe Nall a few years back (strained it through the trees at the old field).
Have a buddy building a Waco "E" from RCM plans & it has me about hooked again . I like the cabin Waco's but also have a set of plans for a big Grumman Ag-cat (don't like caban struts much). What do you think ? Thanks , Max Hansen AMA 14958

airplanegeek

JOHN

appreciate the feed back. wellll... . . the waco classic that i am modeling is N40112 and does have a more aerodynamic shape to the tubing. I beleive in the good old days they went with what they could get. in today's world waco classic had to go with what they could source. so, for all practical purposes the k&s tubing will have to do. it is a little on the soft side but still very strong in compression and expansion loads.

keep up the good work - you'll keep me honest!

geek

Stickbuilder

Max,

If it's a Waco, It's worth the effort.

Bill, Waco Brother #1

skylarkmk1

Mitch,

I am still in “high school� learning about Wacos. I am lucky enough to live close to some “college professors� who know more about Wacos that I could ever hope to learn.

There are some fairly standard painting patterns used but none of them (IMHO) are typical, each one is custom as no 2 are exactly alike. I don't have the measurements on the striping, The Paul Matt drawings of NC 14031 do show the Waco Fuselage striping, Wheel Pant and Cowl Bump markings fairly clearly (Crab style vs the Hook style). You might give Waco Classic Aircraft http://www.wacoclassic.com/ a call; they may have the info on hand and have helped me before with info.

If you are talking about the wind shield, I do not have those measurements either. The front windshield can vary from a curved one piece on a QFC to a three piece Plexiglas (it may be glass or other material) as used on NC 14081 to a three section square/triangle and even a four panel unit I have seen on a UBF. The rear is normally a three section but on other Waco models I have seen one piece on a QCF to a five section on a UBF. I do have a few pictures of the wind shields on NC 14081 which is a 1987 Waco Classic built to the original drawings. The Supers are a little longer, wider and the landing gear is shorter as well. Again try Waco Classic Aircraft.

skylarkmk1

Max,

There is a build of the Rosenstock Waco on RC Scale Builder http://www.rcscalebuilder.com/forum/...?TID=8059&PN=1 that is 30 pages plus. Don is into covering the fuse and is applying the tapes at this point and has done some very nice work on the cabin detail (the Waco logo stitched into the interior covering and more). It is definitely work a look if you are contemplating doing the HKS.

nine o nine

My Feedback: (1)

Thanks for the reply John. I have the Matt drawings and a Banka photopak of the A/C I'm modeling...N40115...metallic maroon with gold trim. It's an '85 but was repainted after a ground accident. It's gone to salvage now unfortunately so I can't get the info I need from the owner. I'll have to scale up from the photos as best I can. I know the reg # is 12" high so I'll give it my best estimates. The real problem arises due to the fact that my build is 33% and the photos are about 1/72nd!
Again thanks for your help along the way. Mitch WB100 TopGun is only weeks away. Well 12 or so.

SuperCub Man

If you PM me your E-mail address, I would be happy to send you the art work I received from someone in Europe who had the scale artwork from a real aircraft. It is fully scaleable to any size you wish. I used it on my baby for cutting the vinyl "crabs" and stripes.
Here's a couple of pix. Can also give you the art for the WACO logos (both Classic and Troy Ohio versions) which are also scaleable and which you can colour exactly to your color scheme with Photoshop or Paintshop Pro graphics programs. Then print them out on water transfer paper with your ink jet printer. They're as real as you can get!

bbogart

Some insight please... The Pica plan calls for a maple joiner for the elevator. I think that this is a good place for composite tubing. One of my buddies suggested double push tubes. What has been your experience? What is best for scale? Does anyone have some good photos?
Regards,
Bruce
Waco Brotherhood #124.

khodges

My Feedback: (1)

Definitely go with the elevator joiner, and for absolute scale only one elevator horn. A carbon fiber tube would be perfect.

Stickbuilder

You must have an eatly kit. They used a square maple joiner, and you sanded it to shape. Later kits used a dowell, and some of us use a dowell inside a tube. The important thing is to securely fasten it to both halves of the elevator, and make sure that the elevator halves are true.

Bill, Waco Brother #1

RCplanman

My Feedback: (16)

Khodges, I have to ask. On the photo you posted of the beautifulfull size, what are the HOOKS on the upper wing? thanks,rcplanman.

Stickbuilder

Not trying to steal Ken's thunder, but the things that look like hooks are really the fuel tank vents.

Bill, Waco Brother #1

skylarkmk1

RCP,

Here is a close-up of the fuel vents on a UBF, the same as on many Wacos including the YMF.

bbogart

I am working from the AMA plans and they called for a maple joiner. I will go with the composite torque tube...

Thanks,
Bruce
Waco Brotherhood #124

maswanson1

Is the brotherhood still in full force

maswanson1

I recently purchased a Pica waco which I intend on building soon, I got into Rc years ago and fell in love with the Waco. I realize the manual is very vague and I really want to do a beautiful job on this plane, one because its no longer made, 2 its such a sweet plane. My experience as a plane builder is minimum,and I really want you guys to help me along the way. There are a few things I want to do differently for structure, like the motor mounts so if you guys could help out it would be appreciated. I really dont want to wreck this model!!!!!

Stickbuilder

Start out on page #1. By the time that you get to this spot, you will know how to do most all the modifications. I'm currently working on a complete new wing build that will move the Main Spar to the correct location, and will eliminate the use of the, "D" Tube wing at the same time.

Bill, Waco Brother #1