squeakalong

My Feedback: (8)

Hi, all. I have a J. Roberts kit of the Stinson Reliant SR6 (62"WS, straight wing design, optional floats) coming to my workbench and thought I'd ask in the Vintage/Antique section if anyone has built this kit. Your thoughts and suggestions would be most welcome. Pictures would be great. I'm wondering if an O.S. 52FS with large prop would work on this model. Thanks!

Soft landings.

Joe

LesUyeda

You may have seen these pics on the thread where you found the plane, but here they are again. I read a product review in one of the magazines, and just had to have one. It turned out to be a reprint of a very old review, and by the time I ordered mine, Roberts had moved facilities. When I started to build, I was missing many-many of the specially shaped parts and spent more time on the telephone trying to get them replaced than I did building. He claimed that in the move things had been shuffled around so that they were not in order on and on.

I finally got everything and the basic airplane built and it looked really good. He provided some cardboard "stuff" that you were supposed to burnish with a spoon to shape. I could not make that work on many of the locations were it was supposed to go, and ended up planking with balsa.

I ordered the floats, and after all the problems that I had with missing parts from the airframe kit, I expected that he would make sure that everything was there. Wrong!!!! The wheel fairings were missing; so back to the telephone. I finally got the plane finished and it looked great; so good that a local just had to have it for his father, and I never got to see it fly. It just hung on display somewhere.

I put an OS 48 in it, and fully expected that would have been more than enough to do the job, so your 52 should do just fine.

Have fun

Les

squeakalong

My Feedback: (8)

Thanks, Les, for posting your pics again. I really enjoy looking at the floatplane set-up! Others may recognize the model. Your discussion of the "woes" developing as you built yours sure must have taken the fun out of the build! Nevertheless, the final model looks real nice as built and would sure be something worthwhile (and different) to take to the field. I looked over the pics Scooter posted of the kit contents and was surprised at the condition of plans, wire, etc. Will know in a bit if I made the right move or not . BTW: Balsa sounds a WHOLE lot better than using the "cardboard stuff"...will be interesting to see what that's all about. I believe the O.S. 52 FS will do just fine and sound nice too. Thanks again for the info.

Soft landings.

rraeford

Joe,

Where did you find the kit? I thought these went out of production long ago.

Thanks.

rraeford

squeakalong

My Feedback: (8)

Hi, rraeford.

I purchased the kit from a fellow in Florida; Scooter1985. He was talking about the kit in another thread in Kit Building. One thing led to another.... We have been away from home (beloved Mother-in-Law passed away) and I asked him to hold up shipping so I have not seen the kit yet but looking forward to it!

Soft landings.

Joe

squeakalong

My Feedback: (8)

Hi, all. An interesting day was had yesterday. I went over to a fellow clubmember's home to pick up a folding wooden model stand he made for me and, well, you know how one thing leads to another....

Come to find out he is building the J. Roberts Stinson SR6 (what are the chances of two of these kits being within 10 miles of each other?) and he took me into his shop to have a peek. Get a load of this: His grandfather was a welder at the original Stinson plant and his father did all the radio checks on the final aircraft before they went down the runway! Talk about a first hand reference. And..his father has one of the kits, too. We looked over the airframe (he added flaps and additional details) and I liked what I saw.

Now for the surprise... Rich said "...wait a minute..I want to show you something." He came back over with a small roll of the ORIGINAL!! factory upholstery (a dark blue color) that was used on the very 1:1 Stinson we are talking about. WOW!!!! He cut me off a piece to use in the cockpit and made my day. It will be so nice to have this beautiful aircraft taking to the air with a piece of history on board in the form of original seat covering in the cockpit. What a neat surprise!

Soft landings.

LesUyeda

Sometimes life is GOOD:-)))))))))

Les

squeakalong

My Feedback: (8)

Amen, Amen!

pd1

I just bought the kit, but no plans.
Anyone know where I can get a set of plans for this one? I will appreciate any and all help.
I am willing to buy a set or pay for a copy .

Thanks
Paul

AMA had the plans. I'll have them by the weekend.

willyuk

I know it's a year of so but how did the build go? I have a chance to pick up an un started kit and would appreciate your feedback on how it turned out.
Thanks
Al.

LesUyeda

willyuk

It was the most miserable thing I had EVER undertaken. I got Roberts (apparently, according to him) in the transition from one facility to another, and NOTHING in the kit was as it should have been. Talking to him was like talking to a brick wall. He kept sending me replacements that were the same garbage as came in the kit He could no longer get some of the stuff he used in the original design, and made substitutions without determining that they would work.

There. I said it and I'm glad.

If you have the fortitude, and skill, it CAN be turned into a very nostalgic model.

Les

LesUyeda

I tried to upload some pics. I have no idea wheather they took or not.

Les

son of a gun, it did work.

willyuk

Les,
Thanks for the information. You certainly made a cracking job out of the miserable experience. Makes me wary but on the other hand it would give me something to do! It will depend on the price I think.
If I do buy it, I will report back, might need your help !

Thanks again
Al

pd1

Hi Al I haven't worked on the Stinson yet, I've had a few medical problems and I'm building a lot less than before.
AMA does have the plans, but they're not all that good, quality wise, at least the set I got.

Maybe next winter.

LesUyeda

"AMA does have the plans, but they're not all that good, quality wise, at least the set I got. "

As I recall, the Roberts kit had bunches of "specially" formed/routed/shaped pieces in it. Could be a bit of redesign involved.

"You certainly made a cracking job out of the miserable experience. "

Thanks. After all the time and effort I had in, I just had to complete it.

Les

TomCrump

If it were easy, everybody would do it. Les, your Stinson is another example of the fine work that you do.

I'll have to check with the OP. He is a member of my club. I'll see what he did with his kit, and maybe, try to pry it loose from him.

LesUyeda

"Les, your Stinson is another example of the fine work that you do. "

Thanks, Tom. I just wish I had the will to do it again. Just can't stay with things long enough.

Les

TomCrump

Do what you enjoy, Les. That's what the hobby is all about.

c550

My Feedback: (16)

I just finished my stinson it flys well on a saito 40.
well i cant seem to add a pic

mgnostic

The ability to upload photos seems kind of hit of miss for people these days but here is a photo of my Stinson that I built several years ago. Koverall and automotive paint. I dont remember the specific brand of engine but it flew well on a .40. It is very much a rudder airplane. A very high quality kit, it would probably be pretty expensive given the number of milled parts.