TomCrump

The kit design for landing gear placement, looks fine, to me.

When you taxi, do you apply full up elevator ? I see many pilots attempt to taxi their tail draggers without doing so.

Another reason may be a need for larger wheels. Large wheels, on turf, make it easier to taxi.

sterbejj

Tom,
I do keep full up elevator when taxiing and at the start of the takeoff run. I also have 3" wheels installed.
V/r,
Casey

acdii

Mt Mustang is like that. Really can be a PITA to taxi and takeoff when the gear is so far back. I finally got the angle right so that it is less nose tippy.

acdii

Here's a picture of the retract on the 4*60 plans. I think it will work.

TomCrump

Interesting.

You've come up with a solution, though. So all is good.

acdii

Grumble Grumble Grumble!!!! Started working on the 4*60 with retracts, and while trying to cut out the plywood stiffeners for the landing gear mounts, my bandsaw blade broke. Since it is a Craftsman, finding blades has not been easy. Looks like Lowes has a few different ones, but not a 1/4" x 14tpi that I had on there.

Going to use mechanicals, and they fit well, only thing I haven't done yet is figured the mounting of the servo. Should go get one to make sure it fits. Also need to re-route the servo leads to behind the spar.

skylark-flier

You'll probably have an easier time getting new blades for your bandsaw than I have getting them for mine. 1948 Craftsman, takes 62" band. Only source I've ever found in this area is our local farmers co-op - they sometimes have the 1/8" or 1/4" blades, on rare occasions, both. No choice at all in TPI.

Captcrunch44

I gave up on my old 1940’s Craftsman bandsaw too hard to find blads for. So i got lucky and found a 12” jet at a garage sale. For 100 bucks.


Acdii have you thought about two servos for the retracts or is that just crazy. I have only set three with retracts. So i was just asking.

acdii

I have a 1930's Craftsman lathe for metal working, try finding anything for that!

Trying to keep weight down, or would have gone with Eflites, so single servo. Spectrum A7040 servo with programmable end points. I have a pair in my P-47 and they are great. If I have to mount it on top of the wing, I will since it will be hidden in the fuse anyway.

trainermaster80

My Feedback: (5)

Heyrfella i live in st louis, mo i have no trouble getting band saw blades from sears.
How many inch diameter is your blade? Mine is a craftsman bench type.
Harbor freight has some band saw blades
some machine shops that do metal work on lathes & milling machines usually have a blade spot welder & could spot weld the blade for you. I have done this several times
you will have to readjust the tension on your saw.
When using the saw do not push it let the blade do the work.
That way you don't break the blade as often. When cutting long length watch to keep the work piece straight so the blade does not get twisted.
I know you know all this i just like to train folks
trainermaster80 good lick

skylark-flier

Hey trainermaster80!!! Good seeing you - you haven't been around in what seems AGES!!.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

I love those pictures!!!

acdii

I found blades at Lowes, Bosch makes 80" blades, just not in the variety I was used to. The blade that snapped was old and worn out from cutting too many different materials, so was just a matter of time before it snapped. My saw is from the early 90's, has the digital readout which hasn't worked in who knows how long, so setting degrees now is done with a protractor. The new blade cuts so much better and cleaner. I put a 1/8" 15 TPI on.

trainermaster80

My Feedback: (5)

Skylark-flier
trainermaster80, yes i am still at it. Been busy and have been trying to finish my dynaflite super decathlon kit. Terrible kit.
However i am just about finished with the fuselage. The wing only needs the le & tips, the tail feathers are done.
I am plumbing all the gas tanks & smoke pump. & all the wiring.
Hopefully by this week end i can start covering it.
Other guys on rc universe have the same regard & problems with the kit as i have been having, however the end results of those who have compleated & flown this kie report that it is a very good flyer.
Looking forward to that. Never tried smoke before, if i am successfull at that that's just one more thing i can add to my 88 years or about 78 years of modeling.
what are you building & flying.
I plan to sell all my kraft transmitters and 4 of my 5 futabas. May buy a hitec flash with an optima receiver as recommended to me by the man on the hitec web site.
Wen to the heart dr. Today & he say's i am doing o.k . For 88.
Bought new glasses today too. Next is a new hearing aid.

thanks for caring. Oh! P.s. I just finished an article on lou andrews with with pictures & letters i received from him. Will put in the vrcs news letter & ama. Sent all the info i got from lou back to his daughter. I had been trying to locate her for 7 years. My daughter found her on face book.
Tha! Tha! That's all for now folks, ha! Ha! Tranermaster80 frankie.

442dave

I'm building a Sig kougar!

skylark-flier

442dave - good to see another brother checking in, and with a Kougar to boot. Good plane, no doubt about that. Gotcha all logged with #195. Welcome to the SIG Brotherhood!

And here's the listing, as I've got it today:

skylark-flier

Frankie, building nothing at the moment - just finishing getting the ol' Stratus back up in the air again after her 3rd encounter with the ground (not nearly as bad as the first 2 encounters). Maybe another week of doping and putting my markings back on. She's an interesting plane but getting a bit ratty with all the repair work. She's a high-end performer and I'm nowhere even close to being a high-end flyer, but I try. Looking seriously at building another this winter, maybe building it better (lighter) this time though. I'm absolutely in love with the plane. It, for me, is a true challenge and she's positively beautiful in the air - so graceful in everything she does (including coming in contact with the ground at wierd angles). She's VERY close-coupled though and I've had to learn to use the elevator GENTLY in all maneuvers. Been flying nearly everything else in my stable all summer (13 planes) too and they ALL need a good cleaning in the near future.

WOW! Lou Andrews is a legend in my world - definitely looking forward to seeing the article(s) in the VRCS news & AMA. Yeah, leave it to daughters to work all these newfangled gadgets and find what we need. I just call my granddaughter and she usually fixes me right up (well, most of the time anyway).

Y'need to check in more often, my friend. Take care.

acdii

Well, not planning to do a build thread, since there are hundreds of them on the 4*, so just going to post the one modification I have planned. Retracts on a 60. Just need to epoxy the rails in, open the wheel area, and sheet. Going to wait until the other wing is built before sheeting, join them together so I can make the servo mount, then sheet them as one. Other than this, just a standard build.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

I have been on a twin engine electric kick lately, my next SIG kit will probably be the Dornier Do-217.

cmy6

My Feedback: (1)

Just posted this on the Kadet thread. I just finished a big project this summer. Sig Kadet Senior in all its Koverall and dope glory. It's powered by a Saito FA-62. The only mod is taildragger conversion. It's had a gallon of fuel through it so far. It certainly stands out amongst all the ARF's.

Got an Astro Hog on the bench getting framed up.

skylark-flier

Chief Jay!! You never said you were retired USAF!!! Thanks for your many years of service, my brother.

cmy6

My Feedback: (1)

Your welcome and thanks for posting my Kadet on your page. Thatt
is a nice place for people to visit.

acdii

OH man we be slipping to page 2!!

I have the wing almost done on the retract SIG 4*60. Both panels are built with top sheeting in place, retract rails epoxied in, and only have one retract left to install, then join the halves together, and get the retract servo mount area cut out, platform installed to accept the servo tray, then I can complete the bottom sheeting. Started working on the fuse while the glue was setting, got the firewall drilled and ready for the mounts, got the throttle cable location drilled and ready, and both fuse sides laminated, so it can be fully assembled now.

I bought the mechanical to use in a Chipmunk build, but after looking at what it would take to modify the spar to use then, stuck them in a bin. They work perfect for this plane.

skylark-flier

Yeah, neither the SIG nor the Kadet b'hoods have been super-active lately - must be that most of us are either out flying or building/repairing and just too busy right now. I know that in my case it's a bit of both. I've gone through close to a dozen gallons of fuel this year, which is quite a bit above my normal amount. Of course, the Stratus, with her OS.61, doesn't take long to go through a gallon of fuel - not long at all with a 14-oz tank sucking it up.

Stratus #2 is coming along fairly decently too. Having built one, and learning all the things NOT to do, #2 is already a whole lot lighter. Things like hollowed out ribs, wing-tips with inner frames and balsa sheet instead of a carved block, lighter sides on the fuse - she's going to come out a fair bit below the original design weight, I think/hope. #1 started life 1.2 lbs above design weight and is now another half-pound or so above that, with all the repairs I've done to her. She certainly doesn't look anything close to as good as she first did, but she sure does tear up the sky. One thing I did, and it screws me up sometimes when I've got #1 out with other 4-channel planes, is to reverse the sticks/channels for ailerons & rudder. I put the rudder on the same stick as elevator and ailerons on the stick with the throttle - more like a 3-channel would be set-up. She was designed with rather small ailerons in the first place, most likely due to the type of radios back in 1965-66. #1 has an increased aileron size (double) but #2 is "as designed". #2 will also have the sticks reversed. I found, early on, that she (#1) really does perform VERY nicely with just rudder - the ailerons are kinda not much more than a "boost" to many maneuvers - main exception being rolls and knife-edge. #1 also will spin with just rudder-elevator, no aileron input at all. Adding the ailerons just make spins a bit tighter.

Hoping to have #2 in the air by around the new year, with any luck at all. Covering, like #1, will be koverall & dope but haven't decided on colors or pattern - probably will more closely match Maxey's original white overall, at least on top.

I've been following your 4*60 with retracts - super good work there. One day, I'll be just half as good at building as many/most of you guys are ... yeah, sure I will -- right.

bobsrc

Many of us in the northern tier of states have been plagued with un flyable weather and have been doing the fall chores - raking leaves, fall garden work, winterizing the house, etc. Now that daylight time has ended and it gets too dark to fly after work, we start thinking about the building season projects. So it may be a little quiet for a while from the northern guys.