EscapeFlyer

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Hey Grey Beard!

As far as wing LE's go, I'm rather fond of the way that Sig Mfg engineers their kits.

Don't use the Carl Goldberg's LE building procedure here. Here is a different way I prefer to build my LE.

Let's say the LE is 3/8 in thick. Before you sheet the wing, glue a 1/8 inch cap on the front of the ribs. (The ribs need to be flat at the front instead of shaped for the CG style LE.) Razor plane and sand the cap strip to match the contour of the rib. Sheet the LE of the wing over the capstrip LE. Sand the sheeting flush with the cap strip. Now glue the 1/4in Leading edge to the front of the LE cap strip. Razorplane and shape the proper LE contour on the wing. Personally, I think this is light weight, it adds strength, and there is never any gap in the LE sheeting that has to be filled. Plus, you know the whole forward structure of the wing is glued in solid.

The only thing you need to watch for is to not alter the contour of the ribs while shaping the LE cap strip. I put a couple layers of blue masking tape over the ribs so when my T-bar rides on the rib, it doesn't alter it.

Just an idea for you.

Brian

Gray Beard

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Thanks, that is a good way to do things, I have used it on scratch builds but the idea sort of fell out of my brain for some reason. My wood shop has the router table and a shapper with a lot of bits I can use and I was thinking of trying to shape out my own but your way sounds easier.
Lone Star Balsa has LEs already shaped and you just have to glue on a piece like you mentioned to the back of it. Lazy mans way, sometimes it works very well and sometimes not.
I just need to get to cutting the kits. I figure I have the wood to get the wing ribs all cut. I'm out of thin ply though.
Glad Lone Star is back in operation!!

Gray Beard

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Fiberglass Specialties have all the good stuff for the CG Extra.
Canopy CG-9C $24.00
Cowl, extended for the Pitts Muffler CG-9B $40.00
Wheel Pants for the aluminum LG #117 $33.00
Aluminum LG CG-9LG $26.00
Not the cheapest prices but if you ever use any of FGS products it's good stuff. I have used a lot of there products and on the CG Extra I have used there LG, Cowl and wheel pants. I have used there canopy too but not the one for this plane.
Gene

EscapeFlyer

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I particularly like the forward swept landing gear Westcoastflyer has shown. I use FGS, but I think I'll go the other route for the gear.

dobra

Oh well the plane has been up today for its maiden flight plus 4 extra flights. Very very stable and lands a dream. All was just how every one on here has said. Am a very happy man.
The only pain was the engine which needs some more on settings. I am only getting 8000rpm with a 15x8 prop. Am only on 10% fuel but it still needs a bit more fuel through it before i can use any more nitro. it is my first ever 4stroke but think it should pull cleaner than it did today and the extra 500 to 1000 revs might be just enough to make me happier with that pitch prop. one thing I could not check as I did not have one was a new plug.
I had lots of nice comments about its apperance.
Thanks to all on here, It was a help. Especialy the tank on C of G and the forward swept undercarage. No problems at all with taxi'ing and landing.
Oh and the tail wheel that comes with the kit is rubbish; just bin it.
Off to get a new wheel system on monday.

WestCoastFlyer

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Good to hear! As you probably know, most guys say at least 15%, or 20%. I've got a 15 x 8 on mine as well, same displacement but an Enya, and even though my Enya cranks it and screams, I don't get mind bending unlimited vertical. With this airplane you may not either with the OS, but it will be fast enough once you get your OS sorted out. I never owned a tach, I just bought one last week because I'm having trouble with another motor. I'd go start the Enya right now and tach it out but I just turned the neighbors in for barking dogs and I don't want to escalate that lol.

Try a Miracle 4 stroke plug and I'm sure the guys over on the engine forum can get that OS screaming for you.

Once again, it's good to hear you like the airplane.

EscapeFlyer

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dobra,

I think I may need to change my username to GREENWITHENVY!!!!

I started building my extra today. Everything is laser cut. This is my 3rd Goldberg kit I've built, and the 3rd Goldberg kit that has the horizontal center surface cut 1/8 in too short. It's good to build again!

Still working on templates!!!

Brian

EscapeFlyer

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Dobra

15% will not hurt your OS straight out of the box. You'll pick up a couple hundred RPMS and it will idle smoother.

Is you'r OS a 91? If it is, I wonder if a 15X8 is a bit much(for break-in).

What's the recommended break-in prop? I think my Magnum 91 4banger was a 14X6 or 8.

-Me

WestCoastFlyer

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OK, Brian, you're in the spotlight now!

It's really nice you're doing those templates for Gray Beard. Have you thought about which engine? Covering?

Edited to add - I think he said it was a 1.20

EscapeFlyer

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Yes, I have 2 color schemes in mind. The 1st is the Oracle Raven, the 2nd is a doodle of my own.

Monokote covering and airbrushing, and a ST 90 to start with.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Dobra was going to run the OS 1.20 pumper, that's why he could center his tank over the CG.
The OS 1.20 wasn't a giant power house but it pulled it through all the IMAC stuff pretty well. I was running the 15X8 APC but I tested a number of props and not real sure what I ended up using. I think it was the 15X8. I have the YS 1.20 in mine right now and it pulls a lot better but it is never going to be a 3-D plane. I built one and used the YS 1.40 sport, wow!!!! If I had the money I would have that engine.
I'm just starting to search for after market parts now and FGS was my first stop.
Brian, laser cut??? Koooool, I have never built one that was laser cut. All the CG Extra kits I have ever gotten ahold of were die cut. That must be really nice!!! I really like building laser cut kits!!!

WestCoastFlyer

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I remember the designs, both would be great, I couldn't recall if you were planning on monokote/ultrakote or fabric and paint.

I think that motor will be fine, it's not about extreme power with this airplane. Mine takes off no problem half throttle. Tracks on rails, lands like a dream, cut the throttle on final and it practically lands itself, just a matter of elevator and flair as it settles in. Easier to land than a floating trainer.

I'm just giving you a little bit of TRUE hype as you start your build. Hopefully you'll get it done by this season, but if not, you'll have it to look forward to next year.


Edited to Add: Gray Beard, Gene - I was writing this post before seeing your prior post. I wasn't stealing your thunder with the fact it's not a 3D airplane. Maybe it could be with extreme HP, but lesser model aircraft designs are good for 3D.

That's not saying I wouldn't enjoy seeing an overpowered CG Extra

dobra

Yes I will ask some Q's about the os on here. It is just needing some fine tuning and plug and 20%. I think that will sort it but good to hear what other people do to set theirs up. i have and ST G3250 that I have been asking about on forums.

Oh and I wish I had another to build that I could have a play with, as in weights and ballance, just to see differences and to own another.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

Thunder??? I don't have any thunder, a little gas but that's a passing thing. Not even sure what your talking about unless I read a bunch of old posts?? Without the larger control surfaces on this plane I don't think it could 3-D even if you stuck a VW engine up front, good torque roll maybe??
Dobra, if you go over to the gas engine forum then go into the sub forum for glow engines you can ask Bill Baxter from OS direct questions. If you do a search on the OS 1.20 there, you will find all kinds of information. There is even a thread for Tach Readings and RPM, some people really do write these things down and record them?? Some people have a lot of time on there hands!!
Anyway, the glow engine forum will contain a lot of answers for you if you look hard enough and Bax answers questions pretty quick.
Gene

dobra

Cheers gray beard I will have a good look tonight.

bigal126

My Feedback: (18)

After reading this and other threads, I decided I wanted to build an extra. I was all ready to order the GP .60 because the CG is no longer in production. By chance, I visited a hobby store that is an hour and a half drive away that everyone talks about. Low and behold, there sitting on the shelf is a CG extra. Before you know it I'm driving home with it! My kit must be an older one. It's die cut, but examining the parts it looks like I got a good kit. The balsa looks terrific, as good as or better than the Sig Kits that I have built, and I think Sig puts out top notch products. And the die cuts are clean and complete. You don't have to struggle to get the parts out. This Kit comes with fiberglass cowl and wheel pants, and it appears to be about 8 years old. Packing used in the box has newspaper dated for 2001. I'm starting the build this week. This is only my second RC build, but I have built over a dozen control line planes (all Sig) when I was a youngster (and rebuilt everyone of them at least once.) They called me captain crash, cause I liked to flirt with mother earth I hope my skills are up to building this great airplane. Right now the only mods I plan on doing is enlarging the rudder by 1" at the bottom and getting the aluminum LG. Don't have a powerplant picked out yet.
BTW, you can get a CG Extra NIB right here on RC Universe. There is one for sale in the buy and sell section.

WestCoastFlyer

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Big AL, You are one lucky dog! If you don't mind me asking, what did you pay?

Dobra, I agree, I'd like two. I built mine 12-14 years ago, I only sanded a little between coats of paint, if I'd known more about wet sanding I could have used less paint. I sprayed on lots of paint. I love mine exactly as it is, but even when I was painting mine I remember thinking about building one as light as possible.

What would you do differently?

bigal126

My Feedback: (18)

WestCoast,
$199 with the fiberglass cowl and pants.

WestCoastFlyer

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Big Al, my wish is you get all the joy and satisfaction out of that model airplane that everyone I've ever talked to with one has had. I checked your profile, you may find it easier overall to fly than your 4 star. I've heard the 4 star is similar to my 2nd favorite model, the Thunderbug, and if this is true you'll find the Extra is more stable, obviously easier to see, and a little more forgiving to land.

This kit might still be in production today if it weren't for the nosing over on grass taxi issue. You've read the thread and you know how to solve that.

Have fun with your build!

bigal126

My Feedback: (18)

Actually that is a Midstar which is the "little brother" to the 4 star. It's a great little airplane, the only one I've ever flown because I am new to RC, but several guys at the field that instructed me and obviously flew the plane (while I was on buddy box), said it's a much better plane for training purposes than a traditional trainer. One instructor liked it so much that he kept taking the control away from me even when I wasn't in any trouble. When I asked why he took it, he said, "instructors discretion and I love flying this plane." And now that I am getting a little comfortable with it, many of the guys are amazed at how aerobatic it can be. In fact my instructor took it up the other day and sort of put it through some pretty good paces including knife edge and spins.
The midstar is similar to the CG Extra, in that the owner loyalty for it is also very high. Very few who owned the midstar, had bad things to say about it. That is the number one reason why I purchased the CG Extra, everyone who's flown it, loves it. Quite amazing that they took it off the market. I guess they had to cut costs and the GP Extra won out. By all accounts that I have heard, the GP is a great plane also, but my un scientific poll shows that for those who owned both, at least 80% prefer the flying characteristics of the CG. And I am certain I have read every post on that subject on this forum.
Thanks for the encouragement. I got a good start on the build today. Tailfeathers done and am getting started on the wing.

WestCoastFlyer

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Big Al, I agree with those guys you're flying with.

The point of flying RC airplanes is flying with confidence and joy. Like many have said, it's practice and motivation. And if you're motivated, you push yourself. And you'll crash too

Your CG Extra will wait for you until you're ready. That may be this season or it may be ten years. But it will wait for you so have fun building it. And by the sound of it you'll have it built in a couple of weeks!

EscapeFlyer

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My rear stabilizers are finished. Time for the wing!

I'm drooling to fly this bird.

The "patriotic" version is a bit busy for me. Since this is going to be used in competition, I want something easier to "repair."
I'm going with the Raven Scheme. A friend gave me a set of vinyl decals from the global kit. I won't be using them for the airplane, but a point of reference. The Extra wing is different from the Oracle Raven, but I think I can still pull it off.

I'll post pictures when I think the build looks interresting. Tail feathers are just tail feathers.

Brian

LuvBipes

My Feedback: (4)

Lucky break Big Al, I've flown both the GP and the Goldberg Extras, and IMO hands-down the Goldberg is the better flyer.

It's bigger, more stable and easier to land. If you keep it under 9lbs, it'll float like a trainer on final, but still let you rip it up when u want to.

EscapeFlyer

My Feedback: (1)

Okay. I've been thinking- which is inexcusable. I know.

After studying the parts and the plans, I can see the whole fuse is constructed of light ply. I'm thinking this is where the extra 2lbs are coming from in everyone's builds. I'm thinking about cutting out some of the ply and using balsa. I haven't weighed the ply turtle deck, but that ply is heavy! Why not use 1/16in balsa sheeting? Yes it is fragile, but this is a competition aircraft. I'm considering making balsa ply formers, and debating on using balsa fuse sides with doublers.

The ply in my kit is heavy.

Gray Beard

My Feedback: (-1)

??????????? I guess you could, I just never tried it or felt the extra weight was a problem, mater of fact i always thought it was a good thing. The turtle deck is very light 1.64 or 32 ply but I can't see why you couldn't build it with changing the wood the way you want.
I don't buy into the idea of building ultra light planes, if I did I could just buy an ARF of build the plane like an ARF with a few sticks and sheets held together by the covering. Then again I would be building a new plane every season or buying another ARF like the other guys I fly with do. Kit built planes are with us for decades for reasons, strength. And with strength comes weight. Ever wonder why this plane has such a good rep as a great flying plene? It fly's so stabel and smooth without getting pushed around in wind.
Just a thought. Like one of my old instructors once told me, it's your plane, you can do what you want to it!! Who knows, maybe it will fly better if you lighten it up??
Gene