blabberon

My flying club is the Fort Bragg Fog Busters. Not that Fort Bragg. The other one. The one on the California coast 160 miles north of San Francisco. Our flying field is located on logging property surrounded by redwood trees. We have a rock quarry at the north end and a pile of overburden along the northwest side. We say if you can fly at our field you can fly anywhere!

The trick is to stay above the trees! When you want to land... get down quick, bleed off speed and try to stick it before you hit the rocks! I developed the "J-hook" technique (patterned after skydivers) for getting my Pete-n-Poke down; it's such a floater.

So, the MosquitoBite Planes "Robin" with its S.T.O.L. capabilities seems like just the ticket to me. Besides, I'm looking for something interesting to build during our upcoming rainy season.

I ordered the kit January 18th. Currently I can only show you words!

Stay tuned and we will see what the UPS guy brings me!

Charlie P.

Looks like fun but, boy, that's a pricy kit! $299.00 CAN Something like $263 USD.



You can get a Flyin King kit with similar flaps for $160 USD

http://www.btemodels.com/flyin_king.html



Just a thought. Follow your heart and build what you like.

wascamp

My Feedback: (1)

Ron, If the Robin builds as quickly as the T-Rex and the Tri-Pacer you will be flying in no time. From all I have heard the Rbin has a very wide speed range. Short take off and "walking speed" landings. I really want to see how she goes togeher, what with a stressed skin fuselage and all. I will look forward to upyr build.

papermache

My Feedback: (35)

blab,
My T-rex is a super flyer. I'll be interested to see how the Robin goes together. The T-Rex was a different kind of a build, but a very pleasant experience all around. Yes, you CAN build an 85" wing in a bench vise and get it STRAIGHT to boot. Good luck!

papermache

blabberon

Hi guys,

Currently I'm waiting for my Robin, "Googling" Andy Lennon, trying to figure out how to add a avitar. Stuff like that!!

I know the kit is pricy but hey, it is a unique plane, in many ways.

And did you know that Andy Lennon and my father were born the same year? 1914.

I'm feeling good about this.

Meanwhile, I'm keeping an eye out for the UPS guy. [sm=72_72.gif]

wascamp

My Feedback: (1)

Charlie P.

I like the Flyin King and the Super Flyin King as well. Unfortunately they are out of stock. We will have to wait untill Bruce cuts some more, in the meantime we can enjoy watching the Robin build. Come on UPS!

Charlie P.

Understand that I'm a cheap so-and-so.

I read up up on the Robin and it looks like an interesting design. "Wide speed envelope" would make it a nice model. Not sure how speedy a .46 will drag a 72" wing through the air so I am eager to see first flights. It do look sleek except for the wing.

I also have a soft spot for STOL. One of our "alternate" winter fields is a town park that has a hairy approach over buildings (which we try not to overfly under penalty verbal abuse) and the other end is a river. Trees line either side. Years ago I brought in a hot model on skis and, as earlier I had made a trip "up river", I wanted her in steep. I hit a tree, spun 360º corrected her flat just as the skis hit and stopped her at my feet with a twig sticking completely through the wing panel covering.

Carried that twig in my flight box for years.

Since than I've played a lot with flaps, flaperons and spoilerons. I have a Contender 60 with a .70 four-stroke (with the large apron flap) and other modelers here are telling me she flies nice with a .46 two stroke. Mine's pretty heavy and flies and lands nice, but is hardly a crow at alighting. I may have to scratch a second one together with the smaller engine and as many STOL features as I can work in just for giggles.

Good luck with your build. I'll be following along! (Me Pappy was born in 1912. Dad always blamed me on his mixing Geratol and Jack Daniels in one night ).

blabberon

I been surfing the web and came up with this:


The Robin
Model Airplane News, May 2000 by Lennon, Andy

When I designed the Robin, I wanted it to be larger than the usual .46-powered plane for better in-flight visibility and yet remain easy to transport. I wanted it to have a weight-to-power ratio (power loading, or P/L) of not more than 250 ounces per cubic inch of engine displacement (cid). This means that powered by a .46 engine, the model's maximum weight had to be no more than 115 ounces (.46 x 250). With a maximum wing area of 828 square inches, the wing loading would work out to be 20 ounces per square foot.

I reduced drag by carefully selecting the wing and tail airfoils, by contouring the fuselage and engine cowl and by using fairings on the landing-gear wire. I also tried to strike a balance between stability and maneuverability, as too much stability would inhibit the model's maneuverability. I also wanted the Robin to be spirally stable.

For short takeoffs and gentle landings, I incorporated large, slotted flaps into the Robin's wing. To obtain effective aileron control at high angles of attack (AoA), I used the NASA "safe wing droop" at the leading edge (LE). I incorporated differential aileron control to help avoid adverse yaw during turns and, to help prevent flutter, I added mass balance to the ailerons, elevators and rudder.
The model's stressed-skin construction produces a light yet strong, warp-free structure. The engine cowl provides adequate engine cooling while also offering a pleasing, turbo-prop-like appearance.

The Robin's performance exceeded all my expectations. Powered by an O.S.* Max .46 SF engine turning an APC* 12x7 propeller, the finished model weighs 110 ounces fueled and ready to fly. The wing area is 819 square inches, and the model's power loading is 239 ounces per cid. It has true short takeoff and landing (STOL) capability and with flaps fully extended, the stall speed is l5mph. I estimate that its maximum airspeed is 80mph.


I'm gettin excited now!![sm=spinnyeyes.gif]

wascamp

My Feedback: (1)

Charlie P.
You are conversing with the original Cheap SOB. The last model kit I bought was a Loose Collection of Balsa I scored from E-Bay for 15 bucks. It turned out to be a compleat Pilot Fighter 400. I wish I could afford something like the Robin or some of the other even more expensive kits. Untill those Lottery tickets start paying off I will have to enjoy other peoples builds.

Great landing , by the way. I'm sure you know the difference between a good landing and a great one. The good one you can walk away. The great landing lets you use the airplane again that same day.

Ron,
That build is getting even more interesting. Leading edge cuffs, Freize Aileron, and slotted flaps, wow. Please be sure to detail the construction methods used to build these features. I like to borrow all the hints on this type of stuff I can find. It is rare that you see all of these features on the same model.

blabberon

I've been reading about other kit builds on the RCU forums. I'm new to this posting business but what a powerful model building tool this is. Most amazing!

As for my Robin build, I am still waiting for the kit. Elsewhere in these forums I have read of people waiting months for their kit so I best not start whining and sniveling, yet.

Ken of MosquitoBite Planes was good enough to make and e-mail me a PDF file of the Robin manual. It is 6 meg. I printed it out and put it in a binder. I have been reading and looking and getting excited. There are some really cool features, to me, like the slotted flaps, the gapless control surfaces, the way the rear wheel is controlled. I can see that a lot of thought has gone not only into the design of the Robin but also the modern lazer cut manufacturing of the kit and yet, on the otherhand, it requires a lot of "old school" hand carving like the good old days of building a Nobler in 1961; there will be a lot of laminating, carving and sanding. Myself, I like that. I spent years in the Boeing Wind Tunnel Model shop as a modelmaker where sanding and shaping was the name of the game!!

While I have been looking over the manual and photos one thing kept lurking in the back of my mind. I love the Saito .72 four-stroke. I have one on my Great Planes Pete-n-Poke. What a sweet combination. I finally e-mailed Ken and asked him if they ever tried the Saito Four-stroke in the Robin during development. His reply was no. "The Robin is designed to use the OS .46 AX . There is no room for a four-stroke." Returning to the manual I see what he means. They designed it with a small frontal area and tunnel cooling. It is designed for that engine and, if you read specs for the .46 AX, it is a real power to weight performer.

I ordered an OS .46 AX.

Then I saw in the required accessories list that it uses a Brisson Custom Muffler #1000. I went on-line and looked around the web at various RC supply webpages. The Brisson #1000 wasn't listed anywhere! I e-mailed Ken and discovered the Brisson #1000 is so new it is not even listed on the Brisson webpage! "You need to call Brisson to order it". I called Brisson. It will be in the mail as soon as they make it! Including shipping - this muffler will cost around $52.00.

So, that's what I been doing.

I know some of you are shaking your heads but, for a 65 year old man, I am so excited waiting for my Robin I can hardly sleep at night! What a hobby!!

Charlie P.

Heck, I stand in line waiting to pay for gas while gullible hopefuls pay that much in lottery tickets (and then stand and clog the counter scratching them - one of my pet peeves). Anyway, they have less to show and probably not as much fun in anticipation.

I'm eager to see how this turns out myself. It ain't a bad investment if YOU enjoy it and enjoy working on it. You're old enough to know you can't wait for others to make you happy.

I figured it out. Colors. That's all it needs - some definition on the fuselage and something in the wing besides an advertisement. Paint it up like an L-4 and you're gold.

blabberon

I got an e-mail notice from MosquitoBite Planes that my Robin shipped this morning!

While we wait for UPS to deliver you might like to check out what one of my son's is building!

[link]http://71.231.233.217/index.html[/link]

Click on "RV-7/A"

Charlie P.

You're gonna need bigger servos.

blabberon

Take heart! The Robin is winging west! According to UPS tracker it was in Hodgkins, IL this morning at 6:46AM!

Charlie P.

What do you figure, a 10 oz tank? How many fuel stops is that?

wascamp

My Feedback: (1)

Charlie,
I think it depends more on how many times the truck driver has to stop for fuel and potty breaks. I can't see any reason for a UPS plane to stop in Hodgkins, IL. Besides, I thought this was a kit, not an ARF.
Buy the way, I asked my dog how he thought an ARF would fly and he said "RUFF" When I asked him where it would land he replied "ROOF". He should know, he's an Airdale.

Charlie P.

I knew you were a man of exceptional tastes. Jake (Captain Calico Jack) is a Kerry Blue Terrier. Like a 1/2 scale Airdale but with an Irish sense of humor.

We'd have had an Airdale, but my best friend raised them and he was killed in a motorcycle accident. His Airdale "Zack" never adjusted and became the alpha and bit his widow and grand-daughter. He was put down a few weeks later. I it just hurts too much to look at one now.

blabberon

Looks like this thread is going to the dogs.

This one was mine. Golden Retriever/Irish Setter mix. Runt of the litter. I got her at six weeks and had her seventeen years! Best dog ever. I would start packing my VW Vanagon for vacation and she would run off. Then she would return with her tennis ball and wait for me to say, "Load up".

Loved that dog.

As for my Robin. This is the latest:

HODGKINS, IL, US 02/02/2007 10:24 A.M. DEPARTURE SCAN

It's heading west but it ain't flying!

wascamp

My Feedback: (1)

Well Heck, until Ron's kit arrives we can share dog stories. Charlie, you bring back fond memories of my childhood. We had a Kerry Blue when I was a little kid. She was found by the tracks that ran thru our town and no one claimed her. She had been abused by someone in uniform and hated anyone who wore one. Cops, mailmen, anyone in uniform. The funny part of the story is that my dad was an Army major and the dog went bursurk if she saw him in his Army suit. It took a while for them to be friends! She was a great watch dog and pitty the fool that tried to get past her to get us.

I don't have an Airdale, in fact none of our dogs can fly. My wife raises German Shepards for service and therapy dogs. For security we have a Husky- Akita-wolf mix. He has cleaned out the neighborhood of all the cayotes and most of the Cougers here a bouts. I swear that if we had not had him fixed all the cayotes in this end of the county would look just like him.

blabberon

Hey LOOK!

blabberon

Only 166 miles to go!

Charlie P.

Jake is a floppy idiot most of the time. I took the time and effort to get him(us) through obedience school and well introduced to every strange dog, cat and kid I could find and it has paid off.

He is a very quiet dog & seldom barks at visual events (but make a noise outside and Hoo boy). A couple days ago during a snow storm he was looking out the front window and growling. Then he stood up and growled like he never has before (for a 35 lb dog he has an impressive growl!). I wasn't sure if I should run or grab a gun, and when I peeked around the corner I saw my neighbor across the street neighbor, who has the driveway from hell, silding out of control and already on our side of the road and headed down our lawn towards our window! Jake was going to take on a 5,000 lb Dodge Ram 1500 that was attacking his house! (Stopped once he got off the pavement, PHEW!)

They tell me the Irish commoners liked them because they would kill the landowner's Irish Wolfhounds silently. He got Airdale teeth on a 22' shoulder height. Mebbe so. He won't back down from any other dog and that has lead to some misunderstandings about who is aggressive.

He's got an Irish sense of humor and we love him dearly. The neighbors have two pit bulls (well trained dogs with an invisible fence they honor very well) and Jake teases them by just sitting quietly and watching on "his" side of the line as they flip, bark and flop, and later leaves them "presents" when he knows they are inside. I scold him (and then laugh).

wascamp

My Feedback: (1)

Wow, Only 166 miles. What's that? Three days to the North country? Don't they have to fly it to Butte Montana and then truck it south?

Charlie, You gotta love a dog that will defend you against a truck. My problem is that I can't train Buck to lure the varments down into shotgun range. He chases them up into the trees and I can't get a shot at them. We have a real cougar problem around here and I'm afraid he will try one alone. That's the last we will see of him. He has always had a running buddy but she is comming into heat and we can't let her run. One dog on a cougar is not enough.

So we get to see the Kit in the next couple of days. Make sure you shoot a few pictures of the parts before you break out the glue bottle. We are waiting!!!

Charlie P.

We've got four indoor cats, a "volunteer" in the barn that someone though we needed, and a chicken coop that fluxuates between 10 to 30 chickens or so. He gently herds our free-range chickens and we have a year old Buff that has impressed on him and follows him like a shadow. I never set Jake to hunting 'cause Kerry's are "animal aggressive" by nature and I didn't want him bringing me neighboor cats and kids. He is a good walking partner (I take a shotgun for walks to scare grouse and rabbits), but comes and stands behind me if I do shoot. Once in a great while he'll tree a squirrel. We've got coyotes up the giggy (my neighbor shot 32 last year) but so far (knock wood) have not lost a bird to predation. They're inside nights.

Now shooting at stumps with a recurve and cedar arrows? That's high entertainment. He loves those trips.

And Jakes loves to go to the airfield. Never says "boo". Loves everyone that comes along. He's a great flying buddy as he never critiques my rough times. Well, hardly ever.

He also sits quietly in my 14' kayak when we go calm river and lake paddling and has been a sailor since about 16 weeks of age. Pretty laid back for a terrier.

I'm guessing tomorrow Ron's kit is gonna be at his doorstep and we're gonna hafta get back on topic.

wascamp

My Feedback: (1)

Charlie, Yup, as soon as the kit shows up we have to shut up except for a few oohs and ahhs. Ron was worried that someone would hijack his thread and I promised to help him out if anyone tried. I never guessed it would be ME!

I have looked at the assembly manual Ron sent and this looks like a fun build. If you have built one of MosquitoBite's other offerings it will look very familier. Lots of interlocking parts. It looks like about twenty parts to build the cabin. I'm sure there are not that many, but it looks like it. The cowl is very interesting, but I'll let Ron show us that.