Posts: 97
Joined: 1/6/2002 From: GREENWOOD,
IN, USA Status: offline
Ok Guys, It's not my intention to provide a step by step photo-build thread. It's a little bit too late for that. I've got the plane about a third finished already. It's too cold in the garage right now to build... unless I let the kerosene heater work for about three hours first. But, the weather is supposed to warm up dramatically this weekend, so I'll be building more soon.
Here are a few photos of the build thus far... I'll add a few more photos as I progress.
This is a 12 or 15 year old Ace Super Pacer kit. I'm building it to fly in a local contest in July 2008. I bought the kit a LONG time ago, after flying a friends plane a few times. The kit, along with a half dozen others, has been sitting on the shelf waiting to be built. There's a second Super Pacer kit there too.... maybe someday.
The plane is what I call "1980's over built". In my opinion, the wood selection is overkill. In the "old days" of the 1980's, it seems 1/4" planking and plywood formers were used everywhere. I think we were building for crash protection, and not so much for performance. I'm going to build the kit relatively stock, but substituting some construction and wood in an attempt to save six ounces.
As you can see in the build photos below, the stock kit uses a 1/4" thick, solid horizonal stab and elevators. I chose to build up the stab. Was goin to build up the elevators, but the weight savings wasn't going to be as dramatic. I'll be using the hole saw to cut out a few holes later in the construction. I'm using the stock rudder right now, but may build one out of sticks later.
My goal is to remove the wood weight such that I can install some Hitec 255 servos in the tail, and avoid using long pushrods. Each servo weighs about one ounce each. So, if I can save three ounces in the tail, I'll be happy.
The front of the plane, and turtledeck uses a lot of 1/4 and 3/32 planks. I'm going to use 1/8" with a few extra cross stiffeners. I'm also removing a lot of the material from the formers.
In my opinion, the wing could easily lose three ribs and be just fine... but I chose to keep the wing stock. In hind-sight, I should have drilled some holes in the ribs... I may try that later, it will just be a pain with the wing half that is already built up. I'd like to install a couple of shear webs in the wing, but it's so thin, and has so many ribs, that shear webs most likely won't help any.
Posts: 406
Joined: 8/6/2005 From: kaneohe,
HI, USA Status: offline
SWEET build!! Thanks for starting this build. I love this plane, and your tail looks awsome! What are you gonna put in this for power? I see you're going fixed gear? Are you thinking of pants? Keep up the good work, I cant wait to see this one finished.
Posts: 466
Joined: 10/4/2004 From: Downingtown,
PA, USA Status: offline
The Super Pacer is on my list as a "possible" for a .25 FX, and I'm starting a "regular" Pacer in 1/2A size to get a feeling for how it builds and flies.
I'll be watching this thread closely!
EG
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Posts: 97
Joined: 1/6/2002 From: GREENWOOD,
IN, USA Status: offline
Thanks guys.
I'll post more photos as I progress.
I've got a Thunder Tiger .25 for power. Most likely I'll mousse-can pipe it.... but we'll see how she does stock first. I think it will fly just fine on a stock muffler though.
Remembering back about 12 years.... the buddy's plane I flew had a .28 in the nose on a stock muffler. It flew very well. Another guy jammed a .32 in the nose of his, and it was too nose-heavy, and flew terrible.
I've decided to frame up a vertical fin, rudder, and turtleback spine. It will be fun, and save a little more weight.
Posts: 3022
Joined: 5/25/2004 From: _ , USA Status: online
Nice work! I think you’re going to like that size plane. I’ve been flying a small pattern aircraft with a OS 25 in it for the last 3 decades and find it to be a fun size. Although it is pretty fast, unfortunately it doesn’t have the inertia momentum of the heaver 40 and 60 size aircraft but does pretty good. You tend to fly in closer and lower with the smaller aircraft. It’s on its third engine after all these years.
Posts: 165
Joined: 10/26/2003 From: Dallas,
GA, USA Status: online
That is one of the best flying planes in that size group I've ever had. bulit mine back in the mid to late 80's put an HB 25 in it it ripped!! lost it due to battery failure. ,still have one NIB one day I get to it. you will really like this plane, great job on the build.
Pete
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Posts: 406
Joined: 8/6/2005 From: kaneohe,
HI, USA Status: offline
I was sitting on my thrown in my "library" and stubbled on an Ace ad. Check out the pic! BTW the magazine is an old MAN from '75. I'm reading more old mags now than I do the current ones. Present magazines are filled with pretty much the same things....ARFs, Giants, Warbirds and Jets. I can't remember the last time I saw a review with building involved. Man, Art Schroeder really promoted the pattern scene back then.
DM
< Message edited by vintageflyer -- 1/5/2008 11:26:07 PM >
Posts: 97
Joined: 1/6/2002 From: GREENWOOD,
IN, USA Status: offline
Wing is done. Except for final sanding and final fit to fuselage. I'll get the fuse back out and start working on that. It's been rather warm here the past few days, and I got a lot of building time this past saturday. It's supposed to get cold here again, with a high of 18 degrees by Saturday.....
I'll have to get both kerosene heaters out and running now....
I'll post some more photos soon.
The stock wing is way too heavy, IMHO..... far too many ribs, fully sheeted leading and trailing edge.... it's solid as a rock. I guess I'll see how well it flies, and I can always build another wing, making it much lighter, if need be.
Here's what I'd do if I built the wing again: 1. replace the basswood spars with balsa. No need for spruce spars in this wing. 2. remove two or three wing ribs from each wing half, and 3. make the cap strips a little wider 4. remove the carved up blocks of balsa on the wingtips, and put a simple anti-vortex plate out there 5. replace the aileron stock with built-up 'rons 6. Cut the length of the landing gear in half. There's 7 inches of steel wire buried in each wing half. I think I could have made my own new gear, and cut that length in half. 7. Added a mini sub spar ahead of the main spar, and cut the sheeting in half... basically, sheet only the very forward leading edge of the wing, both top and bottom. 8. reduce the amount of sheeting in the center section 9. increased the size of the dowel in the leading edge (that holds the wing on the fuse) to the next larger standard size.
ahhh well... maybe if I build another....
< Message edited by Doug Brindle -- 1/15/2008 3:03:06 AM >
Posts: 267
Joined: 5/12/2006 From: Glenwood, GA, USA Status: offline
My goal is to remove the wood weight such that I can install some Hitec 255 servos in the tail, and avoid using long pushrods. Each servo weighs about one ounce each. So, if I can save three ounces in the tail, I'll be happy.
Why don't you use the Blue Bird servos from BP Hobbies. I use the 380MAX and have never had a problem with them. They are also less weight then the others. Ed
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Posts: 7
Joined: 1/24/2004 From: Middlebury,
VT, USA Status: offline
Doug- I am finishing up a rebuild of an SP I did in the mid eighties and never flew. It was way too heavy and ugly- no paper just epoxy finish and 25 fsr. I scraped off all the goey epoxy, sanded it to within an inch of its life and used silkspan and dope. The tail surfaces are just thick enough to use the smallest Kletts. I haven't touched the wing-still monokote. But your wing ideas sound good. With ST.23 and NiMH and HS81's its going to come in way under the plans weight. Bluebird 306 for throttle. I may leave the old standard servo on the ailerons. On the other hand, I'm using an old aluminum bullet nose veco spinner one size bigger than plans- new nose ring and recontoured the whole nose, looks really nice. First time I have beaten the weight, the new tech is rad! Its been a few weeks, but I think it was something like5 or 6 ounces under. I do know its 16oz/ft loading, which I know I can handle on that span. It will be months before I can fly it in Vermont. Can't wait.
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All Forums >> RC Airplanes >> Pattern Flying >> Classic Pattern Flying >> Super Pacer Build Thread - Sorta 
Super Pacer Build Thread - Sorta - 
and save a little more weight. 
,still have one NIB one day I get to it. you will really like this plane, great job on the build. 
Man, Art Schroeder really promoted the pattern scene back then. 
RE: Super Pacer Build Thread - Sorta -