Yet Another 310 Songbird  
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Yet Another 310 Songbird - 4/22/2008 9:16:08 PM   
Jay B. Scott


 

Posts: 10
Joined: 12/21/2003
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Status: offline 		Just got finished with this 1/12th scale Cessna 310B. I used a Walter M. Jeffries 3-view and lots of photos to put it together over the past year. Did the color scheme after a colorized B&W promo shot of Sky and Penny and the Songbird, as you can see from the lower left corner of the back of the DVD. It uses MP Jet brushless outrunners, although I intend not throwing all that TLC into the air just yet, as anyone on the flying field knows that sh happens. I'm going to make molds of all the compound curve parts for vacuum forming plastic parts. That plane I won't have any trouble tossing because I'll be able to replace parts easily. The first pic of my plane is in its natural habitat hanging from my shop ceiling. The second is the plane coming in for a deadstick landing from out of the clear blue of the western sky. "Look out, Uncle Sky!" "Hang on to your teatI mean seatPenny!" Those were the days . . .

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RE: Yet Another 310 Songbird - 4/22/2008 9:23:05 PM   
Jay B. Scott


 

Posts: 10
Joined: 12/21/2003
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Status: offline 		I forgot the pic from the back of the DVD. That would be helpful, as there is some internet misinformation going around about the color of the 310 Songbird. Oh, by the way, this year is the 50th anniversary of the model year of Songbird II, 1958.

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RE: Yet Another 310 Songbird - 4/23/2008 10:14:54 PM   
marktur


 

Posts: 336
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Boynton Beach, FL, USA
Status: offline 		BEAUTIFUL!!!!

I am just finishing up the Top Flite version. Starting to get scared/excited to fly her...she's HEAVY! OS 70 FS II's on it for power, with all the bells and whistles, and of course, Bikini Barbee in the passenger seat!

How large is your wingspan? And weight? What are you powering it with?

Thanks,
Mark


_____________________________

Mark Turkel, PalmBeachSoftware.com
Top Flite Cessna 310, OS 55AXs,

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       Post #: 3

RE: Yet Another 310 Songbird - 4/24/2008 8:11:20 PM   
Jay B. Scott


 

Posts: 10
Joined: 12/21/2003
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Status: offline 		Thanks, Marktur!

I've been flying the Top Flite 310 around on the simulator, and it's not bad there. I know the thing has a wing loading in the 50s, but I read in a review that it still flies pretty easy. I'd like to know the secret to that one, but as long as it works, then a big tip of the hat to Top Flite.

Mine is 1/12th scale, which makes the wingspan 36". AUW is about 30 ounces. E Flite has a new Sea Fury with those same specs, so even though I haven't flown mine yet, I'm confident that it'll be fine. I'm using MP Jet 22/7-60Ds for the prototype, but I've got two Axis lined up for the vacuum formed second model.

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       Post #: 4

RE: Yet Another 310 Songbird - 4/24/2008 9:05:00 PM   
marktur


 

Posts: 336
Joined: 10/29/2004
From: Boynton Beach, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Cool - a little guy!

I may have to bribe you for one!
Although I'd drop a couple of OS 30 four-strokes into it for power!

What most people don't take into account on the TF version, I think, is that the nacelles are formed as a high-lift airfoil - so maybe this "wing area" is not accounted for. That would definitely lower the wing loading some...but man, it's HEAVY. Even without the batteries in it...

But...I have seen lots of videos of this fatty flying on .46's and .50's and it seemed just fine...


_____________________________

Mark Turkel, PalmBeachSoftware.com
Top Flite Cessna 310, OS 55AXs,

(in reply to Jay B. Scott)
       Post #: 5

RE: Yet Another 310 Songbird - 4/25/2008 6:27:22 PM   
Jay B. Scott


 

Posts: 10
Joined: 12/21/2003
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Status: offline 		Yes, little, but only the beginning! I have a 1/7th scale in mind to do. But first I want to make a 1/7th scale working model of the front retract. Conventional retracts won't fit into that tight nose area on the 310B. As you know, it's really right up in the front. I have the mechanics figured out for the retract and steering, but now it's a matter of figuring out what off-the-shelf parts I can use and what parts I'm going to have to make myself.

As for the lift, don't forget the symmetrical stab. As long as it's airfoil-shaped, it will lift.

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       Post #: 6

RE: Yet Another 310 Songbird - 4/25/2008 6:46:16 PM   
Jay B. Scott


 

Posts: 10
Joined: 12/21/2003
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Status: offline 		I thought I'd throw in some "construction" photos. It's not blow-by-blow, but rather some of my scratch-building techniques.

1. Start with the obvious three-view. This is a freebee from Jeffries. Take advantage of it, guys [)] 2. Blow up three-view in computer and print out sections on transparencies, then tape together. 3. Draw your outline from this, from which you make your plans design. 4. Example of plans section. I use wax paper spray glued to printer paper for the printout. This gets pressed directly to the wood sheet. High clarity, no mess! 5. Jig for making fuselage, made from 1/16th inch matte board. 6. Milestone! Fuselage wood done! 7. Another milestone! All wood on airplane! 8. Video still showing half of the flying crown. 9. Putting it in my trusty old PhotoDeluxe and making a mirror image. 10. Printing that out and tracing an outline over it, then scanning that back into the computer. 11. Decal print-out sheet. 12. Color patterns designed for monokote or painting.

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RE: Yet Another 310 Songbird - 4/25/2008 6:53:58 PM   
Jay B. Scott


 

Posts: 10
Joined: 12/21/2003
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Status: offline 		I also couldn't resist this one. I posed my plane to compare it with this awesome still shot of the N5348A before it got its TV "decals" put on.

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RE: Yet Another 310 Songbird - 4/27/2008 8:22:12 PM   
Jay B. Scott


 

Posts: 10
Joined: 12/21/2003
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Status: offline 		I was hoping to generate some discussion about the colors of the TV 310 Songbird. Barring that, I’ll commence with a monologue instead -) The prevailing Internet information has the colors as Honey Gold, Bamboo Bronze, and Polar White. The Source of this information is this lovely straight-tail 310 (1). But turn this into a Black and White picture (2), and compare it to this awesome Black and White still photo of N5348A (shown iconically at the beginning and ending of the last 33 episodes of Sky King) (3), and it’s easy to see that the colors can’t be the same. Now, if I owned a straight-tail 310, I would put “Songbird” on it and make-believe I was Sky King, too! It’s all about having fun. But just to clear the slate and keep the purists on the right page, let’s start over again. (Continued . . .)



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RE: Yet Another 310 Songbird - 4/27/2008 8:25:56 PM   
Jay B. Scott


 

Posts: 10
Joined: 12/21/2003
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Status: offline 		The man who got me thinking outside the box is Lew Thompson from Sarasota, FL. Here at RC Universe in 2004, he posted this inspiring pic of his quarter scale Bud Nosen 310, modified as the straight-tail Songbird (1). He said he and his wife guessed at the colors. Now turn this into Black and White (2) and compare (3). Way better! I tip my hat to this brave couple who dared to call the Emperor on his new clothes! (Continued . . .)



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RE: Yet Another 310 Songbird - 4/27/2008 8:29:22 PM   
Jay B. Scott


 

Posts: 10
Joined: 12/21/2003
From: Seattle, WA, USA
Status: offline 		I, too, was about to follow the Gold and Bronze path. As I had to finish my prototype in plastic for the purpose of best withstanding my molding process for subsequent vacuum-formed plastic parts, I chose Monokote Cub Yellow and Tan as the closest colors. But after seeing Lew’s plane, I switched to Cream and Missile Red. Only at the last moment did I also dare to be different, and substituted Pearl White for the Cream. I’m still not satisfied, as Pearl White tends to look metallic, which is not desirable. But as I have two more Songbirds to build in this project, a vacuum-formed 1/12th scale and a 1/7th scale with (scale!) retracts, I’m going to continue to experiment with the Off-White color. And all of this long-windedness brings me to my main point: I’m really stuck on the Off-White color being Antique White (1). Look at this pic again (2) and tell me it ain’t so!


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RE: Yet Another 310 Songbird - 6/23/2008 6:16:15 AM   
maxpower1954


 

Posts: 171
Joined: 11/17/2005
From: Rock Hill, SC, USA
Status: online 		Just came across your thread Jay - just a stunning, beautiful job! Have you flown it it?

About the Songbird colors. Ever since I was a kid, I had always assumed the Songbird was turquiose/black and white, but that's probably because of the Aurora plastic model which I'm sure you're aware of - I still have one in the box. If that picture of the honey gold, bamboo bronze 310 is the source of the information that those were the Songbird colors, well, that airplanes a 1956/57; N5348A was a 1958 310B, and the scheme isn't the same!

I like the red you chose so much better, looks more like Sky would have picked. The short-lived Dumas 310 perpetuated the honey gold scheme on the kit box photo. I don't think available Cessna production orders had the paint color listed, but I could be wrong. They probably want an arm and a leg for it, anyway.

BTW, did you know that Walter M. Jeffries, who did many, many beautiful three-views was the art director for the original "Star Trek" and designed the first U.S.S Enterprise? He was a antique airplane buff and owner; he passed away a few years ago.

Progress on the next version and flight reports when you get a chance, please! Russ Farris


< Message edited by maxpower1954 -- 6/25/2008 6:58:07 AM >

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RE: Yet Another 310 Songbird - 6/23/2008 7:22:23 PM   
aeroscale


 

Posts: 242
Joined: 1/8/2002
From: Grant, FL, USA
Status: offline 		Here's a link to a video of my 310. http://www.rcuvideos.com/item/L09RBK0G55HZW2MH
Rich

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RE: Yet Another 310 Songbird - 6/24/2008 5:40:47 AM   
maxpower1954


 

Posts: 171
Joined: 11/17/2005
From: Rock Hill, SC, USA
Status: online 		Hi Rich, I admired your 310 when you posted this last year. Any progress on the M.A.N. construction article? Your 310 is the perfect size for me...do you plan on having a short kit available? Russ Farris

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