gdjsky01

My Feedback: (2)

One of these from DC Hobbies is calling my name. But I have read so little about them on the net. Anyone have anything positive or negative to say about the Esprit? It sure looks like a beautiful ship! My other choices are an Astro Jeff, Sailaire, Majestic, or ????


Thanks for any advice.
Jeff

BMatthews

I saw 3 or 4 of these fly in my club back in the 80's. You will not find a model that flies more gracefully and looks the part of a fine soaring machine. They also had a fair turn of penetration speed when called upon to perform in wind. Nothing like today's models but a cut above the standards of the day. The Bird if Time blew away the GE but I think the GE would outdo the Bird in lighter lift. The large span made for bigger turns and you had to be fairly careful down low with all that span but flown with a bit of the same consideration that most designs of the time called for it was a fine model.

For vintage class flying you won't find many better IMHO. To my eyes those other models look kind of clunky compared to the GE.

If they have a weak point it would be the construction methods of the time and the fairly low expectations of power zooming on launch. The GE, like most models of the day again, liked to be pulsed up the line like the lady she is. No lead footin' zoom launchin' ape men need apply.

gdjsky01

My Feedback: (2)

Thanks my friend. I ordered a short kit from DC hobbies. I'll have to see what the spar looks like once I get it and examine the plans. Odds are I'll use Bob Vixie's techniques at the very least. Like he did on the Laser Arts Jester and Majestic. Carbon heat tac epoxy layered on top and bottom and any joints wrapped in kevlar thread. Or tapered laminate from ACP.

My 'pulse the winch pedal' technique needs some work I am afraid. Not that I am used to a pedal to the metal mouldie, not at all, but I am new to winching period. No matter, by the time the Grand Espirt is on the table being built, I'll have quite a few more months of practice with my 2 meter Easy Answer (built and flying), 2 meter Gnome (on the bench) and Bird of Time kit (on the way). See I won't use the Grand Esprit as a trainer! But I take my time building so there is no time like the present to order it.

The Easy Answer has taken a surprising amount of abuse on the winch while I learn to throw it and pulse the winch. But since the the attachment point is one single peg front and back, I can always tell when I am too hard as the wing and fuselage want to part company!


Any other comments out there?

Best wishes,
Jeff

BMatthews

You should probably get the tail boom at the same time. $40 for a carbon custom boom sounds like a good deal.

Carbon is also an electrical conductor. I'm not sure if that will affect the RF reception if you put the antenna inside the boom. Perhaps someone else here can comment on this. Or do a search funtion on carbon and antenna. I'm sure it's been addressed in the past.

The carbon spar mod sounds really good. You may not need it on the tip panels but it can only help prevent a disaster used on the higher loaded root panels.

One think for certain. The sky will be a prettier place with another one of these fine ships floating about in it. Best of luck with your project.

gdjsky01

My Feedback: (2)

Yup did that. He does not offer anything else. I smarted at the 40 bucks but the alternative was nothing. (That I am aware of.)

I'll just use one of those small lightweight antennas and have placed on top. Or I'll run it out the fuse and to one V-Tail. Not as pretty but lets hope no one would notice if I can get it a few hundred feet up.

Really I don't think I'd ever build another wooden ship without some sort of layered heat tac carbon epoxied on or carbon laminate. I don't really enjoy hi-starts though I have one for 2 meter ships. After all one can't drag out the winch at lunch time! So the Hi-Start comes in handy. But I'd need another one for such a large ship. Truth is 90% of the time I fly with one or the other club I belong to and they always bring out the winch. And I like the convenience of a winch. That means I am occasionally going to hit the pedal a bit too hard. So I need a somewhat forgiving spar.

That sir is something I hope for. I do enjoy building as much as flying. As you must know, there is a satisfaction one can only get from seeing something that was sheets, blocks, and sticks of wooden becoming airborne.

Thanks
Jeff

BMatthews

If you find out the antenna in the carbon boom isn't a good idea then consider a length of nyrod tubing or teflon spaghetti tubing out one of the wings and just feed the wire out the tubing as you put the wing onto the rods. I've done that on a few models now and it works like a treat. Takes about an extra 15 seconds to push the wire into place. and it's inside the wing away from critical eyes...

John Cole

My Feedback: (4)

Hi Jeff,
I built mine in `77, and I`m still flying it. About three years ago, stripped it and restored/refinished and recovered the airframe. The wings have held up well, but if I were building a new one, I`d certainly consider carbon mods. I kind of remember DC showing some sort of modified spar on their re-drawn plans.
The Esprit flies well, it has a fairly large speed range. One thing that took me years to figure out (because I had so much time on an Oly...) is that the model will slow way way down, yet it`s best climb performance is with a little more speed than that. A technique that worked well was to resist yanking the stick back while thermalling. Just get the model cored, and let the speed come up, occaisionally feeding in some elevator. I know this contradicts traditional thermalling practise, but I`ve found that it really does make a difference. The new carbon boom makes alot of sense, the original is way over-built. I once hit a home run with my fuselage, no kidding! With little effort, 10-14 oz could be shaved. The model slopes well too, but then, most models do. The original spoilers are positive, glide control is predictable. But as BMatthews warned...no last minute turns close to the ground. The long wings are fairly flat, and I`ve ground-looped more than once. Hope this helps.

John

vintagesailplnr

My Feedback: (40)

Jeff:
I've read the replies to your comments and they all have great advice. I have and fly three, one early kit, two scratch built, all built in the 70's. I even built the RCM version first - flew it to death. I have servos in wings for spoilers. I also used fiber glass pool cue blanks. I still have one. I am not sure that they still exist - but if you decide to build another - it might be much cheaper ($7) - not as strong. But I have not seen any oscillations of the v-tail, because of torsion weakness. BUT I have seen the wings almost flatten-out coming out of a fast dive back to the LZ. You will not be dissapointed and if you can get rid of a lb or so, as per comments, it will compete with any of the $799+ ARF!! BTW, transparent orange and white trim makes a very nice NOS look. When you set up the V-tail, assuming a computer type TX, experiment with the amounts of throw for L and R vs U and D. I also use exponential on U and D. A little messing around will give much better turns. All three of mine have different amounts of throw - must be my building/flying.
Cheers,
Jim Ealy
AMA Life Member #43