Rick K

My Feedback: (6)

As I promised, here's the latest on my progress. I have just finshed the fuse and tail . . . dispite my initial missgivings of this kit (very poor Inst.) it looks like I'm going to end up with a good plane. I just needed to spend about ten times my usual time in analyzing the Inst., plans and parts, many of which of didn't match the others, I.E. the plans show 'x' the Inst. say 'Z' and 'Q' is the part provided !!!! I ended up fiquring what was what and where to put it but not without alot of uncertainty and uneasyness as to being 'sure'.

Upon completion of the fuse I have several nicely pre-cut pieces of material left over in the stab Pts.bag, although Ive' studyed everything several times over, I still have no clue as to what they were supposed to be used for, maybe their for the wings?

As I noted in previous posts, Skybench made many modifacations to the Org. Craft-Air kit and substitutions of parts and then made revisions to those modifacations and substitutions most of which are not documented anywhere. It's sort of like getting a puzzle of 'Big Ben' in 1700 only to find upon opening the box the puzzle included is of 'Big Ben' in 1990, alot of things are different than shown on the picture on the box which is your only guide as to where the pieces should go. . . there's cars on the street instead of buggys and the cars are in different places . . . etc. Also now it's a 500 piece puzzle instead of 400. That's sort of what this kit has been like so far.

I'm going to spend a week or so studying the wing, the design allows it to be built two ways, Mk I and Mk II but parts are included for only one, the MkII in my case. The main Inst. are for MkI and have asterisks indicating when to refer to another Pg. where the different steps/changes are written for the MkII. This plus figureing out the Skybench modifacations to the Org. Inst. . . Well it's just asking for missunderstandings leading to mistakes. I made one major one on the fuse, didn't allow for the ballast hatch as modified, luckly I was able to do it another way. Extra care is going to be needed in avoiding another unforeseen error.

It's a nice kit. If Skybench ever fixes the Instructions and labels the 'new' parts someway it could be an excellent one.
Rick K

smoking joe

Rick: Was thinking about ordering their Windrifter short kit, but if this standard across the their lines I'm having second thoughts about it. I have the original Craft Air plans and could scratch build it but LHS doesn't have much of a selection of balsa. If anyone has bought this kit or if you know someone I would sure like some info. Joe

Rick K

My Feedback: (6)

I can not express any other opinion of the Mfg. in question than of what I am experiencing with this kit, although through other builders words of other 'vintage' kits that are Mfg. by Sky Bench I'd be somewhat wary. Everyone who has replied to my posts concerning Sky bench kits say they end up being good planes, IF one has the skill to work around the deficient instructions that are provided. The kit I have is certianly not for beginners or anyone else who's doesn't have their 'thinking cap' handy. . . Although the kits are advertised as having all major (difficult) parts as being 'laser-cut', many parts one would think should/could have been are not.

Would I buy another Skybench kit? Yes, with some hesatition . . . Ray has the corner on some very desireable kits . . . and seems to be quite aware of that fact . . . If one desires one of the kits he has the Mfg. rights too . . . well you take what he provides or build from plans, most of which can be obtained from RCM's plan service.
Rick K.

ejett

My Feedback: (4)

Smokin Joe:

I have a Craft Air Windrifter kit I would part with for $70 +Shipping if you are interested.

EJ

Rick K

My Feedback: (6)

Futher notes on the laser-cutting or lack therof. Don't get me wrong, most of what you'd expect to be done is. With one major exception: The thrity-three ribs used in constructing the tail group, they all need to be notched to accept the TE stock and as this kit has a full-flying stab, the ribs must be shaped into a symetrical airfoil from their org. retangular shape. If you haven't done this before, what usually happens is that you end up with a 'streched diamond', wedge shaped cross section rather than the symetricaly curved shape your shooting for. I built a 'Mystery Ship' a couple of years ago, everything that could be laser-cut was, including the quite skinny tail ribs. . . so it can be done and was . . . for the same kit price . . . The 'Mystery Ship' was a much more complex 'full-house' plane with many more parts. I don't understand why Skybench didn't cut these parts and so spare me such a 'fun' chore.

Another example: The shoulder mounted wings are to be held to the fuse by putting a 'eye-bolt' in each wing root, a rubber band then is connected to each, streched across the inside of the fuse, Skybench laser cut all the holes for the wing rods both through the fuse sides and all the needed ribs . . . but didn't cut the holes for the eye-rings and rubber band to pass through, nor are there holes for the spoiler strings if used. This is the kind of stuff I'm complaining of.

It's not that they can't be done by hand (I just did so) it's just so tedious to do and so difficult to get good results . . . one of the reasons I buy a kit rather than build from plans to start with. I know it's still a long way from the way we used to have to do everything ourself but there again, I didn't pay the Avg. of fifty something bucks for the kit like the old days either.
Rick K