BillinIndiana

Hi all, I'm Bill in Indiana.. I'm a disabled construction worker that needs new hips and something to occupy his time. I consider myself to be pretty decent with my hands as far as building things goes and have a nice collection of toolsI've never flown an RC plane yet, but I do have a starter ordered. I went with a Hobbyzone Super Cub just to try and pick up the very basics..

Anyways, I'm more interested in trying to build a plane from a set of plans for right now.. I really like how the wood ones are assembled with all the ribs and support sections etc..

I came across this in a Google search today members.shaw.ca/rctestpilot/dauntless/build/It shows the building steps to a "Ziroli Dauntless" Not that I really know what that is? but the idea of building one like this is what I'm looking to do.. Just maybe on a smaller scale..

Any recommendations on a decent kit would be appreciated as I have no clue who makes a quality product..

Thanks! Bill in Indiana

SeaJay

My Feedback: (6)

Hi, Bill.. 

the Ziroli kits have always been regarded as great kits as well as great flyers, however, I wouldn't recommend this kit as a first kit built plane, and definitely not a second RC aircraft, especially since you would be transitioning from a Hobbyzone super cub foamie..  take a look at the Sig web site, they have some great kits.My very first kit was the Sig Kadet MKII..  it will allow you to learn a lot of the skills and tricks needed to build the larger more complex kits. and the bonus would be that the Kadet MKII would be a great first Nitro powered plane to transition to from the HZ super cub.

Craig.

Sig website:  Sigmfg.com

BillinIndiana

Thanks for your recommendation.. What all is needed to complete the kit? The site gives me a list of additional items and I'm not sure if I need one of each or what?
http://www.sigmfg.com/cgi-bin/dpsmar.../FSIGRC49.html

I actually like the looks of the Mark II.. Looks like as good as any to start with.

Thanks for the help !

raptor51

Hi Bill....yes, you need to consider a trainer type for starters not a scale bird.
Bigger is better..at least a 40 size, 60 size is better. Bigger means more stability and easier to see in flight. Also they're easier to work on.
You need to connect with flying club or RC flyers in your area to get firsthand assistance...or a really good retail supplier.
Got to - http://airfieldmodels.com/index.html - for great info on building/flying Rc models.
Good luck.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Bill,

I build a lot and I would recommend a SIG Mfg kit as well but the Kadet LT-40. It is the most up to date designed kit from SIG and is intended for beginners. The documentation is the best you will ever see in any kit. I believe more R/C clubs use the LT40 for new pilot training then any other trainer out there. The airplane itself properly balanced will fly hands off and will right itself if you are at the correct altitude. this is one forgiving airplane with no bad habits. The kit has everything is including such as wheels, tank, and spinner! You add radio and engine.

I built the LT-40 when I got back in the hobby back 2004 after a long hiatus. My building board was a piece of drywall and I covered the plans in plastic to protect them. (Since microwaves came out waxed paper has minute holes in that lets the CA soak thru.) My son and I both fly the LT-40 to this day and I consider it my go to airplane when I want a leisurely flight just for the fun of it. This plane requires a 4 channel radio and flies great with a properly broken in Super Tigre .40. I used the ST on my own airplane and the price is easy on the budget. One more thing I covered mine to match the color photo on the box. It really stands out when sitting next to the LT-40 ARFs. I added a link below.

http://www.sigmfg.com/IndexText/SIGRC67.html

Mike

curtrc

Building from plans is a very dicey affair. The big obvious stuff is easy, anyone with decent skills and a few basic tecniques should have no trouble, laying out ribs or building up the fuse.

The problem is, in my experience, plans are at *best* 75% complete and 10% wrong. They assume deep knowledge on your part. Imagine instructions for building a car that show a 3-view drawing of the front and then an arrow with a line that says "put the engine here". Vague? Welcome to plan building. Imagine further that they put the hinges for the door on the wrong side. It would be obvious to an experienced car builder that this was an overisght/error and simply correct it in his build.

But imagine the error was more subtle, without an obvious cure, like the wing dihedral is called out in 2 different places in 2 different ways with 2 diffeerent values! (it calls out a 7-degree angle, but according to the plans it's 4 degrees..) which is right? which should you choose? what should you do?

Sure you can see how it's supposed to look, but what adhesive should you use to assemble it? thin CA? wood glue? epoxy? does it need to be clamped? pinned? should you build a jig or can it be sanded to fit? "Sheet this"? really? how!?

The plan-builder makes decisions like that almost every build-session. Then there is hardware installation, where to put the reciever? how to mount it vibration-free? Planning to fill this model with fuel? how? Covering a model is a whole adventure in and of itself, lets talk hinges

Be prepared to buy a lot of "little things" that add up to big $$. There is just no way to sugar-coat it. My only advice is that when you buy any piece of smallish hardware (screws, clevisis, pushrods, washers etc...) that you buy more than you need. need 2? buy 5. need 10? buy 50. Never throw away anything that your servo comes with (not that I know anyone who does..) keep it all and organize it somehow, your collection of hardware will grow [rapidly] to the point where when it comes time to build from plans, you'll have "something that kinda works here" for most occasions.

That's the bad news, the good news is that kits (especially trainer kits) have almost NONE of those problems. The instructions walk you along a well-trod path through the tecniques and steps for success. After a good kit-build or two you'll have most of the experience you need to take a whack at a [good] plan build. Order a short-kit that someone at your field has built (ideally.. don't have a 'field' yet? find one! go there and talk to the pilots!) Or something popular so when you do have a question, there will be a good chance that someone can answer it for you.

A piece of advice I would offer is that when the instructions tell you to do something a certain way that doesn't make sense, trust that it does, and there is a good reason for it. Definitly ask why, but be sure you understand all the reasons a certain thing is a certain way before changing it to a way that makes more sense to you. Usually there is a tradeoff, and if you fall on the other side of a compromise, by all means have at it! Just be sure to understand what that compromise was.

There is nothing like the feeling of flying a model that was uncut balsa only a few short months ago. Except maybe crashing it. But on that point I will sing you a song you are likely to here many times before your first 'solo' (hum along if you know the tune): Get a Simulator! They are expensive but worth every penny, balanced against the time and wrecks they will save you.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

I always thought the best path was you build a couple kits at different levels of skill, then maybe build one from plans if you are confident with your skills. No manual building from plans unless you find one with a build article you can buy in a back issue. Don't confuse a build article with a building manual there is a big difference! One I built from plans was the Rich Uravitch Cessna C-195 and I was able to get the build article from MAN by purchasing a back issue. There is a UK magazine you can get at some hobby shops that has a free set of plans for a scale electric airplane in each issue with some plans being split between two issues. I built a Dornier D-1 powered by an old .45 Enya 4 cycle out of this magazine.

BillinIndiana

Thanks, I would have almost figured it to be the other way around.. I would have expected the Kit to not show me as much detail and the Plans to be precise..

That's over my head at this point..Ha
This is something I've always done.. Need 4 screws, I buy a box.
It definitely sounds like Kits are the way I should start.. I would drive you guys crazy with questions if I jumped right into a Plan project.. I tend to ask a lot of questions even when I'm almost certain I know I'm right, but still just to double check
Can't wait to try this... Thanks for the advice.

ARUP

Build a kit first. You can copy the parts before building it and then have exposure to making your own parts. Then you can build the second one from the parts you made in order to have a 'spare'. You'll need the spare airplane because the first one will get 'whacked' from time to time! All the stuff from the first will fit the second.

You'll love building from plans and eventually scratch building. You'll be able to build airplanes that no one else has and be able to test pilot some unusual designs in the process!

BMatthews

Bill, where would you be flying this model once it's done? And will you be joining a club where you can get help with your flight training or "winging" it on your own? The size and type of model you select depends a whole lot on the answers to these questions. In particular since it sounds like you won't be all that mobile for a while.

The big glow or gas engine stuff truly does require a "club" scenario. It gives you access to the sort of runway needed for the larger models as well as forces you to become an AMA member for the sake of the liability insurance. It also gives you access to a lot of support knowledge of the other members as well as flight instructors to aid in your training. And make no mistake, they do not fly like you might think and there's a LOT happening in the air. Flyers that go it on their own typically go through a number of major crashes before they learn the skills needed to fly. Finding an instructor can often limit or eliminate this crash to flying ratio.

BillinIndiana

I haven't really looked for a place to fly one yet or a person to show give me any pointers. Right now I just like the idea of building one out of the Balsa wood. It just looks like something I would enjoy.. It'd probably be next spring or summer before I got the kit finished and my hip replaced as to where I would have to worry about actually flying one anyways..
I do have that Hobbyzone Super Cub coming.. I'll probably give it a try flying yet this fall. I haven't looked for a place yet though, but it Indiana! Surely I can find an open field somewhere. If not , one of the schools has a really big set of soccer fields I could try it there

curtrc

A field is only partially about finding an open area to fly, it's more about the helpful folks you'll find at one who can give a new pilot crucial advice and It's pretty easy to locate one.

For something small likethe Super Cub of course you don't need much more than a parking lot, but it would be good to familiarize yourself with the local culture, pick a weekend and you should be able to see some aircraft out there and maybe get a feel for what you want to build and how they fly. I have yet to bring someone to a field who ended up saying "yeah thats about what I thought they looked like flying" its usually more along the lines of "you can do WHAT with these things?!"