davidgeorge212

I made a tail wheel fork out some 6061 aluminum sheet and I also made a leaf spring. No pictures just yet, I dont know if I am completely happy with it yet but it does look cool.

I keep checking the C.G. to see where I am at and surpisingly to me, I am balancing right on or maybe a tick nose heavy with the motor on the front. Then on top of that I still have a big fiberglass cowl to keep even more wait up front so I am really happy about that and maybe the thought of not having to add any excess wait to make it balance right.

David

davidgeorge212

I was reading a thread over in rcgroups about building the 1/4 scale clancy stits. Someone stated that the stits sky baby had ailerons only on the bottom wing and the control surfaces on the top wing were used as flaps, Would anyone here know if that was true?


David

davidgeorge212

Ok here are some photos of my home made tail wheel bracket. I found out the hard way I needed a little extra bracing in the back end for the tail wheel assembly. Also If you cant tell from the first picture, it is the beginnings of making the cowling. I had to find a really big peice of that floral foam in order to do this. I got it at michaels 15 x 36 x 4" regular price $19.99, My price with 50% off cupon, $10. That was a lot cheaper actually than walmart.

Any way I think I got a lot more on this plane accomplished in the past month than I have done in the past 2 years. Mainly due to my christmas break. Next week I start back to school so I imagine progress will slow down quite a bit again.


David G.

davidgeorge212

The shaping of this cowl actually went alot faster than I thought it would. I got it pretty much rough shaped, now I just need to start working on the finer details. This floral foam holds together alot better than that white styrafoam stuff that breaks and chips too easy.


David

davidgeorge212

I emailed the guys at the EAA museum in Oshkosh (where the full scale stits sky baby is on display) and asked them about the aileron situation. They finally emailed me back and confirmed that the full scale stits sky baby had ailerons only on the bottom wing and flaps on the top wing.


David

jonastecknare

I read about some guys that built a halfscale Bumblebee which is even smaller. They used a 100cc engine and when they opened the throttle on takoff the torque rolled the plane and it crashed. Something to think about maybe!

davidgeorge212

I would imagine so. A 100cc motor would probably pull a 30 pound plane vertical. I expect my all up weight to bearound 16 lbs. I plan on using a saito 180 which is closer to about 29 cc.

I read about a guy (may be the same one) who built the half scale bumble bee over in RC Groups. He said his turned out to be upwards of 25 lbs because he sheeted it with door skin plywood. He said originally hea had a 35 cc engine on it but it was not enough so he went to a G-62. I have not heard of anyone putting a 100cc engine on a plane of this size

davidgeorge212

This is unrelated to my build, or maybe its not, but I am pretty excited about this semester at school. I just found out that I am taking a class in machinery. I am already very proficient with everything wood and can operate every kind of band saw and table saw but in this class it will be more focused on metal working (especially aluminum). I just got a chance to go out to the "Machine Barn" as they call it and it was pretty sweet. One side they had your tipical drill presses, bandsaws, pipe benders etc. On the other side they had a couple of really nice CNC machines and laser cutters. One thing I think will be super neat is that I will get to learn how to weld aluminum.

Now the reason I am excited is because after I take this class, they sign me off saying I can operate everything safely and I can then go in and use all the machinery whenever I want to. I have to provide all my own material but I can use all their machines while I am away at college.

What is going to be neat is that I can now take my airplane parts and draw them up in autocad and then take them out to the barn and laser cut them out from a sheet of balsa. Also I will be able to fix and or make my own custom exhaust for some of my airplanes.


David

fishinchickens

I realize that this is an extremely late post. Approxamently how much was put into the build? I am interested in building a half scale skybaby for my second scale build. BUT I do not have means for a large sum of money due to I am only 16 years old.

davidgeorge212

Well, if your asking my opinion, I honestly think you should not try a half scale of this particular plane and heres why.

I myself am only 21, money to me right now is not to big of an issue because I am thankful to have a well paying job. But as for this build. I took the Ken Willard 1/4 scale plans down to staples and had them blown up to half scale. Having done that, the majority of this build has been mostly just guess work and trial and error. I have not seen or heard from anyone in this rc community who has successfully built or flown a 1/2 scale stits sky baby (please correct me if I am wrong because I would love to see one fly). There was someone who built a 1/2 scale bumble bee (similar type plane) over on rcgroups and it flew.

Another reason is this plane has actually been in the works for me since 2006 when I first started dreaming of building it and ordering the plans. I would say I am maybe over a little half way finnished, maybe more, with it now. I am still coming along on it slowly. Lately I have been working on the mold for making a fiberglass cowl, and that should be done in shortly. I am a full time student in college so that is probably the biggest reasons why it is taking such a long time to complete this plane.

Now, If you are still set on building the Stits sky baby model, I would suggest you go on to RCM Modeler Magazine's website and do a search for the plan section. You can order from them the Ken Willard 1/4 scale plans for maybe $20 or so. If your into the ebay thing, they occasionally show up there as well. Another option if you prefer electric over glow, would be to get the clancy aviation 1/4 scale stits sky baby plans. They are designed for electric in mind and is built super light.

I dont think I could even begin to tell you how much money I have wraped up in this project but I can maybe hit a few high points.

Motor: Saito 180 - (bought slightly used but referbished for $190)
Balsa Wood (hard to say because I orderd a lot but I also used quite a bit of what I already have in workshop.
I bought a set of williams brothers smooth contour wheels for bout $30
That chunk of foam I used to make the cowl cost $12

I am doing a lot of guesstimating on prices and Im sure I will have to spend several more hundreds of dollars with the electonics and receiver to get it flying.

So take all that into consideration and you can make your own decisions but again my recomendation is to just stick with the 1/4 scale and I think you will be in better shape.

David G.

davidgeorge212

Well, I am home from school this weekend and I just got a start on the fiberglassing of my nose cowl. I got the mold all polished up and really smooth. Then I heavily waxed it before I started laying down the glass. I couldnt find any PVA when I need it and I checked all over town and no one had it in stock, so I just decided to go for any way and hope the cowl comes off when I am done. (I managed to make 2 other cowls without it so this one should be no different). I got one good medium - heavy duty layer of cloth on it tonight and it should be cure by tommarow. I am hoping to sand it smooth tommarow and put on another coat.

David G.

davidgeorge212

here are some pictures of the cowling. (The mold was painted red if you were wondering) Now all thats left to do is glue some mounting blocks to the firewall and putty, sand and paint the cowl. I am glad I got that part out of the way now I can continue on with the rest of the build.

davidgeorge212

let me try that again with the pictures

fishinchickens

Lookin great!!

davidgeorge212

I am still slowly working on it. I dont know if I got anything done since the last time I posted but here are some pictures I just took today. I am working on finishing up a little monocoupe that I am building on which is why I havent been working on the sky baby lately.

GeeBeeZ77

My Feedback: (5)

Any new pics lately I know you have a lot on your plate. Please keep us updated! Thanks!

davidgeorge212

I just got done with our schools ATMAE robotics competition that was held yesterday. All the work put into that was preventing me from doing anything over the past 3 months. I have not gotten the chance to do anything to the sky baby in a while so there are not much to update just yet. I imagine though now I should start back in on it pretty soon again though. I havent forgotten about it, its always in my shop starring back at me.

BMatthews

Yeah, something that big would be a bit hard to just hide behind the table lamp....

540Freak

Rest assured it'll fly better than the original did because of weight issues! Still outta be a hot one though! Just imagine that small wing feeling right before takeoff!!! Great build!

foodstick

You know, that thing is just gonna be in the way..taking up room in your shop..I could store it in mine for you !

davidgeorge212

If any one is interested, here are some photos of the robot I have been working on with a team of students from Jacksonville State University. It was our first ever entry into the ATMAE robotics competion that was held in Panama City Beach Florida. The challenge was to build a robot that can remotely drive across the sandy beach, then it had to go in autonomous mode and be programmed to pick up a 3" diameter steel pipe by itself. After the pipe was picked up, we could remotely drive it back to our goal and drop it off. whoever got 2 out of 3 pipes won. We designed our robot to have a rack that comes down when it goes autonomus. On that rack on the front there are 9 copper pipes that are electrially charged and alternate positive negative positive . . . etc. When we run ito the pipe it will then complete a circut an light up an LED under a light sensor. When the light sensor picks up a lit LED it is then programed to drive forward a set distance and stop under an electro magnet. The electro magnet turns on and drops down on top of the pipe and picks it up. I then was the driver who drove it remotely back to the goal. Another challenge they threw in there was I had to be up on the patio about 100 feet from the beech facing away from the arena. I was using cameras on the bought and looking into two tv screens to see where I was going. It was a time consuming project that had its challenges but it was fun to compete in and a great learning experience.

davidgeorge212

Well, I wouldnt say I got "side" tracked again, maybe paralell tracked this time. I thought about building the 1/4 scale sky baby to begin with to get a feel for how it might fly but I just opted to go right for the 1/2 scale. Last night I really felt the urge to build up the 1/4 scale and so I did. The funny thing is it took me 1 night to build up as much as you see in these pictures, but it has taken me 4 years to get to the point I am at with my 1/2 scale version. Another reason I started in on the 1/4 scale was because I am building the 1/2 scale in my dads workshop and I am always away at college so I never have time to work on it. I can work on the 1/4 scale in my small apartment on campus because it doesnt take up a lot of room if you know what I mean . I got a nice little saito .30 I plan on sticking on the nose of the 1/4 scale which should pull it pretty good I would think.

GeeBeeZ77

My Feedback: (5)

They are very easy to put together I have a couple floating around here also. One with a royal .40 and one with an Aurora diesel. I'm a huge fan of the unusual and uncommon.

davidgeorge212

You wouldnt happen to have any pictures of yours would you? Any advice on how to build the 1/4 scale would be very helpful to me. Did yours fly ok because I know that has always been a wonderment to me.

foodstick

There is a finished 1/4 scale one at Hobby Haven in Urbandale Iowa..One of the guys there built and FLEW it ..twice..A couple good pilots were asked if they wanted a turn, they passed

I guess it was hairy ...The owner/flier says it won't fly again..twice was enough ! hahahah