chistech

Ok, so I wasn't supposed to work on any planes until I finished my 84' Chevy Blazer build but I sneaked away to the basement to start this old kit I've had just don't tell my wife. LOL Its an Andrew's A-Ray made in 1970! I had one years ago (don't know what happened to it[&o]) and have wanted another for years. It is a super flying, aerobatic high winger that is just pure fun to fly. My original had Gee Bee, yes, Gee Bee blown plastic floats on it and I can tell you it flew great off the water with them. I had a OS 25 FSR on it and it was a lot of fun. On this kit, I assembled the fuse in a night and I'm trying to decide what engine to put on it. I have a like new Magnum .30 FS that screams and I usually build light enough that this engine should be plenty. Might put in an OS 40 FS if my buddy comes up with it! I will be covering it with Super Coverite and just be doing enough painting for windows and details. I have decided after reading the article below, to cut my own foam floats. I will be making them 28" and will cover with balsa and glass. I will start posting pictures of the build with the fuse mostly built and continue with the wing then floats. Luckily we have a custom molded block of foam that was made for my late friend, John Nicolaci who was a master of foam float planes and had his foam blocks custom blended for him. The block I have is 30"W x 14"H x 120"L. This should give me plenty of floats in the future! John's foam cutting electrics and bows were also given to me and my buddy so all we've really needed to get started in the foam cutting was the incentive. I now have that.



On the floats: The dimensions given in the article are for a 36" float. I need a 28" float which is 78%. I am drawing up templates reducing all the measurements shown in the article by the same 78%. Does that sound correct to everyone. This will basically make the float 3.12 inches through it's deepest part of the step VS. 4.00" of the 36" float. I haven't built any floats this small so I'm not sure if that sounds about right.






http://www.rc-float-flying.rchomepag...cores.htm#back

JimCasey

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One thing: the step does not scale like the rest of the float. Keep the step no less than 1/2". more is better unless it starts to look funny.

This article gives you good information on how to scale the floats. http://www.flyinglindy.homestead.com/skisandfloats.html
Having the tapered sides and v-bottom as in your original link is excellent-they track straighter and don't skip as much when landing.

goirish

I'm not going to tell her,,,BTW-what is her name

chistech

Thanks for that info Jim. I would have scaled the step the same. I will take a look at your link.

Ted

chistech

Her name is Michelle and she found out today. Boy, did I hear it!! She was pissed. Oh well, I'll have to be a little more discreet getting it done. Anyway got some pictures. I'm done with the fuse for now and did up the vertical fin and rudder. The A-Ray is designed for you to add more rudder and elevator surface for snappier flying. In the picture you can see a added piece on the rudder to make it larger. It should also help with it as a float plane. The original used rubber bands to hold the gear and wings on. My old one had the bands on the wings but gear straps on the wires. I will make alterations on the wing for bolts for a better look and tighter hold down. Laid down the plans for the wing and will start on that soon.

Goinstraightup

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Cool project. I need to do something like this in electric for my local lake..

scale only 4 me

My Feedback: (158)

Wife must have found out,,, that plane should be done by now??

chistech

Yea, she did and she was pissed. Got the wing built, fuse built, vert and rudder done. Just the stab and elevators to finish the wood work. Haven't worked on it for at least two weeks now. Still haven't decided on what engine to put in it. Got a new magnum 30 FS but not sure if it's got enough for it. The original A-Ray I had I powered with a OS 25 FSR and flew like a banshee with the GB blow molded floats. I also picked up a nice set of 28" foam floats for this already covered. It shouldn't weigh too much and my Magnum 30 turned a 10x4 right around 10k so I think that should be pretty darn good plus I'm a sucker for the FS sound.

MajorTomski

Hey if you want to save some time I have a pair of 32 inch GB's I'll let go for a resonable price, like how much would you like to pay for them ?

chistech

Finally gotten back to the A-ray and taken a few pictures. Got a set of Gray Gee Bee floats from Maj. Tomski so it should be close to my original. I have changed the wing mounting from elastics to nylon screws and have kept the single aileron servo w/bellcranks. This is just a sport plane and my old one flew just great with the same system. No need for two servos nor for having anything out in the wing. The nice big "barn door" ailerons make this thing twist like a screw. Built the larger rudder but stayed with the standard elevator width. The elevators taper and end up pretty thin already without the extensions. More rudder is always a good thing on a float plane. Have still be working on my Chevy Blazer restoration so I won't do much more on this for a while. I'm shooting for our October float fly to have it done but still might not. Have to do up a set of foam 1/4 scale floats for my H9 Super cub. Those will be in another thread I'm starting.

splintermaker

LOOKSGREAT!!! That's a good plane for floats !! Those GeeBee floats aren't the greatest but they work OK for most planes. The .40 should be perfect for that plane !!! I'm "bashing a GeeBee Seahawk now, I live between 2 lakes so seaplanes are the main priority !!! Keep the progress coming !! The wife will get over it !!!.........LOL !!!!!!

JohnBuckner

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No, no Splinter that is one of the famous Splinterhawks Remember the Foo bomber's are always watching

How ya'll doing?


John

chistech

Hey Splintermaker, how far are you located from the Villages? My in-laws live in a house there and I keep a few planes in the garage. Go down about 4 times a year and do some flying. Would love to keep a small float plane down there too if there is a good place to fly close enough. 30 years ago I had an A-ray on GB floats and it is a great fun to fly float plane and that's what prompted me to build another. I love the scale float planes but also want a no worry bird too.

Thanks, Ted

splintermaker

I have a "public lake" across the street, and a "private lake "behind the house. We'll have a place to fly ANYTIME!!! To John Buckner; this is not a "SplinterHawk".......... Just a homebuilt "sport plane " !!! And a bridge fer sale !!! LMAO!!!!!!

splintermaker

Hey Ted, Gimme a shout @ [email protected] ........ Let's hook it up !!!

chistech

Ok,
I've sneaked down in the basement to work on the A-ray. Going with a Saito 45FS so it should have gobs of power. Have hinged the tailplane with the small Robart pins hinges as the wood is pretty narrow back there. Used lot of hinges on each surface. Started the covering with Super Coverite and it will have a red/white/blue theme. Was going to make it a strictly float plane but have decided to make it do double duty as these A-Rays are such fun flying planes it will be great to take it to the field also. Pictures coming tonight.

JohnBuckner

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Hi Chistech good to see you are still at it. Had a little saito 45 also on one of my earlier floatplanes and it was sweet combo on an old Keosho Spacewalker with floats.

Keep it up

John

chistech

HI John,
Got it mostly covered today other than the additional colors on the wings. Right now it's basically in the "white". Should get all the covering done in the next few days. Then the radio will go in. Might get to maiden next weekend.

JohnBuckner

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Hey she looks great and nice colors too I am curious about the Saito though seems like it might be rather heavy for the airplane, just wondering?

John

bogbeagle

Hmm! That Saito does look like a big lump of engine.

chistech

I kinda thought the same thing. I have a Magnum FS 30. Do you think it will fly this plane though? I used to fly my old one with a OS .25ABC Schneurle and it had plenty of zip. I know this 30 will spin a 10/4 at 10k. I guess it would be enough. Everyone's thoughts?

JohnBuckner

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Yup I honestly think that the .45 is far to heavy for the airplane. Now the Saito .45 being quite old and I beleve the first of the Saito's marketed in the US is no powerhouse and quite limited in power compared to modern four stroke offering but the weight is gonna be a big possible problem making it difficult to acheve the proper center of gravity and this has nothing to do with the power.

This airplane comes from a time when there were virtually no four strokes and even the two strokes of any comparable displacement class even approached modern engines. Its hard to read the displacement sizes suggestions on the box but I'am betting is says something like .15 to .25 and remember This at a time when those engines produced far less power.

If you really want a four stroke I,am betting the best choices would be OS .20 /.26 four stroke if you can find them, Magnum .30 four stroke or Saito .30 fourstroke.

John

chistech

Here's some more pictures of today's work and with a Magnum 30 in the nose. It looks much better in size. I realize that I used to run a 10x6 on my .25 so the 30 four stroke should be fine. I think I might have gone a little too colorful but got carried away once I started!

JohnBuckner

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Hi chistech, The colors look great and you certainly do not need to apologise bout that

That .30 FS will be a lot better choice in engines and should work well.

John

mscic-RCU

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That sure is one gorgeous plane