Tango Juliet

After reading MinnFlyer's wonderful build thread on his Ultra Sport 60 over a year ago, I felt I needed one too. I had a few ideas of my own about how I wanted it to turn out though.

I'll begin with a little background. I've been involved in R/C aviation for about 20 years now, although not all of those 20 years have seen me building or flying anything. I used to build and fly model rockets all through my teen years, even competing in NAR sanctioned events. I've never owned or flown any big gasser 3D ships (but I'd like to) and I really like Scale, though I haven't built any Scale birds either (I have a Jerry Bates Laser cut short kit in the closet though, waiting for more space to build).

This build will offer some firsts for me *, but not anything that I don't think I can handle. I'm also using this build as a "primer" for some scale techniques, so when it's done it'll look more like a "Scale" model of some obscure homebuilt rather than a "Sport" model.

I probably won't cover every aspect of this build, as it's been covered so well by others, but I will try to show as much of the "special" items that you may not see on another US 60.

Here's a list of what I want to do with this one:

1) Position/Navigation/Landing Lights*
2) Air Operated Oleo Retracts*
3) Fiberglassed Finish*
4) Flaps*

(* All Firsts)

It will be powered by the very popular (and well broke in) OS .75AX 2 stroke engine. This plane will probably (likely) be heavier than stock, but according to others who have built and flown it, some extra weight isn't a real concern for this ship. I hope I can keep it within reason.

I actually started this build last June, and knowing I'm not a fast builder and life interupts often, I chose not to start the thread then. Now though, I'm determined to finish before Summer and feel like this thread will help to motivate me. That said, please know that I'm only home every other week due to my job, to actually build.

Tango Juliet

OK, Lets start! I started right where you should start with this kit, the Horizontal Stabilizer/Elevators and the Vertical Stabilizer/Rudder. The workbench won't look this clean for long .

Tango Juliet

After the glue was dry, I began marking for the hinges on each surface while the edges were still square. It makes drilling the holes for the hinge points easier. Another detail I decided to try on this was to create a "shroud" over the hinge gap like is done on some full size aircraft. Hopefully the photos will help to explain it. The last photo shows the hardwood trailing edge of the sanded Rudder.

Tango Juliet

Wing construction was pretty straight-forward except that I've moved the Landing Gear out one bay on each wing and had to run the air tubing for it. I also ran Position/Navigation lights to each wingtip. I used 1/2" OD Estes rocket body tube as a conduit to run the wiring through (I forgot to get pictures of this). I used the expanding spray foam in the open bays of the wheel wells, per MinnFlyer, to add support to the wing skins. I then fully sheeted the wing rather than just the front 1/3.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Hey TJ, can't wait to see the rest!

Tango Juliet

I'm actually farther along, but I don't want to blow my wad all at once . I'm also in the middle of building a camera plane which kind of has priority since I can actually use ito make more $$ . I'll have it with me at Joe Nall. And if I stay busy, the US also.

KC10Chief

Very nice! I have a US60 that I built a long time ago. It has mechanical retracts that are a nightmare. It also has a Super Tiger G90 on it that sucks as well. But when I can get it all to work right, this thing screams! Even with the 90 on it, it just glides forever. I plan to change the motor out to the OS 95AX and get some Robart pneumatic retracts for it.

Currently, I'm building a US40. I've been working on it since Christmas. I'm taking my time. I am installing Robart pneumatic retracts on it. I finally have the wing done. It took me a week of work, per retract, just for the wing. I built the wheel wells out of balsa. Took a LOT of time, but it looks real nice. I'll take some pictures of it this weekend. I'm installing a Jett SJ .56LX in the nose. It should really scream! The motor isn't here yet. Should be next week, and I'll finish up the fuselage. Then it's covering time. This is going to be my nicest plane yet! Later this year, I want to scratch build a US1000. Collect the whole set.

Tango Juliet

That's awesome Chief. Eventually I'd like to have a US1000 also. Speaking of wheel wells...

KC10Chief

Nice! My wheel wells are made out of two layers of 1/32" balsa as well. I found a can that was the size I needed, and made them that way. It took a lot of work to get them right.

RoyR

I bought the kit last year and have only constructed the tail feathers so far. Then we had a major move. I am only now getting my new shop set up and things unpacked.
Thanks for the photos TJ. But I have a hard time reading your notes in Red across the pictures. Could you write what you said on the pictures in the post, or change to a different color font?

Thanks

blw

My Feedback: (3)

I bought the kit a couple of months ago, and it's next in line for building. I'm debating whether to use a K&B .61, Saito .91, or a Saito 1.25. I would the engines except the .91. I would have to decommission a plane for the 1.25.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

I would go with the K&B. The Ultra Sport is one of the few planes that I prefer to use a 2-stroke on

Tango Juliet

I apologize for not replying sooner to posts, I've been busy with other things lately and haven't touched the US for a couple of months. I was really hoping to be further along by now, but life is pulling me in too many directions at the moment.

Tango Juliet

My how time flies when you're having fun. And how little gets done! I still haven't finished my US 60, and I've built a Skybench Olympic II Sailplane over the summer. I'm going to make myself finish this airframe before I start anything else this winter. So next week when I get home from work, I'll straighten up my workshop and get cracking on this thing. I promise!

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

'bout time!

Tango Juliet

Yeah, I know. I probably won't finish this build thread here on RCU, as I don't think there's really that much interest in it. But I may start it anew on our local area forums in Mobile. I will however, post finished images when I get it there and apply for a USB# after the maiden .

RoyR

I'm just finishing the wings on my US 60, so speaking for myself, I wouldn't mind seeing the rest of the build.
You have had some good ideas so far that I would like to try some day. It would be nice to see more
Roy

Tango Juliet

[:@]Don't twist my arm too much!

Tell you what. Let me get home from work this week and re-organise the build and maybe I'll start posting my progress again here. When I stopped earlier this summer, I had kind of gotten stuck with two issues. One was one of my Navigation lights that would be on the back of the plane, which in this case is the rudder. I had an idea of cutting the rudder horizontally and installing tubing/conduit for the light, then fairing over it with thin balsa. That may still be the best option. The other hangup was installing the air tank for the Spring Air's and just how and where to install it.

I'm sitting here at work going through all these things in my head again .

Tango Juliet

OK, here is an updated post with photos.

When I built the wing, I didn't really deviate too much from what was shown on the plans so I didn't take any photos of the wing construction. I did however use the plans for sketching out the wiring location for the Landing and Nav/Position lights and where I was going to cut the Aileron stock to produce seperate Ailerons and Flaps.

Tango Juliet

To install the leading edge landing lights (one each wing), I cut a section of the leading edge away and installed a plywood bulkhead to the backside, to tie the ends together. I drilled a hole big enough to pass the light bulb through, then I cut a smaller piece of ply with a hole just big enough for the light bulb to poke through without passing through completely. The outboard edge of this piece had to be shimmed to get the light pointing straight forward, taking into account the sweep of the leading edge of the wing. At some later point, I'll create a clear lens to go over the void in the leading edge.

I also ran the wingtip lights. This is the Left wingtip with the Navigation (red) and Position (white) lights. As with the Landing lights, I'll form a lens to give this a more scale-like appearance.

Tango Juliet

The most obvious difference between the kit version of the wing and mine is the fact that I've fully sheeted mine instead of just the forward third with Cap Strips aft of the Spar. Other differences that aren't as obvious until you look closer are the Flaps, Sealed Hinge Gaps, and eventually the Spring Air Retracts with Robart Robo-Struts.

On the top center section of the wing you can see the Air Lines coming out of the sheeting, the hole for the Aileron Servo (with the lighting wires hanging out), and the hole for the Flap Servo.

The wheel well liners are in along with the air lines for the retracts. In the wheel well proper, I've run the air line through a piece of plastic tubing glued to the inside of the top sheeting. This is in hopes of protecting it somewhat when the wheels are retracted.

MinnFlyer

My Feedback: (4)

Oooh. I like!

Refresh my memory TJ. Have you flown an Ultra Sport before?

Tango Juliet

No, I have not. Unless Real Flight 3.5 counts? I've read so much about them from others though, that I'm pretty confident that it'll become one of my favorite flyers. I took my retracts system over to a Senior Mentors home this afternoon to hook it all up and make sure I knew how. Once I had the air valve in the right orientation, it worked flawlessy. I really like the Spring Air retracts. I've got to go out of town for the next two days and then on Sunday I'll be out at the flying field, so little work will get done before Monday.

RoyR

I am on the final stages of my wings on the US 60. I will also be using retracts, (the Minnflyer design) and I am going to try flaps for the first time.
I wish I had seen your idea of the masking tape roll for the wheel wells a few weeks ago. I couldn’t find a can the right size to shape them and had to improvise. It is just barely larger than the wheels, so the slightest bend in the landing gear it will probably rub when retracted.

I’m not sheeting the whole wing, but you have some good ideas for me to use, thanks.
I just bought another US 60 kit. Maybe by the time I’m ready to build it I will have worked out most of my kinks.
And thanks for posting the pics.

Roy

Tango Juliet

I had actually made fiberglass gear doors, but they were a little too flimsey and I figured they'd be more trouble than they were worth in the end, so I'm not using them. With my wheel retracted I have about 1/8" clearance all the way around. It may not be much, but I fly from a paved runway and I'm using Robart Oleo Struts, so I should be fine.