Bob Paris

My Feedback: (13)

Hay Hsukaria,
I am not sure of the quality of the covering on VMAR models. I had a brief affair with them years ago...and they used a kind of self paper covering like VQ .40 & .60 models used. The covering was heavy...didn't shrink much, CA glue erased the colors and a royal pain in the butt to work with. I have no idea of today's models.

There is one thing I have to say about my Ultra Sticks from Hanger 9, all of them (I had three) were well built, could handle two twice the power with out any structural issues and all flew great...like most all Ugly Sticks do.

I have had several issues with Big Sticks, the .40 & .60 size models had way to soft balsa for the fuselage in my opinion and on my last .60 size Big Stick...I had to reinforce all four sides of the tail end of the fuselage, because the balsa cracked on three sides during my first run up. Yes...I had a 20cc gas engine installed...and yes...they shake and vibrate, and no where near as smooth as a good .60 two stroke glow is able to run. But the balsa was so soft, to be honest, I was shocked. I contacted Tower and they did state they would send me a new fuselage...but declined. I had all ready pulled the covering off, and reinforced the tail area from the middle of the stab forward four inches of the leading edge, of the stabilizer. It worked and until I managed to hit the ground 20' to low on a 200 ft. loop...the model held together just fine. No issues with the wing...it is strong and well built. I also reinforced the fire wall and main landing gear floor attachment area. I used the Big Sticks landing gear from Tower to give prop clearance on the .60 size Big Stick (under $20 bucks) and a large scale tail wheel assy. It flew for two years this way...until I had a brain fart...and the ground jumped up and grabbed my model (I hate it when that happens)...(great rekit though and I managed to get a round of applause from all the gang at the flying field).

Hanger 9 has had some issues with a few of their scale WWII fighters...but never with their Ultra Sticks. The 1.20 and 1.20 light were amazing, well built and flew up a storm. So I am very interested to see the quality of their new kit and I will let you all know what I find.

Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

hsukaria

After my experience with the Great Planes Giant Stik, I decided to try a different brand, like the Value Hobby Easy Stik or the Hangar 9 Ultra Stik. The Great Planes Giant Stik is built like a tank, originally for the old style super heavy gas engines. With my newer gas engine, the plane was horribly tail-heavy and I had to add about 2 pounds to the nose to balance. So the Easy Stik and Ultra Stik would be better in that area. But I did not experience the soft balsa issue with the Giant Big Stik because it was built super tough for the old weedwhacker engines to begin with. My Giant Big Stik was a hefty 16 pounds, quite heavy.

Regarding the VMAR covering, it is still the crazy pre-printed stuff. But it is quite thin and light. I have not assembled or flown it yet. The structure and hardware seem to be good however. We'll see how the covering holds up. If not good, I have a pile of cheap china-cote I can use to recover it when the time comes.

Gizmo-RCU

My Feedback: (27)

Have had the Giant Big Stick, a really good plane and the 120 Ultra Stick.........I would go with the Ultra Stick, given a choice. Lighter and more agile in my opinion....flew both.

Daan

Good day to everybody. I am Daan Grobler from South Africa. I think that at present I built between 20 to 30 Stiks. They ranged from a Match Stik powered by a Cox .020 from a plan in the British magazine RCM&E to 60 size Stiks. Most were scratchbuilt apart from a few 40 size ARF Stiks from Lanyu. Some were sold, one kicked the bucket when it encountered a Pitts Special, some were converted to spares when I joined the Up-Elevator Club; that is when you give up when you are inverted and of course the normal write-offs. At this moment I am scratchbuilding another 60 size Stik.

warhwk

My Feedback: (3)

Daan,
It looks like you may have some unusual Stiks. I'd love to see some pictures if available.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Daan, I hope you post pictures I would love to see your collection too!

Super08

My Feedback: (2)

Speaking of unusual Sticks here is one I built around 1980. It is a Balsa USA Super Stick. A 60 size version of their popular 40 size Swizzle Stick. It was a ton of fun and an excellent flying plane. I flew it for many years before it finally met it's demise. They still sell the plans for it but not the kit. I bet if I guy contacted them they would sell the plans with all the wood required to build it. The only parts you would need to cut out would be the wing ribs and a couple formers for the fuselage.

Super08

My Feedback: (2)

I was just saying to my wife it would be a fun project for me to get the plans and build one identical to it almost 40 years later. I even have the engine that was in it, a Supertigre 60. I just rebuilt it and put all new bearings in it a little over a year ago.

Daan

The one that I am building now will be the only one that I am going to have at present. The rest is unfortunately history. It is a proper stuffup and enough to make any Stik fanatic hit a depro.

Daan

Before I forget, maybe I must build a Canard Stik for just the hell of it. I do have a spare set of wings. Of course it will be a 60 size.

Daan

What is my number going to be on the list?......

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

I was looking around and Outerzone has a free dowload of the plans for Phil Kraft's original 60" wingspan Das Ugly Stik for .45 to .61 2 cycle engines. The 2 page plan has drawings of all the formers and the wingrib too. Here is a link:
http://www.outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=1253

ratshooter

Isn't that what we call a kit?

Here is my version of the Swizzle Stik. I just bult this a couple of months ago. I have been building this design since the early 1990s.

Super08

My Feedback: (2)

No, I said supply the wood, not have the parts produced. It just saves me from shopping all over to buy the wood from other sources.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

I would think you would want to order your wood from Balsa USA when you bought the plans. They have great wood!

hsukaria

That would be especially helpful since they ought to know exactly the wood you need to build that plane. They have it all in one place.

Super08

My Feedback: (2)

Yes that was my thinking. It will save time over waiting for the plans, then making a list of what is required and getting it shipped all the way up here. This way I can get it shipped the same time as the plans and hopefully save some shipping costs. I have dealt with Balsa USA several times over the years. They are good people.

Bob Paris

My Feedback: (13)

Hay Daan,
I built and flew the Canard Stick many years ago. It flew great...and to be honest...I sold my last kit and wish I kept it now. I flew my Canard sticks as a twin...with two K&B .40's...pointed forward off the main wing. Worked great...flew great too. I modify all my sticks in one way or an other. I don't have a clue how many I have built over the years...but at least two to three dozen.
Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

Lifer

My Feedback: (1)

Bob,,

Any pictures of your canards?

Desertlakesflying

My Feedback: (28)

JATO on a Stick?

OOPS!

hsukaria

DUDE!!!!!!

If we are considering extreme examples of Stiks, how about that giant Stik with a turboprop engine on YouTube?

Bob Paris

My Feedback: (13)

Hay Lifer,
I wish I did have my pictures of my old Canard Stick model. It was a fun model...but I sold my last kit to a guy that was foaming at the mouth...over the kit. So I let it go...but it was so simple to build into a twin. I built many Goldburg Skylarks as a twin engine model. The first addition kits had a twin conversion...and I learned how to modify the Canard Stick to twin engine. The inboard engine was close to the wing...but the out board engine nacelle was longer. It looked kind of wierd..but it was easier to start the inboard engine, with out hitting the front canard. I made my canard a full flying stab and it was powerful and the model flew quite well.
Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

Bob Paris

My Feedback: (13)

Hay Hsukaria,
Well I believe you ..the big, Big Stick is a heaver built then the Ultra stick may be. Its heavy built and the least expensive airframe for a small turboprop on the market.

But all my past Ultra Sticks flew great, where better built and I never had a structural failure...and I seriously over powered my Ultra Sticks...all of them. I had issues with the 60 size Big Stick...major issues.

Soft Landings Always,
Bobby of Maui

Telemaster Sales UK

Gizmo-RCU, hsukaria, Daan and Desertslakesflying, you are Stick Brothers 52, 53, 54 and 55 respectively.

Daan

Thank you Bob.