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How Big is "Big"?

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How Big is "Big"?

Old 07-23-2016, 10:28 AM
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born2build
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Default How Big is "Big"?

I was reading through a thread somewhere (in this forum, I believe) where a fellow had a question about his 78" Extra 300, or some such thing. The salient details escape me at the moment. However, during the course of the discussion, the whole subject of "bigger flies better" was brought up. Several of those who posted replies informed the O.P. that his 78'' airplane was "small". Now, I started building and flying models back when a .61 was considered a big engine, the .91's were just about to be released, 4-cycle engines were still on the drawing boards, and the whole 1/4 scale movement was still in it's infancy. Fast-forward to today, and you have people who will tell you that if you're not flying a 35% "whatever" or larger airplane with a DA150 (or larger!), you have a small airplane. I, myself have never built any thing larger than a 1/5 scale Waco, with most of my models being what I would call "normal-sized". I also have several of the Pat Tritle designed Dumas kits waiting to be built. I find these truly small models have a certain charm not found in big models. But that's just my opinion. Does anyone care to chime in?
Old 07-23-2016, 01:25 PM
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If you are afraid to tell your spouse
how much it cost, then its big.

Jenny
Old 07-23-2016, 01:39 PM
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I hear you born2build,

The planes I had, and friends had that were BIG back when I started... I see them now and think wow that little plane sure is cute and would have been a decent electric. One friend of mine sold a bunch of 40-60 sized planes that were sort of miserable flying glow planes.. that now could have been great electrics.. One of them was I believe a DH2 pusher WW1 plane.. I would love to have that thing now. My buddy practically gave it away at an auction 10 years ago.

Every time you put a starter on that plane you wondered if you would break the rear supports on both sides of your arms.. it also made you nervous about somehow getting cut with your arm down inside the airplane.
Old 07-23-2016, 01:40 PM
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Jenny!! Now that his funny!!! I fly a 3.2m CARF Extra and a CARF Viper with a 95 inch wing span. I consider those to be large and anything under 80 is small, including Bipes.
Old 07-23-2016, 07:58 PM
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born2build
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"Foodstick" That's a curious user name. I'm familiar with the DH2. It was sorta like a reverse a-frame single-engine pusher. A rather ungainly beast, to say the least. DeHavilland learned quickly, though, and built some of the finest twins ever.
Old 07-24-2016, 07:27 AM
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Yes, I agree a 78" airplane is tiny IMO. Anything I own that small or smaller is electric these days. I started building models in 1963, U-Controls, free flights, and rubber powered Comet kits, a few years later I got into R/C, and a .60 size was considered a very large airplane, but that was long ago. I would say that anything with lets say 100" + wingspan is getting into the giant scale range. I know, IMAA giant scale legal is 80" on a mono and I think it's 25% on a biplane, but the truth is... They are still tiny at those sizes. I guess it is all relative to what you are familiar with flying.

Bob
Old 07-24-2016, 12:57 PM
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It reads as if you are asking/talking about IMAC capable airplanes.
Old 07-24-2016, 02:23 PM
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Originally Posted by speedracerntrixie
It reads as if you are asking/talking about IMAC capable airplanes.
He opened the conversation with" I was reading through a thread somewhere (in this forum, I believe) where a fellow had a question about his 78" Extra 300, so I replied with comparisons in regards to aerobatic airplanes...

Bob

Last edited by sensei; 07-24-2016 at 02:25 PM.
Old 07-24-2016, 08:53 PM
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test
Old 07-24-2016, 09:21 PM
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Sorry about the "test". It seems this site can be a little goofy sometimes. I'll try this again. I'm thinking I should have titled this thread, "How Small is Small?" First of all, I'm not referring to any specific segment of the hobby. I was thinking in more general terms. I used the 35% reference only as an example. Come to think of it, IMAC flyers are some of the worst offenders when it comes to diminishing someone else's modeling efforts, especially when you call another guy's 2 meter span model as "tiny". What's up with that? Not everyone can afford to invest $5,000 or more in just one airplane.
Old 07-25-2016, 03:47 AM
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Originally Posted by born2build
Sorry about the "test". It seems this site can be a little goofy sometimes. I'll try this again. I'm thinking I should have titled this thread, "How Small is Small?" First of all, I'm not referring to any specific segment of the hobby. I was thinking in more general terms. I used the 35% reference only as an example. Come to think of it, IMAC flyers are some of the worst offenders when it comes to diminishing someone else's modeling efforts, especially when you call another guy's 2 meter span model as "tiny". What's up with that? Not everyone can afford to invest $5,000 or more in just one airplane.
I guess it's a good thing that I am just a sport pilot that doesn't compete in IMAC, I would hate to be grouped with those guys, and gals like "Speedracer the offender", LOL. I enjoy all areas of the hobby, large or tiny, slow or fast, electric or gas, aerobatic, warbirds, jets, you name it... You asked a generalized question in regards to size about an Extra 300 platform with a span of 78". You did not say anyone in particular, so there was no attack on anyone in particular, but now all of a sudden it's diminishing someone else's modeling efforts, especially when you call another guy's 2 meter span model as "tiny". What's up with that? It is a 50cc size airplane with just under a 2 meter span, goto any bigbird event and see for yourself, a model with a span of 2 meter sitting around with models alike in the 35%-75% size range... It will indeed look tiny setting beside it's much larger counterparts. It still took somebody the time and effort to design, and the time and effort to build or assemble. End of story, there is no hidden meaning. So with everything said, I have just got to ask... Are we still talking about airplanes, or something else there buddy, I mean why the cut on IMAC people unless you have a dog in this.

Happy Flying,

Bob

Last edited by sensei; 07-25-2016 at 03:52 AM.
Old 07-25-2016, 07:23 AM
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I guess I'm having difficulty seeing what the issue is here. Like Sensi I enjoy many facets of this hobby. I am by nature competitive so it stands to reason that my R/C flying is aimed at competition. I currently compete in IMAC, Pattern, Soaring and pylon racing. I also have a few small electrics to play around with. That being said, if you show up at an IMAC contest with a 1.20 sized Extra the airplane will be viewed as " Tiny " in comparison to what else is out there. I once flew a 50cc airplane in unlimited and heard the comment " It's a baby airplane ". I have been flying ALES ( altitude limited electric sailplane ) with a 1.8 meter foam sailplane and it gets the same comment. I also beat a good many guys that have the all CF 3.5 to 4 meter sailplanes. At the end of the day what others call your choice in airplane is an opinion and really shouldn't bother you to the point of preventing you from having fun.
Old 07-25-2016, 07:11 PM
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Speedracer The Offender --- Good one Bob.
See Shawn, I am not the only one that takes cheap shots at you.

Back to the question. I fly 40 to 60 sized planes. I don't have the room to store giant planes, and no real way to get them to the field. That being said, my planes are usually the smallest at the field.

Scott
Old 07-25-2016, 09:02 PM
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Not once did I refer to your airplanes as small or tiny or anything else to the effect. I was a little put off that you kept them under the wings of my airplane so they would be in shade. LOL

obviously there are a few guys on RCG that take their cheap shots too.

Last edited by speedracerntrixie; 07-25-2016 at 09:06 PM.
Old 07-26-2016, 06:29 AM
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Happens
Old 07-27-2016, 10:57 AM
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I think how big is big or how small is small is all relative to where you are. In my club, my 60 size airplanes are among the larger ones, there are a few larger ones in the 120 size but very few. To me, in my opinion, big is when I need to have high torque servos to control the surfaces. That just about puts it outside my price range, so I stay with average size (with respect to my area) 40 - 60 models. I love watching larger ones but it just isn't in the budget of most of the members of my club.

I think we need to introduce another category here, and have small, medium, large and 'giant'.
Old 07-27-2016, 12:11 PM
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Great idea, then we can ask Shawn to bring a "Giant" plane to the field. I will set my chair up under the wing and I will be in the shade
Old 09-08-2016, 02:06 PM
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I really hate it when people nap under my wings. LOL
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Old 09-08-2016, 02:48 PM
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Guess I'm not the only one.........
Old 09-25-2016, 01:56 PM
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Originally Posted by born2build
I was reading through a thread somewhere (in this forum, I believe) where a fellow had a question about his 78" Extra 300, or some such thing. The salient details escape me at the moment. However, during the course of the discussion, the whole subject of "bigger flies better" was brought up. Several of those who posted replies informed the O.P. that his 78'' airplane was "small". Now, I started building and flying models back when a .61 was considered a big engine, the .91's were just about to be released, 4-cycle engines were still on the drawing boards, and the whole 1/4 scale movement was still in it's infancy. Fast-forward to today, and you have people who will tell you that if you're not flying a 35% "whatever" or larger airplane with a DA150 (or larger!), you have a small airplane. I, myself have never built any thing larger than a 1/5 scale Waco, with most of my models being what I would call "normal-sized". I also have several of the Pat Tritle designed Dumas kits waiting to be built. I find these truly small models have a certain charm not found in big models. But that's just my opinion. Does anyone care to chime in?
I have much the same experience you do. "Big" is kind of relative to me. I drive a Chevy Colorado pickup which is my plane hauler. I just bought a well used two meter pattern plane. That thing is HUGE when stuffed in the bed of the pickup. The pattern plane has to be put in nose and tail in opposite corners. I can just squeeze in a Pulse XT 40 beside it.

Ken
Old 09-25-2016, 03:24 PM
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I think my whole issue on the subject is when someone diminishes my model building efforts with some off-the-cuff remark like, "That's a nice little model", and walks back to his giant scale ARF. I build most all of my models from the ground up and to hear such a back-handed compliment like that kinda sticks in my craw, you know? I love building and flying model airplanes. I guess the non-modelers out there will never understand what true aeromodeling is really all about.
Old 09-27-2016, 10:34 AM
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Originally Posted by born2build
I think my whole issue on the subject is when someone diminishes my model building efforts with some off-the-cuff remark like,"That's a nice little model", and walks back to his giant scale ARF. I build most all of my models from the ground up and to hear such a back-handed compliment like that kinda sticks in my craw, you know? I love building and flying model airplanes. I guess the non-modelers out there will never understand what true aeromodeling is really all about.
Sounds to me like you have a chip on your shoulder, or maybe an ax to grind... Personally I like them all, the nice little model ARFs that I buy and fly, like these, and the giant scales that I design, scratch build, and fly, like these. I do this just so I can try to understand what true aeromodelling is all about...

Bob
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Last edited by sensei; 09-28-2016 at 02:17 AM.
Old 09-27-2016, 08:00 PM
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Those are some cute little ARF's you have there Bob. When you take them to the field, park them under the wings of Shawn's "Big Boy Planes" like I do. They will be in the shade so the covering doesn't get wrinkled in the sun. He doesn't mind (too much). Sometimes you have to roust a bum out from under the wing, but it is worth it.

Scott
Old 09-28-2016, 02:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Pylonracr
Those are some cute little ARF's you have there Bob. When you take them to the field, park them under the wings of Shawn's "Big Boy Planes" like I do. They will be in the shade so the covering doesn't get wrinkled in the sun. He doesn't mind (too much). Sometimes you have to roust a bum out from under the wing, but it is worth it.

Scott
Let's forget about the sunshade for just a moment! I can't believe you called my small fleet of ARFs "little", are you insane? Especially after all that assembly time I spent on the constraints of my kitchen table, in the air conditioning pulling them from box to box and putting them all together. I build most all of my models from the ground up and to hear such a back-handed compliment like that kinda sticks in my craw, you know? I love building and flying model airplanes. So please Scott, re frame from calling my stuff "little" because it enrages me in ways I can't even express on a social media sight like this, and I truly need to feel piece within when I take them to the field to fly...

Your cooperation will be greatly appreciated in this matter.

Thanks in advance,

Bob

Last edited by sensei; 09-28-2016 at 04:48 AM.
Old 09-28-2016, 06:45 AM
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Bob
I can't believe you asked me if I am insane... To answer your question, Yes I am.

Sorry if I bent your remaining feeler! I will refrain from calling your fleet of ARF's cute and little. Now that I know how many hours you have in Building them. I will try to be more compassionate in my responses henceforth.

You may continue feeling at peace with yourself when you fly.

Scott


In all seriousness, you are one of the true master builders in this hobby. You are one of the few scratch builders that understands the importance of building light and strong airframes, and I continue to learn from your posts.

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