Rendegade

Boomerang, I've been using the turnigy (hobbyking) voltage expanders to allow me to use a 1s lipo. They seem to be fine for 2.4 systems and 2-3 channels.

AS for fuel I'd remove the synthetic and run purely on castor, and smaller coxes run better on more nitro than 15, I run all my .010-.049's on 25%.

My roaring 20 was hilarious fun, and really started a craze (thats still going) to fly the smallest and louded glow engines I could get my hands on. They're much more fun than any other engine I've come across, yes they can be fiddly and cantakerous but thats all part of their charm.

Enjoy.

Boomerang1

Picked up the components for my voltage regulator today, going simple with
what I have used in the past, fizzwater called it a linear regulator.

I't hard to believe something so simple could do the job, albeit not as efficiently
as other methods. - John.

Boomerang1

Made a start with the balsa bashing too.

I started following a scratch built model thread elsewhere but the guy went overboard detailing
every minor step with huge photos, it's frustrating just to watch each page download. Not this one,
small model, small build thread!

The original undercarriage is held in position with rubber bands but I could see that rattling around &
digging into the bottom of the fuselage, rubbing the paint off & ending up a gooey mess so I bound it
to a ply former. I couldn't resist the little tailwheel with fairing but there was no details on how it is attached
so it was aslso bound to some ply.

Boomerang1

The plan called for cloth hinges but these were a bit untidy so I trimmed some CA hinges into
tiny strips & fitted those. The plan called for 1.5 mm balsa tail surfaces but I couldn't slot balsa
that thin so I upped the size to 2 mm, sanded towards the edges to try to keep the weight reasonable.

Most of this beast is coming from my scrap bin, no 1/8 dowel for the wing dowels so 1/8 carbon tube
instead, if I feel guilty about hi tech materials I may paint the tubes light brown!

I found the cap head self tapping screws good for mounting the engine, beats the old slot headed jobbies.

I want to wait until my battery arrives before I start the fuselage to give me a better idea where everything has to go.

John.

Rendegade

Don't be suprised if they undo, and leave your motor hanging, I thought they'd work, but fuel soak and vibration will win out in the end.

These days I use 2-56 blind nuts and little cap head screws. makes removal a snap and they don't let go.

MJD

My Feedback: (1)

That's interesting, I don't have any trouble with screws backing out on small engines like that. A good tactic is to thread the screws in once, remove them, then wick some thin CA into the screw holes to harden it all up. Maybe it depends how hard the wood is in the plywood, dunno.

vicman

My Feedback: (10)

I'm a blind nut guy for motor mounts too.
I've had some of those self tappers break off in flight as well.
When it happens your model gets tail heavy...really fast!

Rendegade

Maybe I'm unlucky, or more probable, a little stupid at times.

Once my screws had stripped and the engine nearly parted company with the fuse, I sleeved the holes with dowels and screwed into those, but even then it was a crappy option.

After a while, I hacked the front off and put in a new firewall with blind nuts. After that I found that on smaller engines, and especially rear induction reedies, I was removing the engine to clean it , as its easier, and making sure the venturi had no crap in it. As you all know if you want a cox to run well you need to be pretty clinical.

Acutally, thinking on it, isn't it strange that pee wees have 4 bolt mounting flanges and tee dees have 2! [&:]

Andrew

Same here.

Boomerang1

Progress is fast with the little uns.

My fuselage jig, cost? About $300/1000!

John.

Boomerang1

Starting to look like a Roaring 20. - John.

Rendegade

Ahh they're so cute!

Boomerang1

Gotta love rainy weather for something, at least I can get some building time.

Sorted out the radio install, a 6 channel 2.4 Futaba reciever & 2 x GWS servos.
Modellers in the 60's would have killed for gear this small & light.

No sign of my batteries yet, perhaps Monday. I'm not using a switch, I'll just plug
the battery in to get things rolling. That will mean an easy to open hatch, probably with a magnet,
I don't want to take the wing off every flight. I have to come up with a plan for the canopy too, if I glue
it on it will be damaged if the wing moves on the rubber bands. Perhaps a magnet idea there too.

I'm doing the fully sheeted wing like the Top Flite kit, does anyone know if it has the flat centre section
like the built up version? I seem to remember it being just two panels, the illustration I have from the kit
box doesn't make this clear.

Dug out some scraps for the wheel pants tonight, I'll make them tomorrow while wifey has a sleep in.

John.

Rendegade

I did mine without, and just had a dihedral break in the centre.

And kudos for doing the wheel pants, they're a must!

Boomerang1

The wheel pants don't make a great deal of sense.
Come to think of it not much about a vintage model with a tiny, discontinued engine with a reputation for being fiddly does make sense!

But..... it's fun!

The pants need some final smoothing but the're nearly there.

Yes, they will add a lot to the character of the model.

Thanks for the info on the wing, I'll start soon.

John.

Rendegade

Awesome I also got a bit funny with mine and made some leg fairings out of scrap 1/32"

Adds a touch of class

Boomerang1

Back on the job today, I'm self employed so I get my 'monthlies'.

Made the choice not to use clevises, just Z bends & adjustable ends
on the carbon fibre pushrods.

I'm not using a switch & would like access to the forward part of the
fuselage to plug the battery in without removing the wing. The battery
may end up in there as well, I'm doing that last hopefully to balance the
model without any lead.

Ended up using a magnet, no hinge so the hatch comes right off out of
the way.

Wing sheets are being made now, no spars, no dihedral braces, just a strip
of fibreglass strip to re enforce the dihedral joint.- John.

Rendegade

Perfectus!

Its getting close, i can smell it!

Boomerang1

Wing sheets finished, ribs cut & positioned.

The tapered strips are for 3 mm of washout, not mentioned on the plan but why not?

John.

Boomerang1

Top sheeting on, who said that old magazines are useless! - John.

Boomerang1

Wing halves sanded & tips added, the halves joined.

Just the canopy, dope & paint & final positioning of the radio gear to go.

It's really starting to loook like a Roaring 20 now.

John.

Boomerang1

Finally time to roll it out of the hangar.

The canopy & figuring out a 'knock off' method
for fixing it was the most difficult job of all.

That's all behind me now, just some clear coat to
protect the paint & it's flying time. - John.

Rendegade

Brilliant!

Enjoy your new barrel-o-laffs!

Boomerang1

Yeah, thanks for that!

It's been fun building the little midget, I'm sure it will be loads of fun to fly.

I have 2 other 1/2 A engines, an MP Jet 04 diesel & an OS 10. Once the
Roaring 20 is roaring I'll start on another small model project after I finish a
couple of unfinished projects. - John.

Boomerang1

Well, I finally got my first ever radio model to fly, just took a second attempt
at the Roaring 20 along with 36 years radio experience!

Obsevations? The good?

I'm still wrapped up in the charm of small models, quick & cheap to build, easy to
store & transport, that twitchy/responsive feel that makes them feel alive.

I still enjoy the pleasure of building from plans (no, it's not 'scratch building' ).

We are blessed with what's available in cheap, light radio gear these days, tiny recievers,
short aerials (although a 14 channel transmitter is probably not REALLY necessary for
1/2 A, hey, at least I have 12 spare!).

While lots of the classic 1/2 A kits are unavailable there's enough interesting plans available
from places like Outerzone to keep me going for several lifetimes.

The bad?

1/2 A engines are still 1/2 A engines, fiddly, unreliable, although I'm pretty sure these were
the first runs of my little Pee Wee so my engine will probably get better with more running.

The noise, yes I realise it's music to some ears! [8D] Just makes sneaky 'down the park' flying
a bit more obvious to the complainers.

The mess. The extra hassle of fuel proofing everything.

The hassle of mixing up small quantities of fuel for the odd occasion I want to fly one. At least
the leftovers can be dumped into my usual fuel jug.

Knowing that electric power makes 1/2 A models (to me at least) so much better & all of the plans
available would be an easy conversion.

Regrets building the model, none. Was it fun, hell yes!

John.