DICKEYBIRD

Here's another 1/2A machine I did 2 yrs. ago for S.M.A.L.L. It has 210 sq. in, weighs 14 oz, 5 channels, switchable coupled elev/flaperons, exhaust sleeve throttled TD .049, heat shrunk soda bottle canopy, geodesic wing AND spar structure, very high performance.

R/Ckrazy

NICE !!

I like it!!

rightflyer

Great plane! I bet it flies as good as it looks!

DICKEYBIRD

Thanks a bunch guys! It's nice to have a forum where the small stuff is appreciated rather than made fun of!

The BadaBing! is a high performance machine. When the flaperons are switched on/coupled to elev., the loops are very tight, inside & out and the landings are very slow. The square cornered maneuvers are unreal. It will knife edge pretty well but does run out of speed eventually due to the drag of the thick wing. I plan to do a redesign later on with a bigger, much cleaner wing, longer moments and more side area for some "pattern-like" performance.

Here's another pic with daughter Rachel holding it.

rcnats

My Feedback: (56)

Great looking planes! Any plans available? Also, what type of starter do you use to start your Cox engines? Thanks.

*rcnats*

DICKEYBIRD

Hi Stan,

Sorry, I missed your question 'til now.

I use an old Astro Flight 1/2A starter that is no longer in production. You can make a great starter from an old r/c car can motor and a 6-cell pack. There have been several articles in mags on how to build one.

The plan for the BadaBing! isn't finished yet. It's supposed to be published in Flying Models mag. if I can quit building new stuff long enough to finish up the construction article and plan to send to Frank Fanelli!

rcnats

My Feedback: (56)

Dick,

Thanks for getting back to me. Sounds like you've been busy flying. I'm looking forward to the article. Thanks also for the pointer about making a 1/2A starter. So far the only one I've found on the web is by Lite Machines to start their helicopter. If you know of an article, let me know. Thanks again.

*rcnats*

Mikerjf-RCU

Dickeybird;

Plane looks like a real kick! I never messed with 1/2A. How much wind can it handle? Can it be flown in a relatively small field? How well does the throttling work? Any good sites for info? Hope you don't mind all the questions, these things look like another bad habit I could pick up.

Thanks

Mike

DICKEYBIRD

Hi Mike,

No problema on the questions. The BadaBing! flies a lot like the multitudes of "Fun Fly" or "Hoverbatics" planes you see around everywhere, only on a smaller footprint. It handles wind OK once you're up in the air but at only 14 oz. it gets blown around when you're taxiing or landing. I generally fly it when the wind's below 10 mph. It is very small and was designed to have neutral stability (no self correction tendencies) so you have to stay on the sticks all the time.

The TD .049 engine throttles very well with it's Ace exhaust throttle sleeve but has quite few mods that I've come up with by experimentation through the years. Most folks don't want to invest the time & tinkering needed to tame them.

If you don't own any 1/2A engines now, I would suggest trying a Norvel engine....I haven't bought one yet but hear good things about them. I have collected a ton of Cox stuff through the years and choose to work with them out of pure frugality and stubborness! Stubborness is a trait one needs to have fun with them.

RCPAUL

My Feedback: (1)

Great looking design. I' ll look for it in FM.
Hope it is soon.

Great Forum as well.

RCPAUL

Mikerjf-RCU

Dickeybird;

Thanks for the reply. I've been thinking about these things for a while. I agree with your suggestion about the Norvels, they also give more flexibility than the Cox (RC carb, better fuel tank selection), I've played with several of them owned by friends of mine on test stands and they run great, much easier to set up than the Cox engines I've played with. I was looking at scaling down my SIG Somethin' Extra and sticking a Norvel .061 in it, this post might be just the push I need. Oh God, another plane!

Thanks I think

Mike

us020140

My Feedback: (28)

I'll give you $150 to build me one of these.
Phil
a.k.a. "More money than time"

DICKEYBIRD

Hi Phil, :surprised

Thanks for the generous offer. Its very flattering!

Like you, my spare time is limited and really don't know if I could come up with the time to build another BadaBing! I've committed all my available time to finishing up my "Twin Lizzie 2" and to servicing the rest of my planes to take to the S.M.A.L.L. event in Little Rock, AR next week.

When things settle down in a couple weeks, I'll definitely give your kind offer some serious thought.

Milton Dickey

us020140

My Feedback: (28)

I appreciate that.
I will let the offer stand.
I'm a physician and since getting into ARF's I've become a lazy builder.
Phil