Tsunami
02-18-2004, 08:03 PM
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Tsunami
This has been scaled down exactly from the .40 size version once kitted by Direct Connections. Span is 36" with a weight of 18+ ounces. Tried to keep it down to 14 or less but couldn't manage it. The Norvel .061 just wouldn't cut it, at least not if you want to duplicate the original. The .074 came to the rescue. It sports a throttle adapted from the CS .049. This was done before I discovered that the .074 throttles extremely well with its own stock throttle. No adjustable airbleed required. This engine is going to go down in history as one of the best ever, in all respects. Extremely well made, very high power to weight, bolt on muffler and throttling that is among the best.
The long pipe is a piece of Flyquiet tubing added to the end of an adapter made for the stock muffler. A baffle is installed and this is adjusted till you hit a sweet spot. You get a tuning effect that adds 500 or so rpm. Best of both worlds, quiet, more power and all the goop blown back and away. The tail wheel gets most of the soaking but that's not bad.
Anything the big one will do, this one will and then some. Knife edge loops (sloppy) have been done along with all the usual stuff. Slows to a crawl for right at your feet landings.
The long pipe is a piece of Flyquiet tubing added to the end of an adapter made for the stock muffler. A baffle is installed and this is adjusted till you hit a sweet spot. You get a tuning effect that adds 500 or so rpm. Best of both worlds, quiet, more power and all the goop blown back and away. The tail wheel gets most of the soaking but that's not bad.
Anything the big one will do, this one will and then some. Knife edge loops (sloppy) have been done along with all the usual stuff. Slows to a crawl for right at your feet landings.
02-18-2004, 09:17 PM
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RE: Tsunami
Actually, that might be optical distortion. The fin and rudder is scale to the original and does indeed, with lots of throw, allow knife edge loops of a sloppy nature. In any case, the 1/2A size duplicates the bigger one in all its aerobatics. Knife edge flight is particularly good. Will try to post video clips but that'll have to wait till the summer.
02-20-2004, 12:44 PM
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RE: Tsunami
Thanks Bruce,
Perhaps I should have mentioned that I simply took the original plans and had them shrunk down to what I wanted. The amazing thing was when I shrank (shrunk?) down the plans, all wood sizes matched to what's available. The original had ribs and sides made of 3/32" balsa and that equaled 1/16" for the 1/2A size. Couldna been easier. Herr should make a kit.
If I were to do it again, I know where I could save a lot of weight. Just eliminate all sheeting, use stringers, Litespan, a little less ply, lighter wire gear and I think I could get it down to 14 ounces. It would fly really well on a stock .061 and definitely smoke the pants off the original with an .074.
The point of the exercise was that with light and powerful engines and with light radios and batteries, an exact replica, (made light enough) WILL fly just like the original.
For those like me, not creative enough to design their own, you can shrink almost any plan down to 1/2A (or so) and get performance comparable to the big guys.
Perhaps I should have mentioned that I simply took the original plans and had them shrunk down to what I wanted. The amazing thing was when I shrank (shrunk?) down the plans, all wood sizes matched to what's available. The original had ribs and sides made of 3/32" balsa and that equaled 1/16" for the 1/2A size. Couldna been easier. Herr should make a kit.
If I were to do it again, I know where I could save a lot of weight. Just eliminate all sheeting, use stringers, Litespan, a little less ply, lighter wire gear and I think I could get it down to 14 ounces. It would fly really well on a stock .061 and definitely smoke the pants off the original with an .074.
The point of the exercise was that with light and powerful engines and with light radios and batteries, an exact replica, (made light enough) WILL fly just like the original.
For those like me, not creative enough to design their own, you can shrink almost any plan down to 1/2A (or so) and get performance comparable to the big guys.
02-20-2004, 05:37 PM
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RE: Tsunami
MR Flyer57,
Been two years since I built it so I went and had a closer look.
Original
WS 58.5"
WGHT 5-5.5 lbs
.40 to .46 engine.
1/2A
WS 40"
WGHT 19 ounces
Norvel .074
The discrepancy in the span from my original post is because the wing has sharply tapered tips and I don't normally take them into account. Also, I don't have the original plans to check so I can't say if the span given on them is tip to tip or not. I suspect that it is.
If I did do another, maybe I'd make it a tad bigger at the same weight or less and still use the .074.
The pic attached illustrates the fin/rudder size. Memory failed again as measuring reveals that both the fin and stab are longer and wider by 1/4". Not a lot, just extra insurance. When I flew peanut scale, it was customary to enlarge the tail surfaces to accommodate the aerodynamic inefficiencies of smaller airframes. However, besides that, it's exact scale. No flat bottom airfoils or stretched wingspan as might have been done in the past to carry the heavier gear that was common back then.
The first plane I did like this was an Ugly Stik. You can see it in my article in the May 97 issue of Flying Models. At 34" span, tip to tip, and 14 ounces, it was built for one of my very first VA .049s on to which I installed a G Mark .06 throttle with adjustable airbleed added. That combination flew very well for a number of years. Repairs and oil soaking took it up to 15 or so ounces eventually, so I swapped in an early AME (Norvel) .06. With that kind of power, the Stik took on some frightening characteristics. Like 6 ft. runs on grass directly into vertical. Insane power-on spins. Snaps so wild, you just KNOW the wing's going to fold. And then, when you throttle back, she becomes a pu$$ycat. Gentle stall turns, touch and goes (on grass even), inverted all day. With the modifications I eventually did to the AME, I could take the Stik up to speck size, throttle back, and let it spin down for several minutes. Then, I could do a touch, punch the throttle and go,,, right back up waaay quicker than I came down. A blast.
Been two years since I built it so I went and had a closer look.
Original
WS 58.5"
WGHT 5-5.5 lbs
.40 to .46 engine.
1/2A
WS 40"
WGHT 19 ounces
Norvel .074
The discrepancy in the span from my original post is because the wing has sharply tapered tips and I don't normally take them into account. Also, I don't have the original plans to check so I can't say if the span given on them is tip to tip or not. I suspect that it is.
If I did do another, maybe I'd make it a tad bigger at the same weight or less and still use the .074.
The pic attached illustrates the fin/rudder size. Memory failed again as measuring reveals that both the fin and stab are longer and wider by 1/4". Not a lot, just extra insurance. When I flew peanut scale, it was customary to enlarge the tail surfaces to accommodate the aerodynamic inefficiencies of smaller airframes. However, besides that, it's exact scale. No flat bottom airfoils or stretched wingspan as might have been done in the past to carry the heavier gear that was common back then.
The first plane I did like this was an Ugly Stik. You can see it in my article in the May 97 issue of Flying Models. At 34" span, tip to tip, and 14 ounces, it was built for one of my very first VA .049s on to which I installed a G Mark .06 throttle with adjustable airbleed added. That combination flew very well for a number of years. Repairs and oil soaking took it up to 15 or so ounces eventually, so I swapped in an early AME (Norvel) .06. With that kind of power, the Stik took on some frightening characteristics. Like 6 ft. runs on grass directly into vertical. Insane power-on spins. Snaps so wild, you just KNOW the wing's going to fold. And then, when you throttle back, she becomes a pu$$ycat. Gentle stall turns, touch and goes (on grass even), inverted all day. With the modifications I eventually did to the AME, I could take the Stik up to speck size, throttle back, and let it spin down for several minutes. Then, I could do a touch, punch the throttle and go,,, right back up waaay quicker than I came down. A blast.
02-20-2004, 11:54 PM
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RE: Tsunami
Hi again,
I have a older friend that has that magazine back to the dark ages, so I will try to look up the May 97 issue and take a look.
I have always been getting crazy about these smaller planes, but with the advent of micro gear, my dreams have come true.
I feel sorry for anybody that had a Cox TD and a dream in the 60s. I also am waiting for the small engine boom. There is a electric revolution happening but I am still a juicer.
I will break into electric some day, but I am just having too much fun at this stage to think of anything else.
Thanks for the look into your world, and great shot of all the planes!
MR Flyer57
I have a older friend that has that magazine back to the dark ages, so I will try to look up the May 97 issue and take a look.
I have always been getting crazy about these smaller planes, but with the advent of micro gear, my dreams have come true.
I feel sorry for anybody that had a Cox TD and a dream in the 60s. I also am waiting for the small engine boom. There is a electric revolution happening but I am still a juicer.
I will break into electric some day, but I am just having too much fun at this stage to think of anything else.
Thanks for the look into your world, and great shot of all the planes!
MR Flyer57
02-21-2004, 12:18 AM
#11
RE: Tsunami
Wow, nice Tsunami.
I know this doesn't fit this forum exactly, but I love the Tsunami also. Great flying airplane. I almost cried when I couldn't get another one.....(low, high speed inverted lesson). Luckily I still had the plans and I headed for Kinkos. However, I went the other way with the sizing.....140% It flew great. See more at:
www.geocities.com/markhunt_2000/tsunami
I know this doesn't fit this forum exactly, but I love the Tsunami also. Great flying airplane. I almost cried when I couldn't get another one.....(low, high speed inverted lesson). Luckily I still had the plans and I headed for Kinkos. However, I went the other way with the sizing.....140% It flew great. See more at:
www.geocities.com/markhunt_2000/tsunami
02-21-2004, 01:38 AM
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RE: Tsunami
MR Flyer57,
Dark ages?? God, I feel so old,,, No I'm kidding.
Welcome to the fold. Yes, I had TD .049s back then, and dreams. I relate that in my articles.
But,, welcome to the fold. Can we have a closer pic of that TD? What's it on? How's it fly? Specs?
Me to about electrics. Maybe some day but I'm still having way too much fun.
If throttling is important to you,, do get the .074. It does great in that department. Swap out that TD and hang on!!
Flyintexan,
Wow, that's great. I approve. My Tsunami does kickass knife edge with little input. As mentioned, on the right day, mine will actually flop over in a knife edge loop. Weird. Thanks for sharing.
Dark ages?? God, I feel so old,,, No I'm kidding.
Welcome to the fold. Yes, I had TD .049s back then, and dreams. I relate that in my articles. But,, welcome to the fold. Can we have a closer pic of that TD? What's it on? How's it fly? Specs?
Me to about electrics. Maybe some day but I'm still having way too much fun.
If throttling is important to you,, do get the .074. It does great in that department. Swap out that TD and hang on!!
Flyintexan,
Wow, that's great. I approve. My Tsunami does kickass knife edge with little input. As mentioned, on the right day, mine will actually flop over in a knife edge loop. Weird. Thanks for sharing.
02-21-2004, 02:37 AM
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RE: Tsunami
Hey Andy,
If your talking about the avatar, it is my contest plane from last year.
It is a good design for around here, but I was new to this site and had no idea what kind of talent was afoot.
I was tied for dead last if I remember, but what the heck, I like it. This year I am a little wiser and will build something worth the time, but of course then AJ steps in with the killer of all planes. A guy can't get a break
Like I said a few times, I would rather be in this group at the bottom of the heap then to win at the other competitions that I have been into.
Great bunch of guys here.
About the plane.
It was a design around a small wing that was copied from Bill Evans. Took a Simitar wing and built a 1/2 A ship around it. Made it small and fast. It is a rush to fly, but it had it's growing pains. I went through three of the planes before going back to the batteries that I knew.
If you really want to know the specs, I can dig them out for you. I never even checked the wing loading or anything, just went with the old "Looks like it will fly therefore it must".
Thanks for the interest,
MR Flyer57
If your talking about the avatar, it is my contest plane from last year.
It is a good design for around here, but I was new to this site and had no idea what kind of talent was afoot.
I was tied for dead last if I remember, but what the heck, I like it. This year I am a little wiser and will build something worth the time, but of course then AJ steps in with the killer of all planes. A guy can't get a break
Like I said a few times, I would rather be in this group at the bottom of the heap then to win at the other competitions that I have been into.
Great bunch of guys here.
About the plane.
It was a design around a small wing that was copied from Bill Evans. Took a Simitar wing and built a 1/2 A ship around it. Made it small and fast. It is a rush to fly, but it had it's growing pains. I went through three of the planes before going back to the batteries that I knew.
If you really want to know the specs, I can dig them out for you. I never even checked the wing loading or anything, just went with the old "Looks like it will fly therefore it must".
Thanks for the interest,
MR Flyer57
02-21-2004, 02:49 PM
#15
RE: Tsunami
HI ANDY! Your TSUNAMI is beautiful! Hard to imagine a cleaner looking plane. I've got the "light and ugly" part down pat," light and beautiful", I'll leave up to you! It's the shifting of gears[mentally] from one size range to another that makes scratch building more challenging. Isn't it funny how much hind sight you can get about structural changes to make a plane lighter, after seeing it perform?
02-21-2004, 06:51 PM
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RE: Tsunami
Combatpigg,
Thanks for the kudos, but light is light, ugly or not. That's the important part.
Yes, after it's built and you see it in 3D so to speak, you realize that this, and that, and the other wasn't necessary or didn't need to be that thick, or strong, etc. etc.
Thanks for the kudos, but light is light, ugly or not. That's the important part.
Yes, after it's built and you see it in 3D so to speak, you realize that this, and that, and the other wasn't necessary or didn't need to be that thick, or strong, etc. etc.
