SIG Rascal Forty in the house!
06-14-2010 | 12:17 AM
#51
RE: SIG Rascal Forty in the house!
Hi all,
Just to revive this a little and to say that I've assembled and flown my rascal 40, probably 20 flights or so since about March. I had the same failure but with less drastic results than shown in the the pics above. My wing bolt plate also pulled out clean from the fuse and since I had read this thread and tri-stocked the whole plate to the bulkhead, it also took the top half of the bulkhead with it. The light ply that the bulkhead is made from failed in tension at each of the vertical legs. I've added a couple of 4 mm aircraft ply bulkheads (one there to replace the broken one and one a ways behind it to hold all of the stringers nicely with top and bottom. I also doubled up the light ply in the servo 'compartment' with the aircraft ply (same pattern as the light ply, just aircraft ply instead of light ply).
The front of each wing was also damaged where the dowels attach near the wing root. I'm just about to take those apart and see what I can beef up there.
Everybody should be aware that the glue in these kits is pretty minimal and pretty weak (look at how clean the wingbolt plate pulled away from the fuse above, mine was the same). The landing gear block attachment should also be beefed up before flying ... or else you'll be doing it after flying. I replaced the gear block with an oak one (not much weight added) and I doubled up the fuselage sides and floor near the gear with aircraft ply (I was making an opening/hatch for a 4S-5000 mAh battery anyways so I had to strengthen up what was left around my hatch). This seems to be holding up pretty well, even after some rough landings, touch wood.
Anyways, I hope this helps alert others to the issues with the Rascal 40. It's a great plane to fly and it is quite pretty as well ... just need to look at the bones before taking it up.
Cheers
Dave
Just to revive this a little and to say that I've assembled and flown my rascal 40, probably 20 flights or so since about March. I had the same failure but with less drastic results than shown in the the pics above. My wing bolt plate also pulled out clean from the fuse and since I had read this thread and tri-stocked the whole plate to the bulkhead, it also took the top half of the bulkhead with it. The light ply that the bulkhead is made from failed in tension at each of the vertical legs. I've added a couple of 4 mm aircraft ply bulkheads (one there to replace the broken one and one a ways behind it to hold all of the stringers nicely with top and bottom. I also doubled up the light ply in the servo 'compartment' with the aircraft ply (same pattern as the light ply, just aircraft ply instead of light ply).
The front of each wing was also damaged where the dowels attach near the wing root. I'm just about to take those apart and see what I can beef up there.
Everybody should be aware that the glue in these kits is pretty minimal and pretty weak (look at how clean the wingbolt plate pulled away from the fuse above, mine was the same). The landing gear block attachment should also be beefed up before flying ... or else you'll be doing it after flying. I replaced the gear block with an oak one (not much weight added) and I doubled up the fuselage sides and floor near the gear with aircraft ply (I was making an opening/hatch for a 4S-5000 mAh battery anyways so I had to strengthen up what was left around my hatch). This seems to be holding up pretty well, even after some rough landings, touch wood.
Anyways, I hope this helps alert others to the issues with the Rascal 40. It's a great plane to fly and it is quite pretty as well ... just need to look at the bones before taking it up.
Cheers
Dave
06-14-2010 | 01:08 AM
#52
RE: SIG Rascal Forty in the house!
Has it been 6 years already? [X(]
Well, let me update mine then:
Re the Krylon paint on the engine: rubbish. The "new formula" Krylon (back in 2004) was nothing like the old Krylon I had loved. The new formula is not long lasting on a glow fuel engine and it definitely degrades the paint.
Re the landing gear reinforcement: I got caught by the 20+ MPH winds at Rabbit Lake, CA and it took my Rascal sideways for 100 yards it seemed, slamming the landing gear hard enough to actually bend it inwards but it did not pull out of the fuselage at all. I did get damaged wingtips and had to clip the wings.
Re the landing gear again: A couple years ago I had an off runway engine out dead stick landing at takeoff, and the plowed dirt field I made a superb landing on, ripped the landing gear clean out of the fuselage.
But it is repaired and still a good flying airplane.
[sm=thumbup.gif]
Well, let me update mine then:
Re the Krylon paint on the engine: rubbish. The "new formula" Krylon (back in 2004) was nothing like the old Krylon I had loved. The new formula is not long lasting on a glow fuel engine and it definitely degrades the paint.
Re the landing gear reinforcement: I got caught by the 20+ MPH winds at Rabbit Lake, CA and it took my Rascal sideways for 100 yards it seemed, slamming the landing gear hard enough to actually bend it inwards but it did not pull out of the fuselage at all. I did get damaged wingtips and had to clip the wings.
Re the landing gear again: A couple years ago I had an off runway engine out dead stick landing at takeoff, and the plowed dirt field I made a superb landing on, ripped the landing gear clean out of the fuselage.
But it is repaired and still a good flying airplane.
[sm=thumbup.gif]
06-14-2010 | 11:40 AM
#53
My Feedback: (2)
RE: SIG Rascal Forty in the house!
Kmot,
I did exactly the same repair on the landing gear. My original Rascal 40 I gave to my son. I missed flying it so much I bought a new one powered by an OS 52 4 stroke. I really love the RascaL 40. The only other modification I made was to replace the aluminum motor mounts with steel.
John
I did exactly the same repair on the landing gear. My original Rascal 40 I gave to my son. I missed flying it so much I bought a new one powered by an OS 52 4 stroke. I really love the RascaL 40. The only other modification I made was to replace the aluminum motor mounts with steel.
John
