Waldo....yesterday I crashed my brand new Katana .46. I worked on this beauty for 2 months off and on, flying the Twist on the days I was off. It was the PERFECT plane. OS 70 SURPASS on it...brand new...barely broken in. She was perfectly balanced! First flight..up she went..lil' bit of trim..nice smoke trail...off she climbed into a pale blue sky....came in for a beautiful landing..She was just FINE!!
Took her up again...flew her for a few minutes..I was gonna call my wife to tell her how exited I was about the plane....made a left turn...used the elevator to bring her up for the final approach..no elevator...she ran straight into the ground!![]within the blink of an eye..and there was absolutely nothing I could do to save her.
All my buds could think off was the interference of a passing truck with the driver on the radio. Elevator showed I raised it..linkages were all attached....
So....I know what it feels like. I'm glad I still have the Twist, but the Kat was a loss. I'll get another one next week for sure..it was a super plane, and I know now how to build her too.
All servo's, battery and engine were saved..a small plastic bag with open fire wood is what was left of the Katana.....[]I did not want to post my loss here, but after your loss of the Twist..I know the feeling...and it bites, to say at the least....[]

Great lyrics and very apropos TimC. Waldo, I think you were taken off guard by such nice weather. From what I remember you've been fighting bad weather all spring, summer, and fall. Methinks you're in your element when sleet is stinging your brow while leaning into gale-force winds. So you're telling us that this Phoenix (three times over) will never fly again? I can see how a calm, sunny day might douse such a fiery flame. I don't think you'll be telling me anytime soon that you didn't get your money's worth. When you dance around the pyre, raise your bottle and watch her final ascension to the heavens.........two friends reunited.

Peace,

Downtrodden

Thanks all for the condolences,, No she'll never fly again, I have a planned fire awaiting her sometime this week,, But I will go out and get T_ _ _ T #2 for this is such a fun plane,, I can't go on without her, But she will be reunited with a friend for sure,, As far as getting my money out of her,, That happened the first flight into the sky 2 1/2 years ago.

Oh the wing was busted so bad that the mono-coat stayed perfectly in tact, but the right side was completely hollowed out and shattered,, It made a nice sack to store every piece in, including Homer for the walk back to the flight line. I never seen such a thing LOL

If you get upset about these kind of things, your in the wrong hobby..[8D]

Waldo,

You're a real trooper! You crash one of your favorite planes and then you pull another out of the car and make a great day out of it. I've seen guys crash and go home almost in tears instead of flying something else. Maybe you could try the 60 size next!

Waldo.. like everybody else, sorry to hear about your Twist crash. Like you said, these things are going to happen in this sport. Hopefully the engine, receiver and servos are salvagable.

You mentioned you had a bipe.. what is it? I bought a Lanier Pitts Ultimate with a Saito 150 about a month ago, but I'm afraid to get it in the air.... actually, I'm afraid to get it down, I've heard too many warnings about bringing bipes in hot.

Been working day and night fella's, looks like I have missed a lot. I have already had the chance to give Down my condolensces in person, but I would like to say that Jack's post made me buy this plane. Reading about how excited he was about the T__st, and how much fun he and Downtrodden had flying them, well, I just had to have one. All the guys were great, but Jack was always quick to reply to my newbie questions with knowledge and humor. He always did so in a "try this, it worked for me" way that never made you feel silly for asking questions you know were answered somewhere many pages back. He will be missed by many, including myself. It is amazing how close you feel to people you communicate with on a daily basis, but never meet in person. My prayers continue to go out to his loved ones, as I know there is huge void in the lives of those he touched.


Really glad your here posting again Downtrodden. It is good to have you here. I have been itching to log on and catch up.

Adam

Downtrodden, I did not have the pleasure to get to know Jack, since I am still somewhat a newbie in the world of RC planes, but I sure do know how it feels to loose someone close....[]It is a scare for life...it will always be part of you. Charish the moments you'd shared with Jack..and by the sound of it..you shared many, many great moments...either way, you have my thoughts bud.
You are a great source of knowledge for us, Twist flyers. I always read your replies and will continue to do so. Stay aboard buddy....you are one of us!!Although you might not live "next door", you mean just as much to me as my next door neighbor. Take care buddy..and keep posting!!

Reyn3545, did you happen to read the article in, I think, Modelairplane news it is??
By the sound of it, it is not as bad as a lot of people think it is. If you are somewhat experienced; go for it dude!!!
Take her up..you should be just fine!!

Bipes are very easy to fly,, (Lots Of wing area) when you come in for a landing come in about 1/4 throttle as soon as you hit the edge of the runway chop the throttle off and its like hitting the air brakes, she'll just settle in perfectly as you slightly flare, of course each model is different, I have a flown about 4 Bipes over the years and they all seem to do the same, just make a couple runs by, around a 1/4 - 1/2 throttle, up high, but low enough to see it, and then chop it down to see what your particular plane does, you'll see,, I have a GP Ultimate 40 right now. then for a real thrill, pop off the top wing for a little Mono wing jet.

Well after surveying the T_ _ _ T I have considered rebuilding her yet again (I don't know why) something about looking at all the little pieces is like an intriguing Jig saw puzzle, the hardest problem I see is deciding what Peirce's went to the wing and what went to the Fuse, this is the kind of thing that gets my blood boiling and my brain waves frying.

As most of you have probably figured out by now, I can never make up my mind... but all radio equipment is fine and the engine is great, I just cleaned about 2!QUOT! of caked on dirt out of all the cooling fins and front of the motor, gotta love OS. the best part is the area behind the cockpit didn't break, that is where I reinforced when I put in the pop hatch for the battery, the stabilizer is broken in half but held together by the elevator, the rudder has completely ripped out of the back of the fin, the wing area forward, well thats the Jigsaw puzzle I was talking about, right up past the engine mounts, there is not one piece of rib or piece of spar in the entire right half of the wing, just a mono-coat sack, by shaking the wing back and forth I can hear where all those pieces might be, down in the left side of the wing,, Probably from the way we carried it. but if I don't go out and buy another one,, this one may be air worthy by next Saturday,,, Heres Hopin..

Thanks for the biplane advise. I'll have to give a try soon. I have no alternative now.

I just sold a CAP 232 a few weeks ago, and I got a good offer on my P51 today. This morning, my Twist suffered the same fate as yours..

Note to self.. ALWAYS remember to shift to low rates to land.

The tail is completely broken off, right behind the cockpit (usual place). Tore up the plane, wing, spinner (ouch)

back to the hobby store for another Twist on Monday.

Waldo,

Sorry about your loss... I hope that doesn't happen to mine.

Were you flying at FBF? I was there last Wednesday and Thursday just poking around...

Bob

It seems there has been a nasty run of Twist accidents here lately. I was almost the most recent casualty. My twist made it down safe, but my buddies Hot's wasn't so lucky. The thing is massive, and has a 80cc gasser on it. It went in so hard the entire motor was buried in the ground. We had winds gusting to 30mph, and it was prety nasty. One flight was enough for me.

Waldo,

You are taking the demise of your Twist like a pro! I sure have enjoyed your posts, especially your poem. You are really going to have your work cut out for you if you are going to have that bird back in the air by Saturday.

reyn3545,

Sorry to hear about your crash as well. You are handling it the same way I did, lay out the $90 and get her back in the air. Keep the parts, you never know when you ight want a winter project.

Adam

Wow sorry to hear of all the downed aircraft,, maybe its like a fever or something it seems to be spreading.

The front of the fuse has been reconstructed as far as laying it all out, kind of like a real plane crash scene when your trying to find out what went wrong, only I know what went wrong, its called pilot idiotsy, I will cut out some balsa sticks and sheeting to match the forms of what the shattered parts look like, and with mega epoxy and zap, she will be whole again, it looks like the fire pit ceremony will be put on hold. I still haven't figured out the wing, lots of missing pieces yet, but ribs and spars are easy enough to make, especially when the wing is the same size from one end to the other.

N1EDM I don't know what FBF is at the moment, I'm afraid my mind is spent on reconstruction. and don't think that will happen to yours. be positive and use authority on this plane, she'll do what ever you ask to the letter.

Just make sure your Elevator control arm screw is in.
Of all screws to be missing I'd have to say that is the worst one to over look,,, any other surface control loss isn't so critical, [:-]well I guess the wing screw would be pretty important too.

Waldo, just a tip from personal experience;

Get a carb filter!! I've put one on my O.S 46FX and 61FX. That way, you always keep the air intake clean. If you happen to go down, at least you keep the dirt out of your expensive engine. Less chance of wear through dirt in the crank case and pistonjust my .02 bud......

When I crashed my Nexstar, I did not have the carb protector on the carb...while I had the protector at home, sitting in a box that had just arrived from the hobby shop. I was too lazy to get it out of the box, and I crashed that day!![] I learned from my mistake...got the protector on the .61FX in my Twist now.....cheap protection for an engine...

Yes that is a word for the wise, thank you, fortunately for me the OS 70 4 stroke has the Carb behind the motor and is upside down while the motor sits upright, so I am spared the horrible task of cleaning out the inside of the motor, I have never used a carb filter ever in my life, (more pilot idiotsy) and I sure could have used one more then 100 times over the years, for I have planted many motors around NY, I'm surprised O.S. Trees haven't started growing by now.

I have found there are 2 way's to keep dirt out of an engine. 1: Don't fly it. 2 : Back into the ground. Other than that if you smack the ground hard enough dirt will find a way in.


That was Quick

Hello Waldo,

FBF is Floyd Bennet Field. I went to the RC field and then over to the Yellow hangar where they're doing the restorations...

Bob

Waldo....you're cracking me up!!If you find such tree, let me know and I will help you harvesting!!Hopefully it will be a tree with a good crop...
And you are right...I too have an O.S 70 Surpass...I realized the carb is on the back and does not hold such filter...bummer though...

D'OH! I messed up drilling the engine mounts on my twist! I was looking to see where I could find replacements and found them on Horizon Hobby, but they won't be available till November! I have an OS .46 ax, and want to get this beauty up and running, any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Jack

Mine were the same as the "Sig Large Glass Filled Motor Mounts" p/n SIGEM001

My LHS carries them. Tower doesn't. Hope that gives you some help finding them. They're very common.

If you LHS doesn't carry them, I just saw them at Sheldon Hobbies http://www.sheldonshobbies.com/listing/sig11.html for $3.

Just make sure that if you go mail-order, that place actually has them in stock! I've been fooled a few times.

Bob

How bad is it? Can you not make it work? If not, dito on the Sig mount!

Its pretty bad, not workable.

Did you break it???
Can you move the Motor forward or back to start 4 new holes??

If you can move the motor back and the only problem is the prop hitting the front of the Fuse then trim back the fuse tips,

you could also try filling the holes you drilled with epoxy or JB Weld and then re drill.

I have also mounted the screws I was able to,,,, and then use an electrical piece of wire either 12 or 10 -2 size,,, run that through the holes I couldn't line up and then take a nice pair of pliers and TWI_T that baby right to the motor mount, it works great but I only use this for a short term fix,, you might be able to get about year out of it. while you wait for the mounts to get to you.

Can you snap a picture of the damage so we can all have a look and laugh[>:] LOL,, Just kidding,,, We've all been there too many times I'm sure,, I know I have been anyway.

If none of the above fixes will work follow N1EDM's link for sure.

Dutch, you'll be the first to know when my trees start growing...

Ditto to Waldo's comments. Those motor mounts are stronger than you think. JB Weld would be just the thing to fill the holes. You could move the engine forward or backward if it is possible or even try to drill in the same area. I should also inject that I have a Sig mount in my Twist.[] It doesn't matter if some or all of the holes are a little large. You can always use washers before you put the lock nuts on the screws. Is it mangled?[:@]

I've traded my T _ _ _ T for a fishing rod! I've been watching Coho and King salmon hovering with their tails inches above the water, instead. A 10 lb. Coho fights like nothing you've ever seen.....often the fish comes in all rolled up in your line.........and they just love to jump! YeeeeeeeeeeeeHawwwwwwww!! So what does this have to do with being a T _ _ _ Taholic? Not a dern thing, but it's too fun not to mention! I suppose one could say that T _ _ _Taholics are a diverse group of demented individuals that, given the opportunity, will "free-associate" anything with flying their T _ _ _ Ts. Naw, that doesn't apply to this group, does it?

Peace,

Downtrodden