I've just ordered the WM Rambler 45. I haven't seen it yet, but from my previous experience with WM ARF models I expect the quality to be outstanding. Has anyone assembled this ARF and would like to provide me with any recommendations in regard to assembly or engine choices? Are the retracts any good or should I go with the fixed LG. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Hi flyboy2!

The Rambler-45 is one great ARF! In comes in two beautiful color schemes, too. From my website:

World Models Rambler-45 with Saito 72

PROs: Really great Sunday Flyer.
Great looking.
Very docile and forgiving.
Very quick and easy assembly (I can build one in an evening).
Can be used to practice aerobatics.
Can be torque rolled with surprising ease.
The engine choice was right on.

CONs: None.

That about sums it up. One thing... use some thin CA on the elevator servo tray... two of us have had them pop-off in flight. The thing is such a floater I got mine down without incident even without the elevator.

The pre-installed retracts work great!

Hey Flyboy 2,
Yep I've got 1 too, I bought mine 2nd hand through the club I fly with. I have a thunder tiger 61 pro with a slimline pitts exhaust. Goes like a bullet vertical almost out of sight if you want. Great aeros, great floater, lots of fun, just dont let it get below stall speed on approach. My 1 stalled at about 10ft, & couldn't get it back in time, but was my fault, & certainly not the aircraft.

The only thing i dont like about it is that the retracts bend & dont reatract after this happens, then it noses over on landing, but once again this maybe my particular aircraft & not all.

Once I had the covering off, I have found it to be made of good quality ply, light but strong. I love this thing it is great fun, & will be just as good once it is rebuilt. (Hopefully)
Well worth getting & I dont think you would be disappointed with it!!!

crash ... like you I installed a TT61 Pro on mine, it too stalled!!! Very minor damage so I swapped with an SC46 running inverted. The SC46 was perfect! I think the best is a Saito 72, listen to the 4C growl on that plane will be great. Nothing bad about the plane. The retracts work fine but I opted to make them permanent. Its a very big plane for 40 sized class and she flies so darn nice! I love her but sold it to a friend who wanted it.

I might get another!

G'day tIANci,
Interesting yours also stalled under stall speed. I was having a bit of trouble slowing it down for landing with the 61, it is a bit like a Spitfire as it likes to ride the ground effect bubble as the speed on idle with the bigger engine is a bit high. Did you try using flaperons with yours set up that way to slow it up a bit? I'm not going to change it around 'cause its way too much fun with the extra grunt, but it would be nice to get it down with out nosing over. I haven't tried flaps yet but was thinking of it once its back in 1 piece. Mine was a bit bent, but its amazing what cyano & ply wood can do!.......

crash ... my TT61 quit on take off but if it had been a TT46 I would have been able to land it. The TT61 is about 10 oz heavier than the TT46 or most 46 2C engines. I can imagine the grunt. Yeah ... the bigger prop! I did not bother to use flapperons. I tried her with an APC 12.25x3.75 ... oh man the landing was almost like harrier landings!!! With a 5 mph head wind its amazing! Now I am so tempted to go buy another, sigh ... maybe I can get my pal to sell her back to me as he has not flown it at all.

This is my favorite plane of all time. I fly mine with a Saito .56. Does a good job, but I must admit, I think a .70 4-stroke would be the perfect engine. Thats probably why thats the recomended 4-banger for it. I've never had a deadstick with that engine. Awesome engine. You will probably need to put a shim under the trailing egde of the retracts, about the thickness of a popsicle stick. It keeps the plane from nosing over and doesn't affect how the gear retracts at all. I also installed Robart strut covers. I also haven't had the retracts bend once and I fly off of grass. Theres a pic to show you and they only cost 8 bucks. Think they look pretty good. Theres also a pic of the shim. Doesn't look like its much, but it doesn't take much.

Dan

Thanks Dan4466,
I, shall give that a go, I have a bit more to do till she'e back in the air, It was on the base leg that had the incident. ( its only an incident if the hull is repairable, accident if it's a write off, as per the FAA !!) I will try the bigger prop as well, I have an APC 11x7 on their now.
Well its a beutiful Wednesday morning here, time to drag the old Calmato high wing trainer out & off to the field. Wed is our biggest day as we have a BBQ lunch, which gets the crowds in. The retirees love it, & us shift workeers get a cheap lunch, before work!!
Talk soon.....

I just finished up my WM Rambler 45. Now I have to wait for the weather to clear so I can put it in the air. I put a Saito 72 in the nose, I have it mounted sideways but may switch it to inverted. I heard some guys had problems with the Saito mounted inverted. I have a glow driver that I just took off a plane I sold and can use it to get the engine to slow down for landings.

With the 72 I got a balance without adding lead by putting the battery and rcv behind the servo tray. Balanced out perfectly that way.

Salty- I have my Saito .56 inverted and have never had a deadstick with it. No glow driver either. Just to let you know.

Salty, only problem I had running my Saito 72 inverted is the first start of the day, after that its ok. Best thing is to use an elec starter, the engine tends to flood a little when inverted and will start backwards a lot. Other than that there is no problem whatsoever.

Hey Dan4466,
Have put the spacer in under the undercarriage legs today, I will have to bend the legs a litle bit to get the wheels into the wheel wells. But can see that it has pushed the wheels foward when they are down, will be interesting to see how it goes.
Thanks again,
Tony.
[sm=thumbup.gif]

Tony- I didnt have to bend my gear any to get them to retract right. Maybe you used just a touch to thick shim. I would try something a touch thinner before I would bend the gear (If you haven't done it already ).

Hey Dan,
I used a piece of 3mm ply sheet which I thought would be pretty close to the size of the popsicle stick. The wheels hit the outside of the wheel well by about 1/4" of the wheel towards the trailing edge. When I bought this aircraft 2nd hand, the retracts had been made non-retracting, & were bent foward past the leading edge!!! I straightend them back to get the servo to work when I put my gear in it.
I fly off grass as well but they still sometimes dont go into the wells.
When you fitted yours up, were the legs straight or did they have a slight bend where they bolt into the mechanism?
Thanks Tony.

I was planning on flying it a few times before I put the driver on. I left the cowl off until I try the engine inverted; I"ll fly it a few times side mounted then invert the engine.

I always use an elec starter for my 4strokers, but I do use a stick for my 2 strokes. Although I do seem to be using less and less 2 strokes.

Is that called evolution? [X(] Because my planes are starting to get bigger also. [8D]

I am about to stop flying 40 sized planes and am moving on to bigger stuff ... this hobby is bad!!!

i ran my Saito 50 inverted the only problem was if u fueled up & let it set it would flood( top of the tank above nv c/l ) half full or start imediatley no problem.

Salty
I have a Saito .72 mounted inverted in a WM Dago Red... Love that plane.. Anyway it runs great without a glow driver.. I think my tank is a little high with the engine inverted but may have discovered a "trick" for that.. I use a Dubro fuel valve on mine that is mounted to the cowl... When I was breaking the engine in I had the cowl off and the engine had a tendancy to flood while sitting there.. I did however manage to get a couple tanks through it and the needles set... Then I put the cowl back on and ran it once... No more flooding problem ... Seems the fuel valve is mounted high enough on the cowl to keep the fuel from siphoning to the engine... Have dozens of flights on it now and never a problem with flooding... Interesting... Never a dead stick yet either..

Flyboy2,

I fly up in Denton, TX not far from you. In any case, I have a recently deceased Rambler. I had a case of the dumb thumbs and got confused with it near knife edge. I had a YS63 in it and it was a screamer. It would take off in about 10 - 15 feet. Denton's field is pretty rough so I had some issues with nose over. However, this plane is wonderful. I am flying a Four Star 60 for now, but I am sure I'll get another Rambler in the near future.

Good luck!

Jdewolftx

Tony-heres a pic for you. I didnt bend the retracts any. The guy on this site who told me to do this said I wouldnt have to do anything to the retracts and he was right. Its been a couple years so maybe they made a change in the retracts since then.

Tianci,

I also am going larger. I am looking at a 28% plane now, have to get the finances from the wife. I was selling off all my 40 size planes also but plan on keeping a couple. I had to get the Rambler in the air, cant part with it at this point. Also plan on keeping the Ultimate I have, still NIB, with the 91FS to haul it around.

Hi, My name is Salty and I'm an addict. [8D]

IronCross,

I was planning on putting a Dubro fueler on when I put the cowl on. I usually put it on the bottom of the cowl to keep the clean look. Maybe I should go ahead and put it on now. I guess I can also invert the engine instead of waiting until after I fly it a few times.

I have to wait for weather to clear anyway.

Here are a couple of pics of what I have so far. Kinda plain, going to put stickers on later. Thought I'd go with a smart pilot instead of a brawny one.

Thanks Dan
I can see the difference now.
1. When I bent them back so they would work as retracts, I have made the angle at the spring too straight.
2. Some where along the line someone has put vmar wheels in it, due to longer grass at the field sometimes, which are around 2" & just fit in the wheel wells
I will use your photo as a template of sorts to get it right.
Thanks again,
Tony..
How do I load a photo onto this?

I too, love my Rambler 45 (with side-mounted Saito .72). It would be a challenge, however, to keep it from nosing over on a grass strip. It is now my favorite airplane to fly, and is surprisingly fast with the gear tucked up and a 12x8 APC prop...