GP Shoestring
 

I have an OS 61 in mine and it never tips over, sure you have the gear in the right way?

GP Shoestring
 

Some people have been mounting the landing gear backwards in ERROR and this causes the airplane to nose over.

The Shoestring has a long nose so you must push all your radio gear to the back of the radio compartment to get it to balance.

I have my switches and receiver behind the servos and my battery is in the turtledeck behind the trailing edge of the wing. With this setup and the OS61FX with Bisson Pitts muffler, it balances on the money and has never nosed over even in the long grass I fly off of.

Yak

P.S. This airplane is one of the best flyers I've had in over 30 years of flying.

GP Shoestring
 

If you move the CG back a little and set the controls for a higher rate, this airplane will tumble and do many hot dog maneuvers, and with a computer radio it will knife edge forever (better have dual rates because it does snap with "over" control). If you read the directions, you'll notice that it calls for tail first landings - a landing on the mains results in a bounce. It slows nicely with no tendency to stall. Most people don't read far enough in the directions to notice that you don't need longer bolts for the aileron horns. You just harden the wood with CA and put wood screws into it - it holds just fine - the directions tell you how. Jim is right about being nose heavy with a larger engine. Keep it light and it will fly and land like a dream. I had to install the battery under the stab and run a wire to the front in order to balance it - but no additional weight was needed with an O.S. .61 FSR. It likes to nose over sometimes, so the most vulnerable part for me is the cowl. Try replacing the metal cowl screws with 4-40 nylon ones - easier to replace than the cowl from vibration.

GP Shoestring
 

had a mishap with the shoestring on a dead stick landing it bounced off the runway and stalled into the bushes what looked like a cushioned blow turned out to be a torn off firewall!!! If you can some how strengthen the firewall with more glue do it cause i noticed a lack of glue on the firewall once it was apart. It is now re epoxied and flies like a champ with my O.S 91 4 stroke!!!!!!!

How To
 

I duct taped my battery pack to one end of a piece of light ply the width of the pack, and maybe 7"- 8" long. Then I slid the pack down into the fuselage, and anchored the "stick" at the front with a screw, at about the trailing edge of cabin.

Jim

GP Shoestring
 

I've had similar experiences to what some other Shoestring owners have reported. I built the plane with the OS 61 and Pitts muffler but had to add some tail weight. I cracked one of the very delicate stringers in about my first hour of assembly and another picking it up after a dead stick landing. Surprisingly on the dead stick from about 15 feet high it landed a bit hard but level and no damage. The only thing I've had to do which no one else has mentioned is to shim the motor slightly down. At high speed it climbs even with 5 or 6 clicks of trim and then when you reduce power it dives. It sure is a pretty sight however on low high speed passes.

GP Shoestring
 

I have a OS 91 surpass in the nose. Its a little heavier than the 2 strokes but I use a 5 cell battery pack mounted as far back as possible and a light wooden prop. The CG came out fine. This plane needs a light engine up front. Its not real hard to have it balance proper if you plan ahead. Put 5 flights on it this weekend. Big loops and inverted flight is pretty good - does exactly what you command it to. Not bad in a cross wind either. Really happy with it.

ShoeString
 

Mine Has a SuperTiger .61 in the nose....balance is perfect....never noses over....Smokes the Shoestrings with the Saito 100's in Them.....Just a overall Great flying plane....looks kool.......goes fast.....seem to do aerobatic with the rest of them....how could u ask for more?.......i give mine 2 thumbs up

Shoestring
 

Well,
Just put the ASP .61 on the front and ran a tank thru. Same problem sooooooooooo,.

It seems when building this or any other plane , I try to take my time and things go smoothly , 98% time. I finially figured I would take the wing off, undo the darn landing gear and look to see what would happen if I turned things around..

Sure enough, landing gear looks like it leans forward more.
Well it seems when you think you did everything right and don't need to undo everything , turns out the fellows here in the forum were right on the money.

It looks like I'll gain another 1/2 for sure and boy is it close....No excuse though. I can't thank you all enough,

Been a long time coming.
Can't wait to fly it.

Thanks again,
:D :D :D Tony

GP Shoestring
 

Thank you...Thank you very much. ( taking bow)

Decals on Shoestring
 

I am putting the finishing touches on my Shoestring, and am deciding whether or not to put on the decals.

They look great, but I'm concerned about them coming off over time (due to the decals coming in contact with fuel and cleaners).

Are people finding that they are holding up just fine? Did anyone apply a clear coat finish to protect them? If so, what brand of clear coat would you recommend?

Any help would be appreciated.

Damaso

Make 'er look scale w/ Decals
 

Damaso,

Ive had my GP Shoestring for over 2 years w/ original decals...no probs with cleaners or fuel contact. Makes 'er look pretty cool with decals....IMHO... :D

chris

GP Shoestring
 

Thats why in previous posts on this plane it has been said many times to modify the gear. I flew mine on a very rough field untill we had it paved. Never lost a gear. Put triangle stock on below the gear mounting plate, then screw the gear in good. After that I put a fillet of cotton flox and good epoxy along the top to the bulkheads around the entire gear. Its not going any where. Cotton flox is a product we use in building full scale aircraft. Mixed with epoxy, it is very very strong. Micro baloons are not the same, they actually weaken the epoxy. You can get flox from aircraftspruce.com

I like the plane. Easiest plane to greese on a landing and is a blast in the air. It is fast though. Might be tough for a second plane. I have a 91 FX in the nose and the rudder servo in the tail. Seperate servos on each elevator under the wing. No lead added anywhere. It is a fine plane. The bottom is weak as other have stated. Either be carefull when you pick it up or add streangth there too.

GP Shoestring
 

How can you add strength to the bottom fuse without removing the covering? It seems hard to get an epoxy brush back there through the fuse to the bottom.

GP Shoestring
 

First thing I did when I picked up my Shoestring was to buy a roll of Monokote Cub Yellow. I cut the the Monokote on the bottom and made my reenforcements. Added the Cub Yellow and it's a perfect match. The rest of the roll I'll use for patches or some other project.

Applying Decals
 

Full Throttle,

Thanks for getting back to me about the decals. I think they'll look great once I'm done.

I am following the instructions and seem to be having some problems. The decals seem to instantly adhere to the backing once placed in the warm water ... and I can't get them off the paper.

They seem pretty sticky as is (once the backing has been removed) ... do they even need to be placed in the warm water?

Thanks in advance.
Damaso :confused:

No water needed...
 

I didnt use any water applying the decals. You might try spraying windex on the plane where the decal goes, then peel and place. This allows you to align and center the decal. The windex will evaporate naturally, then the adhesive goes ahead and cures. For added protection from fuel and other elements of flying, spray with monocaot clear coat paint over the decal. Be careful, it gives the surface a nice luster and one can get carried away. Kinda looks like the clear coat on your new car. Its even safe enough for your covering such as monocoat, ultracoat and 21st century.

later,
chris

did you have this problem?
 

Hey guys I have a few questions....

On my kit the axles for the landing gear wheels are about 1/8 inch too long. they hit the other side of the wheel pant. did anyone have this problem?

Are people using bigger screws to secure the wheel pants than the included ones in the kit? (the two that go on left and right of the axel)

Is there any need to fiberglass the wing center section?

Do you recommend extra epoxy on the mounting blocks in the fuse where the gear bolts go?

thanks alot!

Yes!
 

Knowing what I was going to put my Shoe through I fiberglass the wing section all the way around and I also had to cut off for the the pants, anytime I mix up epoxy i usually have some left over so not to waste it I then use the rest on areas that I feel could use a little extra such as wing hold down areas, firewalls any place to use thew rest of the epoxy.
Great Plane, no pun intended!

GP Shoestring
 

The axles will be too long, it tells you in the instructions to take I believe 1/8 inch off.

I used the included screws to secure the wheel pants, what I did do was to make the plywood mounts LONGER, This will prevent the pant from cracking, or at least prolong it, I read this recommendation many places. Another good idea that I still may do is to glass the inside of the pant using fiberglass cloth, this should strengthen it up a bit too.

Fiberglass the wing section? never hurts, especially if you put a powerhouse up front.

And last I went through and put epoxy on all the major stress points. For the landing gear mounts I put some fiberglass cloth down. It covers the bottom and sides of the landing gear mount, I let the glass dry, then mounted the landing gear, it's not going anywhere. If it breaks the it will let go at the belly, to the mount.

Now: take everything I say with a grin of salt; as I have not maidened my shostring yet, waiting for NICE WEATHER :mad:
but rest assure all the mods I made were fairly common for this plane.

Good luck!

GP Shoestring
 

Thanks for the replies guys. I did use the suggestions and have now got the gear good and solid and the wing center glassed.

Now, on to the cowl. I am using the 61 FX with Bisson muffler. Do any of you have pics of the bottom of the cowl and where you cut it out? It seems a little difficult to get the cowl on with the high speed needle extender and stuff. Any good tips on cowl mounting?

Thanks again. Can't wait to fly her.

GP Shoestring
 

I just cut a large half circle an inch in from the back cowl forward about 3". This made it easy to install over the pipes and gave enough room for heat to escape. To install the high end need wire I just reached in from the hole in the front of the cowl with a hex driver.

shoestring
 

has anyone put any down or right thrust on there shoestring. im puting a sato 91 , on its side. anyone got PIC. thanks,, eddie

As per plans!!
 

I mounted my 100 as stock as it gets. Mounted it inverted.

No right or down unless it was built into the plane.
RORO

GP Shoestring
 

I have a OS 91fx with a bisson pitts muffler ...apc13-8 ...In mine ...The plane flies great ......an os 61fx and 91fx are the same weight 19.4 0z....the 61 has 1.9bhp@16000rpm the 91 has 2.8bhp@15000rpm and they are the same physical size ......So as far as wing load there is no differance os 61fx v os 91fx ....Mo power = mo fun & speed........OOOOOOOOya give me A 91fx Please.....sorry geebeejim