I've been on the forums since May and the whole time, I've had this SIG LT-40 kit in progress. But this nasty thing called school kept getting in the way. But since it is Christmas time, school is about to get out. I am gonna finish that LT-40 if it is the last thing I do. I have had all these parts and an OS .46AX lying around for a while....I am extremely excitied about actually bringing it all together into a finished product. I've been holding off joining an R/C club since I didn't have a plane. But, in Jan, I will likely join Propbusters of Lakeland, FL. Any other PB people in here?

I am a bit apprehensive about the covering job. I was thinking of just going with Ultracote. Probably a white/grey/maroon scheme. It's going to be converted to a taildragger right off the get go - already have the hardware. I am installing dedicated aileron servos - so I can have flaperons. I am going to have to figure out that mix feature on my radio.

The fun starts Dec 9th, when school is out.

Well congrats! Just wait until your craft that you built with your own hands lifts off!

S! Byris!

I'm pretty darn excited too! I'm stumbling alittle over my kit instructions and take a few days break when I get lost but it is taking shape quickly. I worry about, building myself outside of the box and then learning that something needed to go inside the box..but I reckon that's what a first build is all about.

I purchased a vid from TowerHobbies about covering and now that is what pushes me to finish the kit... I'm looking forward to the covering. It is coming up with the actually scheme that worries me. Part of me just wants to cover it soundly and the other part of me..wants to cover it with the sweetest design I can muster. I found that I can re-cover G2 planes with graphics program to come close to ideas I've read about on webpages like.."Don't color me Gone"..and I'm really spending way too much time with that! Good thing it is winter here! See ya in the sky! ~ Ned

Dude... Some Advice...

As a new Pilot... Do not convert to a tail dragger yet... Learn to fly first...

Trust me, you will be thankful that you did...

Matt

And don't make that first plane too pretty. It will just hurt that much more if it gets broken

This site will help you a great deal when choosing a color scheme.

http://www.ultimatecharger.com/color.html

I would not worry too much about tail dragger vs. tricycle gear. Yes, the learning curve is a little steeper, but it usually only takes students a dozen or so extra takeoffs to master it. I have taught students in the past using a Balsa USA Stick 40 Trainer. None of them had any trouble with handling it after a little practice.

I too wouldn't worry about the tail dragger thing. It will help you a lot later on if you learn now.

Just finish the plane and cover it in a functional scheme, nothing too fancy. Be careful of using too much in the way of light colors though. They tend to disappear on cloudy days. And make sure you have some large areas of contrasting color on the bottom to help distinquish top from bottom in the air.

Good luck and have fun!
Dennis-

I would say to go wit the taildragger set up. I have a few Prop Jets with nose gear but its expensive setup. The nose gear on most trainers is junk and unstable and requires constant adjustment.

To be honest with you , I think you'd be better off without it. Do you know where to mount it?

good luck man
Dec 9 is really early for you, for me its like Dec, 20

On the monokote, Dont worry it isnt too hard if you just take your time. Heres some tips that work for me.

1. When starting to cover a part, set everything up so that you have as few edges exposed for the wind to peel back as possible. What Im saying is the piece closest to the front should overlap the piece closest to the back.
2. Cover the bottom and then cover the top, so that you laps and cutoffs are on the bottom side when possible.. When you cover the wing and stabs cover the bottom and then on the leading edge lap the top piece over far enough so that the edge is faciing back, or at least straight down, never cutoff an edge so the wind can peel it back.


Use an iron to get it started, I actually do complete airplanes with an iron. When covering the large surfaces without compound curves like the side of the fuse or the top,bottom of the wing.
A. Lay your piece out and with the lowest heat possible that will just make the adhesive stick, go over the entire surface, start in the middle and work out and go slowly. Leave yourself an air outlet. Be sure you dont pull or stretch the monokote when you are on a flat surface. It should be taunt, just barely be stuck down and have no significant wrinkles. On the end of the wing where you have a tapered wingtip just leave the covering hanging out there you can deal with it later.
B. Then once you have everything laid on nice and flat with low heat increase the heat to about 3/4 of the scale of the iron, and slooowly go over the outside edges and seal them down. You want the iron just hot enough so that it discolors the monokote a little and not so hot that the monokote draws up or shrinks on the edges. Seal that edge out near the wingtip too, you are going to be pulling against it when you cover the tip.
C. Cut the heat back to just a bit hotter than it was when you originally laid the monokote down and let it cool. You need to go back over the surface and get it drum tight, use only just enough heat to get the job done. Start out too cool and ease the temp up until you can tighten the monokote,, get too hot and it will melt . you should be able to slowly move the iron across the surface and see the monokote come out of the backside of the iron tight. If it wont get tight ease the heat up, eventually it will tighten it up. Takes practice but it isnt hard.
D. For covering compound curves like the wingtips or the fillets around the curves you will have to stretch the monokote. I can do it but I struggle so Im not going to give you any advice there. There shouldnt be any compound curves on an LT 40 anyways except the wingtips. If no one else chimes in just get the iron fairly hot and start in the middle of the wingtip, pull the monokote over the edge and work your way out with the iron. I have always had the monokote bend a little in 1 or 2 places so I just cut the bend and lap the front over the back. I do ok, but Im not a pro at compund curves.

Thanks for all the tips - esp BigNed - I'll save your post to read when I get to that stage in the construction.

As for the taildragger - I am gonna go ahead and stick with it. It seems to be a tie between those who say yea and those who say nay. I already have the hardware and I like the look of taildraggers much more than the standard trike. I'll master it, I have little doubt.

As for the color scheme - it will be simple. Similar to the picture linked below - expect the blue will be maroon and the yellow will be grey. I've always been partial to those colors on a plane.....don't know why.

[link=http://webpages.charter.net/rcfu/KitReviews/images/SigLT40TD.jpg]Picture here[/link]

I am thinging of buying one of those triangular covering irons - or asking for one for Christmas. Any particular model I should look for?

Thanks.

Well, I think you can get away with a taildragger but I think that the tricycle is better for new pilots it just is. You will be ok either way but make sure you train on a buddy box.

I too say you'll be fine with the tail dragger... Try to see what you see yourself flying in the future, or what you'd like to fly.. What gear setup do they have? Might as well learn now right?

More than likely I'll be flying more taildraggers than trikes. Most aerobatic airplanes, Ultra Stick, Extras, Edge 540's etc are taildraggers. After I master this LT-40, I am going to possibly get an Ultra Stick .60. Haven't given it a lot of thought, so I am not dead set on that. But when I visited a club in my area a while back, there were quite a few Ultra Sticks around. They seem quite versatile. A good second plane, I've heard. Ultimately I'd like to run the whole gamut, from parkflyers to giant scale. But thats down the road a ways. Gotta figure out this LT-40 first.

Bryris,
I will say ONE thing about trike gear. They are the BOMB when it comes to playing with touch and go landings. One thing I have found is everywhere I go guys have LT40s with them most of the time. They will get together after flying their big 40% Edge and Extras and break out the LT 40's. They play chase, follow the leader and just generally goof off. One of THE most fun things is to line up and do touch and go's. Everyone line up and just come in one right on top of the other in a big circle. Better not mess up because there is someone behind you.

Every single one of these have tricycle landing gear just for that purpose. The big boys like tricycle gear on their LTs just so they can goof off with them.


You just cant touch and go with a taildragger like you can with a trainer with trike gear. I can almost guarantee you that after you advance to bigger and better things you will come back (VERY FREQUENTLY) to your LT40 just specifically to relax and burn up an entire tank doing touch and goes. You do whatever you want like I said youcan learn ok with a taildragger , but I just thought I would share this with you, its pretty much a nationwide thing. No matter where I go. You will see...

Bryris- I'm getting an ultra Stick Lite (120 sized) after christmas. Remind me and I'll give youa a review.

I don't know about others, but I no longer own a single trike plane, every one I own and fly is a tail dragger, and I too love shooting touch and go's. Never had a problem doing the with a tail dragger, adn can't see what the big deal would be. (I actually prefer a nice mains only touch and go with a tail dragger vs. a trike.)
Dennis-