I have brought my Falcon III out from the cellar and I am going to attempt to finish.

Here are some photos of where I have stopped construction.

I am building it as a 3-channel instead of the 4 (I have to order some replacement aileron stock as I messed up my attempt at ailerons) so as soon as the order comes in I can just glue it in place at the trailing edge as the center pieces of the trailing edge are already glued in place and I am not ripping them off to add ailerons.

I am going to use a fixed landing gear as pictured instead of the wire that was originally with the kit, don't think it will affect it in any way as it brings the plane to the same height. And I am using 2.50 wheels instead of the instructed 2.25

I am going to cover it with white Sig AeroKote film http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...XJAU0&P=K#tech with blue graphics (more than likely stars). Has anyone used this covering and with what results?

I am going to power it with a .36 engine with 6 oz tank. The instructions say to glue the tank inside of the fuselage with no access to it, but I have changed that to include a hatch at the bottom of the fuselage.

The original Goldberg Falcons were the staple for trainers back in the 70s and 80s. I have nothing but praise for them. You will be using an instructor, won't you? I would build it with ailerons. However, the airplane will likely do fine with rudder instead.

Hi I would take the time and add two servo bays in the wing for ailerons. That way you would have the option of opening them up and installing your ailerons at a later date .You would not have to remove the aileron stock in the centre of the wing just make wholes in the centre ribs for your servo wires. A sharp piece of brass tubing will do this nicely.This would allow you to sell it easier as well. always leave your options open as you never know what tomorrow might bring.I fly all planes and enjoy the challenge of R.E.M. the most.Also if you are flying with R.E.M. increase the dihedral in the wing if your controls feal sluggish.Enjoy STUFF

in 1978 I had a falcon 56 great trainer, agree with the posters above you should think about ailerons, as this plane will be a floater, and easy to get blown arround all over the place also helps with your landing aproaches unless you have a wide landing strip you might be sorry without them. there are not to many trainers of this size without them . back in the day in78 the kit wasn't an arf and had skinny ailerons after my first flt the instructor sent me home to extend them they were 3/4" and had no effect and after doubling that it was alot easer to fly for sure and alot more fun, the falcon gave me alot of fun flying time it was a great first RC kit

If I was to do the ailerons with a servo at each wing panel how would I connect the two servos so to reach to the center of the wing to work as one servo? I know I would use a "Y" harness connector but how would I connect the two servos to it without having wires hanging loose all over the place? If I have to pass the wires through the ribs how would I do that after the wing is covered, I can not cover the wing with the servos in place can I? If someone can show a diagram that would be great and very helpful.

Thank you, if no one can explain this to the point a beginner like me can understand, then I will just go with the no ailerons. I am sure it will fly just as well because most Trainers have the option of choosing a 3-channel OR 4-channel operation.

Tigerdude,
Just run a piece of string down through the wing and tape them down so they don't move when you are covering. Then after the wing is covered use the string to pull your servo wires through the wing.

Hope this helps

Ken

I built a Falcon 56 in 1970, initally powered with an OS .19 and three channels of an Orbit proportional. It flew great with three channel, and I later converted it to four. It was a pretty easy to fly design, I landed it on it's first flight (my first RC airplane). On the second flight, I made the takeoff and the instructor landed it. The third flight was solo, and that was the extent of my flight training. Later on I upped the power to a ST G21-35. Great design from the past.

HighPlains,
I was at the Weak Signal I found out that Wing Manufacturing is now kitting the Falcon 56. I talked to them at their both and they said that they have had a hard time keeping up with the demand for the kit. Their website is at [link=http://www.wingmfg.com]www.wingmfg.com[/link]

Ken

I thought Bubba at Lanier had bought the Goldberg line. There are also Falcons at Early RC.

The second itteration of the original kit is the VR/CS design for this year in 3 channel form.

The Falcon started around 1963 or so, with a very narrow nose, set up for .09 to .19 engines. It had hard balsa spars, and could be flown with single channel escapement control. The "second itteration", widen the nose and kept the all balsa spars. It also showed proportional radio for the first time. The mark II added spruce caps to the spars (I lost mine with the wing with the balsa spars broke), but still had the balsa fuselage sides (made of several smaller pieces). Mark III has lite-ply fuselage.

Highplains,
Here's a picture I took at the Wing Manufacturing booth. You can see their display model of the Falcon 56 in the upper left corner of the picture above the banner.

Ken

OK, that explains it. In the picture you can read "Early RC". I forgot that Early RC was just sold to Wing. You can find a lot of info on Early RC in the vintage thread. And Lanier still owns and produces the Goldberg line of kits, like the Mk III Falcon 56. Although the outward appearance of both airplanes would be quite simular, the internal structures are different, primarily in the fuselage, as the Early RC design is based on the 1960's version for lower power and weight.

Oh, BTW, I think that picture is of a deBolt Champ, not the Falcon.

If it is I do apologize. I'm not very familiar with the Falcon and I'm just going with what I was told by somebody at the show.

Ken

Ken, that is definitely NOT a Falcon in your picture.


Tigerdude, you don't have enough dihedral in the wing to fly as a 3 channel comfortably. It won't be stable. Go ahead and put the ailerons on it using 2 servos or 1 if you have the torque rods installed already.

I had a Kraft 4 ch. radio and a K&B .35 in mine hated that motor when it ran it used to drag that plane arround the sky though

1st - No, Ken, that is not a Falcon in the pic. Here is a pic of the Goldberg Falcon III
Here is the Goldberg Falcon 56 Mk. II

2nd - thank you bruce 4 that info. I will add the ailerons. Thank U all for your input. I have a few questions (of course): I do not have a pic of the attached ailerons of my Falcon III as I have not done it yet, but using my attached photo below of my LT-40 where would I attach the two servos? AND where would I drill the hole in the middle of the wing for the wires to come out of? AND are regular nylon horns used and what size?

Graphics would really be great of how to do the ailerons with 2 servos.

Thank you.

The control horns would be the same type used on the elev/rudder and could be at locations B or C although I like B best. Servos would be directly forward of the horns. You would want the linkage to come off the inboard of both servos OR the outboard of both servos. That way, one aileron will go "up" while the other goes "down". Don't need to worry about differential but it could be used if you really want to mess with it. First step is to get it working at all which isn't hard at all. Need to beef up 2 adjacent ribs slightly and install servo support beams or platform between them.
RCKen or MinnFlyer both have great illustrations of all this available of course. PM either of them and request same to be posted in case they miss this thread

By beefing up, you mean I should double up the thickness of the two ribs and then add the platform, OR leave the ribs as one thickness with the platform? And the servos should be on the inboard side of the ribs?

I have plans regarding another airplane kit that shows how to install two servos for the wing and how to do platforms. I will follow those plans if i CAN FIND THEM.

But where do I drill the hole for the wires at the middle of the wing?

Yep, double the ribs. Might even be OK stock if they are thick enough. Let the wires come out the center of the wing where the single servo cutout would have been (and probably is). Carefully make a small hole @ 3/8 Dia centered in the rib between the fwd and rear spars in each necessary rib. try to make neat holes. Run the extensions before covering and tie in place with thread of plastic tie wraps and leave them there forever. Excess wire can be tucked away later.

To be totally honest with you you should be just fine making a bracket and gluing to the stock ribs.

Are the ribs in this plane comletely solid with no lightening holes in them at all? There is no way to run a wire through the ribs right now??

Ken

Here are a couple of diagrams that might help you see what Bruce is talking about.

Ken

If you look at post #1 you will see that there are no holes in the ribs. You are probably right about not needing to reinforce the ribs as Goldberg built them tough/strong.

Guess that will teach me to skim over a post like this then!!

Use a drill with a 1/4" bit in and drill at an angle into each rib, drill the same spot on each rib, and drill a hole for your servo wire.

Ken

I'd forget about those ailerons. All they do is increase the weight of the plane, takes you longer to build, sucks the juice out of your batteries for less flying time and just one more thing to go wrong with it. I have that falcon lll with rudder and elevator only. I only have half the dihedral the plans call for which makes it more aerobatic. Amazing what that little plane can do without ailerons. Rolls, stall turns, snap spins, hammerheads, flys inverted and whatever your flying skills can make it do.

By the time all is said and done, it's not much to look at on the ground but it's a fun little flyer. Stick an O.S. .40 FX on it and you'll be blazing past some of those other junkie trainers with ease and the landings couldn't get any easier, whether at low idle or deadstick. But what do I know about that little falcon lll. I only have about 450 flights on mine with only 1 mishap. Taking off in a 25 MPH crosswind when the engine died out about 10 feet off the ground and did a nice cartwheel which tore the fusalage completely in half. Had it back together in 2 days and it's still flying strong. Save the aileron installation for a nicer plane. You'll be glad you did.

big dan

1st: The ribs are NOT strong at all, just storing in the cellar for about 8 or 9 months caused me to have to repair a number of ribs.

2nd: Yes they are solid with no lightening holes. No way to run a wire, but that may be unnecessary (see next post below)

FIGURE 5: If I was to go with this configuration, where would I put the bellcrank? Would I place it between the ribs on a platform located beneath the ribs (and covering), going through holes in the ribs, to meet up with the servo in the middle? Don't see how that can be done though cause how could the rod get from beneath the wing sheeting to get to the servo? So that tells me the bellcrank would have to be set uncovered on the wing itself, how is this done? How would the rod go from the bellcrank to the servo without the wing saddle area of the fuselage getting in the way and causing the wing not to settle flush?

FIGURE 6: This is the method I prefer because I already have the tubes and rods to configure this method ( I will not have the funds to purchase the necessary items needed for figure 5 for a while) but I am wondering 2 things with this as well - 1]wouldn't the sharp curve of the pushrod tube cause binding with the pushrod? 2]how would I get the pushrod from the aileron to the servo without the same problem as above?

With either configuration how would I connect it from aileron to servo because as stated if I go through the ribs how do I get the connection onto the servo, which is above the wing sheeting? And if I go above the wing covering, having the rods exposed, how would I get that through the fuselages saddle area without lifting the wing up causing it not to be flush?

I am asking this because I only have 1 spare servo for the ailerons and can not find a 2nd for the other wing panel. Would it be simpler to just find the money to get another servo?