rainedav’s build thread http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_3691626/tm.htm on his Kaos 42 reminded me how much fun miniature pattern aircraft are. Midwest upsized Phil Kraft’s Flea Fli to the Flea Fli + 10 and I have one of the kits that is in the pipeline for building along with a Tower Kaos 40 kit. The miniatures can be flown in small airspace and short runways. Because they are so small you tend to fly them close in and place your pattern right over the runway in front of you.

I have a 10 and 25 size pattern aircraft that I designed and built in the mid 70s and still enjoy flying them very much. The 25 has a 15% laminar flow airfoil and the 10 has a semi-symmetrical airfoil. The laminar flow airfoil has the thickest part of the airfoil back around 40% and has a fairly sharp leading edge. Both of the old original OS FP engines were replaced about 10 years ago when OS came out with the Schnuerle ported FPs. The new engines gave them a lot more zing! The 25 is all wood and the original 10 was all wood. The 10 shown is the second in the series and has a fiberglass fuselage and a built up wing and tail. The fiberglass work was done by a friend to my original design shape but with much rounder shapes. They were both built when I was in my silver, red, white and blue days! The 25 weighs 2 lbs 13 oz and the 10 is 2 lbs 5 oz.

Views of the 25 and the 10.

Views of the 25. The radio is a RCD Platinum AM receiver with Tower micro TS11 servos and a 270 mah battery. A Kraft 7C AM TX is used. The wing has a 50” span and 400 sq in.

Views of the 10. The radio is an ACE 1991 Dual Conversion receiver (kit built) with 3 ACE Micro Bantam Commander servos and 1 ACE Bantam Commander (all kit built) and a 270 mah battery. A Kraft 7C AM TX is used. Back in the 70s we built our own radios. ACE servo kits were about $25 and I built at least 24 of them and a bunch of receivers. The 10 would be a lot lighter with a new receiver and servos. The wing has a 38” span and 266 sq in.

Agreed. I have Buzz Evans cutting a Flea FLi kit for me right now. Can't wait to get it here. It will be numnber 2 on the building board after I finish the 2 Super Kaos's I am working on at the moment, one a restore and one a new build.

John

Is Buzz Evans a local kit cutter?

Forgot to mention that the first variant of the 25 was the same airframe with twin OS 10 FPs. It sounded great and could take of on one engine but the single 25 engine version is faster. View of the twin 10 and the first color scheme used on the 25 before I had to build a new fuselage in the late 70s because of elevator servo feed back pot failure.

Nice models 8178!
25 size can be a lot of fun, and there are some great 25-29 size engines available for little money as the size is not en vogue these days. I must have built a dozen different ones just for fun in the 80's

MK kitted 25 size versions of many of their popular 60 size planes, and a few are still available.


Built one with an OS 32 & small retracts


Built one with a piped OS 28- very fast

OK models 25 size version of Hanno Prettners Supra Fly was another favorite.

8178, those are great looking models. The 45° engine mounting is a nice touch. I like how it puts the mufflers along the side.

What are the control throws on those planes? I'm getting ready to program my radio for my Kaos 42 and I'm not sure what range to start with (although I'll definitely have dual rates).

Not local, but the Mail and UPS make it like it is local. He hand cuts. I had a Dirty Birdi cut a couple of months ago, came out real nice.

John

Time to make these electric versions with a brushless motors.

The 25 has ½” up and ½” down movement measured at the trailing edge of widest part of the elevator and 5/16 up and 5/16 down on the ailerons. I usually have the rudder movement as much as possible without causing leverage problems on the linkage. The Kraft 7C only provides low rate settings from those listed above. I like to keep the standard rate control throw movement conservative for smooth flying at speed so what I use might not be enough for others. Enough throw that it will drop into a spin easily but still flies smoothly.

LOW RIDER
You say some of the MK are still available??? Please let me know!

DM

I've got one of these. Eventually I'll get around to building it.

Here is a 25 size Curare that a mate of mine built over 20years ago and is still around in flying condition today. The other model was my girl freind who is now my wife(hope that she doesn't find out that I posted this photo of her!). The model was from a kit and is covered in tissue and painted. Matt

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Vintageflyer- sent you a PM on the MK availablity.