Definitely by 1977 when the UFO was published, knife-edge flight was in practice. The article specifically discusses features of the plane intended to improve knife-edge flight, like the increased side and fin area (over the Dirty Birdy).

I also see the SK as a kind of "stopgap" design. The enclosed engine and addition of retracts was clearly intended to cut down on drag for faster flying speeds. But, Bridi must have seen it as having reached the limits of the Sun Fli/Kaos lineage; the DB is a total departure/clean slate.

David

One unusual feature of both the Dirty Birddy and the UFO is the canopy cross section. It is "waisted" toward the bottom as shown below. This was claimed to increase fuselage lift when the model was flying knife edge. I don't think I have seen this used on any other designs and certainly don't understand how (if) it works.

Ray

Dick Hanson used that feature in designing his Tiporare, but, did not use it associated with the canopy, rather down the side of the fuselage. I really wish I had my Airborne Associates glass Tipo kit today. That was a beautifully executed kit and a fantastic flying design.


Ed Cregger

HI all, this may be the wrong place for this, but raindave was talking about the UFO, I have to post this, sound like this would be good a place as any.

I have a Bridi Escape Kit have had it for 13 years I think. It is built for a rear exhaust engine and tuned pipe, the pipe exits the rear of the canopy. I remember seeing tower selling both the UFO and Escape way back when. I see people talking about the UFO but not the Escape, can anybody give some input on this kit???? It seems that this was the last design that Bridi did back in those days.

I have never seen one fly, or built.


Thanks, Pete

The Escape will be nice...I have one also...I need to get going on it...I was just test running the engine slated to go on it today...he he

Get started on her!!

Good luck

Chuck

P.S. Here is a link to a thread I had going on the Escape when I first logged back into RC Universe from a long break...May be some decent reading??
http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_53...tm.htm#5325621

Chuck, thanks for the info and the thread went through all of it!! just what I was looking for. Ya I need to get to work on it, but I have a Vans rv7 full scale I'm trying to finish up and get inspected, about the only R/C I've built this year are a couple of Raindave's Shuresharks, I'm really enjoying them A no brainer to build and a great flyer!!!!!! will try and get it ready for next season maybe for BPA!!

Pete

I have a question regarding a Sun Fli 5 that I am building--I have been building for a
L-O-N-G time, but with the way things change nowadays, I need some input on what is probably a simple question. When I get done with the framework on this A/C, I will cover it with silk and dope. Back in the old days, I used Aero Gloss cement on all of the seams that would come in contact with dope, because it never left a glue line in the finish. Well, as we all know, that went away, as did a lot of other things us "old guys" used to use. Can someone give me some advice on a "modern" way to do this that achieves similar results? I know that most of the new guys out there have probably never used silk before, but I am hoping there is someone who still does and can give me some info. This kit is especially bad for this concern due to the way the fuselage sides join the top and bottoms. The reason I have not had to deal with this recently, is that I have been out of action for a while, and am getting going again, so to speak.

I'm a hacker when it comes to building, but I do have a thing about appearance and final finish.

If you are determined to use silk and dope - God bless you - I don't think you will have a problem substituting carpenter's glue (yellow - aliphatic) or even today's CA glues.

I prefer to use 1/2 or 3/4 oz. fiberglass cloth on the fuselage, though I have done my share of silking and doping fuselages too. I lived in very humid southern New Jersey where it was difficult to find a time with the humidity low enough to apply dope without it blushing. I also despise the weeks long curing time for dope, which I suppose is really a month if you do it right.

On the other hand, fiberglass and finishing resin, whether polyester or epoxy, permits you to progress much faster than dope when applied properly. Another advantage of these finishing methods is that they are impervious to nitromethane. I haven't found a dope that was truly impervious, especially at the higher concentrations that are normally used today in our four-stroke engines.

Anyway, I'm interested in your project, as I am sure are many others. How about posting some digital pics to the forum from time to time? You might even convince some of us to give dope another go round. <G>


Ed Cregger

Got my Dirty Birdy 60 last week!!. The balsa appears to be high quality and the parts are cut VERY well[sm=thumbup.gif]. My only problem is that after I read through the instructions, I realized that I need to build a few more kits BEFORE I try to tackle building it, especially since I want to put retracts in it..[&o] Oh well.