Well, since I have been talked into going for the Tipo cores, I have a question on the build. I will be scratch building from the Model Builder plans, meaning an all wood airframe instead of a fiberglass fuselage. The Tipo has a groove that runs most of the length of the fuse on both sides. To accommodate this, the built up fuse has 1/4" balsa sides with the groove sanded into it. This is fairly heavy duty construction and a LOT of work to sand in those grooves and get them the same on both sides.

So, my question is - are these grooves necessary? They look mostly cosmetic to me and I would much prefer to use 3/16" balsa for the sides and build it slab sided. Easier, lighter and (hopefully) no performance difference in the end. What does everybody think?

Mark

"supposedly" the grooves help in knife-edge flight.

Personal opinion - it would be hard to measure the difference

Joe Bridi did the same on one of his canopies. (Super Kaos, UFO?)

I have heard that, too. That's why I asked about it before just removing them. On the glass fuses it also adds some stiffness, but for wood I think it won't matter. Especially to my duffer thumbs; a world champ I am definitely not. And I think I can do more damage by not getting the grooves even on both sides than any help they would offer. Slab sides it is!

The UFO and Dirty Birdy canopies had a waisted groove near the bottom as you mention.

Thanks,
Mark

I don’t have a really good picture but it is more than a groove. It is part of the shape of the fuselage that defines the canopy area on top of the fuselage. It is only on the front 3/4 of the fuselage.

I don't have a problem with carving the front bit around the canopy, but it is a fair project to get a nice even groove down both sides. I will have to ponder it and see if I think it's worth it, but it seems like a lot for very little gain.

Edit - Still a gorgeous plane, 8178.

Mark

I am a big tipo fan, is there anyone making a fiberglass kit out there

No Tipos that I know of, but if you search the Curare threads here you'll find wood, glass, and molded kits currently in production. The 2 planes are very similar.

Tim