Thanks for the quick reply,Duane. I am planning on using an OS 95AX ( plenty of power and reasonable weight). As time goes on and I have some experience with this bird, I can always reduce the size to 75AX or even 65AX. I might be able to use my OS 60 FSR after a rebuild. I'll just have to wait and see. BTW if you know of anyone who can rebuild this engine I'd appreciate a contact address. I am guessing that my first Simla will be as near original as possible, however, I am a tinkerer and would like to try the larger ailerons. Maybe a second more personalized Simla is in my future. At any rate, build photos will follow as soon as Ican get started. Thanks again!

He will be attending MY SPA event in Asheville, NC. I suggest you do something out of the ordinary and come on up to see both mine and Kevin's Simlas for yourself, and meet Jeff this Saturday.

You live in Florida...what's 800 miles or so. You only live once, and the Simla will be there for you to observe in an expert flight demo......and fly, (if you quality).

Don't "mess" with the ailerons. IMHO

Duane

Duane, I would love to come to the event, but alas, I am a fixed income senior living on SS and simply can't afford such a trip. My bad, but thanks for the invite.

I tried. [8D]

Thanks for trying. Maybe next year with a little planning I could be there with my own Simla. BTW, how about a photo of the dirty side. I was just wondering what the bottom of the wings, fuse, and tail feathers looks like.

I real feel this is YOUR TIME...think about it, (but think quickly). Where there is a will there is a way.

The top is the same as the bottom, (but without the red trim). I made a template to keep all the panels the same.

Duane

I have the time 24/7/365, but I just do not have the funds. Maybe if my fairy god mother shows up in the next day or two I would jump in my trusty stead (1990 Ford F-150 XLT Lariate with three hundred thousand plus miles) and be on my way. Yeah, I run em til they drop, pick them up and run them some more

TRUCK LOOKS GOOD TO ME

This thread has everything doesn't it...including a picture of your 300K mi truck. Now if it were ED'S 300K truck....

Yeah, with some Taurus and Simla goodies stashed inside. Oh well, wishful thinking.

Iwas lucky enough to end up with the Primus/Taurus kit that Jeff donated to the SPA raffle at the Asheville event. Once I got it home and opened it up, I was VERY impressed with the quality of the kit. Thanks Jeff for donating the kit! I promised Duane that if I won it, I'd build it and fly it in next year's SPA event at Asheville. I guess I have some building to do.

Mark

Looks like it is a combination of luck to have something to bargain/barter with, (the helicopter you won...we have good prizes at Ashecille), and a lot of determination on your part. I'm looking forward forward to working with both you and Doyle, (who competed in Novice-B) to make precision pattern pilots out of you both.

Yes, Jeff's Taurus is a quality kit. It will go together quickly for you. To make it more competitive in REGULAR SPA, you will probably benefit from modifying the vertical fin some. I know that is sacrilege for some of you to hear, but I'd still recommend it for REGULAR SPA. My Taurus has a modified fin, and it will do everything in the Expert pattern, (though not as well as later designs would).

Thanks again for helping with the contest, and I'm sorry I called your classic Datson roadster an "MG".

BTW...You should have bid just a little higher on the SPA shirts...nice shade of yellow.

Duane

Duane, nice photos of two nice birds. I noticed that the blue, yellow andwhite one is very similar to the one I dreamed up circa 1975 (ie-the tail feathers and fuselage nose) and since mine has never been airborne, I was wondering how well it flies. Check this page post #2376. It has been 36 years since I have had any stick time and I am currently checking some of the local clubs for membership. And as I said earlier, maybe next year I can make your SPA event in NC.

Duane,

I'll have to get with you when I start building the Taurus/Primus and get the fin mods.

And thanks again for the raffle prizes you arranged to have there, it was a pleasant surprise to win!!

And yes, it is a Datsun, but a lot of people have no idea that Datsun ever made a convertible sportscar.

Mark

GREAT PICTURES.

That one of my Dirty Birdy is really cool, and shows a lot of detail. It even shows the field and the mountains...that is great use of "depth of field" in that photo. Are you a photographer too?

Duane

The Daddy Rabbit Kevin was flying was "on loan". It is my back-up plane. He did a great job of trimming it out. There is something about your photos that almost gives a 3-D effect...like you're at the field, seeing what we saw. I like the one of the plane taking off, which also shows the runway and the river in the background...not a bad back-drop.

Againlike the photos. Not too much sun until later when it was in our face...then I couldn't "buy" a cloud.

Duane

No, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn Express once!

Mark

If anyone is interested, AMA has the plans for Dwight Hartman's Zeus Mk. III. It looks somewhat similar to the King Altair plus some Kazmirski influence (swept leading edge, Taurus style stab, wingspan, thick airfoil). Although it used Dwight's glass fuse, it is possible to redesign it for balsa. I haven't measured the span but I was impressed with the easy construction. All balsa rib templates and foam core templates are shown. It's a mid sixties vintage design so it's good for SPA and VR/CS. I'll post some pictures later.

(Totally off the topic of airplanes)

I want the Datsun. (Have lusted after one since mumble mumble.)

Cheers,
Richard

Hi Richard,

The Datsun Roadsters are really quite affordable, compared to the British stufff. And more reliable too! The Datsuns haven't seemed to be caught up in the vintage car mania which drives up the prices. It's a double edged sword since your car won't appreciate rapidly but if you enjoy driving a convertible it's hard to beat a Datsun. Just imagine classic British designs built by quality minded Japanese.

If you're really intersted, check out the DatsunRoadster website, which has all sorts of forums including classifieds. 311s.org/phpBB3/index.php

I'm sure there are cars in your area, and a TON on the west coast (moreso than on the east coast).

Have fun!

Mark

I recently received one of the first kits from Jeff. Everything looks perfect and I have to say that he didn't charge enough for what he's supplied. I expect to be able to start within the next day or two.

In some email exchanges, I asked if he knew of anyone who had used carbon composites for weight savings and to add strength, particularly to the wing. For instance, has anyone used carbon composites for wing spars, or carbon veil to strengthen thin parts, or ...? He suggested I post the question here.

If you have purchased carbon composites from someplace other than your LHS, do you have a recommended source? I've have heard of, but not used:

http://www.tntlandinggear.com/composite_tubes.htm
http://www.cstsales.com/products.html
http://www.acp-composites.com/home.php?cat=4663
http://www.goodwinds.com/merch/list....ultrudedcarbon
http://www.pbgcomposites.com/
https://www.troybuiltmodels.com/cate...par-Tubes.html

I realize that using carbon composites may be overkill on this particular plane, but I'm trying to gain some experience with this material for my next plane, which will be somewhat more ambitious (if the plans are made available, that is).

Many thanks for any tips.

Cheers,
Richard

While I have no experience with Jeff's Taurus kit I flew more Taurus' in their day than I can remember.

I never saw and never had a structural problem with any of them.

Most were either Top-Flite's kit or scratched based upon those plans. Back then our weights came out 6.5 to 7.25 lbs dry.
That was with sprayed and rubbed out multicolor finishes and silk or silkspan .

The engines I used were Merco 49 and 61; Super Tiger 60 (today called the small case 60)
Webra Blackhead 60. All ran on 15% nitro.
I flew them for years with reeds and then propo when it arrived.


I would consider any "strengthening" attempt to be a waste of time, money and material.

Short of untimely contact with the ground they probably could be lightened up a bit and still withstand any air load you could impose.
Strength was NEVER a problem with the Taurus . INCLUDING balsa spars.
For contests some of our guys went to 1/16" fuse sides and leading edge. plus cap strips.
They still stayed together .

Build it and fly it . But DON'T add any weight you don't absolutely have to !

Richard,

Take a look at the CL Precision Aerobatics forums. The top guys use carbon veil over the entire structure of the model. They don't add unneeded weight.

The Stuka Stunt forum is probably the best to get a good answer to you. http://www.clstunt.com/htdocs/dc/dcboard.php

Andy

rg1911, hope you are planning to post some Simla build photos.

I cover all my models with cf veil over sheeted surfaces and polyspan over the open bays. The cf veil makes a harder skin of the balsa resiting dents and the like and the polyspan is very resistant to tearing. You can bounce keys off of it. The new stuff is just better, and since it takes so much less material to fill it, it ends up lighter.
I still apply the cf veil and polyspan with dope, it's just easy. And for sure dope finishes are very pretty when properly done, I'm partial to car paint anymore though.
Chris...

It's interesting that you'd say that because that's exactly what I told him; I don't really understand it. I'm sure he isn't making much on each kit.

If anybody is out there, thinking about a Simla kit, (there are now about 50 on their way to modelers with fine "taste" in models), I'd suggest you get one NOW, before he reads this.

I might be interested in helping with, (or doing) a build thread if people would want one...mine is done. HA!!!![8D] How many would want a build thread? The pictures below were taken at Triple Tree in South Carolina after, (and during) the first flights on October 2nd 2010.

Duane

BTW...Scirocco 14...sent you a PM