Guys,

I have an Airborne Associates Troublemaker that I picked up at a swap meet. I have an assembly booklet but nothing noting the incidence measurements for the wing, horizontal stab and the engine. I know planes of that era would put the wing at a slight positive angle and the engine at 1 or 2 degrees negative with the stab at 0 - but if anyone has any thoughts on this plane I would appreciate it. I would like to line up everything and get this plane painted!! By the way, it ways a ton! The fiberglass fuselage was built very heavy - maybe that was how they did it back in the early '70s. Thanks for any help.

Gene

A lot of the pattern planes of that era, were set up zero-zero-zero. I don't know if the TM was set up that way or not.

FB

I agree, I believe it was set at zero,zero,zero

Thanks for the quick responses!! I'll take your advice and go with zero-zero-zero. I'm also going to permanently glue the horizontal stab to the fuselage instead of using the two hold down bolts as the designer had drawn it up.

Thanks, Gene

Your welcome Gene! My father built the J&J version of the TroubleMaker back in the late 70's. The stab was a permanent part of the plane, not bolted on.

Gene,

I flew a J&J Troublemaker in the 74 Nationals. I still have the plans. I can check the incidences tomorrow evening (after I get back from a holiday visit) if you'd like.

ChiefK

I have a Troublemaker kit in the attic from Euraka and looked at the plans this morning. They don't show any thrust, wing, or stab incidence. I didn't measure on the plans but it looks like a zero, zero, zero plane to me.

Hi ChiefK,

If you could check your plans that would be the icing on the cake! Do you remember approximately how much your plane weighed? I'm worried about this one because I've never felt a fiberglass fuselage this heavy.

Thanks, Gene

Gene,

Measuring from the J&J kit plans everything (wing, tail and thrust line) is at zero. Maximum recommended weight stated on the plan is 7.5 pounds.

Ray

Ray,

Thanks!! I will make everything zero all around (actually makes things simple). I believe that I will be around 6 to 6.5 pounds all up weight, so that makes me feel good.

Gene

Gene,

Zero-zero-zero is the way to go. 1974 was long ago for my memory... don't remember that I ever weighed the plane, but I do remember that I glassed the wing and painted the whole thing with K&B Hobbypoxy, so I'm guessing that if you can bring yours in under seven lbs, you'll be lighter than I was.

Greg

Greg,

Thanks for the info!! I really love that color scheme - I hope you don't mind if I steal it. I originally saw your scheme on the Classic Pattern Planes data base and thought that is what I need to copy.

Gene

No problem with me on the TM color scheme... some have mentioned to me that it looks as if I copied it from the original "Blue Angel" scheme. I really don't recall whether I did that or not. My favorite is this one (picture #1 - my old Dirty Birdi; picture #2 - my currently flying Tsunami) that I've now used twice. I'm now working on a Deception build, and I'm considering whether or not to do it again.

Greg

Yep. The old positive incidence in the wing and negative incidence in the engine were holdovers from the reed radio days of the Sixties.


Ed Cregger

Greg,

That is a BEAUTIFUL (I was yelling) Dirty Birdy, and the Tsunami looks great too. I fell in love with the lines of the Dirty Birdy and UFO a long, long, long time ago. Thanks for posting.

Gene

Thanks Gene... be sure to post some pictures of the Troublemaker build.

Greg

Gene, watch the nose weight..I powered mine with a O.S. 60. FS and had to install the elev servo above the removable stab and add weight to balance it. Mine is the J.& J. kit(balsa) . The O.S. is a 2 stroke with a 744 stock muffler and they are heavy. The fiberglass kits of that era tend to be tail heavy so yours wont be as bad as mine.Mine is over 8 lbs. but still flies a lot better than I can pilot her. Lands slow with nose high,drags the tail .... Light is best but dont worry too much if you get a little heavy. Post your opions of your first flights.. Jim

Wing incidence and downthrust went away when the semi-symmetrical airfoils went to fully symmetrical.

Anything 9 pounds or less will be OK, but 7 1/2 - 8 is ideal.

Bipeflr & Wedj,

Thanks for the advice. I've weighed the components and I'm on track to have a final all up weight of 6 3/4 to 7 pounds. So your input about it's flying qualities at an even greater weight makes me very happy.

Bipeflr,

As I read your post I started laughing because the OS 60 FS is the engine that I have bolted into the front end!! I think I'll move the servos and the battery pack around as needed to achieve a good CG. You're right about the fiberglass fuselage being tail heavy - it really is. I think I'll also swap the muffler out for a Macs muffler (said to be lighter than the stock muffler).

I'll let everyone know how it feels this summer - with some pix of course.

Gene