AJ Sun

Looking at the Super Ringmaster plan. That nose piece is nothing like the plan, really high and the fuselage balance point is at the forward lead out wire. That’s the down control, just to see where she will balance. That nose block and bottom is not lining up. The thrust line is the center of the leading edge of the wing. But it ended up about one fourth of an inch below center of the leading edge. The good part is the center of the prop hub lines up with the lower thrust line an so does the horizontal. The rudder off set is one fourth of an inch, and the engine is one degree off set. That first flight might be interesting. The plan calls for a slightly heavy nose. I may install every thing except the belly plate and see how much weight I will add to the tail area maybe place it behind the wing in one fourth ounce increments toward the tail. Hoping for a TO weight about 34 Oz. I will load the fuel tank with 26%caster fuel and see how much it weights. The plan does not illustrate much. Just a few fuselage illistrations.AJ

AJ Sun

Well in two weeks it's going to be Christmas Sunday eve. Year has sure gone by fast. And expecting 2024 will be a mess. Worried about a lot of stuff that concerns a senior. Planning to remount the engine and place the two inch aluminum spinner on the Super Ringmaster. And pencil in the diameter of the cowl assembly and clearence.of the spinner. Still planning on a cooling scoop under the spinner assembly, lots of room exiting at the rear of the engine bay. AJ

AJ Sun

Well guys and gals I had to glue a spacer 1/4 inch to the nose piece made it soft balsa, The spinner is two inch diameter. And will close a space. And maybe even help the balance situation. The top tank and engine cover will be a solid block of balsa. Like the Sterling Super Ringmaster. Getting close to finishing off this build. Last will be wrapping the lead out lines. Already plan on 58 foot lines. Thumb is healing but still have a ways to go. Slow process in your seventysAJ.

AJ Sun

Well last couple days haven’t seen much progress on the Super Ringmaster. Worked on the landing gear cover. And started the bottom cowl vent cut. With the engine installed with the aluminum spinner and empty fuel tank. Placing 1/4 ounce lead weight just behind the trailing edge of the wing created. A nose heavy plane. Next step will be adding weight to the out board wing. Plan and kit included two nuts that equaled just a little over one ounce of weight. To be placed on rib 10 of the outside wing. I omitted that and assembled a wing weight box I purchased from Brodak. Drilling several lead weights. I am hoping my balance will come out with a slight. Nose heavy condition in all phases. AJ.

AJ Sun

Well last couple days I’ve been filling the nose piece Balsa. Trying not to use a plastic filler. The Sig is like a Tight Bond but sands really nice. I don’t know is other builders do this
,but I mix Balsa dust and Sig bond add just a bit of distilled water to thin and fill the cracks and imperfections. My next big step will be adding the top fuselage cover, And the vertical. The rudder off set? I will start with one degree. Between the engine off set of one degree, and the rudder, with the wing weight and balance set I think that will be enough. I’ve already added one ounce of weight behind the wing trailing edge. I’ve been reading posts on Stunt Hanger and our site. Never done this, but I am going to try it. I want to know what one ounce of 26% caster and 5 % nitro weights. I know what my Brodak 2.5 ounce classic tank weights. Kinda fun and interesting to do this. Although I never thought about it when I was younger! Lately I’ve been thinking maybe if I did that then, I would not have crashed so much! AJ

AJ Sun

Hope every body had a nice Christmas, mine was nice and quiet. Might drive over to JTs hobby shop, my arthritis is getting hard to close my right flying hand around my control handles decided to get a few new ones. I could make them but could order them from Okie Models. There handles are reasonably priced, and are thicker so Monday on his birthday, I modified my two old handles, a Rico hard point and a Brodak lead out. Been using it on my Bislob and Veco Chief. Brought my Magishan, out of retirement, and removed the five ounce fuel tank. Made straps for the new two and half ounce tank, it's an old Perfect tank, but new in the box. My Super Ringmaster had the vertical installed and off set rudder one degree. Just a great cool sunny day. Hey guys Happy New year. AJ

AJ Sun

Well finished up my handle mod had some longeron half round material off my Aeronca Champ build. Epoxyed after I cut the tack straight off just on the out side of the raco and Brodak handle. Then I took 1/16 round dowel rod and drilled two holes three inch apart and plugged the holes with the cowl. Now my hand fits really well and grips with out my hand getting pain in the palum. Next test is to try it out in the circle. Looking for a little over three minute flights. About ready to use the smooth and easy in the engine and fuel bay. I finished the top cowl smoothing to the nose contore. Really not impressed how the top cowl is attached. Two front dowel pegs and two magnets in front of the cockpit. Holds down the rear of the top cowl. Still need to cut the engine cylinder hole. And cut the access to the Venturi, for priming. My bottom cowl vent looks great and should help cool the motor on hot summer flights. Now I got to figure out why my I pad went to heavy print! Have a great New Year weekend guys and dolls. AJ

AJ Sun

Man it’s Friday. And Bowl Weekend. Been watching some good games. And working on my U Control projects. Thawing a Turkey,and doing a few other things. Had a complaint on another post about my ability to write? Proper sentences and I guess a lot to a proper guy that knows how to write. It must be aggravating, sure glad my out of date I pad has spell correct. But a few words they can’t correct. Sorry about that. Guess I can’t spell. Got to be me. I go in circles, my only excuse wish I could post pictures. Cuz the Super Ringmaster is looking really nice, But will not be ready to fly in the near future. Looking to test fly in the fall of 2024. Happy New Year. AJ

AJ Sun

Well still sanding a filling and doing a few other clean ups. Hope all you circle guys survived the holidays. And so it goes in 24. Gotten really cold here in Texas. So my daily operation has slowed gets warm enough about 2 pm. Then by 5.30. It drops again. Getting a slight ice storm today. My Super Ringmaster is slowly getting ready to et a few coats of Nitrate Dope. Really have to thin it fir a smooth finish.more to come in 24.AJ

AJ Sun

Well lots going on they are having a Ringmaster FlyOthon in October 2024! Looking forward to that. Hopefully I will have a few planes to fly. The Super is looking pretty nice still filling and sanding, usually do a weight check and balance before I cover the wings. Applied smooth and easy to my engine and tank area usually takes 72 hours to fully cure. Added fourth ounce of weight to my S-1 right wing kept seeing it on a wing over. Seven stran lines at fifty nine feet. Winds were light at the time. Hope that fixes it.AJ

AJ Sun

Well it’s Super Bowl weekend,the Las Vegas keep it quiet! My Smooth and easy is still a little tacky, wish the sun would come out, rain this week end, had a storm come thru at about 3 AM. Been sanding and prepping my wing for cover, K&S Silk. After that Smooth and Easy cures I will do the weight and balance. The Air Force guys thought me the basics and I’ve always stuck with it. Tho I know other guys have a different method. Been talking to several guys from the Brotherhood of the Ring, still haven’t been able to Join, so hush hush on the QT and very Quiet! Kinda wish some of the guys in the Brotherhood of the Ring would post even a personal message would work for me. AJ

AJ Sun

Well I learned thru a private message thank you for contacting me. Your secure. I was informed the Brotherhood of the ring. Did not care for me to be part of their group. That’s fine really don’t have an issue with that. I still plan to fly in October my S-1 and my winter build S-6. Hope to get with a group that is also flying in the flyOthon. Still nothing on that. My S-6 is looking great. Hope she flys well.AJ

AJ Sun

Well the last three days have been associated with handles and flying lines. Had an incident about a year ago when a set of my lines in the back of my car came loose. What a mess. If you have ever had that happen you know what I am talking about. Just a balled up mess. Well I delt with that mess a year later. Took three hours,but I got it done. Twisted raveled mess. Bought a new plastic storage handle intending on using it for determining the weight requirement on my right wing. So I also ordered a couple of empty plastic reels. Scissor connectors and another stuge to use on engine test runs. Getting ready for this Brotherhoodofthering. In October 2024. AJ

AJ Sun

Well the weight and wing differential counter weight came in at 1 3/4 ounce. Fifty eight foot lines seven stran. The fuselage took 2.8 ounce to/ balance with a little nose included the two inch spinner lite wheels. This kit was a Micro Models Super Ringmaster. Understand only maybe fifty kits were produced. Some say more than that. Still have to install the belly pan and tail skid. Mounted the weights inside the fuselage. Lots more sanding but I am hoping this whole SR will weigh in at 34 ounces. Fueled and ready to circle. That first flight will be interesting.AJ

AJ Sun

Still down to sanding and adding weights to balance this SR. Had a set back and wound up in the hospital for three days. My upper heart valve was vibrating they call it A Fib. Thought I had the flu or Covid. Went to the doctor and ended up in the Emergency room. They were great got my heart rate down stopped the A Fib and had to take a blood thinner found lots of platelets in my blood streams. Pin head and smaller. If it hits your brain it's the big Caseno. Problem is I am weak and have Diarrhea. From the meds they have me on. Going to take some time they say it will pass, hope so. Not getting much sleep. AJ

AJ Sun

Well as it goes in 24. Been recovering and getting adjusted to my Meds, haven’t worked on the SR 6 weather is still acting up, still cool out one day lots of wind haven’t flown in a year now, still looking forward to the flyOhthon in October. When this weather breaks rain,wind,cool temps. I plan to cover my Super Ringmaster. Bought some parachute cord to make wrist thongs. That completes my new handles. Also made up a table to start the UC planes. Having a hard time starting them on the ground. Just about got everything ready just waiting on the weather.AJ

AJ Sun

Well started to do more sanding on my S6 and pulled on the down control cable and it was stuck would not move. The up line was fine but no down. Looked into the wing at the bell crank seemed okay the up line was fine but the down line was jammed. Oh S***. I can be leave this. Looked again and I could not see why the down elevator line was jammed. Elevator went to neutral and stopped. No down control at all. The bell crank is mounted just left of the cabin. Do I start cutting,Or what.! When I doubt give it a little jerk! Nothing! give it a little harder jerk.! Nothing !!! Okay let’s give it the old twenty five pound jerk, Pop! That was it just a pop did not sound like Balsa breaking so I guess we are good to go. What was holding up the show was a mystery to me.AJ

aaganz

AJ, Donnyman, et al,

Here are pictures of my Super Ringmaster from 1953 now being "rehabilitated" with new balsa and Silkspan wing cover. The plane now needs 2 more finish coats, and a new engine mount for my K&B 19 (eBay!).
The next post will show Super Ringmaster 1954, from a kit given at Christmas. It was all finished except for the final doping...which never got done. Still a WIP!
Pix 1- 1953 as retrieved from the attic
Pix 2 - 1953 work in progress 2024

aaganz

aaganz

AJ, Donnyman, et al,

Here is a pix of my Super Ringmaster from 1954. I built from the kit, covering the whole plane (including fuselage) with some "tissue" (what was it?), and after sitting in the attic for over 50 years, and now retrieved. If my 1953 re-build works out and flies, I'll proceed on to finishing off the 1954 plane after 70 years. This will be a nice accomplishment, and a tribute to my cousin who gave it to me for Christmas. He survived a Japanese attack on his destroyer gun turret in WW2 in the So. Pacific.
aaganz

AJ Sun

That attic plane and a new build I take it one is up right and the other is inverted engine mounts. That’s interesting. Never seen an inverted Super Ringmaster in the Circle. Your mount rails I guess are in the same location but the engine case would be inverted on top of the mount. Now your fuel tank to me that’s the big question. It would be located below the engine mount rails, I guess you could do away with the mount rails and go with a RC type metal engine mount. That in my way of thinking would work a bit better, for an inverted engine on the Super Ringmaster! Lots of interest stuff in U Control! AJ

aaganz

AJ Sun, et al,
The pictures may have mis-led you and other viewers..!!...sorry..... At some point in the distant past, I had covered over the engine cover on top, pending the time I got another engine. For the moment, I just doped it over too, but intend to mount the engine in the normal upright fashion as it originally was, and then cut out for the engine head!.

The mount for my "new" K&B 19 is a different story, as I want to retain the mounting bolts for the K&B 35, but have the option to mount a K&B 29 also, in the event the K&B 19 is not powerful enough for my simple demonstration flights! The engine bolt holes don't line up for the other engine sizes.

My idea is to use short aluminum flat strips (1/16 inch or 1/8 inch) on top of the existing engine "logs". On each side, I will drill 4 holes through the aluminum. The first 2 will fit over the K&B 35 bolts, and allow me to tighten the "flat" down securely with the nuts and washers. The second 2 will be for the K&B 19 bolts sticking upwards. I will drill out a bit of the "logs" for fitting the bolt heads. This will bring the new engine approximately 1 1/8 inches further forward.

I should be able to mount a K&B 29 in the same fashion if wanted, and also have the option to unbolt it at any time and mount a K&B 35! Let me know your thoughts!

aaganz

AJ Sun

Ya gganz I guess I was reading it wrong! My build was not the original Sterling. It was a repop of Micro Models. Their only plane that was offered. They are still in the hobby scene, but in model Rail roading. I did buy an original Sterling kit about two months ago on Ebay, you don't see them very often. And the Sporter you never see. Seen one for over $300.00. To rich for me. It sold on a bid fire. Three guys went at it. Crazy kits are high and engines are low right now. That will change for sure! Keep posting and tell us how it went. Did a little smooth sanding on my SR today just about ready to start laying on the silk. AJ

aaganz

AJ, Donnyman, et al,

The plans shown above in the thread can be purchased from AMA ($13 + $7 S&H) and are full scale large layout drawings. It shows all the wood pieces ....etc...and their sizing. It shows "Designed by Matt Konia" and "Drawn by Tom Dixon 11/89". It is the "Super Ringmaster", also referred to as "Nostalgia Stunt". "29 or 35 Engine".

I hope to get off the ground with a K&B 19 for some gentle low altitude flight...but if this fails, will get the other engines. My aluminum mount will be "shiftable" so any of the three engines will mount.

aaganz

AJ Sun

I did a tracing of all the fuselage parts. And realized the similarity with the Veco Tom Tom that I started building. The cockpit is really similar in design, and so is the rear portion of the fuselage. But still has the classic Veco square tail. The Tom Tom was redesigned when Dumas acquired Veco then sold out to Aero the entire Veco line. The AMA plans department has a great selection of plans. I've only bought one set, 1/3 Scale Aeronca Champ. They also offered the cowl and the stock windscreen. A guy still make those parts out in California. AJ

aaganz

AJ,
You mentioned the cowl and stock windscreen as being made in California. Did you mean for the Tom Tom or the Super Ringmaster? At present I am planning to make the windscreen for my two Super Ringmasters by cutting up a thin plastic bottle, and bending to shape before gluing in. If one is available somewhere, I would buy 2 directly! Thanks,

aaganz