Always wanted one of these ships and finally scored one.

The instruction manual is fabulous--but I was just wondering if any of you vets had any tips or advice for building/flying this creature?

(I'm the born-again beginner who asked a few weeks back for insights on developing basic flying skills. Been trying to do this with (mostly experimental) 1/2 A ships, but I decided it might be easier to get flying with a larger, proven vessel).

Thanx, y'all, for your attention,
M

Hey minny

I'm like you, just getting back into CL. I got a Twister and built it just like the plans said, with a few changes like nylon hinges for control surfaces and fully adjustable linkages using RC clevises. Some people said they don't work well with CL but I've had no problems. Covered it with Ultrakote and went flying. It's really a dependable bird and I am able to do about anything I want to with it.

My suggestion is build it basic, put a dependable engine on it and go fly the wings off of it. Work with different props and elevator/flap settings and get used to what the changes do to it. But fly it often , every chance you get.

Have fun.

This makes me think about when we did not know better. Ambroid or Testers glue on gauze bandage material to reinforce wing to fuselage joint. Same with the elevator. Also a single platform for the bellcrank mount. Standard Perfect tanks behind a McCoy 35 Redhead. Silkspan was glued on as I did not know about doping it on. Then only three coats of clear sanded before maybe enough color to look solid. Wore the planes out flying them. Then joined a club and started learning all the stuff I was doing was wrong. Sterling may have had lousy kits as far as todays standards, but, they taught you how to build. Follow the instructions on the Streak with a dependable engine and have fun. DOC Holliday

Oh my, jehold

That's exactly the way I did it too, way back when, cause I didn't know any better either. But I flew the wings off of them anyway with a McCoy 29. Even covered one with newspaper once just to get back in the air. Worked fine, too. Didn't even paint it.

You got more guts than me cause I didn't want anyone else to know. But now the secret's out.

Lessee...A few offhand thoughts. (Is this a Brodak kit?) If you haven't bought power yet, consider an OS LA 25. About the best out-of-the-box power on the market. If, that is, if, you can find an OS FP 20, the later one with the #2030 muffler, grab it. I can direct you to a complete set of instructions to make the thing run like a Swiss watch with almost no effort. Otherwise, the LA 25 is very decent stock.

Work to keep it light. Easy on the glue and covering. And be sure it's straight. Balance it about 1 1/2 or 1 5/8th inch behind the leading edge. Limit the elevator throw to maybe 3/8th inch each way at first. Speed it up as you feel more comfortable flying it. Try 60 foot long .015 lines. Add fuel and enjoy. BTW, use fuel that is 50-50 castor oil/synthetic. If the fuel is the color of Kool-Ade, don't run it in a CL model.

It was a weird world where we had fun because we didn't know any better!

I have always thought that knowing better allowed one to have more fun. Reflecting on years gone by, I am not so sure anymore.

Jim

I remember back in the early sixties buliding many flite streaks. I lived on a military base in Canada and you could buy the kit for $2.19 . I didn't build them very light and used Veco 29s in them. Thought they were great until a sailor give me his as he was getting transfered. It was beautiful. It was superbly sanded and finished but it only had a Torpedo green head 19 in it. It was very light compared to mine but at age 11, I thought that little engine was a joke. Any way I went to the field to give her a try and was astonished at how agile it was. Inside and outside loops were unbelievably tight and slow compared to my heavy and overpowered flite streaks. That taught me a valuable lesson that to this day, I still think of that Flite Streak when I'm building and powering my RC planes. Build it as light as you can and don't overpower it and it will fly like the dickens.[8D]

This is such kool advice. And it really took me back. About the same time as you, I was getting into flying--only with .049's. I remember I was so hot to fly, I usually took off (and crashed) before the dope was even dry.

Were the Flite Streaks of that era pre-finished ARF's like they are now? Don't recall exactly when monocote and similar mylar coatings came onto the scene, but I don't think it was till the 70's.

Great lesson in paying attention to weight--to every single gram--came last week when I was working on the CG for another 1/2A model. Found the sweet spot to place the tail weight--but forgot to factor in the weight of the epoxy. Turns out epoxy's fairly heavy stuff.

Thinking of doing all the gluing on my new Flite Streak with CA--even though it doesn't exactly agree with my sinuses.

And I'm gonna try a K&B .20 Sportster. Seems kinda heavy to me. (Got a BigMig .25 the same day, it seems way lighter than the Sportster).

Local club has a FliteStreak for a trainer, and it's mounted with a BigMig .15. Never tried it, but it presumably performs quite well--but they use shorter lines. I'm thinking of going for the default .015 60-ft. lines.

But I do love your image of a slightly under-powered, extremely light ship--particularly as I'm still very much in learn-mode.

Thanx, for the tips,
M

minny,

There are some CA's that are "odor free", you might want to check them out. Although it takes more time to set, aliphatic resins are strong and a bit lighter (unless slopped on). You still can't beat epoxy for the engine area.

The Sportster or the Big Mig should do fine. The .015 x 60' should be good.

A .15 can be flown on .012 lines. Usually 52' is a good start (and a standard length).

Someone is flying a Flite Streak with a OS (LA or FP) .15 with good success. Remember the .15 has roughly the equivalent power of the older .19's and the FS is designed for older .19-.35's.

Good luck with it

George

Minny, In the early and mid sixties we used silkspan and dope. I don't think monocote and such were even on the drawing board yet. All we could get in Newfoundland was 60 foot lines (.015) so that's what we used. I remember playing sick and staying home from school one day. Of course by afternoon I was all better and went to the school yard with that plane just as school was letting out. I was flying that thing like there was no tomorrow and everybody got off their busses to watch. They applauded in mass after one of my wild flights including about 10 consecutive outside loops. I sure wish I could bring those days back!! Oh well, I guess I'll head to the field now and fly my new 27% Cap 232. Model Aviation is the bomb!