LIL WIZARD
 

Hey Boys,

New to site and things look great! Ready to get back into control line flight after a 35+ year absence, oh boy. Anyway, need to find the great discontinued kit by the man, Carl Goldberg, I couldnt bust it when I was 13, so figured that is where I would start! Can't find it anywhere. Searched tons of internet outfits, e-bay, etc, no place yet, Please help, I want this plane!

Thanks in advance,

Later,

Bob

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Goldberg kits are now own by Brodak. I didn't see it in the list but another good kit to start out with is the Little Hacker. It's a good deal at 2 for $25. They are easy to build and tough to break. Brodak has them listed on his site. He also has several other 1/2A kits listed as well.
www.brodak.com.
http://www.brodak.com/shop_search.ph...tsearch=wizard

Found it.

Hope this helps.

Jay

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Hey Jay,

Thanks alot! I was looking @ the Brodak site this weekend. Saw models you mentioned & also was leaning toward their "Clown" series and of course the basic trainer. Just that the "Lil Wizard" was so solid & had the dreaded rubber band engine mount, ha.

Thanks again!

Later

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Funny you should mention the Lil Hacker. I was flying mines yesterday. The engine quit and the plane came in on me. Nothing too bad but I need to fix the motor mount. The second plane I didn't check for level and crashed it pretty hard. Didn't look at it too closely but I think it needs a new fuselage.

Jay

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

I learned to fly C/L on a Wizard, and have one now that I've used to teach my son and others. You're right that it's nearly indestructible, but after messing with it and other 1/2A planes, I've concluded that lighter, less indestructible planes are way easier for newbies to learn on. The Wizard is so heavy, and on such a small wing, that the control response is delayed to the point of being really difficult for new pilots to grasp.

I certainly understand the nostalgia of having a plane you liked as a younger person, but when it comes to actually teaching new pilots, I'd recommend something like a 1/2A Sig Skyray. Granted, if you pile it in, it'll break, but it's much less likely to get piled in because it responds to "up elevator" when you raise the handle. And with sheet balsa construction, repairs are pretty easy.

Just my $0.02.

Phil

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Made my first succesful c/l flights with a lil wizard back in the 70s. I've still got it complete with a babe bee on whats left of the nose. The nose is now nearly mush because of the amount of hot fuel it has encountered. Still feels oily after probably twenty years of non use. I used to fly the thing several times a week when I was a teenager. I never thought of it as a really heavy airplane. I think that the sluggish control response is due mostly an extreme forward cg. The engine is so far in front of the leading edge and there's the weight of the double firewall rubber band structure resulting in a balane point well ahead of the wing. Very stable level flight. Almost no control authority when you need it. For all of the fuel that went through mine, I never did coax it into a loop. Recovering from a wing over could be real scary too. Great plane for learning to go round and round till the fuel is gone. In my experience not good for much besides learning to go round and round until the fuel is gone.

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

I learned on a Lil' Wizard a long time ago. My 14 year old nephews are showing some interest in RC, but I think CL is a better way to start. Bought a Sig SkyRay, but then decided that since I fly electric RC, I'd try electric CL. Bought a Hobby Lobby Yak foamie for $20 and a $20 brushless outrunner. Should be flyable in a couple of weeks.

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Brodak has the little Wizard. Call the shop and they will send you one. I don't know why it's not on the web site.

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Hey Sam,

Thanks for the info. I finally did find the "Lil Wizard on Brodak.com., last week. I actually had to get the part# from another guy, then inter it into the "Search" box, go figure. Anyway, finally got it ordered, Brodak told me it is the same old Carl Goldberg kit. I said yeh, but not the same old price, he rocked me $37.00 & change for that bad boy, think I paid $7.00 & change in 70-71., anyway it will be worth every penny if I get the thrill out of her! Just hope these Cox .049's I'm laying the bucks out for are as forgiving & trustworthy as the ones I once owned.

Later,

Thanks again!

Regards,

Bob

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Hi, I'm glad to hear you found your Li'l Wizard. I had one in the 80's that I learned on (I'm only 28), could you possibly share the part number so the rest of us can find them? I'd like to build one again.
Thanks

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Hey Nightflier,

I have the part # @ work so I'll have to get it to you monday! Sorry.

Regards,

Bob

Building the Lil Wizard sure did bring back some good old memories!

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

That's fine, thank you.

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Nightflier,

WWW.Brodak.com
P#CLP-71

Bob

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Bob,
I believe that is an extinct kit (out of production). For those, expect to pay more. Brodak probably charged you a reasonable price. Many folks just order plans and build their own. Last time I saw a CG Lil' Wizard kit, it had a die-crunched fuselage and I left it on the shelf. Kinda wish I had bought it, [:o]

In any case, save the plans and trace the parts on the back of the plan if necessary.

George

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Gee, and I've got one built and painted like the box cover paint scheme, never flown that I'd like to get rid of.

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

I have a 1/2A Skyray completely built but never flown. No Motor. If anyone is interested in purchasing it make me an offer and email it to me at [email protected]

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Hi Tom,

I'm interested in your Lil Wizard, e-mail me at
[email protected]

Regards,

Bob

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Carl Goldberg Lil Wizard

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Wizard plus thirty years.

whoops, didn't mean to put it there twice

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Anyone able to point me to just plans for the LIL WIZARD? I know that the kit has been out of production for some time now.
Thanks

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Just got a Li'l Wizard from a fellow in Tacoma. Still in the wrapper. Ebay. Looked at the wing and it's an airfoil shape, so it will be tough to replace it with something a bit bigger. I would like to modify the wing for more area (along the lines of the Stuntman 23, another boardwing I tried and failed to get from Ebay), and possibly increase the area of the elevator.

I may have to forgo the wonderful airfoil shape wing (can anyone tell me if it is more effective than a straight plank?), because it is just too small. Also, going to adjust the CG if I can, to about 20% behind the leading edge, if my memory serves me.

I usually design and build my own, but I need something 'off the shelf' for quick building. Thought I would deconstruct the really old Stuntman 23 and copy the parts, but even after successfully taking it apart, the model (over 30 years old) will be hard to copy. The wing was built up out of four seperate pieces of sheet balsa.

I would probably have been better off with a Jumpin' Bean, but boardwings are fun to fly, too, and the cheapest way I know to get the neighborhood kids involved.

Cent13

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

My answer is, "Yes it's more effective." When you look at it, it's more effective in making you say "Neat!" ;)

It's probably more effective in the air, too, but on a plane this size, how can you measure it? As you are well aware, the Lil Wizard suffers from too much weight on too small a wing, so I would bet that a larger, flat wing is still going to fly better than the small shaped wing.

Why not shape your larger wing? It's not very difficult to do with a coarse sanding block, sanding cross grain for heavy removal, then with the grain to smooth it out, and progress to finer grades, and you'll probably have it done in less than a half hour.

Phil

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Weeeeelll....the trailing edge of that nicely curved wing is just thick enough to attach a 3/32nd thick sheet. The present chord is 3.5 inches - I could easily extend it another 2 inches, at least.

I was thinking of extending the fuselage a bit, a couple of inches. But that would be a matter of copying the original, then inserting the extra length into the template, and then moving to new balsa.

How much would that or simply extending the wing spoil the original design's performance? As it stands, the original is a fancy plank with a motor strapped on. The plastic Testor's planes from the store would perform just as well.

Regards,

Cent13

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

The performance of the LW isn't great, but I wouldn't go so far as to say the plastic plane from the store is just as good. The LW's claim to fame is that it'll fly on long lines and stay tight, which it does. It's also pretty tough ... it'll take a lot of abuse, just bring along a bottle of Zap for quick repairs to the tail surfaces. Just don't expect to do figure eights and clover-leafs.

I think, if you're going to change everything, why not build your own design?

Good luck,

Phil

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Good point, and you're right. But I like the looks, and don't think adding area to the wing and the elevator will affect its current claims to fame. However, I have been thinking long and hard on the damage I saw on the Stuntman 23's fuselage just aft of the trailing edge. That is suspiciously like the damage to my old Bean, and it may be that in crashing a balsa wood profile plane, this is the traditional weak point. Am I right?

Therefore, I will have to reinforce the area with plywood stiffeners. Especially if I intend to extent the wing chord. But all I'm really trying to do is improve the response on this beauty, so maybe not figure eights, but loops and wingovers are possible.

Regards,

Cent13

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Since that area is behind the CG, why not use a little carbon fiber attached with CA to keep the weight down. Or run a spruce "spar" like a backbone out to the tail. If the spar were fairly thin it would be light and still provide adequate strength.

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Somewhere between the light weight fuselage that breaks and one with plywood doublers comes an alternative of using 1/4" hard "C" grain balsa. Just a little heavier and a lot stronger than the kit fuselage. Something to consider.

George

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

The Wizard is pretty capable of several manuvers. I was fortunate enough to be taught to do some stunting with a Wizard in my early 20's (about 20+ years ago). Yes, a Wizard. I was tutored by a gent who was a control line combat champion when he was in the US Army stationed in Korea in the early 60's. I was showing him what a hotshot I was with the Wizard I had built in college. I was at the stage where I was doing some near wingovers... I asked if he wanted to fly it and he said sure, even though it's a trainer. I cranked it up and on the second lap he flew it inverted (albeit quite nose high...). After a lap or two of that he started doing loops. After he showed me the finer points I was doing them myself.

The Wizard requires you to enter these manuvers with some energy so I typically would start with a healthy down line. You have to walk into the loop a bit to help it around. The Wizard will also sink when you do go for inverted flight so make sure you have some altitude. I was (and still am) running a Black Widow on it. I doubt if the old bird may be able to do those stunts with a regular BabyBee. A great trainer none the less. It can do some stunts. Not great but it can do them...

After I flew the Wizard I flew a Cox PT-19 and realized what a slug the PT-19 was. My brother was a big PT-19 flier. The PT-19 made the Wizard feel like a snappy race plane. Of course to be fair I was running the Black Widow.

I have checked out numerous folks on the Wizard and it still flies dependably. I finally had to retire my first airframe because there was more CA glue than balsa... Ship 2 is twenty years old and still flying...

I'm getting ready to get a couple of Brodak Wizard kits for my son. The beat goes on...

Bill

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

This was my first balsa control line plane. I was about 9 or 10 I think when I purchased it with some birth day money. I flew that plane countless times until the gas soaked front end gave up. Funny to see the engine fly off the plane. It was a stable easy to fly plane. Much better than the COX plastic planes from Kmart. I flew mine with a Baby Bee and later with a golden bee. Fond memories of that plane.

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

I learned Controline on the Cox PT-19. A dog for sure, but flyable. The Wizard my friend had was much snappier and he let fly it on occasion. In order to be a little different, I built the Stuntman 23. Flew fine but so early in my Controline history, I wasn't doing much more than climbs and dives, maybe a wingover. Never flew it inverted. The Buster allowed me to learn that. Getting to a more capable plane made a world of difference. Even the Baby Ringmaster was a hoot and quite stuntable.

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

hey Bob, hows the controline flying. I've been flying a beater Flite Streak for the last month now and having a blast re-learning Controline. Not to mention flying with a couple of Controline buddies that I haven't flown with for awhile. Hope your Controline flying is progressing. Best Regard, Tom

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

posted twice by accident

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

I still have the Wizard in the box. My own design for my son worked beautifully, until the sixth time it rammed the ground from a wingover. The firewall just fell off. I salvaged the plane and we are reinforcing the fuselage box for the next plane, which is the same thing (I cut three sets of balsa parts for each design to save effort).

He likes flying. Can you believe it?

Now I just have to get him to enjoy building them....

Cent13

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Heres mine, as you can see it's been around the horn a few times. Notice the Monokote trim sheet repair for an elevator hinge. Can't squeese out a loop with the Cox Babe Bee though, should I be able to?

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

I think you should get a loop out of it. What fuel are you using, prop size and pitch and length and type lines?

Robert

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Thimble Drone 6x3 (cut down to about 5 1/2"), 42' dycron with Wildcat 20-20, 5-5 1/2 second lap times.

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Where does it balance. Probably should be about 1/2" behind the leading edge. Bet it's nose heavy.

George

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Prop sounds OK fuel could be better at 25% nitro but you aren't far off there. Line length sounds good too but you would be far better off with .008 wire lines. The ones you are using... far too draggy.
...Um balance good on the prop? This could rob much needed power too.

I also have to go with George with the CG. All these things add up to increase or decrease performance.

Robert

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

I have some .008" lines, may try them along with checking the CG and a new prop. It got about 1/4" chipped off one end so I just evened them up a little....Come on guys, we have all done it[sm=72_72.gif].

RE: LIL WIZARD
 

Not me. Not only do I not have the skill at balancing the prop after trimming it, I would be afraid of ruining the bearing on the engine. Maybe I need to grow more spine, but those little engines are not very forgiving. I tighten the pistons every so often with that nifty gadget Davis Diesel sells, but if the prop gets a nick, I just get another prop. They're cheaper than a sixty-dollar engine.

Cent13