This is a start of a reference site on my construction of USS. Going to start it off with a construct problem maybe someone could help me with.

The construction plans for this plane are located http://www.spadtothebone.com/SPAD/ultraspadstick/
and are very informative but materials vary in size and my access to SPAD is totally via the net and my experience is quite limited. As has been mentioned before 'starting big and a big undertaking.'

My vinyl fence post were larger than the ones used in the plans and that reduced the height of material above the vinyl formers. Page 21 shows using 'lugs' in the holddown blocks; well I don't have any space for lugs between the yardstick doublers.

Nothing is glued yet, just prefitting.
1) How important are the lugs? I can make cutouts to accommodate lugs if need be.

2) The blocks in the picture appear to be mounted below the top of fuse/wing saddle. What is the guideline for where the tops of the holddown blocks should mounted? (I guess about 3/16" to compensate for the dihedral or does wing wrap just compress on sides of wing saddle?)
Hate to glue and find the height is wrong.

3) Kraut's aft block seems to be one yardstick height above the aft vinyl former. If you don't attach anything to top, could some lighten holes be drilled?

First pic to highlite the problem. The second pic is of the start of the 'production line' ....

If your fence post is a little bigger than the plans, that ok. you'll just have to compensate for the added size and make every thing else just a little bigger too.

"My vinyl fence post were larger than the ones used in the plans and that reduced the height of material above the vinyl formers." -- Make it "Taller" so that it sticks up the same amount as Krauts plans.

And Yea, the "lugs" (as on page 21) are required, that's what holds the wing on.

cc

Chunky C
O K on the lugs. Cut both doublers down to create a 3/8"+ groove for the lugs. Now to find some button head screws to anchor the sides of the holddown blocks, when the time comes.

Anyone have any feedback on lightening holes in top of aft doubler?

Lesson learned on landing gear: If you make the upper bends to far apart, it will be a pain to keep them from moving sideways![>:]

As the instruction state 'assume the builder is experienced...' that is not me. When time came to install vert stab, I had/have trouble visualizing how a top fuse cover and Goop (n/a so Shoe Goo it is) on the 'foot' would be enough.. The pics show additional section of yardstick with bamboo skewers glued just off c/l. Appropriate flutes and 'side tabs' got poly and base got Shoe Goo. When cured it was installed over base yardstick with poly and the side tabs got Shoe Goo.

The learning curve... Maybe this will assist someone else. With my interpertation of hor stab construct (P11 &12) scoring flutes I must have flubbed up as I ended up short on material when folded. Ended up short on material for doubling the elevator.
Pic shows the end result with the yellow bottomed elevator. The 4 flute LE fold ended up too thick when time came too attach to fuse. (Ended up finally swishing it with wood clamp to get center LE to 8mm)
Due to material restraits it also now has a modified V cutout ( very similar to actual H9 US 3"LE & 8"TE) It did result in more work angling the servos later.
The plan #2 hor stab the all white turned out better. I scored c/l flute and one flute on each side and it folded nicely for me. See pic. Note how close the materials ended up on the TE of elevator.
Shoe Goo must be 85% solvents, it sure shrinks a bunch. Hindsight...I'm considering using more on #2 Chili Pepper.

This construct thread went by the wayside as I finished the plane. Did take a bunch of pics during construction. If anyone thinks some will assist them in construction, let me know and I add some more.

The plane ended up heavy, 17.5# before I rebuilt the landing gear, which was too lite. It lasted 4 flights and an one or so of taxi work. Will not weld anymore gear. The latest gear is 1/4" front and 3/16" rear legs cold bent and alot shorter. (Ended up with 5" buggy wheels and using a 16-8 MAS prop for 2" clearance.)

The good new is that is now has 8 (20 minute) flights and my instructor feels I should go into the large trainer construction business!!

If I had known how tough this plane was going to be, I would have put a 'flying boar' on it instead of a flying pig! [8D] Lost power 3 minutes into last flight and it ended up upside down out in the boonies. Dirty yes but NO apparent damage. Impressed everyone.! Only clue was that the plug wire was off at site.

I would like to thank Kraut for the design, ChrisSpad and all the others that answered my questions however dumb they may have seemed.

Now to learn enough to solo. In flight pics soon.

So it wound up a little heavy, so what? That will make it penetrate the wind better and land better. What engine have you put on it? I prefer a plane with a little meat on its bones, they seem to handle better, up to a point, that is.

The plane looks good but the buggy wheels seem a little flimsy. Are they strong enough to handle the weight? I saw one model that a guy put wheels from a golf pull cart on. Now that was wierd looking.

Jim: The 4" wheels survived longer than the bent and finally broke (at weld) gear. The 5" buggy wheels have 3 asphalt runway landings and a crash and they are fine so far.
Only crash damage I have found was the coil tab for kill wire got bent and cracked out some potting epo9xy around it. Hope thick CA is compatiable, as that was my fix and seal.

Another product that will seal the switch is Goop, any brand, or just plain Silicone. Nothing will get past that stuff.
Congrats on the wheels. I still think golf buggy wheels would look really awesome. 6" diameter and about 4" wide. Heck that would look like an ATV with wings.