1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Winter project, Building a Balsa USA 1/4 scale cub. Torn between which engine Satio 100 or OS 120?

Thanks for all replys in advance,

Troy

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

I am building the same airplane. I am planning on using an OS FT-160 twin. Nothing sounds like a twin.
Travis

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

I am also building one for a winter project. I am using a Zenoah G-26. At this point, gasoline is still cheaper than glow fuel!!

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Just an old Sig J3 this summer. Powered it with an OS 120. Both the kit and the engine date back to the 80's. Flys great. 1/3 throttle takeoffs. Cubs are great flyers.

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Troy:
I can't speak to the Saito but the OS 120 pump I have in my BUSA Cub is very realistic.It's inverted and the guys at the field usually stop what they're doing when I taxi out. Wait a minute.... Maybe thats 'cause they're waiting for the crash!!

Most of the flight is at partial throttle and the sound of a 4 stroke is part of the experience. Swing a big prop and have fun

JMO

Jim

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Hello ec121

What a great looking cub. Really hope mine looks half as nice. Thanks for the input.

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Hi Troy,

Yep, cubs are awesome. I just finished a Dynaflite 1/4 scale Super Cub and will fly her for the first time in the spring. They are very interesting projects and require a great deal of time to complete. I guess thats why we build them. There are lots of info. on this forum concerning cubs and engines. I did a cub search and still have'nt finished reading all the posts about them. Very good research info. I have a ST3000 in mine and the wing loading works out to about 28.3 oz. per Sq. ft. It may be overpowered somewhat, time will tell I guess. Pictures are in my gallery.

I wish you well. Happy building and many happy landings. :D [8D] Roland

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

My BUSA ¼ Scale Cub was set up for an OS 120, but I have two Saito 100's to break in for a twin. I mounted one, canted 18° to the right side, and almost everything fits within the cowl. With a bit of a prop shaft extension, I'd only have to have a cooling hole in the front.

The 100 will lift the plane off fine, in about 50' on a calm day. It flies the plane around fine, in a scale-like manner. No speed demon, and I wouldn't try any aerobatics with the 100 in it, but that doesn't bother me. If you want to do loops & rolls, you might want the 120.

Good luck,
Dave Olson

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Hey guys, I want to cover my BUSA with fabric and then paint it. Any suggestions on the best paint system to use (single stage, base coat/clear coat, etc).
Thanks, Travis

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Hi Troy,

I'm sure yours will come out looking great. Cubs have a way of doing that. Any 120 size fourstroke will fly it and sound great as well. The older OS 120 I'm using fits within the cowl except for the ends of the valve covers. It is well baffeled and cooling air is ducted through the eyebrows. Runs fine even during one of our summer heat waves.

Here is a closer shot of the cowl area.

SeYa .....

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Guys thanks for the info, Can't wait to get started on this project.

Thanks,

Troy

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

I am doing the Sig 1/4 scale clipped wing cub. Hazel's colors of course!

JEB:D

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Bigger is better, go w/the 120. I have a Balsa USA w/ a Super Cub fiberglass cowling. It flies w/ a Quadra 42 (white plane w/red trim, Century 21 fabric covered).

I just got really cheap a beautiful Sig clipped wing fabric covered J-3 (yellow fabric, of course) form a great modeler friend of mine that is cutting down in size. For this one I am shopping for a Zenoah 26. The problem with the Zenoah is that the J-3 cowling is tooo narrow. I might just replace the cowling (J-3) by a Super Cub cowling and call it a PA-11.

I modified mine when I built it (many years back). I mounted the wings on 2 tubes, and I modified the tail section, and I can remove the whole tail section. This allowed me to fit the plane in my samall Nissan Sentra I had at the time:-) Of course, since then I only purchased minivans, and later SUV's.

I suggest you replace the 4 longerons of the fuselage by spruce (do not use the balsa stringers). It will save you a lot of grief down the road (do not ask why I know this)...

Gerry

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Hey Gerry ,

I ordered the OS 120 today and i will upgrade the fuselage as you suggest. If you have any other ideas please let me know.

Thanks,

Troy

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Hi Troy. I did a couple of changes to my J-3 while building. Non of the ideas were mine, I copied from the masters:-).

1) I did make the whole tail group detachable, in order to be able to move my plane around in a small car. Not hard to do, it is a blessing if you want to go to the field, and your wife did take your minivan or SUV, and left her Honda:-). If you do not have this problem, do not bother. I plan to do the same if I build a 1/3 scale S.Cub or some 1/3 sacale monster...

2) The other big change was to change the way the wings are mounted on the fuse. I did install tubes which make the assembly esasier on the field. No help needed to put the plane together at the field. I can post pictures where you can get an idea of what I did.

3) After a silly accident, a pilot (me) stupid mistake during landing, I replaced the 4 balsa pieces that go all along your fuselage corners by spruce. You gain very little in weight, but you gain a lot in strength.

4) I reinforced the firewall area because I wanted to use a big engine, a Quadra 42. Using a gasser forced me to go w/a supr Cub cowling to hide the engine. J-3 cowlings are not gas-friendly. Saitos or similar engines are better to hide. You can mount inverted, or just let the cilinder stick out on one of the sides:-)

5) I used gussetts to reinforce the fuse while building. Again, with a minimum weight penaltuy you gain a lot of strenght.

Gerry

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

To erjpilot: All my cubs (for the last several years(15 plus) have been covered with Sig Koverall and finished with Sig Butyrate Dope. There is another outlet for Dope, and I have the name and address somewhere. (I'll find it and post it for you) Be sure to spray the dope in an approved fashion (ventilation etc) and wear an approved mask. This stuff can be lethal.

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

To: erjpilot.
I promised to look up the other good source for Dope, and so here it is: It is distributed by Randolph Aircraft in Riverside CA
www.randolphaircraft.com
1-800-362-3190
They used to sell in small (quart) quantities
be sure to use the correct reducer (thinner)
Good luck
ps. they offer more colors than Sig

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

I have been waiting since mid summer for Koverall. Was supposed to be here by mid December and now Sig says mid January. I think I will just use the Solartex to cover with. I did this on my Bristol (see avitar) and have used it in the past. It can be painted, decaled and then sealed. I just use hardware store polyurethane with a foam brush. Nice results. I am ordering the covering for the 1/4 scale Dr this afternoon (over the net).

Solartex also sells the correct blue for the Hazel sig clipped wing cub paint scheme. If the Dr turns out like I expect it will, then the cub will get this treatment as well.

My suggestion for power would be a 4 stroke and use the standard cub cowl. The G26 is a nice gasserbut no way it will fit in the kit cowl. I have this motor for my Dr1. Any way that is my vote, pleas keep us informed and post some build pictures if you would be so kind. Should be a great project, look forward to hearing more.

Another modler told me that all r/c planes have autopilots, they are set to search for negative altitude! Sooner or later they find it!

JEB:D

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Anyone know who makes 1/4 scale cub gear other than ROBART.

Thanks,

Troy

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

For those looking for gasser's, I have mounted a Kalt 25 w/ electronic ignition in mine and it fits beautifully with only a hole to prime and a slot in the bottom for the spark plug wire. I have a friend with the kalt 22 mag edition and his fits as well and both have probably about 2x the necessary power needed. A nice substitute for zenoah.

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Troy,
My Sig 1/4 scale Clipped Wing Cub is 15 years old, I built her back in 1991 and she has hundreds of flights on her.
In 1998 my wire gear finnally broke down and had to be replaced or solder back together. I was looking thru the mags and found Wm. C. Wallace gear for Cubs back in 1998. Well he didn't have a website back in that time, but he has one now. I have been using his gear since '98 and love the way they perform.

Guess what......the price is still the same when I bought my gear in 1998.

http://www.piperj3gear.com/

-John

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Wow, those look just as nice as the Robart gear and a lot less money. I think I will be calling them when the time comes.
Travis

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Try the Stits Lite! It's what most Cubs at the Masters are covered with. Graeme Mears Cub, and Mariano Alfafara were both winners and both covered with Stits Lite. It's lighter than dope and faster to finish. It's readily available at: http://www.stits.com

The spruce stringers and longerons are a great idea and the gussets. Both add very little weight but lots of strength. The 120 is more than enough power but you can't beat the sound of the 160 twin. Just remember it's a classic and it's a Cub. You should have to fly it and not hang on the prop. Also, don't be afraid to put it on floats. It makes a great trainer on water and on land.

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

I have an ST3000 in mine too. I have floats on mine (SIG floats, BUSA 1/4 scale cub. Every time I find a lake and have the time to go fly, I find out that some contractor is building condos around it. This has happened several times. That's the down side of living in Florida. But, I'll be darned if I am going to take the floats off of it. One of these days I'm going to beat the builders to the punch and get a flight in.

RE: 1/4 scale Cub builders
 

Travis,
You will be happy with the Wallace gear, and you can't beat the price!

I see you are from Quakertown, PA. ....I make sure I make the Warbirds over PA. every year up there. Can't wait to see what you'll new flying field looks like in August.

-John