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Does anyone know what this is?

Old 07-19-2012, 04:11 PM
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skybolt13015
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Default Does anyone know what this is?

Ok all you fly by wire guys, I would like to restore this plane for a friend.It belongs to his dad and he wants to surprise him with it. I would like to know what this plane is. He thinks it might be from the 60's but he's not sure. I need to see pictures of it in it's prime so I know what direction to go.


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Old 07-19-2012, 04:22 PM
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pd1
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

Sterling Ringmaster designed by Matt Kania.
42 inch wingspan.

Try here all things ringmaster:
http://www.brotherhoodofthering.info/

This is what a couple of nice Ringmasters look like. I got the picture of the internet.
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&g...JtG60AHrhsX4Aw
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Old 07-19-2012, 04:47 PM
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skybolt13015
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

Thank you very much! I had a cox control line plane with a .049 on it when I was a kid. I believe it was a L-19 Bird Dog.
Old 07-19-2012, 04:54 PM
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All Day Dan
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

Still a hot item on Ebay. Dan.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Model-Airpla...item27c9340a5a
Old 07-19-2012, 05:27 PM
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skybolt13015
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

Thanks Dan, I don't know if this is worth restoring or if I should just find a kit somewhere... The engine on it says McCoy 33. and it seems to still have decent compression.
Old 07-19-2012, 07:46 PM
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Truckracer
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

Wow, that could have been my Ringmaster as it is so similar to the old one that still lives in my mother's attic to this day. Built in the very early 60s it also has the McCoy engine and perfect tank and wheels. Even the color is the same. Incredible. I've wanted to restore mine for years but keep it around in original condition just to remind me of the past.
Old 07-20-2012, 03:05 AM
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

Yep, that's a Ringmaster complete with the McCoy Redhead 35. Most people used the balsa canopy, but some left it off. Still has the Perfect tank and the Top Flite nylon prop too. Takes me back. I'd say it is from somewhere in the early 60's. Any of you C/L fans need some new in box Perfect tanks, I have a few (5 or 6) that I'll give away.

Bill, Waco Brother #1
Old 07-20-2012, 05:08 AM
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

There was a Ringmaster junior back in the early 50's that I flew with a cox .049, if memory serves me right. I had a hard time flying 1/2 A so went to Fox 35 and a Sterling profile P-51 with coupled flaps. Then to scratch built combat planes. Great fun, wish I could turn in circles like that now without falling over[]
Old 07-20-2012, 05:52 AM
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

wish I could turn in circles like that now without falling over .......................................
Ya, that would make two of us!
I was a Flite Streak fan myself....went through a bunch of them to learn flying up-side down.
Sure wish I had my old Johnson Stunt Surpeme 35 yet?
Jim
Old 07-20-2012, 08:22 AM
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skybolt13015
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

Wow! It looks like I opened a big door to the past with this one. I was just a little tike when this was popular. It's great to see so many folks so true to the hobby and great memories to boot.

Thanks for all of your help. I'm trying to see if this one is worth resurrecting or just try to find one yet to be built. If anyone has one in the box or a full size set of plans they would part with, let me know here.

Craig
Old 07-20-2012, 09:07 AM
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All Day Dan
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

Craig, there is nothing on the plans that will help you with a scratch build. None of the parts are shown. I have two control line models I am dying to build to relive my youth and at the rate I'm going, I'll probably die before I get to them. Watch Ebay. My wife will probably unload all my stuff on there after I'm dead. Dan.
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Old 07-20-2012, 01:59 PM
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

ORIGINAL: spaceworm

There was a Ringmaster junior back in the early 50's that I flew with a cox .049, if memory serves me right. I had a hard time flying 1/2 A so went to Fox 35 and a Sterling profile P-51 with coupled flaps. Then to scratch built combat planes. Great fun, wish I could turn in circles like that now without falling over[]
I had the Ringmaster Junior too. As far as C/L is concerned, I never did go bigger than an .049. I sometimes wonder what a big .35 powered C/L plane would feel like.
Old 07-21-2012, 08:19 AM
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?


ORIGINAL: Trisquire

ORIGINAL: spaceworm

There was a Ringmaster junior back in the early 50's that I flew with a cox .049, if memory serves me right. I had a hard time flying 1/2 A so went to Fox 35 and a Sterling profile P-51 with coupled flaps. Then to scratch built combat planes. Great fun, wish I could turn in circles like that now without falling over[]
I had the Ringmaster Junior too. As far as C/L is concerned, I never did go bigger than an .049. I sometimes wonder what a big .35 powered C/L plane would feel like.
It would depend on the type of flying, I guess. For combat where you needed to keep the lines tight even when dog-fighting directly overhead, we would dial in quite a bit of engine offset to the outside of the circle as well as rudder offset, to keep the planes from falling out of the sky. In level flight at a timed speed of 60 mph on 60 foot lines they would pull pretty good. But you rarely were in that at-risk attitude. I'd say get a plane and engine and try it for yourself. Tight lines and good flying.
Old 07-21-2012, 12:23 PM
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skybolt13015
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

Dan,
    I know how you feel. I'm not sure if I should tell the wife what all this stuff is worth or not. Imight be worth more on the other side than here. just kidding (I hope) . With a little luck I might find one on the want adds or ebay.

Craig 
Old 07-21-2012, 03:06 PM
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dennis
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

Besides the overpriced Sterling kits on E Bay there are a few manufacturers making that model tody. Most have improved construction methods but all retain the origional airfoil and moments of the origional. Better wood and laser cutting with decent plans that you actually can use to build another one or at least fix the one you have. What's not to like. Try RSM or Pat Johnson or Pat King and get a Ringmaster fix.

Dennis
Old 07-26-2012, 04:06 AM
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skybolt13015
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

Thanks Dennis, I checked them out and plans might be the way to go. I think can salvage the original hardware.
Old 07-26-2012, 07:00 AM
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

Go to 'Brotherhoodofthering.info' for lots of Ringmaster fun!
Old 07-27-2012, 12:49 PM
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

There were many versions of the Ringmaster, including the Imperial, and the flying fool, and a custom version that could be made to look like a bat or a burgler. These were all .29 and up most used a .35
The Junior Ringmaster was for .09-.19
The Baby Ringmaster was for .049 engines and had a built up wing
The Ringmaster Junior was a sheet balsa beginners kit for .049

I had them all, and the original Ringmaster was by far the best. All Ringmasters suffered fron too thin of an airfoil section and therefore they do not cut really sharp corners on square loops and hourglass manuvers. The CG series of stunters also had too thin of an airfoil as did the "lil Satan, and Voodoo. In that respect, the Flight Streak was superior. BTW, a Komabat Kat, and the Kombat Kittens used the basic Flight Streak wing design and airfoil.
Old 07-27-2012, 01:16 PM
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

I think I have a Kombat Kittens kit around.. maybe even a flite streak!

I remember a magazine article I read a lot way back when, about converting a flite streak for C/L carrier.. I really wanted to do that, but all I could afford was the .049 that had come from my PT-19...

Old 07-30-2012, 08:25 AM
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

I started the disassembly process yesterday on the Ringmaster by cutting the wing out of the fuse and removing the hardware from inside. I will post pictures when I get a chance. I should be able to reproduce this working from what I have.  The fuse was soaked with fuel an is not in usable shape. I believe all the hardware is ok as long as I can get the twist out of the landing gear. I took off the engine and started the cleaning process just to find out that one screw in the head was boogered up and had to be drilled out and 2 more were missing. I was hoping to get the engine in running condition but it may end up just as a show piece.

More to come...
Old 07-30-2012, 01:02 PM
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

The Sterling Ringmaster was my first airplane. If I remember right, the kit came with everything but wheels, tank, fuel line and bellcrank. It even had the silkspan tissue for covering. I think the kit cost $3.95. In 1958, it took me a long time to save up the money for it. While I was building the plane, I was saving to get an engine. $8.95 got me a McCoy Redhead .35. After I got it built and ready to fly, my grand father bought the rest of the flight gear. He was as proud of my plane as I was. I was 8 years old and had bought everything with my money and built it myself. The plane looked like crap. We didn't have the internet back then to get help or ask questions. But I built it and it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

And yes, I crashed it on the first flight. But I saved and built another, and another. That next Christmas, to my surprise, I got a new OS Max 35 and a Sterling Shoestring.

Those were the days.

Frank
Old 08-20-2012, 01:05 PM
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

SPACEWORM      jr. ringmaster in the 50's ill be, I had one in the 70's as well as several others as a kid. my fav. was the shoestring stunter                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   
Old 08-20-2012, 06:15 PM
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?


ORIGINAL: MX240

wish I could turn in circles like that now without falling over .......................................
Ya, that would make two of us!
I was a Flite Streak fan myself....went through a bunch of them to learn flying up-side down.
Sure wish I had my old Johnson Stunt Surpeme 35 yet?
Jim

Having built and flown both the Ringmaster and the Flite Streak with a leaning to the Streak because of it's better flying habits I jumped into the bigger is better and built this one shown.
A kit by Pat king with a 61.5 W/S 985 sq in W/S with an Evolution NX60. It weighs 66 oz and flies better then you can imagine. Some things really do appreciate with age especially when they grow up. Next up is the Ringmaster 1000
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Old 12-10-2012, 10:05 AM
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

Yup, Ringmaster all right! I just finished building my first full-sized RM. (The first plane Iever built was a Baby Ringmaster). Ibought this one online and payed way too much for it, but Ijust had to have one. The kit was standard Sterling quality, which means Ishould have replaced the plywood. Idid beef up the bellcrank mount though. Power is a Fox .29 that I'll run in on the bench this winter to get ready for the spring. Next on will be a scratchbuild. Justin
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Old 12-10-2012, 11:28 AM
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Default RE: Does anyone know what this is?

Interesting, When the slow combat rules were written, the 5" nose moment rule was specifically to dis-allow the Flite Streak! Of course modern slow combat designs stomp the Flite Streak, but it was a good plane. they do fly better than a Ringmaster, but being that the Ringmaster was my first succesful airplane, i have a soft spot for it.
The original Sterling kits were very poor quality. Nice to know some good replicas are out there. That would be the way to go now.

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