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-   -   Planes That Deserve A Comeback..... (https://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/golden-age-vintage-antique-rc-196/3154778-planes-deserve-comeback.html)

susquach 07-10-2005 10:30 PM

Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
There are certain discontinued old planes that fly and look soooo cool they deserve to be rekitted. At the top of any list ought be:

1) The timeless Aeromaster. It's a shame this great flying Andrews design is no longer available. It may be sacriledge, but the structure could be reengineered for lightnes and four ailerons offered. My apologies to the purists! But, the plane can be built, ready to fly for less than 5lbs. With four ailerons and a .90FS you have bipe nirvana. Any kit manufacturers out there interested in producing the hands-down-best-danged-bipe... EVER ?

2) The TopFlight J-3. It just looked "right" and flew better than just about every other Cub of any size. The question remains: Why was it marketed in a RED box? What were they thinking. Everyone knows anything associated with Cubs has to be...yellow. Well, I guess Cub Lovers should be thankful Sig still offers a number of excellent flying Cubs.Still, it would be nice....

3) The MidWest Giant Sweet and Low Stick. It's a shame that MidWest shut this kit down. An even greater shame that no one has picked-up the design. The plane, with a structurally improved fuse/horizontal stab joint, could be as popular as ever. It was one of those designs that begged to be monkeyed with. My favorite was the Sweet and Low as a Dromader crop duster. The most outragious iteration I've ever seen was the Stick morphed into a P-6 Peashooter. Now that's some real creativity for ya!

4) The Sig Ryan STA. What can you say about that one, except its just a shame that future RC generations won't have that fabulous plane available to them in kit form ( Excuse me while I wipe a tear form the corner of my eye.) Yep, it was loads of work. So what. Cool planes ought not come easy. Right?

How 'bout it...any more great old designs that deserve to be re-kitted?

jlingrel 07-10-2005 10:38 PM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
How about the Stafford P51 quarter midget racer. Fast and easy to fly. ( I have a kit in my collection that I am going to duplicate as soon as I can get a wing cut for it)

The original Bridi KAOS ( You can still get the Killer Kaos from Sheldon Hobbies)

Original Kraft Kwik Fli II and III.

The Graupner Ugly Stick (40 Size)

With todays lighter radios and more powerful engines, these would be great flyers. Ddubya, how old are you. You sound like an oldtimer like myself



MrMulligan 07-10-2005 10:39 PM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
How about just about any of the old Andrews kits, Trainermaster, X-Ray, Minimaster etc. Another favorite was the Midwest Strikemaster.

jlingrel 07-10-2005 10:43 PM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
Then there was the S-Tee. I modified one of those with ailerons and throttle. It was like the original park flyer that made noise. I know you can get plans for it. Had a lot of fun with it.

GrnBrt 07-11-2005 12:04 AM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
I would really like to see the Goldberg Skylane 62 come back as it was such a sweet flier and looked like a real plane.
The MK Hyperbipe was another one that gave a person a lot of excitement and sure am glad I have one.
A lot of the Orline kits were pretty nice also.

CCRC1 07-11-2005 12:38 AM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
Jenson Ugly Stik or any stik clone in a nice laser cut kit
Midwest Mach One
Top Flight Kwik Fli
Top Flight Orion
Top Flight Taurus
Ace 4- series of airplanes
Many years ago Sig had a .60 size PT-19 kit. Sig part #RC-2. I would really like to have one of those.

50%plane 07-11-2005 05:29 AM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
Hanger9 33% Sukhoi. Why did they stop making it?
Balsa USA Fly Babe Bipe. Again why did they even stop making it? It is in high demand wherever I go.
Top Flite Kwik FlyIII. It would make a great addition to the Anniversary like of kits.
Sig Liberty Sport. There is still a lot of demand for it.
GP Decathlon. I had one and want another.
Carden Giles G300. Why did they stop kitting that one? They could make a good comeback for that kit once they get caught up to the demand for the Yak and Extra 260.
These are just a few of my ideas. :D

TomCrump 07-11-2005 06:14 AM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
I miss the Ace 4-40 and 4-60. That series of models were all great flyers.

HighPlains 07-11-2005 07:48 AM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
The Andrews line. Lou was a great designer and his airplanes are all sweet flyiers. I would not change the structure, though they do take time to assemble. They absorb small bumps and minor crashes with little damage that would totally destroy the Lite-ply crap that so many designs use now. Did I mention that I think lite-ply sucks? Very heavy way to build a fuselage, and the strength of wet cardboard.

groundsman 07-11-2005 08:17 AM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
I liked all of the 60's - 70's planes. VK, House of balsa, Airtronics, Ace, Top flight, Sterling, Goldberg and many others. I have been gathering plans to build some of these classics that I used to fly, and some I didn't get a chance to build.

LSP972 07-11-2005 08:36 AM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
ddubya,

I'm doing a GP Super Aeromaster right now. It will have an OS 91 Surpass four stroke, and I'm still debating on whether or not to add the upper ailerons.

I would be VERY interested to hear how one builds this complex (as in, LOTS of pieces/parts) airplane at less than five pounds????????????

CoosBayLumber 07-11-2005 09:23 AM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
Many of the A/C noted are or have been reproduced.

I think the whole line of the Andrews kits has been advertised. Can't remember who was doing them, but he sure told about such here at RCU.

The QuikFly series had been reproduced by yet another fellow back better than 5 years ago.

Midwest will not let anyone reproduce their kits. They hold onto the copyright for such as are letting any pirate know to cease production.

Airtronics recently sold off their rights to a few aircraft, and these are being brought out by individuals now. House of Balsa also noted is converting a few of the die cut A/C to laser cut.

Wm.

kdheath 07-11-2005 11:43 AM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
Here are some folks that advertise a short kit of the Traninermaster and some other interesting things:

http://lazer-works.com/misc.html

Anyone bought from them?

dicknadine 07-11-2005 11:47 AM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
sure sounds good, all the talk about the old kits. why aren't many of you fellows building the models from the original plans? they are available. also you can now talk about how good it flys. once the pile of balsa is out of your stock. whats the difference? dick

scalebldr 07-11-2005 05:00 PM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
here are some of mine,
j&j eyeball and banshee not to be forgotten the troublemaker,mustang x,tigertail and bobcat,curare,aquilla,olympic 2,vk cherokee,tom bretts perigee,sterling rimfire,bibe stick,twin stick

8178 07-11-2005 07:10 PM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 


ORIGINAL: jlingrel


Original Kraft Kwik Fli II and III.


With todays lighter radios and more powerful engines, these would be great flyers. Ddubya, how old are you. You sound like an oldtimer like myself



The Kwik Fli III is back in production through Howard Engineering http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_2434444/tm.htm It comes in the straight or taper Kwik Fli III wing or Kaos wing. Really great flying aircraft!

susquach 07-11-2005 07:25 PM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
Highplains: I feel yer pain dude...lets all togather say it togather...Lite ply sucks!!!!!!
We all feel better now, huh.:D

Steve, believe it or not, it can be done. I've done it not once but twice. Lots of little changes and a couple big ones. Key is to do EVERYTHING in your power to lighten the tail. No sheet balsa back there...all built-up. Loose the lower formers...go for a single lower longeron. Punch-out the formers. As they say: Build it to fly not crash...that means 1/4" balsa sides. Double foreward sides with only 1/8" balsa. Loose the original cabane mounting inside the fuse. Replace with four 1/4" square hardpoints inset into the balsa sides...drill 3/32" and insert cabane wires, thread and bolt to fuse. Replace original gear with single wire type legs and learn to land reeeeaaaally carefully. Foam wheels. You'll be rewarded with flights that will make you drool into your Tx. Interplane struts made of 1/8"xapprox 1 1/2" ply held in place by a couple rubberbands attached to eyelets in top and bottom wings. Semi-circle tongues nestle into pockets in each wing surface. No nose blocks. The engine hangs out in the breeze just like a bipe's lump is suppose to. Drop the tailwheel and go for a wire skid with a loop bent in it to make it nice and springy. Works just fine.

BTW, if this is yer first AeroMaster, and no one has told you...yer screwed now. After you fly that puppy you'll be for here-after addicted to AeroMasters. Heck, I've built at least half a dozen. I'll bet there are guys here who are ashamed to admitt how many more than six they've built. Say it with us..."Hi my name's steve, and I'm addicted to AeroMasters".:D

Some of you all mentioned KwikFli. I remember building a plane years ago that required the builder to fabricate a eggcrate type fixture out of a bunch of corregated pieces included in the kit. The wing was then assembled in the cardboard fixture. Was that the old QuickFli? If it was, I don't eeevvvver want to build one of those again. Still don't know if I finished that wing or if it finished me.[:'(]


One more pleeeze:

The Sig Zlin. Tons of building, a ground-loop'n son of a gun ...but a scale job that absolutely grooved in the air.

50%plane 07-11-2005 07:47 PM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
I don't know if this is a good plane, but when 8178 flys his GP Tiporare, we'll see. If it is a good plane, then I would like to add it to the list.:D

skypupmut 07-11-2005 07:57 PM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
do add the ailerons Steeve
I did when I recovered mine and so will I on the kit I have waiting just in case
wonderfull flyer with a sweet magnum 91

Jean

skypupmut 07-11-2005 08:02 PM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
one of my new students came with an H ray
what a sweet flying bird it is over 20 years old I love it so does he and learning fast with it

jaof 07-11-2005 10:36 PM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
Hi

My own preferences would be

Goldberg Skylane 62
Midwest SkySquire
VK Navajo
any of the Lou Andrews planes
An Eyeball would be kind of cool too

Maybe one day who knows

Myself I have the Taurus, Lou Andrews Sportmaster 60, Mambo, Jr. Falcon, Esquire-all ready to go.
I am currently finishing off a Mighty Mambo and have an Orion kit which was cut recently.

Anyway have fun as the planes from the vintage era are still the best.

LSP972 07-12-2005 08:17 AM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
This is not my first Aeromaster. I built one some years back, but it had a YS 120N. This one I'm doing now will only have a 91 Surpass, so I was thinking about power vs weight. OTOH, I'm not looking for an unlimited-vertical flip-flop machine. So I think I'll take a gamble on the weight penalty and do the two-servo-four-aileron mod.

ddubya, all your suggestions make sense. But many of them detract from the character of the airplane, IMO. And my first one was built to plan (except for the two aileron servos). It was not tail heavy. In fact, I had to put the battery in the tail to balance out that heavy-ass YS; which necessitated having a special pack made, two cells end-to-end and side-by-side.

Your suggestion re the cabanes makes sense, but I'm already past that point.

No cowl???? You got to be kidding, right??? That magnificent wood cowl MAKES this airplane; without it, the model is just a Stik with two wings and a tail wheel.

susquach 07-12-2005 07:30 PM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
Yep, its true...no cowl. Just like the "gear" look sans cowl. But, that look is a little stark, so to avoid that abrupt transition from fuse side to firewall, I finish-out the corner with balsa 1/4 round. I usually paint that transition ring aluminum to ape the nose of a PT 17. Regarding violating the "character" of the plane....hey I said it wuz sacriledge in my post!;)

I can understand your likeing that Aeromaster built-up cowl. If you happen to have an issue of Jan 1987 RCM, an A-Master I built is on the front cover. It has the Cowl you mentioned, surrounding an OS .90FS. I did something with that cowl that turned out to pretty well. The engine is mounted sideways, and a brow or fairing is molded around the cylinder. Makes the cowl/engine combination look a little more "swoopy" and interesting. So, cowls 'er cool too.

BTW, the finish is MonoKote over Coverite...there's a construction article in that issue describing the process.

LSP972 07-13-2005 08:36 AM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
I don't know where I could find an issue that old. I don't think the RCM on-line archives go back that far.

I would be willing to pay you for your time and effort to Xerox those pertinent pages and mail them to me.

Paternguy 07-13-2005 10:25 AM

RE: Planes That Deserve A Comeback.....
 
Midwest Mach 1
Top Flight Hot Canary
Bridi UFO and Deception
Great Planes Tipo and Illusion
Midwest Hots and Super Hots
The original Ultra Sport s any size
Sothern RC Bootlegger and Compensator


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