Bill, You should see the aircraft Donny puts out! All WWI types. They are just beautiful. His pictures all look like they were taken by a pro, usually catching some of the local mountains in the background. He offered me a set of plans for this DVII, but it's way above my level of abilities. I had to post this picture, though. That grin got to mr.

tom,

good on the good eats, and the pie. ha

i hope you get a good productive day on the plane.

everyone will read this about my computer problem, so i won't have to repeat it on each new post. something about the friction in the screen holder upper quit working. the screen won't stay up by itself now, so i have to type one handed. i'll try to be more brief as a result, until i find a home remedy, like a balsa brace, a rubber band or a spare servo. maybe one of ya guys can fax my laptop a dose of viagra to help the lid stand up. ha maybe i can get a repair done locally if parts are available.

i didn't fly today. my instructor had to fill in for someone. he said maybe he could arrange a substitute to get me the rest of the way to my wings.

elad

don,

thank you for the nicely organized pointers on kits. that'll make selection easier when/if i decide to build.

i found some storch modle AND full sized kits. the models do seem to have a lot of parts. i won't attempt one soon.

i can still read with this laptop and can keep up with posts and do searches but might drop out for a few days for repairs. it'll be tuesday before i can even take it to town for a "can you fix it" consultation.

elad

Elad, too bad about not getting to flt. Your instructor has other obligations? Come on up. Don and I will get you flying in a weekend! (providing it isn't snowing). Seriously, if he can't help you for a while, try to hook up with someone else. Their style might be a little different, but you'll be able to adjust.

I made the modifications to my landing gear. They should fit in the FW now. I have to cut out some foam next. So that the wheels can fit.

Don is coming over in the morning. Wait it is morning, here.(12:04). Anyway, we're gonna take some pictures of my shop, my Stinson SR8. and my ME 109.

tom,

now i can understand the degrees of challenges from different kit sources. i knew the advice you all were giving me was good, and i had read enough reviews to get a few hints about what you gave me the details on. i guess i thought the opinions given by some of the reviewers were based on their expectations that all kits SHOULD HAVE been about the same low complexity.

i see now that maybe they were telling the more experienced builders what level they are getting into.

thanks,

elad

tom,

thanks for the invite up so you and don can pin on my wings. i'd be happy to get them from you two.


ron said he might be able to hook me up with a substitute, shawn. he's a young
old timer. huh??? ha

elad

landing gear mods, retract fitting, sounds very tedious and trying.

good luck. between your and don's expertise i would bet on your success.

elad

RC Flea Market about 30 min from me this morning at 9am. Then hopefully afterwards, going flying. I'm thinking this is going to be one of my final flights for the winter until the weather breaks a bit. It's already getting darn cold. Today it was 45 degrees,...windy...cloudy. Tomorrow is supposed to be just as windy but 50+ with breaks in the clouds. THAT's supposed to be our good weather! Grr...then it goes down hill after Monday. Then daylight savings time will kill any further attempts to fly after work unless it's actually nice on my days off but that has NEVER been true throughout the summer or this fall so far. Especially since I have a swimming pool now. Day off = rain/clouds. Work = beautiful...dry..sunny.

Ce le vie.

S

Elad

Don and I are trying to help you make the best choices. I don't know if there are any "right" answers. Who knows, maybe you could go out and build a B17 from scratch! The idea we have is to try and show you how to lay down a foundation of skills so that you can grow in the hobby. We'd hate to see you get in too deep, get frustrated, and give it up.

Sincraft,

Take lots of money when you go to the swap meet! No, not really. Last time I did that, I came home with a few kits, a radio, and a bunch more stuff! The Focke Wulf that I'm building now is the last item from that list. It's been three years! Hmmm, There is a swap meet next week. No, I better not.

I know what you mean about the weather. In fact, how'd you get Michigan weather in Pa? Where is n/a Pa? It'd be neat if it was in the western part. Then it might be possible for us to get together some time. You said earlier that you haven't traveled much. You might like it here. Lots of water, hills and trees. Oh, I forgot to mention, TONS of snow in the winter.

Have fun at the swap meet!

s,

well presented explanation and understood. if i build a plane i'll probably pick a goldberg brand with a skill level suited for a rank beginner.

thanks,

elad

tom, don,

i completely understand why you're advising me the way you are and i appreciate your time. and i am accepting your advice in the spirit in which it is given. then when i decide to try building a kit i'll have a much better foundation on which to begin

when i bought the styrofaom mini-piper and tried to learn to fly it without an instructor i learned an important lesson about not keeping on ignoring good advice. i thought that if some other people could learn to fly with no instructor that i could too. i was wrong! not exactly an earth shaking revelation, just a reality for me. ha

my intention for asking is to learn and listen, not to hear discouragement from the answers you two are giving me. i'm also measuring what level of challenge i think i am up to. at this point i know i don't need to prove that my capabilities are ahead of those of others, so i'm not discouraged by being told that a kit for a plane i am interested in is beyond my capability, rather i prefer having that information beforehand so i won't be inclined to jump the gun on getting that kit. actually, i'm not very close to getting a kit unless there's one that i happen to especially like that happens to be within my(almost non-existant) skill level.

thanks for the info, advice, understanding and patience,

elad

Elad, Glad to be of some help. Your 4 stroke idea is a good one. I like them so much that I don't own any 2 strokes.

No work on the FW today. Don was here and we took a few pics. Here's one of my Stinson SR8 and my ME 109.

I live in Pittsburgh.

Yes I would like that. And if it is going to be cold, I WANT SNOW. I am only 32 (only geesh) so I still like the snow. Most people I know hate it and hate the cold. I NORMALLY didnt mind the cold but am living in a house at the moment that leaks heat very quickly. I had a gas bill last year of 450 for one month. Not to mention, I didn't get to use my pool that much this year because the weather was always poor. Who wants to swim in 80 degree weather with clouds? Not I.

I went the the meet. It was par for the course as to the kind of people we have in our area. People with outlandish ideas as to what a flea market truly is. I saw things there I could purchase cheaper online or even at my local hobby store. I did (haha) pickup a House of Balsa Two Metre sailplane for $18 almost completely covered (missing a 1foot by two foot area) and it's missing the plastic canopy enclosure which I will fashion myself using a light craft plexi. Now I have to invest in a micro kit which I wanted to do anyway for an electric I had in mind. Oh and a high start. What did I get myself into?!
For $18 I couldnt pass it up. I saw MANY nice LARGE planes like that 109 you have in that picture. I am drooling over that btw. DROOLING I tell you. You guys make me SICK.

Elad, goldberg kits are expensive fyi. But aren't they all? At least you will learn the terminology and what they pertain to when you go to build something 'less user friendly'. If you see most of the people in the hobby when you especially go to say...a swap meet. You realize that you are able to do what they do. Some butcher their planes, slap some covering on with a clothes iron, fly it for 2 years, then sale it for top dollar. Others take their time and energy into something...only to have it look the same during the time of sale. 6 in one hand - half a dozen in the other. It will fly. If you eventually get to the point that say... you are building what is in the picture above my post..THEN being good comes into play. And man, can you imagine the takeoff and landing rush with those two puppies?! I CAN!

Today I flew. I'd say it was 20mph winds. Enough to blow my wing across the grass for 20 feet. I took off and when I would make my first turn into the wind...it was all I could do to keep it from doing a death spiral. Landing was a trip also. Funny though, I had my best two landings today. AND one was dead stick lol. I was actually going to leave when I arrived at the airfield but someone else showed up (a rare thing) so I stayed to BS with him. He had a low wing sport 60 and flew it nicely so I said what the heck. Little did I realize that the high curly ends of my high dihedral wing caused it to fly sideways faster than it did forwards. Landing actually was fun. I had to abort 2 times but on the 3rd time I brought it down in the grass next to the pavement NICE and smooth..3 point. I've never seen it glide so nicely through the grass like that. I was impressed. The other gentleman had to dead stick his last flight, and made his final a bit sharp. He was a bit high over the runway which is very short,...and there were people (only two in the park) walking and watching right where he needed to crash land. He couldnt land there so just let go of the stick and watched it dive over the hill and KABOOM. I was sad for him but luckily the only damage was some pride and the fuse tore a long crack along the side from the wing being bolted to the fuse. Everything else in place though. I flew after that, and had to dead stick. Luckily I was in the vicinity of a final leg approach ...a bit high...but during the final it was perfect. I even had a bit more E and elevation than I needed. It touched down 3 pointer and I called it a day.

Tom, I'd like to take you up on that offer. If for any reason, to get away from this area and see somewhere else. I just like to drive even. I like to travel via road, driving every day gets a bit mundane...and flying well I can fly but don't have a license. (dad and bro both pilots) and when I am in a commercial jet...I scream in terror. HA. Go figure eh? I am actually thinking of building a real plane someday. It's about 30k to build at the moment with engine and instruments. All you need is a private pilots license to own and operate it.

Anyway, I'm going to do some work on my bipe and then stare at the sailplane and ponder HA. What did I get myself into!

S

Sincraft, Let me know when you'd like to journey north. We've got a large couch that is real good for sleeping on. (How would I know that?)

Here's a couple more pics.

Thats cause ,once down the only way ya get him up is to tempt him with pie

haha I am assuming you are married. Based on the detail of those seats, pilot, and various what nots (like the manuals in the seats and on the dash! Amazing!), I would imagine that wives aren't very happy about the time spent on these models. Don't they know that's what keeps us all out of trouble?

Sounds good Tom. Maybe sometime when it gets warm again. Let's shoot for may? (oh god that is a damn long time)

Went flying again today. Elad what's up buddy? You flying lately?

I have surpassed those that consider themselves good at my airfield. Well, maybe not. Maybe I am more foolish,...but they wouldn't fly in today's wind. Same as yesterday. But for about 20 - 30 minutes around 5:45 ish...it was very calm. Amazing how much better and more responsive the plane is without that wind. I had a couple of close calls today also. Not really, but if I was lower to the ground they would have been or worse. When making turns I start a turn then just pull back on the stick with no turn on the stick to complete the stick. Many times it would just ROCKET toward the ground because of the wind. Freaked me out. Takeoffs were a bit scarey also. I actually had a wind to takeoff into, but it sure seemed like I was going to stall into the trees on a few of em. All told I burnt up 3 tanks of fuel. I'm proud of myself. With my new transmitter and receiver batteries, I can fly forever. Alas I think today was officially the last nice day of the year. We shall see however. I'd like to see an indian , indian summer. The 10 day forecast looks something like this: bad, real bad, worse, fairly bad, ok ...no...still bad, freezing with snow!, bad, fair....

Fuse build going slow on my bipe. Lotsa little tiny pieces needing special carvings and epoxied. I am going to attack the front tomorrow or the next day. That requires 3 solid blocks O' wood to be expoxied together that will shape the front that envelopes the engine. I have to shape it intricately(sp?) to match the fuse look.

I have a question about sailplanes if anyone knows anything. How much exacty do you think I am adding in weight if I go with 2 standard servos/reciever pack vs a micro pack? I don't want to really chunk the money into this sailplane unless I am ready to build my other micro required model...BUT would like to experiment with the sailplane a few times before the snow hits us.

HMM?

S

S:

Five foot span or bigger you can stand adding the weight. A three foot sailplane will still go with standards, but that small you will have a slight decrease in performance.

Going to a glider contest? Then worry about it. Otherwise stuff the standards in it regardless of the size, and enjoy.

Bill.

Elad,
I just started building my EAGLE 2 ARF. It says in the instructions that the reason for not using a 4cycle is...."We do not recommend a 4-cycle engine for this aircraft, due to the more complicated set-up required) There you have it. I'm using an OS 46FX for my eagle 2.
Snoop

Sincraft, Ya, I'm married, but the wife didn't do the seats. Don did. In fact he built the whole airplane. I wanted a real nice Stinson, so I let him have at it. We entered it at Toledo a few years ago, but didn't gring home the bacon. I did build the 109. Don redid the retracts and mounts for me. I had cheap gear in there and they didn't hold up, ripping part of the wing apart. He fixed it right ang put a good set in.
May sounds good to me. If you drive up, will you have room for a plane or two? If not, don't worry. I'm sure that I will have a couple you can fly. (Providing I don't rekit them)
It was nice of Snoop to reply. It's been the five of us on this thread for a long time.
Elad said he was having his computer fixed, so we won't hear from him for a few days. Hope it doesn't take too long.
I'm hearing of a scale meet that might happen this summer. Probably in the Midwest. If it happens, I'll let you know. It should be a good one, worth going to.
Post some pics of the bipe's progress in your thread. Hope you're getting more done than I am.

Sincraft, almost forgot. If you can, get that razor plane I told you about. It will make shaping that nose section a lot easier!

Tom
Put the plate down - place your hands on your head- step back from the pie -go to the garage
don

Hi snoop
your 46 fx is a fine choice for the Eagle just take care to balance it on the spar even if it takes a little weignt I have seen eagles weight at 7-8 lbs and they fly just fine in fact they have a better sink rate when landing . I think the landings are easier to control when they are a little heavy A friend of mine has
one with floats ,it weighsabout8.5 lbs and oyher than lousy aeorbatics it does not seem bad at all .I dont think I would like to learn on it, but ok all the same
Don

Ill do that, Don. I left my smokes out there and want one after that good supper I just finished!

Depending on the size of the desert and how much you enjoy it AND the dinner there is a science to when you smoke your cigs and also when you eat your desert.
I don't want to confuse everyone with the exact ideology behind my madness but it goes something like this:

1. dinner good, large desert
dinner, smoke, coffee, waiting period (30 min), desert

2. dinner great, large desert
dinner, smoke, desert, smoke, coffee, smoke, coffee, waiting period (2 hours) another desert.

3. dinner eh, large desert
dinner, desert, whatever you want after..

A small desert is different. You have only two options with this. Even if it is great. Any size dinner aka how much you like it, is followed with the small desert. A large desert needs to be eaten on it's own with ample room in the stomache to throughoughly enjoy it. A small desert likes to be eaten WITH the dinner.

Ok, enough of that.

Yea Tom, I am going to snap more pics soon. This week has been VERY slow. I've only worked on it MAYBE a few hours since midweek last week. There is no chance of flying tomorrow or the next so I will build at least a few hours between now and then.

OOO can't wait to fly it. However, now with this sailplane I am thinking of what I am going to do with it.

Oh, and I am seriously thinking of what to do with my trainer. I want to modify it. Choices so far are:
1. HUGE gastank. I mean, I want to see how much fuel I can carry and how long I can fly it.
2. Towplane for sailplane w/ release on 4th open servo. (if sailplane pilot fails to release and tries to bring me down)
3. bomber modification. Brother and I were thinking of a giant bingo dropper. IE: take a tennis ball, place it in the 'hopper' and try to drop on the runway in a specific area. To spice things up, we were going to place a volleyball net from one tree to another making sure we didn't go to low and cheat. HA.
4. Camera for taking video of the ground. Camera would move on an axis behind the windshield via the 4th servo.

I am thinking of combining #4 with, floats for lake takeoff. That would be nice.


S