FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Awesome!

capt1597

i'm a skilled pilot. what's a good balance point for sport flying?

fennel

DINO, that is one impressive wing modification. I'm surprised though that you aren't using nylon bolts to hold the wing on. What engine are you planning to use?

skylark-flier

WOW! That's one of the most impressive applications I think I've ever seen - and, of course, you're in!!!!!!!!! Positively awesome piece of work there, well done!

Welcome to the SIG Kadet Brotherhood!!! Gotcha logged, #228 is all yours, and you're our first registered brother from Finland. Welcome aboard.

Once again, here's the B'hood, as I've got it today:

D_I_N_O

I'm glad you enjoyed my plane.

I have build the plane to accept glow engine but it will at least start flying career with electric power. 4s battery, 650w motor and 12x6 prop. I will use Kadet for teaching and I was afraid about the strength of fuselage if nylon bolts were used. Wing tip hitting bundle of hay may be enough to broke fuselage behind the wing.

I know this is odd combination of complex wing and trainer fuselage but I wanted to build something I can use for all kind of activities after trainer era. Building Kadet has been on my list as long as I have been in hobby.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

DINO, the Kadet is one of the most commonly modified designs on the market. Short of turning it into a lawn dart at full throttle there is not much you can do to make it unflyable.

skyrat71

After many aborted attempts since late last summer, the Junior finally got a maiden flight today. 2 1/2 years after construction was started. As to be expected of a Kadet, it was stable, predictable and well mannered. 4 clicks down elevator and 3 clicks right rudder trim right after leveling out and she flew hands off. Rudder co-ordination is a must with the barn door ailerons, to the point I added 30% rudder coupling for the second flight. The .25LA provided plenty of power to pull it off a soft sandy beach. Over all, I am pretty happy with this one.

kbuch

Any more room in the Kadet brotherhood? I've got a soft spot for the original Kadet. It led to my career as a professional pilot. Got my first Kadet MKI over 40 years ago at age 10 and learned to fly on it. Crashed it at some point back then and got a MKII fuselage kit and used the tail and the three channel wing on it for a couple years. Then I got the MKII wing and flew with ailerons. It then sat for many many years. Last summer I got it out and flew it for the first time in 20 some years. This past building season, I ordered a new wing, cut the dihedral in half and used two aileron servos (for flaperons). I also rebuilt the tail and recovered it all. When I rebuilt the tail I used some balsa that was original back to that MKI tail, so it still has some of the old "DNA" in it.

skylark-flier

Hey Justin! Good to see that you're still around and spreading nitro & oil all around. Nice Jr!!! Glad it flew as they all fly. Well done!!!!

skylark-flier

Of course there's room!! Always a place for another Kadet brother. Gotcha logged with #229 - welcome to the Kadet B'hood!!!!

Here we are, as I've got us today:

Flight Risk

My Feedback: (1)

Skyrat, just curious what covering you used on your spiffy plane. It has a nice satin look. Is it paint on fabric, Solartex,?

skyrat71

Hi Skylark! Yeah, it has been a long while since I was around.
Flight Risk, I covered the Junior with light weight poly-fiber fabric finished with 2 coats poly-brush, 4 coats silver poly-spray sanded after every other coat and finished off with lemon yellow and santa fe red poly-tone. I can't say it's any cheaper than film, and it feels heavy, but it's tough and looks great.

Flight Risk

My Feedback: (1)

I think your extra effort has paid off.

skyrat71

Thanks, Flight Risk. 20 years of A&P experience has some benefits.

skyrat71

An update...
​​​​​​I got a chance to fly the Junior again tonight. Had wanted to fly the tried and true Seniorita with it's latest mods, but alas, it's poor engine is just to worn out. So out came the Junior for it's second outing. The winds were light and variable and rather than a sand beach at low tide I was flying off my unfinished backyard airstrip. A combination of clay, sand and unpleasantly large rocks surrounded by trees. Without the aide of a stiff breeze takeoff runs were longer than I had become accustomed to. Initial climb out over the trees was a bit sketchy, but once leveled off and some speed was built up it stabilized. It doesn't exactly fly on rails. Every power or pitch change requires roll and yaw compensation. Stalls tend to break to the left with and without power. Loops are tight and round. Aileron rolls aren't happening. Full aileron deflection produces less than 180 degrees per second. Aileron control becomes sluggish and produces noticably more adverse yaw as speed decreases. At touch down speed full aileron deflection provides no roll at all. And it's not a floater, carrying power all the way to touch down is preferable. Having said all that, I really like it. It flies like a real airplane, not a rocket on rails.

Hydro Junkie

Justin, you just filled in the blanks on some questions I have about a pair or Jrs I'm slowly working on. One is getting a flat wing and twin floats(along with 6" more in wingspan) while the other is going to be basically stock with a much lower dihedral. Both are getting three bay wide ailerons with a 25% chord so I now have an idea on what it's going to do in the air. Thanks

speedracerntrixie

My Feedback: (29)

Justin, I love the finish. It reminds me of taking trips to the flying field with my dad in the early '70s. Back then just about everything was silk or silkspan covered and painted. There are a few things that can be done to improve the flying characteristics if you are interested. Aileron differential would be the first on the list in order to help with the adverse yaw.

skyrat71

Thanks, it's probably the best looking finish I've ever turned out. The differentail is there. I went old school with a single servo running bell ranks and pushrods. I purposely chose a simple, unbalanced aileron design, just to see how it worked. I now have my answer. I used a more complex friese hinged aileron with differential on my Seniorita, they worked great but were a nightmare to build and hinge.

skyrat71

After the successful maiden flights of the Kadet Jr and Aerosportster my obsession with the hobby has be reinvigorated. I took the Seniorita out tonight and tinkered with the engine until I got it running reliably if not strong and flew it for the first time in 6 years. It was a two Kadet evening and I was reminded why I loved the Seniorita so much.

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

Its the Dynamic Duo!

D_I_N_O

skyrat71:
An answer to question how to modify Kadet nose more streamlined is shown on your last Seniorita photo. Original shapes are still there with 1:1 plane feeling, nice! I have engine opening on top and I may add a removeable cover based on your design. Some ventilation for electric motor needed of course.

skyrat71

Thanks D_I_N_O. My technique is to mount the engine when the fuselage is framed up, shape and glue chunks of balsa around the engine as close as possible, mount the spinner to the engine then sand away everything that doesn't look right. The down side is that the plane is built around that specific engine, making it difficult to swap out to another type. I'm also in the habit of customizing mufflers to fit rather than chop away structure.

skyrat71

25 flights and counting. Rain and hail earlier today. I might have to rob the 4" tires off of the Seniorita if this keeps up.

skylark-flier

THAT'S the Homer I remember - mud and gunk 4' deep.

Flight Risk

My Feedback: (1)

Only a few ounces of muck, shouldn't change flight characteristics too much.