RSC50

Good news!!! My Smith Miniplane plans set is already bought. I may have it by the first days of January. 👏 See? Difficult, but noy impossible.

Raudel

FlyerInOKC

My Feedback: (6)

That is good news! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

RSC50

Indeed it is. I've being a good boy, so Santa is rewarding me😉

Captcrunch44

alfalfa51

Hello, I have been in the hobby for 39 years but have not used RCU until now. I post very little on any internet resource. I'm old/retired but still trying to stay in the game. I am in need of some insight into the build of the Rascal 168 that I received after ordering it during the Toledo introduction. Yes it's been in the box for a while. I have framed up the fuselage, laminated the tail feathers and started on the wing. I have encountered some things that are perplexing. I need to figure out what I may be doing wrong.

Thanks to anyone that is willing to share their experience in the build of the Rascal 168. SIG informed me that this is my only resource for assistance on this kit.

Al

Hydro Junkie

This sounds like a job for Crunch
He's built two of them, though not by choice.

acdii

OUCH!

I built one and can help. What is it you are having an issue with?

Flight Risk

My Feedback: (1)

It's too bad that Sig couldn't offer any additional information, and a suggestion to buy the the Strut kit (if it's still available). I'm sure you can get some good info on this forum though.

alfalfa51

Thanks, They did automatically ship me the strut kit a few months after the main kit arrived. My current dilemma involves ribs and spars.

GUS THE I.A.

It seems that we must have 10 posts before pictures may be included in our message.

GUS THE I.A.

This appeared in M.A.N. Feb. 1977, taken at the SIG Fly-in 1976. I was in 7th grade when this was published. My 1st R/C plane was a SIG KOMANDER, this same year.


I received this a couple of years ago. I knew immediatly what it was, and it's significance.


I completed the beautiful airplane, and vacuum-formed the cowl for it, using one from my kit, to make a mold. I installed a Supertiger .40, inverted, and lowered the fuel tank as required.


I don't know what the banner on Larry's Komander read, but here's what I put on the refurbished Komander. I'm guessing Larry attended the 1976 Fly-in before he could apply the forward fuselage stripes.

GUS THE I.A.

I'm finally able to share pictures of my SIG Air Force.

King Kobra, taildragger, retractable landing gear, inverted engine, neato wing and stabilizer tips, steerable tailwheel.


Albert Einstein flies the King Kobra.


SIG Twister, albeit "Fancherized" is a great flying control line plane!


Twister that I built for a friend, with my own design logo.

Captcrunch44

acdii

You will want to epoxy the spars with something like West Systems epoxy. Don't use 30 minute for this as it will setup before you can get them clamped. When putting the ribs together, the gaps may be larger then the ribs, so get some triangle stock and use it at every joint on the center section. It is the weakest part of the wing and the most stressed in flight.

Here is my build thread http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/kit-...it-review.html
Wing build is on page two. This was started before the updates to the site, so all the photos are sideways for some odd reason.

alfalfa51

I will visit the build link. I attempted to post pictures and an explanation but I was denied. The text was with regard to the spacing of the rib slots for the front wing mount. They are not the same as the rib slots on the main spar and the front profile of the center rib pair do not match up with the slot in the front wing mount.

acdii

I have some pictures in there of the center section in bones that should help.

alfalfa51

I could not see the front wing mount detail in question. The slots on the laminated front wing mount look similar to what I have but would not match the center rib I have or match the spacing of the main spar. Thanks for the link.

There are two tabs on the front of the center rib. They are on the top and bottom of the rib where the front wing mount has a single slot on the bottom only. I can not post pictures yet but I could email them to someone.

Captcrunch44

Captcrunch44

alfalfa51

PM sent, thanks.

acdii

If you have the fuse already assembled, then I suggest pinning wax paper, or some other barrier to the fuse and then assemble the center ribs, give them a cardboard gap, thickness of two match book covers between the ribs and the fuse before gluing. Mine were too tight and I had to sand them before the wing would fit the fuse.

Post up pics of the parts in question. Looking at the pics of mine, there are two center ribs that glue together and slot into the bottom of the main spar, and butt against the forward spar. The dowel plate sits flush with the bulkhead 3 where it attaches, so there is a gap between it and the forward spar. It is inside the gap between the main spar and forward spar that I did the most reinforcing with tri stock.

alfalfa51

acdii, A limit of five posts per day has kicked in. This will have to hold over until Friday. It looks like the clock has changed to Friday

I'm not there yet. I can't assemble the main spar, front wing mount (kind of a mini spar) and three ribs in the center without breaking the ribs. I tried to force the ribs onto the main spar and the front wing mount and they were bent to the point that the trailing edge of the two ribs next to the center rib were within an inch of touching each other. I know they have taper back to match the fuselage but nowhere near that. I have tried to post pictures but I don't believe I have reached the posting count that will allow that. I expect to be able to reinforce the rib joints to the spar once I can assemble the the center ribs.

I talked to CaptCrunch44 an hour ago. The issues I am having apply to the first production run of the 168. He said the second run and his second build had parts that took care of what I am encountering. I'm going to see if SIG can supply me with the six pieces that are causing me pain.

mogman

If you go back and read the thread on the 168, you will see that we had to open up/adjust the rib slots to get everything to fit together. Don't try to force the parts together, just ease the slots so things fit properly.
Another thing, try to reduce the weight in the back of the fuse as much as you can, substitute balsa for the plywood. This plane takes a LOT of weight up front to balance.

I was so disgusted with the outcome of mine that I eventually cut it into small pieces and threw it away. Mine showed no inclination to fly with a 90cc 3 cyl radial, probably just as well, the wing would have probably snapped...(this was before Sig finally admitted to a problem and sent out wing struts).

I'm sorry if I sound a little bitter, but that was a lot of money down the drain, and the first group of builders had to figure out all the problems.

I may be a sucker for punishment, but I see Hobby Express has a 15ft. Telemaster kit available.......hmmm!

Good luck with your 168, post some pictures when you can.

Cheers,
Dave.

alfalfa51

With a little encouragement from Captcrunch44 I went after the parts that I was having issues with. My concern was that I would weaken an already marginal structure. The suggestion was to sand the slots that were the problem. The bandsaw worked well as an aggressive sander substitute. Again Captcrunch44 says the second production run of the 168 takes care of several issues including this one. I will attempt to post some pictures once I get to the magical 10 posts.

alfalfa51

Thanks mogman, I have already laminated the tail horizontal and vertical. I was going to convert to dual elevator servos but It appears that is a bad idea on this tail heavy airframe.