Looking real hard at building a Chipmunk. I know that there are several of these on the market. I'm considering the RCAF Canadian Chipmunk version from Airsail via third Coast Hobbies. I built one Airsail kit (the Piper Tomahawk, nice kit, everything metric though.) I have a Saito .91 for power. Anyone built this kit from Airsail?

I`m currently building an Airsail Chipmunk, I like the kit quite a bit, even if it does have a few shortcomings. Mostly the problems are with some bad die-cutting and the fact that the plans and instuction manual doesn`t match very well at times. Still, it`s a kit I`m enjoying building very much.

See http://pages.infinit.net/catses/stephane/ for some pictures of my progress.

Thanks much for the info. that's quite the website. I will be anxious to hear how it flies.

Howard Leistner
Evansville IN USA

Yipes!

That's a kit for a real builder. You are going a great job!

I this kit a good scale representation of the chipmunk?

Does it have a rounded fuselage?

I just updated my page with a few fuselage pictures...

It seems very much scale from what I can tell, and yes, the fuselage is entirely rounded.. or rather oval. There is some shaping and a lot of sanding involved in getting it completely rounded. Also, it does make use of plastic parts in order to put some of the scale features (such as the dorsal strake and the wing fillets). I haven't built those yet... tonight I started on the right side of the fuselage, took a bit of doing to get started, I had to figure out a way to make the plans transparent; I used some melted parrafin wax.

One part of the aircraft that isn't scale is the hinge line. It's difficult to explain, but the aileron hinge line on the 'real' Chipmunk is further out than the flaps. The kit has this the other way around. My building skills were not good enough to get it done the right way. so I settled for an 'in-between', instead of beveled aileron leading edges I sanded them round.

As for the full sheeting on the wings/elevator/rudder, that was my decision, the kit itself does not have these by default.

It is looking good. Keep up the good work, Flying season will be here soon.

what's wrong with metric?[sm=confused.gif]

metric...seem fine after building the Airsail Tomahawk. In fact it's probably more precise fitting parts.

Howard

I prefer metric actually, I can visualize 1.5mm better than 1/16 of an inch.

I loved my Airsail Chipmunk. When it got rather worn out, I sold it and took the money straight down to the model shop to buy a replacement kit which is now waiting to be built. I used a Saito 65 which hauled it around barely above idle but meant it could be flown at scale slow speeds into aerobatics and then the power opened up to haul it around loops.

thanks Harry C, I appreciate your info. I enjoyed the nice photo.

Looks like a real nice flyer.

SaviCatses,

How are you making out?

Well, it's still going, but slowly. I need to make a new update on my webpage (new text and pictures of the pictures have been added though), but at this point the entire fuselage is sheeted and the engine box is setup. I'm now working on the wing saddle.

I suppose I'm coming close to the end because the kit is quickly running out of wood.

I also gave a call to Great Hobbies (The Canadian tower hobies I suppose) and my order is finally going to come in - new flight pack, and an inverted straight muffler mostly. I'd say that within 2 months I should be finished. Earlier if I can get some good building time on it. Since our flying season has started and a lot of work to do at the office, the amount if 'free' time is much lower.

I bought an old but in amazingly good condition OS 28F from a club member that I put in my 6 lbs trainer. It's giving me some really good practice at flying a plane with less than optimal power. I now actually have to work at gaining altitude With the OS 46FX I could just point the nose up 45 degrees and keep it climbing. Not so with this old engine!

I just checked out your webpage. The chip is coming along well. Looks to have some really nice scale details.

I've built this kit as well. It builds very scale, very light, and I thought relatively easy. I don't recall any problems witht he die-cutting in my kit. I didn't sheet the entire wing. Mine's still waiting for covering though. I plan to use a .52 4-stroke.

suggest that rather than using Parafin wax, insert a large piece of carbon paper, carbon up against back of your plans. turn it over and trace over the lines. turn it over and theres your plan. dick go to local print shop, etc they throw it away by the ton. dick

bump.

SaviCatses,

I am having chipmunk construction photo withdrawal.

That's ok, I'm having Chipmunk building withdrawl. For about 2 weeks I think the only thing I did was get the tailwheel working, but I didn't take a picture yet. I have too much work at the office and some Spanish clases are eating up four evenings every week!

Also, I really made a mess of things with the hinging on the elevator which took a good couple hours to repair. No pictures of that, only the final repairs I guess.

I'll see what I have in my digital camera, maybe I have three or four pictures I could add.

Hello,

A friend has a 90" Super CHipmunk that is a great flying plane. Check it out at www.aerotech-rcmodels.com.

Later

Ted

I just checked your website, the Chip is really comming along and looking good[sm=thumbup.gif]. Keep us posted.

I'll start fiberglassing this upcoming long weekend (there's a holiday here in the Quebec province). Up to now I'm happy with the weight, 800g for the wing, and about the same for the fuselage.

Stephane,

Any more progress reports on the chip?

Looks great!