Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
06-11-2007, 06:22 AM
#201
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
Oscar:
Congrats on the trophy.
Yu may want to change the "horizontal eight" to a "Lazy eight"
The horizontal 8 takes a long tome to complete and the judges are watching all the time.
The Lazy 9 is done at full throttle and takes no more than 15 seconds to complete.
What about an "overshoot"? I do them all the time, even when not competing!
Congrats on the trophy.
Yu may want to change the "horizontal eight" to a "Lazy eight"
The horizontal 8 takes a long tome to complete and the judges are watching all the time.
The Lazy 9 is done at full throttle and takes no more than 15 seconds to complete.
What about an "overshoot"? I do them all the time, even when not competing!
06-11-2007, 01:32 PM
#202
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
Thanks, Dick,
We are working to slightly different flying rules. The RC Flying Scale events out here are mostly conducted to Scale Masters rules. The Horizontal Eight (Scale Masters rules actually call it the "Figure Eight"), is one of four mandatory flight maneuvers required. They are Take-off, Fly past, Figure Eight and Landing. "Realism" is the fifth mandatory "maneuver", but is actually the Judge's scoring for overall realism of all the flight maneuvers. These five total 50 possible points.
The remaining 50 points needed are selected from a list of other permitted optional maneuvers, but there is some flexibility here. For example, I had chosen the Chandelle as one of my optional maneuvers, another one where the Judges are watching closely all the time (and scratch 10 pilots for their description of the Chandelle, and you will get 10 different answers, ditto on Google.) A flight judge actually suggested that I change the Chandelle to a "180 degree climbing turn"! He said that this was less controversial and easier to judge. The 180 degree climbing turn is not in the list of permitted optional maneuvers, but I guess that if you can describe it so that the judges understand it, then it is OK.
The deceptively simple-looking Figure Eight is deliberately used precisely for the reason you mentioned. Evidently, Scale Masters found that it demonstrates the pilot's mastery of the aircraft, and his ability to adjust for wind and other conditions, better than almost any other simple maneuver. There are many possible faults to reduce your score, especially if it is windy.
Being that I am never going to be an expert pilot, I have agreed to enter Team Scale in the next Scale Masters Qualifier event. A local expert Pilot "fell in love" with my Ercoupe and offered to team with me. I had resisted this, because Team Scale brings out the professional Scale builders who do nothing but build these incredible museum scale masterpieces all year. I did not think that my Coupe was good enough to compete in the static judging with these airplanes. But this recent win, (incidently, beating the Team that won first in Team Scale in most recent Qualifier), along with getting 28 out of 30 possible static points in the last Qualifier Open class static judging, has given me some confidence that I have a chance with the Team Scale static judging.
What is an Overshoot?
Oscar
We are working to slightly different flying rules. The RC Flying Scale events out here are mostly conducted to Scale Masters rules. The Horizontal Eight (Scale Masters rules actually call it the "Figure Eight"), is one of four mandatory flight maneuvers required. They are Take-off, Fly past, Figure Eight and Landing. "Realism" is the fifth mandatory "maneuver", but is actually the Judge's scoring for overall realism of all the flight maneuvers. These five total 50 possible points.
The remaining 50 points needed are selected from a list of other permitted optional maneuvers, but there is some flexibility here. For example, I had chosen the Chandelle as one of my optional maneuvers, another one where the Judges are watching closely all the time (and scratch 10 pilots for their description of the Chandelle, and you will get 10 different answers, ditto on Google.) A flight judge actually suggested that I change the Chandelle to a "180 degree climbing turn"! He said that this was less controversial and easier to judge. The 180 degree climbing turn is not in the list of permitted optional maneuvers, but I guess that if you can describe it so that the judges understand it, then it is OK.
The deceptively simple-looking Figure Eight is deliberately used precisely for the reason you mentioned. Evidently, Scale Masters found that it demonstrates the pilot's mastery of the aircraft, and his ability to adjust for wind and other conditions, better than almost any other simple maneuver. There are many possible faults to reduce your score, especially if it is windy.
Being that I am never going to be an expert pilot, I have agreed to enter Team Scale in the next Scale Masters Qualifier event. A local expert Pilot "fell in love" with my Ercoupe and offered to team with me. I had resisted this, because Team Scale brings out the professional Scale builders who do nothing but build these incredible museum scale masterpieces all year. I did not think that my Coupe was good enough to compete in the static judging with these airplanes. But this recent win, (incidently, beating the Team that won first in Team Scale in most recent Qualifier), along with getting 28 out of 30 possible static points in the last Qualifier Open class static judging, has given me some confidence that I have a chance with the Team Scale static judging.
What is an Overshoot?
Oscar
06-12-2007, 06:09 AM
#203
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
An overshoot is a landing approach that turns out to be too fast or too high. Before your wheels touch the ground, you add power and "go around" to try again.
I'd bet you do them all the time, like me, but not on purpose!
Look up "Chandelle" in the AMA maneuvers list, explain what you're gonna do to the judges and do it exactly as you describe.
If you determine that the judges have just a but of a sense of humor, tell them this:
"Next maneuver is a Chandelle, made famous by that world renowned aerobatic pilot, Tommy James".
(Tommy James and the Shondells recorded "Crimson and Clover", a rock song from the '60's)
BTW, ever since I started to use the Chandelle as part of my Top Gun flight plan in 2005, everyone is doing them now.
I feel robbed! Violated!
I'd bet you do them all the time, like me, but not on purpose!
Look up "Chandelle" in the AMA maneuvers list, explain what you're gonna do to the judges and do it exactly as you describe.
If you determine that the judges have just a but of a sense of humor, tell them this:
"Next maneuver is a Chandelle, made famous by that world renowned aerobatic pilot, Tommy James".
(Tommy James and the Shondells recorded "Crimson and Clover", a rock song from the '60's)
BTW, ever since I started to use the Chandelle as part of my Top Gun flight plan in 2005, everyone is doing them now.
I feel robbed! Violated!
06-12-2007, 01:04 PM
#204
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
Yep - I do overshoots all the time. That's one reason that I put operating electric brakes on my Coupe. On the last one at our field (600 ft. paved runway), I panicked and hit the throttle instead of the brakes! The Ercoupe rolled off into a recently ploughed area. The nose wheel caught in a rut and the Coupe flipped over on its back. It came to rest on the very fragile front windshield and sliding window track, which sheared as it bent and cracked the windshield. I rationalized that this was better than what might have happened if it landed on the very fragile tail feathers. Also, the nose gear ripped out of the lower plywood support, (second time).
I reglued the broken track and repaired the cracked windshield with canopy glue and ordered new parts from Balsa USA. Dave Lewis was very helpful in getting expedited delivery, but I ran out of time, repairing the nose gear, before the fly-in last weekend. So I won second in civilian scale despite the obviously cracked windshield.
An amusing sidelight was that the track repair made the sliding windows very hard to slide, even after repeated sanding of the grooves. But after six flights with that G62 shaking everything, the windows now slide just fine.
Back on the overshoots. As you well know, the coupe flies sort of like a Cub. It will fly very, very slowly, and is very well behaved, (i.e., it won't drop a wing and bite you in the ass!) As you said "an honest airplane". But somehow I never let it get as slow as I would a Cub. The result is that I am often halfway down the runway before touching down. My Coupe is probably up to about 33 pounds, five pounds heavier than yours, and my ground shyness makes for a last minute dive at the runway, hence too fast an approach. So I often overshoot. I turn a lot of these into touch and goes. I am getting better, however, and at the fly-in, I did a real "drag it in low" short field landing with turn off at the first taxiway, without using the brakes. So there is hope.
I reglued the broken track and repaired the cracked windshield with canopy glue and ordered new parts from Balsa USA. Dave Lewis was very helpful in getting expedited delivery, but I ran out of time, repairing the nose gear, before the fly-in last weekend. So I won second in civilian scale despite the obviously cracked windshield.
An amusing sidelight was that the track repair made the sliding windows very hard to slide, even after repeated sanding of the grooves. But after six flights with that G62 shaking everything, the windows now slide just fine.
Back on the overshoots. As you well know, the coupe flies sort of like a Cub. It will fly very, very slowly, and is very well behaved, (i.e., it won't drop a wing and bite you in the ass!) As you said "an honest airplane". But somehow I never let it get as slow as I would a Cub. The result is that I am often halfway down the runway before touching down. My Coupe is probably up to about 33 pounds, five pounds heavier than yours, and my ground shyness makes for a last minute dive at the runway, hence too fast an approach. So I often overshoot. I turn a lot of these into touch and goes. I am getting better, however, and at the fly-in, I did a real "drag it in low" short field landing with turn off at the first taxiway, without using the brakes. So there is hope.
07-01-2007, 01:21 AM
#205
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
Hi, Ercoupers,
My 1/3 scale Ercoupe (on wheels), based on full-scale N87405, won another award today. A local RC Club, the Gilman Springs RC Flyers, held a Fly-in today where they gave (amongst others) a plaque for the "Best Civilian" RC model. Models had to fly to compete.
We put on two flights, one of which was a run-thru of our Team Entry flight plan for the next Scale Masters Qualification meet in August at Sepulveda Dam in Los Angeles. If we qualify, the finals are October near here in Hemet, CA.
So far our score is as follows:
Sept., 2006 -- Lake Shuswap, British Columbia -- SLAM Float fly -- "Best on the Beach - Scale". (on floats) Piloted by Dave Collis
April, 2007 -- Hemet, California -- Scale masters Qualifier -- Got 28 of a possible 30 static judging points -- no award.
June, 2007 -- Chino, California -- Scale Masters Fun fly -- Award for 2nd place in Civilian Scale
June, 2007 -- Moreno Valley, CA -- Gilman Springs Fly-in -- Award for Best Civilian Scale. Piloted by Carl Lindou.
Regards,
Oscar Weingart
My 1/3 scale Ercoupe (on wheels), based on full-scale N87405, won another award today. A local RC Club, the Gilman Springs RC Flyers, held a Fly-in today where they gave (amongst others) a plaque for the "Best Civilian" RC model. Models had to fly to compete.
We put on two flights, one of which was a run-thru of our Team Entry flight plan for the next Scale Masters Qualification meet in August at Sepulveda Dam in Los Angeles. If we qualify, the finals are October near here in Hemet, CA.
So far our score is as follows:
Sept., 2006 -- Lake Shuswap, British Columbia -- SLAM Float fly -- "Best on the Beach - Scale". (on floats) Piloted by Dave Collis
April, 2007 -- Hemet, California -- Scale masters Qualifier -- Got 28 of a possible 30 static judging points -- no award.
June, 2007 -- Chino, California -- Scale Masters Fun fly -- Award for 2nd place in Civilian Scale
June, 2007 -- Moreno Valley, CA -- Gilman Springs Fly-in -- Award for Best Civilian Scale. Piloted by Carl Lindou.
Regards,
Oscar Weingart
08-20-2007, 05:34 AM
#206
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
The second 2007 Southern California Scale Masters Qualifier meet took place on August 17-19, hosted by the San Fernando Valley RC Fliers at the Apollo XI Field, Sepulveda Basin, Encino, CA.
The Balsa USA 1/3 Scale Ercoupe, Oscar Weingart, Builder, and Carl Lindou, Pilot, won First Place in Team Scale, in addition to the Peoples Choice Award.
Another notable winner was Tom Wolf's incredible scratch-built DeHavilliand Mosquito, which won First Place in Expert Scale, as well as the Pilot's Choice Award.
Tom is a member of the Santa Barbara RC Modelers club, and Oscar belongs to both the Riverside RC Club and the Gilman Springs RC Flyers club. Carl is a former long-term president of the Corona RC Club.
Both aircraft are now qualified for the Scale Masters 2007 Final meet at Hemet, CA, October 11-14.
Look for a report, later this week, on the Riverside RC Club Website at www.riversidercclub.org .
Our static judging score was 88.75 out of a possible 100 (gotta work on that!) and the average of the best 3 out of 5 flight scores was 90.25 out of a possible 100. The flight plan was as follows: (10 points each)
1. Take off*
2. Fly Past*
3. Figure 8*
4. 180 degree Climbing Turn
5. 360 degree Descending Turn
6. Overshoot
7. Touch
8. Go
9. Landing*
10. Realism*
* Scale Masters mandatory maneuvers.
As you can see, we incorporated your Overshoot suggestion. It presents the airplane much better than the traffic pattern maneuver. We also demonstrated the electric brakes, by doing a "mag check" before takeoff, a full stop landing, and several full stops during taxi, to help the realism score.
Dick, please don't feel violated or used. Rather, try to picture yourself as a Guru or mentor to the great unwashed modeler masses out there.
The Balsa USA 1/3 Scale Ercoupe, Oscar Weingart, Builder, and Carl Lindou, Pilot, won First Place in Team Scale, in addition to the Peoples Choice Award.
Another notable winner was Tom Wolf's incredible scratch-built DeHavilliand Mosquito, which won First Place in Expert Scale, as well as the Pilot's Choice Award.
Tom is a member of the Santa Barbara RC Modelers club, and Oscar belongs to both the Riverside RC Club and the Gilman Springs RC Flyers club. Carl is a former long-term president of the Corona RC Club.
Both aircraft are now qualified for the Scale Masters 2007 Final meet at Hemet, CA, October 11-14.
Look for a report, later this week, on the Riverside RC Club Website at www.riversidercclub.org .
Our static judging score was 88.75 out of a possible 100 (gotta work on that!) and the average of the best 3 out of 5 flight scores was 90.25 out of a possible 100. The flight plan was as follows: (10 points each)
1. Take off*
2. Fly Past*
3. Figure 8*
4. 180 degree Climbing Turn
5. 360 degree Descending Turn
6. Overshoot
7. Touch
8. Go
9. Landing*
10. Realism*
* Scale Masters mandatory maneuvers.
As you can see, we incorporated your Overshoot suggestion. It presents the airplane much better than the traffic pattern maneuver. We also demonstrated the electric brakes, by doing a "mag check" before takeoff, a full stop landing, and several full stops during taxi, to help the realism score.
Dick, please don't feel violated or used. Rather, try to picture yourself as a Guru or mentor to the great unwashed modeler masses out there.
10-02-2007, 09:55 AM
#207
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
Dick,
Per your suggestion, we test-flew the Coupe with a 24-6 Zinger prop. It definitely flew differently than with the 22-8 APC we have been using. To me, it seemed to be flying slower, which one experienced judge had recommended for greater realism, since the full-scale Ercoupe is a slow, (very) light plane. Our team pilot is Carl Lindou, one of these 3-D type whiz pilots. He said that the new prop will take some getting used to, but he didn't ask me to put the old one back on, so I guess he is happy. I didn't get a tach reading, but it sounded about the same as with the old prop.
Per your suggestion, we test-flew the Coupe with a 24-6 Zinger prop. It definitely flew differently than with the 22-8 APC we have been using. To me, it seemed to be flying slower, which one experienced judge had recommended for greater realism, since the full-scale Ercoupe is a slow, (very) light plane. Our team pilot is Carl Lindou, one of these 3-D type whiz pilots. He said that the new prop will take some getting used to, but he didn't ask me to put the old one back on, so I guess he is happy. I didn't get a tach reading, but it sounded about the same as with the old prop.
10-14-2007, 11:36 PM
#208
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
Oscar Weingart's 1/3 Scale Ercoupe, from the Balsa USA kit, flown by Carl Lindou, won Fourth Place in Team Scale at the 28th Annual Scale Masters Championships. The meet was held at host club Hemet Model Master's field in Hemet, CA, on October 11-14, 2007.
Watch for an event report at www.riversidercclub.org
Watch for an event report at www.riversidercclub.org
10-18-2007, 12:08 AM
#209
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
See http://www.ussma-midwest.org/photos/...bum=16&pos=182 for a nice sequence of the Ercoupe flying. Click on each photo for a larger size.
See http://www.scalemasters.org/Home.html for over a thousand photos and all the scores for the Scale Masters Championships.
See http://riversidercclub.org/event_rep...mpionships.htm for an event report from my own personal perspective.
See http://www.scalemasters.org/Home.html for over a thousand photos and all the scores for the Scale Masters Championships.
See http://riversidercclub.org/event_rep...mpionships.htm for an event report from my own personal perspective.
11-22-2007, 11:10 PM
#210
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
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RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
Has anyone built one of these with a Roto 50 V2? I like the idea of the 3W56iB2 but the Roto is a lot cheaper and should give the same performance.
Mark
Mark
11-23-2007, 01:45 AM
#211
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
I don't know, but there is room in that big cowl for almost anything. I originally wanted to use my Kavan FK-50, but the muffler and exhaust pipes interfered with the nosewheel strut mount. So I used a G45, as Balsa USA did in their prototype. This was plenty of power on wheels, but marginal on floats, so I switched to a G62, as Dick Pettit used in his review of the kit for RC Report.
12-27-2007, 08:11 PM
#212
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RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
sorry to butt in. but I am just about done with my 1/3 scale ercoupe, and need a pilot. have looked all over and can not find one. Can some one please tell me where to look for one. thank you Lee
12-28-2007, 12:45 AM
#213
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
I used HP Pilots O&G 1/3 Scale full-body pilot S3FF. http://www.hppilots.com/ $38.00, but it weighs a full pound and I had to cut about an inch from his midriff as he was too tall and hit his head on the sliding window. Dick Pettit used a nifty pilot. Try emailing him at [email protected] or read his RC Report review of the Ercoupe kit.
One nice thing about the HP pilot is that his right hand has a nice molded-in gripping position that just fits the yoke furnished in the kit. I held him in place with velcro on the back and seat portion of the figure. HP painted him for me, but he may come pre-painted now. See Model Aviation, January, 2008, in VP Rich Hanson's AMA District X column, for an over the shoulder view of my pilot, yoke and panel.
One nice thing about the HP pilot is that his right hand has a nice molded-in gripping position that just fits the yoke furnished in the kit. I held him in place with velcro on the back and seat portion of the figure. HP painted him for me, but he may come pre-painted now. See Model Aviation, January, 2008, in VP Rich Hanson's AMA District X column, for an over the shoulder view of my pilot, yoke and panel.
05-06-2008, 11:30 PM
#214
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
Hi, Guys,
Anyone still out there?
A little update on my "Coupe". We took first place in Team Scale at the 2008 Scale Masters Qualifier at Hemet, CA on April 11-13. The pilot was Dan Egelhoff. We were the only team to fly in Team Scale, but we flew all five rounds anyway, and got a respectable score. You can find an event report on our website, www.riversidercclub.org The turnout was quite small, probably because the Scale Masters Championships are to be in Sarasota, Florida in October this year.
I am planning to attend the Championships. We have enough frequent flyer miles for the airline tickets, and friends who live near the field have invited us to stay with them. At the Qualifier, we met a wonderful modeler who offered to transport the Ercoupe in his RV to Florida. He is also flying in Team Scale, and thinks we will beat him, but he will haul that huge Coupe anyway. What great people we have in this hobby! Crating and shipping that monster was a real challenge, so this generous offer took a big worry away.
Since neither of my regular pilots can make it to Florida, another friend put me in touch with a local pilot who has flown in five Top Gun meets, and who is a member of one of the RC equipment manufacturer's teams. The only caveat is that I must install their equipment in the plane. I own one of their sets, so no big problem there.
I hope that some of my old Brooklyn Sky-Scrapers friends, all of whom have retired in Florida, will show up, so we can have a reunion. I also hope that Dick Pettit and other east coast acquaintences will be there. I met Dick at one of the AMA Conventions out here, and he is one fine fellow.
Anyone still out there?
A little update on my "Coupe". We took first place in Team Scale at the 2008 Scale Masters Qualifier at Hemet, CA on April 11-13. The pilot was Dan Egelhoff. We were the only team to fly in Team Scale, but we flew all five rounds anyway, and got a respectable score. You can find an event report on our website, www.riversidercclub.org The turnout was quite small, probably because the Scale Masters Championships are to be in Sarasota, Florida in October this year.
I am planning to attend the Championships. We have enough frequent flyer miles for the airline tickets, and friends who live near the field have invited us to stay with them. At the Qualifier, we met a wonderful modeler who offered to transport the Ercoupe in his RV to Florida. He is also flying in Team Scale, and thinks we will beat him, but he will haul that huge Coupe anyway. What great people we have in this hobby! Crating and shipping that monster was a real challenge, so this generous offer took a big worry away.
Since neither of my regular pilots can make it to Florida, another friend put me in touch with a local pilot who has flown in five Top Gun meets, and who is a member of one of the RC equipment manufacturer's teams. The only caveat is that I must install their equipment in the plane. I own one of their sets, so no big problem there.
I hope that some of my old Brooklyn Sky-Scrapers friends, all of whom have retired in Florida, will show up, so we can have a reunion. I also hope that Dick Pettit and other east coast acquaintences will be there. I met Dick at one of the AMA Conventions out here, and he is one fine fellow.
05-07-2008, 06:44 AM
#215
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
Oscar,
My coupe is still flying and will be headed to Joe Nall this Saturday for a week of great flying. I have had so many offers to purchase the coupe but I just can't let her go. I have recently started building my Dream Project, a Cessna 421 converted to a 425 with Twin Turbo Props. I purchased Hostetler Plans and have been going through the conversion changes slowly but surely. I have some photos on my web site under the Cessna link. Check it out: http://www.freewebs.com/buzzkillingsworth/ Hope everyone else is doing well, keep in touch.
Thanks,
Buzz Killingsworth
My coupe is still flying and will be headed to Joe Nall this Saturday for a week of great flying. I have had so many offers to purchase the coupe but I just can't let her go. I have recently started building my Dream Project, a Cessna 421 converted to a 425 with Twin Turbo Props. I purchased Hostetler Plans and have been going through the conversion changes slowly but surely. I have some photos on my web site under the Cessna link. Check it out: http://www.freewebs.com/buzzkillingsworth/ Hope everyone else is doing well, keep in touch.
Thanks,
Buzz Killingsworth
05-07-2008, 12:22 PM
#216
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
Buzz,
I took a tour thru your site, and it was fun to see your various projects and to look at all those Ercoupes in the history reference. The Lazy Ace is also one of my favorite airplanes. They make a fine float plane, too. I have a Ryobi 31cc conversion in mine, and I am using it as a trainer for my next Scale Masters entry, a Consolidated Fleet PT-6A bipe (the military version of the Fleet Model 2). I am using the Concept Models 1/4 scale kit. We have a beautifully restored PT-6A at the March Field Air Museum, where I work a couple of days a week as a volunteer. I fell in love with it when I started working there, and of course, I have unlimited access to the full-scale for measuring, photographing and head-scratching. (This is both a blessing and a curse!) It is the oldest plane we have in the Museum that we know for sure was once actually stationed at March Field. (In 1930).
On the Ercoupe, looking at your site reminded me of some issues that I ran into on my Coupe. I trust that you did not glue the main landing gear fairings to the main gear aluminum castings, as called out in the manual. This would be impractical and somewhat crude. I made some aluminum angle brackets which were fastened to the front flat area of the castings with screws into tapped holes in the castings. (One just above where each ply rib in the fairings go.) A pin thru the top plywood rib in the fairing, and a screw thru the bottom rib, allowed easy removal of the fairing. Like you, I held the rear end of the fairing together with a couple of small nuts and bolts, and just sprung them apart when installing or removing the fairing. Incidently, my landing lights on the fairings, as well as the running lights, are dummies that don't actually light up. You don't get any points for this in Scale Masters meets.
Another issue is the three-view required for static judging documentation. With all the many modifications approved for the Ercoupe over the 71 years since it first flew, there are an almost infinite number of possible combinations of these mods possible in any one airplane. I got about six different 3-views from Bob Banka, but none of them show my full-scale accurately. Incidently, N87405 has a 100 HP O-200 engine. The former owner reports an 1100 FPM climb rate with only the pilot aboard. Pretty hot Ercoupe! The judges are only supposed to use the three-view for outline, but they tend to start nit-picking about little details that show on the drawing. I urge them repeatedly, in my documentation, to look at the photos of the full-scale instead, and this is what they are supposed to do, by Scale Masters rules. Do you know of a good three view of the Coupe? One thing I considered was to reduce the one furnished with the kit.
The slope of the rear cabin window is quite variable in the many different full-scale photos. Some with the traditional smaller rear windows have a rather steep slope, while others, with the enlarged rear windows, seem to have a much shallower slope.
Regards,
Oscar
I took a tour thru your site, and it was fun to see your various projects and to look at all those Ercoupes in the history reference. The Lazy Ace is also one of my favorite airplanes. They make a fine float plane, too. I have a Ryobi 31cc conversion in mine, and I am using it as a trainer for my next Scale Masters entry, a Consolidated Fleet PT-6A bipe (the military version of the Fleet Model 2). I am using the Concept Models 1/4 scale kit. We have a beautifully restored PT-6A at the March Field Air Museum, where I work a couple of days a week as a volunteer. I fell in love with it when I started working there, and of course, I have unlimited access to the full-scale for measuring, photographing and head-scratching. (This is both a blessing and a curse!) It is the oldest plane we have in the Museum that we know for sure was once actually stationed at March Field. (In 1930).
On the Ercoupe, looking at your site reminded me of some issues that I ran into on my Coupe. I trust that you did not glue the main landing gear fairings to the main gear aluminum castings, as called out in the manual. This would be impractical and somewhat crude. I made some aluminum angle brackets which were fastened to the front flat area of the castings with screws into tapped holes in the castings. (One just above where each ply rib in the fairings go.) A pin thru the top plywood rib in the fairing, and a screw thru the bottom rib, allowed easy removal of the fairing. Like you, I held the rear end of the fairing together with a couple of small nuts and bolts, and just sprung them apart when installing or removing the fairing. Incidently, my landing lights on the fairings, as well as the running lights, are dummies that don't actually light up. You don't get any points for this in Scale Masters meets.
Another issue is the three-view required for static judging documentation. With all the many modifications approved for the Ercoupe over the 71 years since it first flew, there are an almost infinite number of possible combinations of these mods possible in any one airplane. I got about six different 3-views from Bob Banka, but none of them show my full-scale accurately. Incidently, N87405 has a 100 HP O-200 engine. The former owner reports an 1100 FPM climb rate with only the pilot aboard. Pretty hot Ercoupe! The judges are only supposed to use the three-view for outline, but they tend to start nit-picking about little details that show on the drawing. I urge them repeatedly, in my documentation, to look at the photos of the full-scale instead, and this is what they are supposed to do, by Scale Masters rules. Do you know of a good three view of the Coupe? One thing I considered was to reduce the one furnished with the kit.
The slope of the rear cabin window is quite variable in the many different full-scale photos. Some with the traditional smaller rear windows have a rather steep slope, while others, with the enlarged rear windows, seem to have a much shallower slope.
Regards,
Oscar
06-03-2008, 01:23 PM
#217
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
Buzz - The guy who will be my pilot for the Sarasota Scale Masters Championships also flew in the Joe Nall. His name is Anthony Greco, Jr., and he is on team JR. Did you happen to meet him?
06-06-2008, 10:45 PM
#218
My Feedback: (6)
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
Last month, several fellow clubmembers and I flew out of Charlevoix, Mi. over to BUSA in Menominee. before continuing onto the shop, we stopped at their hangar at the Tri-City Airport and spent about an hour there looking over Ron Busch's and his associate's( darn I can't remember his name) Ercoupes. They are real beauties! Ron explained that the rudder linkages in the kit are the same as the real plane.
I took some pics of their planes and will try to post them. The folks at BUSA were very gracious to us and evryone had a great time visiting their company. besides we had a fine flight to and from Menominee over Lake Michigan in a BNC-2 Islander.
cheers
I took some pics of their planes and will try to post them. The folks at BUSA were very gracious to us and evryone had a great time visiting their company. besides we had a fine flight to and from Menominee over Lake Michigan in a BNC-2 Islander.
cheers
12-05-2008, 06:21 PM
#219
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
This is in the nature of an Obituary. I am just now starting to recover from shock and a two-month bout of depression. My beloved 1/3 Scale Ercoupe, based on full-scale Ercoupe N8705, was totally demolished during a pilot familiarization flight at Sarasota, Florida, the day before the start of the 2008 Scale Masters Championships.
The full story can be found at:
http://riversidercclub.org/event_rep...mpionships.htm
The crash appeared to be caused by radio interference.
The Coupe had accumulated about 50 flights and 9 awards. It won first or second in Team Scale at four Scale Masters Qualifiers during 2007 and 2008. It took 4th in Team Scale at the 2007 Scale Masters Championships. It also won first or second place in Best Civilian at two Scale Squadron of Southern California and one Gilman Springs club Fly-ins.
On floats, the Ercoupe won Best on the Beach – Scale in the SLAM club 2006 Fall Float-Fly at Lake Shuswap, B.C., and was the subject of a six-page article in the April 2007, issue of Model Aviation magazine. It can be seen flying on floats at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir8QXESmOZY
They say that all RC models come with an expiration date, and I was planning to retire the Coupe after Sarasota, in order to work on my ¼ scale Fleet PT-6A for next year. But it hurt to go through all the planning and expense of getting me, my wife, and the Ercoupe to Sarasota, along with a fine local pilot, and then to be deprived of a chance to compete. They gave me a certificate for the Longest Distance to a Crash.
The full story can be found at:
http://riversidercclub.org/event_rep...mpionships.htm
The crash appeared to be caused by radio interference.
The Coupe had accumulated about 50 flights and 9 awards. It won first or second in Team Scale at four Scale Masters Qualifiers during 2007 and 2008. It took 4th in Team Scale at the 2007 Scale Masters Championships. It also won first or second place in Best Civilian at two Scale Squadron of Southern California and one Gilman Springs club Fly-ins.
On floats, the Ercoupe won Best on the Beach – Scale in the SLAM club 2006 Fall Float-Fly at Lake Shuswap, B.C., and was the subject of a six-page article in the April 2007, issue of Model Aviation magazine. It can be seen flying on floats at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir8QXESmOZY
They say that all RC models come with an expiration date, and I was planning to retire the Coupe after Sarasota, in order to work on my ¼ scale Fleet PT-6A for next year. But it hurt to go through all the planning and expense of getting me, my wife, and the Ercoupe to Sarasota, along with a fine local pilot, and then to be deprived of a chance to compete. They gave me a certificate for the Longest Distance to a Crash.
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03-24-2011, 01:47 PM
#222
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RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
I know this is an OLD thread, but I have purchased a ERCOUPE (Built and changed to my radio gear) and am readty to maiden it. It has a D&B 3.7 twin on it and it does run good.
Did everyone use the recommended throws, especially the Ailerons that says to use alot of Differental?
Thanks
Did everyone use the recommended throws, especially the Ailerons that says to use alot of Differental?
Thanks
03-24-2011, 02:08 PM
#223
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
I couldn't get too much differential due to how my aileron hinges worked out, (couldn't get enough up aileron) but I did have switch-selectable coupling of rudders to ailerons, just like the full-scale. That Coupe of yours is a pretty bird!!
Oscar
Oscar
03-28-2011, 04:09 AM
#224
Join Date: Feb 2010
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RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
I'm interested in Ercoupe as a tow plane.
Would you think that a twin 110 c.c. gas engine is too much for Balsa Usa Ercoupe ?
What is the distance from engine axle to ground on this model ?
Is someone interested in selling plans ?
Thanks in advance.
Beppe
Would you think that a twin 110 c.c. gas engine is too much for Balsa Usa Ercoupe ?
What is the distance from engine axle to ground on this model ?
Is someone interested in selling plans ?
Thanks in advance.
Beppe
03-28-2011, 06:53 AM
#225
Senior Member
RE: Balsa USA 33% Ercoupe progress
I had a 62 cc in mine, and it still needed nose ballast. I used propellers up to 24 inch diameter. The length of the nose gear would limit your propeller diameter. I no longer have the airplane, so I can't measure the prop clearance. Balsa USA might answer this for you. An engine that large might shake the coupe to pieces. I have an extra set of plans, (rolled up and put away) and you can also buy them from Balsa USA. If you build it from plans, you would still have to buy the cowling, landing gear, windshield, etc.