After seeing a UL40 fly and seeing how it tracked better than the Extra, has anyone ever put the US wing on an Extra Fuselage? The look and flying characteristics might be a perfect match (from my personal viewpoint). I know plans builders play with this at times but has anyone ever switched kit components with a successful halfbreed result? Post pics if you have any...

Thanks.

I've often thought about trying to convert my ARF graveyard of bits and pieces into something that might fly a la "flight of the phoenix." Let's see I could put a Cub wing on a Me109 fuse. Or maybe a cut off the tail of the Cub turn it around.... [sm=tongue_smile.gif]

Here's some music to accompany the project:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59H4S-a8Wj4

A Marine mechanic back in the 70's took home a Huey HU-1 piece by piece and was just a few pieces away from making it flyable when he got caught. And dont laugh at my car.

Several years ago my club had a Balsa USA Stick 40 trainer that we used for instruction. A student flew it through a tree, wiping out the wing, so we put a wing from a Telemaster 66 on it. The combo flew better than either the original Stick 40 or the Telemaster 66. Sure looked ugly, though: an orange and yellow wing with a white and green fuselage and tail.

My first plane was a JR Falcon; heavy, silkspan painted with Patra Poly U. Dog ate the stab and the wing got a lot of holes in it, so I made a sheet tail and strapped on a Ranger 42 wing and flew it like that for a year or more until I moved up to my S-Tee. Time era 1978.

I subscribe to RC Model World, a UK magazine. They routinely post photos they call the Besta. Planes patched with the best parts of others. I entered my Besta explorer trainer.

The photos are from the start, my Explorer 40, the inspration to build, and the result. I liked the result so well that when I lost it (in the creek bed for over 4 months), I built a clone using a backup explorer wing I had. I put that one into a deer fench beihind our field and killed the wing. I had built and was flying a 4*60 by this time and I scalled down the 4*60 wing and put it on the fuselage. That was a great change, It flew even better.

Don

There seems to be some confirmation that some half-breeds fly better than an original design.... that is why I wonder if the Ultrasport wing could go on more than just its sister ship, the Kaos? I am mad at myself for not tracing the ribs of the US60 and building another set of wings for an Extra.

If you want to build a Ultra Sport wing... Contact the guys at lazerworks... They can sell you just a wing kit....

http://lazer-works.com/index.html

I've often dreamed of fitting the 4*60 wing to an LT-40 fuselage. The cord is close enough to fit in the stock wing saddle without much modification. The saddle would have to be sanded slightly to accommodate the semi-symmetrical airfoil of the 4*60. An experienced builder could make the mods to the fuse in about an hour.

I'd also like to move the vertical stabilizer back so that the rudder hinge line is even with the hinge line of horizontal stab. Then you could split the elevator and run the rudder all the way through to the bottom of the fuselage.

Thought about the same mods to the Kadet Senior fuse and 4*120 wing. Same tail mods too. Having some rudder below the horizontal stab would make a huge difference in how the plane flies.

I think either would be a darn nice sport plane. Just haven't found the time to do it.

This is what I hope to do this winter. I have the 4*60 wing kit and built up LT-40 fuse. It will take a little more than sanding to get the fuse to accept the wing. I do plan on splitting the elevator and running rudder to bottom of fuse. Will also make the rudder quite a bit larger than stock.

The 4*60 wing and LT-40 wing are real close in span, chord and area.

I have two Saito 45"s that are going on this. Will be tail dragger to start and hope to put floats on later.

I also have a Venus 40 wing that is begging for a fuse.

Send me some pics when you do it. [sm=thumbs_up.gif] Would you consider a build thread? I'd love to see this type of kit bash.

I think you'll have to sand or cut the wing saddle down to fit the semi-symmetrical wing, but shouldn't bee too hard. Maybe build a new fuse doubler? I think the saddle is about 1/2" longer than the wing cord. It's been awhile since I measured, so don't quote me on that.

I would set the wing and stab to 0 on the incidence meter. If you add a bigger motor like a 91 4-stroke or a 75 size 2-stroke, consider 1 degree more right thrust. My stock LT-40 with TH .75 has SERIOUS left thrust issues because I didn't add anymore right thrust to it. It takes quite a bit of rudder to draw a straight vertical line. Makes sense, it's twice the HP of the largest engine recommended for the plane.

Good luck with it and please post some pics or send me an email with some pics.

Another bash I've always wanted to do was bash a Kadet Senior fuse and a 4*120 wing into a Cessna 337 push/pull twin. [8D]

I attempted it once with an LT-40 fuse and a 4*60 wing. But I was pretty inexperienced at building and I made it too complicated with removable wings and booms. Ended up burning it. [] If I was to do it again, I'd do the Kadet Senior fuselage and cut it off right behind the wing saddle. Put the rear firewall in and mount the motor centerline about 3" below the trailing edge of the wing. The tail booms should attach to some plywood ribs in the wing with plywood boom doublers, but try and build the actual booms with balsa. Longerons and trusses would be very rigid and wouldn't weigh much. Weight behind the CG would be something you'd have to pay careful attention too. I'd build the tail surfaces with sticks and sheet both stabilizers. Sticks for the controls surfaces but no sheeting.

It wouldn't be too hard to buy the 4*120 ARF wing and modify it to fit that fuse. The wings are already set up for aluminum tubes. You'd only need to strip the covering off and attach the tail booms. Flaps inside the booms at the root and ailerons outside the booms. Might not be that hard to just build the wing kit and do the tubes yourself either.

I'd probably use a couple 60-90 engines.

I had started a thread earlier this year to see if anyone wanted to do a four * kit bash group build over the winter , I have a spare 4* fuse kit laying around, and thought about bashing it for fun... http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_80...tm.htm#8041842

And along time ago I had made a post about a frankenstein arf thread. I would LOVE to see a few guys competing with who could use the most mismatched arf pieces ! When arfs were first catching on I threatened to build an arf trainer and use the box as the fuselage, instead of the kit supplied one ! I still think that would be funny . ha ha ha ,,,,,,I can just see that box with wings on final approach, still makes me laugh.

It is amazing how many guys seem to be getting better performance with a different wing . on their combo planes.. I sure like to see people mixing and matching leftovers, we had a guy in our club once that had used parts from three or four planes and built it into a nice biplane....

I have a few to finish before I take this on. GP300 60 size and OMP Edge. I think the most difficult part will be designing the engine nacelles. I want them to somehow key into the wing spar and possibly the leading edge of the wing. I would also like the fuel tanks to fit into the wing between spars. Will use 6oz Hayes in each wing half to feed the Saito 45's. I will need to sheet the wings out about one bay more than stock. This will necessitate a trimming of two ribs to make room for the sheeting. The wing will be built flat or possibly a slight amount of anhedral. Wing and stab will be 0 degrees incidence, maybe a degree or two of down on the engines.

On the positive side, the fuse is built other than modifying the wing saddle. Tail feathers are built also, I was thinking of redoing these to match the area size of the 4*60. I thought it may be best to make the control surfaces the same size as the 4*60.

I am sure I will have many questions on this when I get going I am sure I'll need help. I'll keep you posted.

My time frame for kit bashing the Cessna Skymaster isn't anywhere in the near future either. I have many other projects ahead of that.

Just think of me or do a build thread when you get around to doing it. I gotta see it. I will also do a thread on my bash when I get around to it.

The engine nacelles:
Maybe you could make a lite-ply pattern that would match the current rib profile? You could extend that ply out in front of the leading edge.

The sides of the box would have to be installed during wing construction because of the notches for spars. Add some lite-ply formers with stringers to round it out and give it some shape. Or balsa blocks could be glue on and sanded to round it out. Install the leading edge and then just cut it out between those 2 ribs.

Make the whole thing big enough and you could stuff the 6oz tanks IN FRONT of the spars. Or you could always make your own custom tanks out of brass and silver solder them together. That way you could get them shaped to fit exactly in between the spars and ribs.

A rough idea:

The nacelles will be hanging under the wing a little. I like the Dave Brown mounts and their width will determine the width of the nacelle. The tank centerline will be level with the carb centerline. This will determine the heigth of the nacelle. I will leave a little room for tank padding and HS81 servo's.

The engines will be angled down from sideways so the exhaust will point straight down. I hate dealing with cowls so this will get cowls similar to that on my Kobra. Sanded blocks that are non removable.

Flying tail feathers are another idea. I don't want it so involved it never gets done.

Any idea what material would be best for the nacelles and firewall?