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Resurrection of Super Sportster 40
Old balsa kit builder here. I have taken an interest in an old Great Planes Super Sportster 40 I have laying around the house. It has taken a beating while in storage over the years. I will post some photos as time passes. The model has not yet been flown. It was 98% complete when it went into storage many decades ago. At this point in time I would say it is 75% complete. Amazingly I found a tube of 100 year old (a little exaggeration) yellow Monokote yesterday at an old-old hobby shop. I purchased it because it matches what is on the plane and it is likely I will never see it again. Over the decades the Sportster lost its tail, many ribs, some center sheeting, the canopy, and some of the covering. There may be others doing some serious repair and/or rebuilding and I will look for your postings. I cannot seem to get this kit-building thing out of my blood. I grew up kit building. The quick-to-fly models seem to be all about flying. I have always broken the hobby down into four distinct parts. The building, the engine, the controls, and the flying. I realize there are LOTS of models that do not require an engine, that just happened to be my path of choice. When I was younger I did a lot of looking forward. Now days (at my ripe old age) I do a lot of looking backwards.
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I just bought a beat to death super sportster 40 arf and turned it into a conventional model. Nearly every part of this plane was broken and the covering looked like the cat was using it for a scratching post. I won it in an auction for $6. I stripped the covering, threw away anything plastic, and built it up from there. The plastic turtledeck got replaced with stringers and sheeting, balsa wingtips, new landing gear blocks, new canopy (from one I had laying around from another model) and an all new tail section. The old fin looked like a banana. When the smoke cleared I had a really nice flying plane. It's rock solid, goes where you put it, and has no bad habits.
Finish yours up. It is well worth the effort. carl |
Best of luck on your project. I wish I had the time to build like the old days. Never had a .40 SS but I had a .60 and still have a 90-1.20. The .60 was one of my favorite plans.
The canopy may be hard to come by. I once had an Ultra Sport that lost it's canopy. I built one in place with stringers and balsa. When I covered it with a contrast covering it looked great. Super Sportsters also look good as an open cockpit. I wind screen can be made out of an old Windex bottle. A seat back out of an old shirt or pants and you got something different. David |
Carl the best of luck with the beat to death sportster. Is it still in one piece? (just teasing) I was in the hobby shop yesterday and I bought a bunch more hobby junk. I have built some hobby areas in my homes over the many years but I’ve come to realize I do not have a hobby area in my current home. This is another one of my projects. I need to have a hobby table of which I can leave things and come back and pick up where I left off. I am starting to warm up to electric’s and foam a little bit. We will see how that goes in the future |
Thank you Dave. I do not have the time either now that you mention it. I am not really concerned about not having the time because that is the type of problem that my mind can solve. I have resolved the problem of finding a canopy. The way I resolved it is, I found and purchased a new in the box great planes super sportster 40. I am sure this kit I purchased is 30 years old but the balsa is fresh as a daisy. I have come to realize that if you were to label me, I would be called an old school modeler. |
That's a great score Lee. Maybe one of these days I can build another kit. I may be ready for a Cub in 10 years or so. At 54 I can tell me reflexes and eyesight are robbing my skill set. I also want to convert the Super Sportster 90-1.20 to gas. The Super Tigre .90 pulls it fine but I have quit buying glow fuel. It would be fun to invert mount a gas engine. That would change up how it looks quit a bit but be an easy job.
Best of luck, David |
Almost forgot. Be sure and trace out the parts you need for the old plane before you build the NOS 40 you bought :-)
David |
Well this may sound crazy and its OK because I’m old and really doesn’t matter anymore. so my plans are to take the parts out of the new box and use them to rebuild the old sportster that I have that is beat up. It’s more of a nostalgia thing than anything else. Decided to use a hollow core interior door for my next hobby table. I will put it in one of my bedrooms because my garage is full of boats and jet skis |
Really looking forward to setting up the hobby table. I have found that I like laying things out and leaving them laid out. that way I can come around and fiddle with them anytime I want. When I finish I can just leave them where they lay |
Doesn't sound crazy to me. Just trace out those parts :-)
Two Wodrs: bigger shop:cool:https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...1b77bd277f.jpg David |
Nice finish Dave. Did you do that? I like the round cowl
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I buffed the Shelby but can't take credit for the Mamba. It's an ARF from Flex Innovations. Flex is QuiQue Sominzini's new company. They make a first class ARF. I'm going to maiden it in the next week or so. The DA-60 has been ran but not in a while so I've got that to do and install the batteries. Also a fan of the round cowl.
David |
Originally Posted by daveopam
(Post 12540456)
Almost forgot. Be sure and trace out the parts you need for the old plane before you build the NOS 40 you bought :-)
David |
Dave that bi-plane is HUGE. How many times have you flown that sucker?
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It's going to Maiden this weekend. I'm really excited to get it in the air. The diameter of the cowl/fuse still throws me a little. The cowl will fit over my head. I realized Sunday I can reach in the front with the spinner on to adjust the needles :-)
David |
Without the top wing that think kinda looks like an old Gee Bee Racer. How are you going to transport that monster? Have you run the engine? Flying off grass or hard-rock?
Yes sir... I am finding my way back into the hobby. Slowly but surely. Got a new hobby table. Starting to pull everything together. |
Great Planes Super Sportster 40 re-build
Here is my 40 year old, beat up Sportster. She is hurtn but she ain't dead
Those screws are just to keep trash out of the holes. Will use socket head cap screws. Need to verify fuel tank is in working order. Tank may need to be replaced https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...b1344f4f18.jpg Other than tighten the Monokote there is no real work to be done here https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...08ef575068.jpg Paneling and Monokote and away we go https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...79e54270a3.jpg Needs to be disassembled and rebuilt. Needs Monokote. Existing Monokote needs tightning https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...8eaaa732a4.jpg Needs tail-skid or rear wheel https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...ebbd45ca14.jpg Needs new control horn. Needs disassembly and rebuild. Recover with Monokote https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...686951e1ab.jpg Same problems, different angle https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...254fd0e3d7.jpg Needs ribs, rib caps, covering, monokote tightning https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...02c71db347.jpg Aileron need epoxy resin fiber glass repair https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...c83a223bd8.jpg Well it is coming right along. Will just keep it moving |
Originally Posted by daveopam
(Post 12541898)
It's going to Maiden this weekend.
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https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...7bdc52d709.jpg
She looks good considering the age. The tank is probably ok but might be easier to replace than clean. Old caster oil is really sticky. We fly off a petromat runway. I have a pickup to transport. Pick ups are the norm in my neck of the woods. |
This picture is from a Cessna 210 my friend took in 2013. He caught a turbine with smoke on as he passed our Fly-In that year.
David |
Originally Posted by daveopam
(Post 12542029)
The tank is probably ok but might be easier to replace than clean. Old caster oil is really sticky.
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Nice photo of the field. Oklahoma is SO flat and wide-open!
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Yes from I-35 west. From I-35 east it has many more trees and hills. The east half is more like Arkansas. Our field has 1 tree by the gate ;-)
david |
Here in Charleston we have ocean, beach, rivers, islands, marshland, low-country, wetlands. VERY fertile soil. LOTS of growth. The closest club is on Johns Island. HUGE flat grass field. Surrounding trees WAY in the distance. It is 10 miles from my home.
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...ae3b766ecd.png https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...5d3b7a85e6.jpg https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rcu...9b891d8d37.jpg |
That's a great flying site. 10 miles isn't bad at all.
David |
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