Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

Has anyone built one of these? Or in the process?

I have the RCM plans for a Spad XIII, but this kit includes a lot of scale detail that I'm sure I'll have a hard time with if I scratch it.

https://www.balsastore.com/store/pro...l.php?prod=404

RE: Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

I've always liked the Spad, but I figured they are very hard to get balanced without adding lots of nose weight. That's a very short nose.

RE: Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

There's a build going on over at RCSCALE

HTH

T

RE: Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

I have the kit in my closet while I get my hobby room back in order after a fire. I hope to start it next week. I blew though the instructions, there seems to be a lot of work especially in the cowl, gun trough area.

Scott.

RE: Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

Thanks, guys.

I just started reading the thread at RC scale, and so far I'm not impressed. The kit seems to have issues with parts fit and wood quality. I could tolerate that in a $150 kit, but not at the price BUSA is asking.

RE: Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

I had the chance to fly the prototype briefly at the Hoosier Dawn Patrol in Muncie, Indiana last August. It flew exactly like you would expect a Spad XIII to fly. Solid, and straight-where-you-point-it. One of the other pilots remarked that the way it flew reminded him of WW2 warbird like a Mustang, in that it wanted to get unfriendly at low speeds. It looked like it wanted to snap out of stalls and spin, which could get nasty if a guy got too slow on approach. I definitely kept the speed up when I flew it, and it behaved itself. I did loop it, and it tracked straight through the loop.

It didn't have that "kite"-like quality that some WW1 planes like Sopwiths or Bristols have; it felt like a fighter, one that was descended from Deperdussin racing planes - which is exactly what the Spad was, isn't it?

I can't comment on the build though, since I didn't have any part of that. I overheard that it was a great deal of work getting it built.

Dean in Omaha

RE: Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

I hope somebody starts a build thread. I have one sitting on a shelf, about the second kit down on my list to build. I just looked over the plans when I got it, the front end does look a bit "busy" fitting the cowl pieces, etc.

Phalzflyer- your description of its flight characteristics sound a lot like what I read of the full-scale, especially regarding low speed flight. It was said to have a severe stall break, and very poor off-power glide performance., both due to the very thin wing section and relatively high weight (almost 1900 lb. gross.) But it was strong enough to withstand a 200mph dive and keep its wings on the pullout.

I hope the thicker wings the BUSA kit employs will help a little, even though it doesn't look quite right with the thicker wing.

RE: Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

I have started to build one. I have the tail feathers and the top wing done. I plan on starting the bottom one this weekend. So far it has been no problem to build. A little intimidating given my limited building experience. The wing is the biggest thing I have built to date.

Scott

RE: Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

When I was a teenager, I read a paperback called "Iron Men With Wooden Wings", don't remember the author, but it fired my interest in these old stick-and-fabric planes. The author had a singular wit, and I remember one of his comments on the SPAD as saying the wing was built by the mile and lopped into 30 foot sections, an observation on its absence of dihedral and the similarity between top and bottom.

I'd love to find that book again, if anyone's heard of it. Had great stories of Frank Luke, Mick Mannock, Rickenbacker, Guynemer and others.

RE: Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

I saw one hanging in the local hobby shop. Builder did a nice job, $750.00.

RE: Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

Scott:

Are you able to post some pictures as you go along on the build?

RE: Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

I have already built the wings and did not take any pictures of that. As I progress I would be happy to. I can say there was a problem with the ribs in my kit. When I called BUSA they knew about it and were fixing it in the later production runs. I had already worked around it so I didn't inquire about a solution from them.

It's on hold until I get some maintenance down on the rest of the fleet with will take me a few weeks. I have been itching to get back to it to make some more progress.

Scott.

RE: Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

I will try to post some pics if I can get our camera working. It is hit or miss. Should be raining in my neck of the woods this weekend so I should be able to get a little done.

Scott H. (there is more than one Scott here)

Scott G what part of San Diego are you from? My grand parents lived out in Rancho Santa Fe for the longest time.

RE: Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

I live in Tierrasanta which is in the south east corner of the intersection of 52 and 15 east of Kearny Mesa. I was born here and lived in various parts of San Diego my whole life with the exception of about three years while I was in college in Minnesota. I usually fly at the Weedwackers field in Lakeside. Mini bio ;)

Now that I think about it, the ribs under the leading edge sheeting were cut a bit small. I filled in with balsa caps and sanded until they fit right. It was a bit of work given how many ribs the thing has (nearly 100 I think).

scott.

RE: Balsa USA Spad XIII
 

A fellow club member is building one and he did comment on the ribs being off. He fixed it though and did not make it out to be a big deal. The Fokker DVII has a couple of ribs the wrong size as well.
I would not let this minor issue dissuade you from building this kit. It would certainly be a ton more work to scratch one and any little minor fixes in the wood machining should be no big deal.
His comments on construction were how many ribs there were. Also there a re a lot of struts to
align.