I finally dusted off and started to reset-up my Zigsaw Atlanta.
This was a great kit distributed through Golden Gate Hobbies back in the mid 80's. I think it sold for either $189 or $229, a bit more than the standard glass and foam kits of the day but the amount of prefabrication and quality was quite good. The fuse was among the best available, no voids and minimal pinholes. It had fiberglass stiffeners in the rear section instead of formers which really worked quite well. The firewall and engine mounting beams were preinstalled. The wings and tail surfaces were sheeted with the landing gear mounts and cutouts already in place as were the servo wells I believe. The leading edge, trailing edge, and wing tips were installed but not shaped. The ailerons were cut out and edged I believe. The kit went together quite quickly. This plane was one of two that I built at the same time. I had built one previously which I guess I crashed. (Can't really remember). The paint is acrylic laquer (hand rubbed after spraying it with a $40 miller compressor and gun). The surfaces are covered with Goldberg Ultracote. Not bad stuff as there were no wrinkles after 20 years. Who kows what will happen once it is in the sun thouggh.

The plane was built in 85 or 86 and flown at the 86 Nats. Initially it was set up with a standard YS 60 with an 11 x 7 prop . Eventually I remember my favorite prop was a DW 11 X 9 wide. This was a bit quieter and still gave good speed and vertical performance. I believe we were running Hatori 601 pipes. (No clue on the length). With the introduction of turnaround the engine was switched to an OS 60 pumped long stroke which I have in there now with a 650 pipe. Larger props were tried to slow this missle down. It could be flown in turnaround but not real well in my hands The prop on there now is an MK laminated wood prop. Remember those? About $15 if remember correctly and you had to sand, balance and clear coat them.

The fourth picture attempts to show the adjustable stab set up. It was a metal plate (painted yellow) below the stab with a set screw pushing on the bottom of the stab and a 4-40 screw threaded from the top of the stab. Small glass nylon blocks were glued into the stab to hold the screws. Each stab half could be independantly adjusted. It was designed by Norm Staub's dad and was fairly simple to implement.

Stuart

The gear were MK plastics I believe and all operated by one servo. The nose gear was a bit of a pain to hook up but worked well. I had to be carful not to bend the nose gear pushrod which stuck out of the front of the wing.

Beautifully finished plane--you do good work, (the flooring and rug are very tasteful also). I'm afraid any plane of mine would have considerable dings and "hanger rash" if that old.

I still have my Atlanta also. I landed off field into tall corn years ago and did some cosmetic damage and sanded the model down to refinish but just never got around to it so the fuse is still in primer. I did a little damage to the TE of the wing when I recently moved but it would be trivial to repair. I have given serious consideration to replacing the rear exhaust Rossi 61 with a YS 91 and flying it again. It was a VERY good airplane.
Gordie

Stick with the Rossi.

Go--Rossi.

Nice photos Stu....

Somewhere in a box burried somewhere I have some flight photos of this plane.

I sorta liked your cream/orange/metbrown colors you used on the XLT, brushfire and I think on the other Atlanta.

Bob

Pretty good memory. The earth colors as Norm S would say. There were three XLT's each one a pound lighter than the last. An awsome Brushfire, probably the best rolling airplane I ever flew, and a slower flying plane for its time. How about a 2M brushfire. And my first Atlanta was those colors as well. ( My first plane in those colors was the 10.5 pound Magic )

Going through some of my old boxes showed original plans for the brushfire, plans for a wooden magic including a couple of fiberglass cowls and turtle decks that I had ordered from England. Strange design was the magic with an inverted engine and pipe in the turtle deck. I found plans for the original Maya, plans direct from Mike McConville for his 60 sized Desire and a few others. I also found a bunch of old MA articles that I had saved including ones from the worlds in the 80's.

Later,
Stu

That sad part is that I can clearly remember most things from way back when - but I cant remember the name of the guy who called me on the phone 10 minutes ago [:-]

I remember that Magic as well. You were flying that probably the first time I met you. Webra power if I recall properly. It was pretty solid in the wind at Cedar Creek You did fairly well with it.

The Atlanta was one heck of a deal back then - pre-sheeted, fairly complete. Flew very nicely.

I breifly worked on restoring my Aurora this weekend. Most of the body work is done, and I have the new canopy in place. My intent was to salvage the stock 10+ paint job and do some touch up - but with replacing the canopy, fixing dings and cracks, I think its going to be easier to sand it down and completely repaint it. Its just going to be a play toy anyway.

Hi All,
So Stu, this was the '86 ship. That would be the one where you and Norm took the trip from Houston to Lake Charles at 4-million MPH in a rented taurus wagon, right? I seem to remember my brother (the driver) reporting that the speed governor kicked in right at the top of the tire rating, just like Car and Driver said!

Those $15 Asanos weren't just expensive, they were in short supply. If you had one killer running prop, and no spares, a simple bad landing could have a real effect on the entire remaining season. I remember Stan Rauktis flying a whole season with the prop set horizontal against compression, and using a kill switch at 5' altitude.
Dean

I seem to recall the DW props being just as rare at times

While digging a bit this weekend, I found a MaxDaily 10.75x7.75 . I wonder if its considered a collectors item yet ?

Speaking of old school props... I wish I could get my hands on one of those Southern R/C Pro Props from "back in the day."

The magic was my first pattern plane. Flaps that I never used, working wheel doors initially but they really didn't work so off they came. Fully painted and I didn't know too much about weight problems so it had a lot of primer and weighed a ton Having to add 3 or 4 oz to the nose to get it to balance didn't help either. It was pretty though. My first WRAM show winner. It did have a Webra with a dynamix carb. I am pretty sure I ended up in 2nd at my first sportsman contest with it. Met Norm at that contest as he was also flying a magic.

Yes Dean I still remember that road trip, and Larry's comment about the speed governer kicking in at some rediculous speed. I was so tired I really didn't care how fast he was driving. I also remember getting into Lake Charles at midnight and the temp and humidity were both at 99. Later that nigt there was something about football sized bugs in Norm's room.

I remember taking a bunch of those asano props. sandpaper and a high point balancer to work with me when I was on overnight call to balance when not busy. That was during my first year of residency. The DW props were hard to get I remember waiting quite a while for them. In fact I think shortly after getting my last box we we were switching sizes, maybe to the Asano's not quite sure. I still have quite a few new 11x9 wides.

Hey Guys

I'm going out to my storage tomorrow to get out my repaired, but not re-flown Atlanta. Anyone have the info sheets that came with the kit???

I also have a Rossi in mine. Is the OS 61 stroker a better choice?


David

Go down in this forum(next page) and look for one titled, "Does Anyone Know This Plane-Atlanta 60?" One of the responders was Kamakazie Frank who attached a couple of photos of the plans. Either Kamakazie Frank or another responder to one of my requests for plans(In another thread) was going to mail me a copy but I never got them. If you have better luck, let me know and I will pay cost associated with getting a copy. Good Luck

Thanks for the tip AirBusDrvr, I'll look for it!
I never got a chance to get my Atlanta out of storage today...work[&o]
I was thinking about it all day long!!
I'm taking off early and getting it tomorrow![>:]


David

Ok guys I heard my name being called & Bob27s talking about his Omega.

Well......................I had one sitting in my basement for about 20 years in a
primmed well preserved state. This is a rare bird!

You guys drooling yet?

And I do have the plans, a bit aged & yellow, for the Atlanta. If I have time I will have them duplicated this weekend.
As I have said before these plans are 90% in Japanese.

kf

OH MY GOSH!!
You can keep the plans... I want that OMAEGA!
That is sooo nice. What kept you away from this for so long? I have had relationships end for less. And what is the span on the blue wing on your rack? That things huge!


But really kf, Thanks for the info on the Atlanta.

David

Hey VintageFlyer:

You know how things, after sitting there for awhile, becomes a stationary object and part of the decor, that's what happened to the Omega. Just forgot about it!

That wing in the background belongs to a 1/4 scale Sig Clipped Wing Cub with an Enya R120 in the nose. Great flying ship. A picture is posted in my gallery.

If you need the plans for the Atlanta, & they are not full size, about 18" X 30" in 90% Japanese, I will try to have them scanned and will post them to this site. That would be the easiest way for everyone if they had the need.

KF

Sharing it over this site would be the best way to go. As I remember, the plans were more of instruction sheets with lots of valuable info.

Thanks Again KF

David

Your Atlanta looks great, I missed the 80's in pattern so I didnt see them in there heyday. But I did buy one in the mid 90's flew it to a 2003 sportsman championship but have moved on to a Focus. Still have the Atlanta in flying condition ( I blow the dust off it once or twice a year ) and also have an Omega new in box that I bought in Japan in 82. Neat to see these old planes still around. I hope to bring mine to a reunion or contest this year.

KF,

I am so glad you are going to post the Atlanta "Plans"... I've just received an Atlanta that is going to be made into a plug/mold..... and I really need the old instruction /plan sheet.... one other thing... do you (or anyone) have the stab for the Atlanta??? I would really appreciate a drawing/tracing/foam core.... anything that can give me the dimensions to make templates for the stab... Lots or work to do... I'd appreciate any help you or anyone here on the forum can give me.

Dan


Carolina Custom Aircraft

Hey Deadstick:

I have to apologize to these guys...........I did say I was gonna post the plans........got sidetracked. I will bring the plans to staples this weekend and see if they can scan the plans at a reasonable cost so I can post them. Otherwise I will put the plan on my scannerin sections, (it's only about 20" x 30") and you will have to patch and paste them together.

kf