Greg:

I forgot to ask, which plane, in which photo, in which post (huh?) [sm=spinnyeyes.gif] is the Jim Kimbro design?

Ed

we have plenty of tables at our club, no need to fold out the legs. yes the legs are a bit wobbly but they work fine the times i've flown on private property.

Chuck, i have great respect for your experience and contribution. I knew that you were mixing up the pics. Please, no apology needed. I just wanted to avoid confusion for others reading here. Having said that:

I'm still confused as to why the glass fuses in the pics are different. Hoping to learn more about the history of that design. Maybe i'll start a new thread so as not to veer off topic.

Also, very curious about the 2nd and 3rd pics. It has real nice lines. Looking fwd to learning more about that too.

Ok, here are a few more images.
Red and black Tipo is my pattern plane from 1987 (OS 61 rear exh. with OS 108 FSR carb. Ran really strong. Got engine from Jerry Bud in Lancaster, CA). In one of the photos notice the flying site in the background. In California in 1987 we used to fly off of a dry lake bed. The "runway" was about 1/4 mile long and about 200 yards wide. Not a problem until I went to a flying site with a small runway and it was a challenge to land on that "small" runway .
White plane with red and blue trim was my 60 size Kaos and this was the plane that I flew Novice pattern with in CA in 1986. K&B 61 as I recall

Enjoy
Ed

Here is one I need some help on. The photos are of my pattern plane that I flew in Sportsman (now called Intermediate) pattern in 1992. I believe that it was a Challenge 4. I bought it from a pattern pilot in Denver (believe his name was George Eide). I had an OS 61 rear exhaust (same engine I had in my Tipo - red/black plane in previous post). Flew really well and was very light (about 7.5 lbs RTF). All built up construction. Open pipe on bottom (no pipe tunnel). One piece wing.

My question is: Is this a Challenge 4 or is it a Conquest?

The third photo is of Steve Helms Aurora. I am not exactly sure when this was taken but I believe it was in 1986 or 87 and I believe it was taken in southern CA (possibly Lancaster) but not sure. Maybe Mile Square.

Ed

Dang Aurora's are beautiful

JeffH
I agree. I have always thought they were attractive but I think that Steve Helms color scheme is one of the most attractive I have seen.

Ed

Nice Ed. Great idea's for paint job.

Vince

Thats definitely a Challenge not a Conquest. It looks like a wood fuse from the pic so its probably a Challenge 3 if I remember the series correctly. The 4 was a glass fuse and I think a little deeper. Never had one, but used to fly against them a lot. Its a Tony Frackowiak design so TonyF can identify it fo sure.

Mike:

If memory serves, it was an all built up fuse with stringers on the turtledeck. I will see if I can send Tony an e-mail.

Ed

All:

I thought I would update all of you on the Tiger Tail photos posted in post 353 of this thread. I sent Ron Chidgey photos of the plane and asked for any information he could provide. He said the plane I have (one in the photos) is THE ORIGINAL TT4. This plane is one of his since it has his AMA number on it. He very much believes that it is the plane he flew in the 1979 Nats. He said he flew Webra's for a number of years, then flew Rossi's for one year before switching to the YS 2 stokes. He seems to believe that he would have been flying Webra's during the late 1970's time frame. So it seems possible that this plane may have the same type of engine in it that Ron used in 1979. Don't know if it was the original engine or not. The retracts are Southern RC retracts (now Dave Brown units). The TT4 had a balsa built up fuse with the canopy/pipe tunnel made of fiberglass and then faired into the balsa fuse. Wings and tails are all built up and sheeted with balsa.

The first photo in post 353 (the one of the right wing leading edge) has three holes in the leading edge. The holes are also in the left wing. According to Ron, the holes were there to allow him to try different leading edge shapes. The hope was to find a leading edge that would make the plane snap better. At the time, the AMA schedule required them to do two snaps, one in each direction. He would have had to snap in one direction and then immediately snap in the opposite direction. He says he never found a leading edge shape that he thought made a difference. The aft section of the fuse (not visible in the photos) has a removable stab (not plug-in). The stab and the bottom section of the fuse immediately below the stab were removable to allow him to change the stab incidence. The stab section was held in by a couple of bolts.

Ron also said that plans for the original TT 3 and 4 as well as an updated set of plans for the TT4 (one set with foam wings and one with built up wings) are available from : www.scratchbuilderwarehouse.com. The updated set for foam wings/tail has plug-in wings and tails.

Guess that's all for now. Many thanks to Ron Chidgey for his help in identifying the history of this plane and for taking the time to talk with me.

Ed

Ed,

I saw Ron fly that aircraft and held on its nose under a shed during a rain shower in Augusta, Ga. I don't remember the year but I believe I was flying sportsman class back then.

Frank Baity
AMA 38026

Does anyone have any pictures from contests held in Augusta, Ga? I live just across the Savannah river in North Augusta and would appreciate them. I will post them on the Classic Pattern site.

Thanks

Steve
aka, CAsniffer.

Frank:
Thanks for the recollection. It is fun to have a plane like this with its history and the fact that it was built by an accomplished and well respected modeler. I plan to fly it somemore but I am concerned about damaging it. Maybe what I should do is to build anothre TT4 and fly it instead. Don't know.

Ed Valls
AMA 33996

Tony F's Challenge 2 construction article was published in the October 1984 issue of Flying Models.

Ray

Ray:
I have sent Tony an e-mail asking for his assistance in identifying which version is in the photo. In looking at the Challenge II, I believe that the plane I had was not a 2. The plane was designed for an inverted engine with a tuned pipe and the turtle deck on the fuse had stringers and was not sheeted. It looks like the 2 had a sheeted turtle deck. It is also possible that the original builder of the plane modified the turtle deck and put stringers on it instead of sheeting it. Just don't know. I will see what Tony has to say.

Ed

Steve,

I went through my pics and don't see any of contests in Augusta. I was a member of the CSRA Flyers club in Augusta for 25 years and competed in all the pattern events starting 1978 and on. As you may remember the CSRA flying site(located beyond the paper plant on hwy 56) held two national pattern contest for at least 20 years. Darrel Kampshor was the driving force behind the local events, he and R.E. Walker were the CDs' of these events. Back in that time period the "patters wars" were very active and I remember traveling to eleven contest one year.

Frank Baity
AMA 38026

In post 379, I had a couple of photos of one of my former pattern planes. I asked if it was a Challenge or Conquest. Mike McConnville thought it was a Challenge and he was correct. An e-mail from TonyF confirmed that it was one of his designs and was a Challenge 3.

In my archives, I also found a picture of another plane that I don't believe was very widely know outside of the Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana area (you can let me know if it was more widely know that I have indicated). The two photos below are of a plane called the NXS. It was designed by Bill Cunningham of pattern fame for pattern contests. I don't know when the plane was designed but the photos were taken in 1992 in Tulsa OK at the American Turf Flyers field. I have sent some e-mails to some of the guys in Tulsa asking for assistance in contacting Bill to see if plans still exist. One of the guys has responded and he has plans for the plane. He says it was very simple with foam wings and tails, balsa fuse and used a YS 60R on a tuned pipe. I was told that Bill flew the plane in a number of contests. I am watiing to hear from Bill to get the history on the plane. As soon as I get additional info, I will post it here.

Ed

Is there any chance he could get Bill's permission and be willing to scan the NXS plans into PDF to share?

I'd really like a copy if possible.
Paul

Guys:

I am working on it. I know that there have been two e-mails sent to Bill. One of my contacts and I have sent e-mails but have not yet had a response. I don't know if Bill is out of pocket or not so I will wait. When/If I get in touch with him, I will ask about reproducing the plans. From the first time I saw it, I really liked the looks of the plane.

I will keep everyone informed.

Ed

Thanks, Paul

All:

I have tried contacting Bill in a number of different ways and all to no avail. I did get a very simple set of plans and hand written notes on the design of the plane from one of his friends who has built a number of them. He and a few other friends of Bill's suggested that I go ahead and provide the files. It is their belief that Bill would not mind sharing them with the pattern community. Attached are three files. The PDF is the fuse plan and the other two files are hand drawn pages and notes on the wing and tail. The original plane flew with a YS 60FR and pipe. THe guys that currently flying the planes are flying them with .91 2 or 4 strokes. I have been told that the plane was designed in the mid 1980's and was flow by a number of people in different classes in pattern competitions in the 80's so I guess it would qualify as a BPA/CPA plane.

One thing to note is to check the wing rib profile against the wing saddle in the fuse to ensure they match. The wing root profile shown at the top of the fuse PDF drawing is correct and the fuse wing saddle needs to match this root rib profile. The file labeled: NXS Plans is of the fuse and is full size. If you have it printed, the fuse length should be approximately 56.5" measured along the thrust line from the front of the spinner to the rudder at the thrust line. Also note that the stab has 15 degrees of anhedral. Notes suggest that others flew it with less. I will build mine with the 15 degrees. Some of the current fliers have put the Goldberg wing tip protectors on the ends of the stab to protect the stab tips during high nose up landings.

"These files are provided for individual builds and ARE NOT provided for individuals or companies to produce multiple copies for sale to the public". The design rights to this plane remain the property of Bill Cunningham. Anyone wishing to produce this design for sale MUST obtain the rights from Bill. I have made this statement simply to convey the point that I do not have the authority to allow anyone to produce this design for profit and I do not wish to get into any arguments/discussions with people on whether or not they can produce the design WITHOUT Bills permission. Simple enough.

Attached are the photos of the plane as well as the files. I plan on building one shortly and installing a rear exhaust 60 in it.

Enjoy,
Ed

Ed,
Well done on getting this plan for us. Hope to build one myself, but with flat stab and anhedral wing (6 degrees approx)should be fun.
Dave

Dave:

You're welcome. I plan to build one over the winter.

Ed