Someone requested the plans to Phil Kraft's Flea Fli in the Pattern forum, but it really belongs over here in the "Classic" section.

The article is a good read.

Free plan!

[link=http://rc-modeler.net/Documents/Flea%20Fli%20Kraft.pdf]Phil Kraft's Flea Fli[/link]

thx for posting this Jeff.
i'm asking the Mod's to move that thread over here.
i've stirred up some interest in my area on the FleaFli.
our club is know as ARF international, so when scratch built planes (or anything handmade) hit the field they get respect.

Hey Jeff-
Fun article to read! Not your typical "construction build". Interesting to see Phil Kraft's feeling toward using foam in a model - wow - "foam belongs on the head of a beer!" -over 40yrs ago. Also interesting how he also mentions relationship with Sid Axelrod, yet Midwest ended up kitting the Flea Fli. Thanks for posting making the plan available!
jeff

as soon as i get the plans printed and the wood, i'll be glad to post a build thread.

Summerwind, wrong answer

When you got it printed you will start selling shortkits
Then you start a build thread

Good Luck, I just love the KwikFli.

Thanks for the plans .I remember midest increaseed it 10% and called it the flea fli +10

Hi,

There is a Flea Fli (Midwest kit) on US ebay now if anyone want to bid on it.

/Bo

i saw it.....i still for the life of me can't figure out why people bid on an item during the whole time it's up for auction.............all they do is drive the price up and out of control....then again i'm a sniper so who cares right

i watched 2 guys go at it all day for a NIB ST G60 Bluehead ABC/ring with PDP.........dropped a bid at the last 15 seconds and nabbed it........ouch though as i paid way too much for it, but i wanted it.
hopefully this FleaFli kit stays dormat[:-]

I like the design but find it cheaper to build from plans instead of a so called collectors kit.end result is the same if not lighter

totally agree with you on this.
my FF+10 was a porker mainly due to the wood that was supplied in the kit.
even so it flew great, so this one should be a whole different plane.

i think i have found a canopy, but i haven't been able to locate a 1/8" wire nose gear with coil.

Sig has it. SIGSH602 STEERABLE NOSE GEAR 1/8X2-1/4

I'd be careful with that one. The seller states that it's NIB, yet he also states that it's partially built. He doesn't say what is built or provide any pictures. Buyer beware!

summerwind, where did you find a canopy? I too have the plans and would like to build one.

FB

Free Bird,

this one is the right length and width, it'll cut down to fit.

http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin...&I=LXJ934&P=ML

The plans for the Flea Fly and the Flea Fly+10 are available from the AMA Plans Service.
For the Flea Fly they have the versions that appeared in RCM&E and M.A.N., for the Flea Fly+10 from Midwest and M.A.N.
I had a Flea Fly+10 from the Midwest kit in the early seventies powered by an O.S. 20 and it flew great once it broke ground (grass and 2" wheels).
It really got better when I changed to an O.S. 25

I just got the plans for the Midwest version and will be building it some time after the first of the year, will again be using an O.S. 25. I think the Midwet version
was built like the M.A.N. plans but don't remember for sure.

Good Luck,

John T

Jeff,

thanks for the plans and article. Say, does anyone else have a problem printing this plan? It seems like there's something missing from the lower right of the plan and that as a result it may possibly be corrupt. I'll see if I can fix it as I'm unable to print.

Jeff, do you have the original scan as a TIF file or similar?

David.

P.S. Here's a B&W PDF of the Article made from Jeff's JPG's.

summerwind - cool thanks!

BTW - to anyone that's interested, contact me via PM for plans.

FB

Sorry you're having trouble printing the pdf.

Here's the .TIF file if that helps:

[link=http://rc-modeler.net/Documents/Flea%20Fli%20%20TIF.tif]Phil Kraft's Flea Fli TIF file[/link]

Yup!

that did it. Thanks Jeff.

For whatever reason, the resulting PDF (made with Acrobat) from the TIF came out to 511 KB which is nice and light. If anyone else has problems with the first PDF, try this one.

David.

let's talk wood..........how's Balsa USA for buying all the material?
i priced up all that could be needed, and it's about $45.00 which includes shipping.........very reasonable to me, but don't want a bunch of rock hard heavy stuff.
since i can't select it as i use to in the past when we had a real hobby shop here, i'm in a need to know stage.

Nostalgia time. I had a Flea Fli built from a free plan in a UK model magazine in the 60s. I used a Veco 19 and Logitrol gear with smaller servos. I flew the snot out of that model for a couple of years even entering pattern comps with it. Build it light and it is a great little model.

Balsa USA has a good reputation, but I don't see that you can select grain or weight.
Lone Star is back in business. You can have your order "hand selected for a 20% premium".
Sig sells contest grade balsa as well (for a premium...)

The last large balsa order I made was to Lone Star just before the fire. I ordered an assortment of the "bundle deals" (10 sheets of the same size) and ALL of the wood was very nice. The sticks were straight and the sheets were good medium grade A and B grain.

Lone Star has a note that they are out of contest grade until the end of this month.

the plans printed nicely. A friend did it for me on a nice pro type plotter. Here's the question, would it perform on an OS15? They are a bit more powerful than in the 60s when the article was written.

Thanks


Jerry

I think the big difference is the radio gear is so much lighter. You can make a virtuous circle of it (opposite of a vicious circle). Lighter gear means the structure can be a little lighter too. I had a plain old Enya .15 IV on a Wicked Wanda, 44 inch span, and it really moved. A lightly built Flea Fli would be even faster and more capable. Unless you're looking for OOS vertical I don't think you will be disappointed. Jim

I had the Midwest Flea Fli + 10 back in the 1970's. Powered with a Fox .25. It flew great! Reverse spins were a snap...once it was spinning, just reverse the rudder and it would stop and then go the other way. I was able to get a new-in-box kit a few years ago...something to put in the building queue.

thanks for replying Jeff,
just got to look at Lonestars site and pricing, not to mention that you can select.
this will definately help to keep the new FleaFli light.
i will wait till they get their 4-6lb stock in.