I built a high-wing trainer in 1980, flew it three times and hanged it up in my shop. After 30 years I have decided to use it to teach my wife to fly RC. I cannot remember what kit this aircraft was built from. It is either a Sig Kadet or a Goldberg Falcon. I am leaning toward the Sig Kadet. It has a 63" wingspan, no ailerons, heavy wire tricycle landing gear, and the horizontal stab is built-up flat construction with no airfoil. This particular airplane had formed plastic wing tips which have deteriorated over the years. I was hoping to replace the tips if I they are available, but I will need to identify the aircraft before I can hope to find the tips. If I cannot locate tips I will build them with sheet balsa. Any input would be appreciated.

Cheezy plastic wingtips was fairly common back then on early arfs and arf trainers. Finding replacements would just about be impossible even if you knew the exact airplane.

It will be a lot less frustrating to simply make up new tips out of some sheet.

How current are you, are you up to the task of teaching your wife? Will you be using a buddy box?. Sometimes attempting to teach those who you are close to you may find that they will be your most difficult student ever and its nothing to do with their ability.


John

http://www.sigmfg.com/cgi-bin/dpsmar...C58.html?E+Sig

The Falcon was a shoulder wing (no windows) with solid balsa tips. The Falcon was 56", the Senior Falcon was around 70" IIRC.

Thanks for the reply. I am becoming more convinced that this is a Sig Kadet. Sig has no plastic wingtips available. I downloaded a contruction manual from Sig so I will build the tips. I am current now even tho I stopped building and flying for 25 years. I am a long-time full scale flight instructor plus I currently am flying my big Cub, an original Kaos 40, a large Showtime 3D and 60"+ Top Flite P-40. I want to use the Kadet because my wife and I built it and I think it is still an excellent trainer. It is powered by a K&B 40 which still runs like a well oiled sewing machine.

Thanks for the reply Trent. I feel certain now that this airplane is a 63" Sig Kadet. It has windows and no ailerons which would rule out the Falcon.

I don't think the Sig Kadets had plastic wing tips.  The MKI did not have ailerons, the MKII did.  The MKII was 57" ws and I believe the MKI was also 57".  I still have a MKII that I built in 1982.

Maybe the SIG Cavalier

I think its likely the Kaydet Seniorita whichs does have a 63 inch wingspan and no ailerons. It is an identical structure to the Kaydet Senior just smaller. Oh and by the way its a superb trainer.

What was throwing things for a loop was the plastic wingtips. I don,t beleve any of the kaydets ever used a plastic wingtip even the latter arf versions.

All of the Kaydets used an identical and distinctive shape in the horizontal stab. If you could post a pic confirmation would be easy.

Good you have a background in training and understand the pressure that can occur when training some close to you. I too have been involved in flight training for many years and did train my my wife through her private. That was my most difficult student ever full scale or model. Its not something I recommend.

I,ve an appointment in the morning with just such a situation where the husband was attempting to teach the wife RC in this case and their marriage was even in doubt over this. I agreed to takeover at this point and have no doubt she will be fine with someone who is not her husband.

I don,t know if you have any experiance with a buddy box or not but if not I highly recommend you practice with one first with an experianced pilot on the box. There is a certain amount of skill in choosing the right moments to take over and most new Rc instructors tend to let an out of control situation go much to far.

Enjoy

John[8D]

You don't need the wingtips to fly. Just remove them and cover the end ribs with monocoat.

Darren

Thanks for all the responses and advice. All Good. I used the Sig Kadet downloaded manual and built sheet wing tips. I covered the tips and will put the old bird back in the air this weekend.

John,

Thanks very much for your input. I took your advice and took three photos of the airplane.

I don't recall any MK Kadets having cut out windows.The Senior and Seniorita did.

That's a Carl Goldberg Eagle 63.

The tail shape and the horizontal stabilizer shape are wrong for any of the kaydets, The cabin/windshield area is wrong for a Seniorita.

The final question is the fuselage built up from sticks and not sheetwood? I am begining to think TLH101 is correct and that may explain the plastic tips.

John

To all of you who responded to my question about the old trainer I want to thank you for your input. I believe I have solved the mystery. The current Carl Goldberg Products inventory includes "The 63 Eagle II". Except for the ailerons everything else is exactly like my airplane ; 63" wingspan, cut-out windows, flat stab & rudder with no airfoil, plastic pre-formed wing tips, and overall length. I seem to recall that back in 1980 when I purchased the kit Carl Goldberg had a big trainer named "Eagle". I think that Goldberg's MK series and the Eagle II series are more recent designations. Thanks again for all the input.

Exactly, the Eagle 63 was the original version. Eagle II was an updated rerelease of the the kit. I built an Eagle 63 in 1984 or so and powered it with an HB .40PDP. I finished it exactly like the box art, using Cream and Metalic Red Monokote. Was very good looking and flying model. Sure wish I had some pics of it.

Terry,

Thanks for the confirmation. I plan to eventually re-cover the aircraft in that red and metallic scheme.

Larry