rmflyfish

My Feedback: (5)

Back in the day when I was flying a Sagitta 900 in competition there was someone making fiberglass fuses for them. Anybody know where I might come up with one? I have a complete kit but I'd like to build it with the glass fuse this time.

Thanks

BP

SoarLA45

if you ahve the materials you can make a fuse for it using a positive mold from another sagitta

john.trim

Bob Seally used to make glass fuselages for the Sagitta. Don't know if he's still making anything
model related these days.

John T

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

What a, for lack of a better term, sexy airplane. Hope you find what you need, I'd love to have one of those kits.

john.trim

Did a little research, try www.qualityfiberglass.net That's Bob's company, he doesn't list the Sagitta fuse but probably still has the molds.
I'm sure he would still make some if asked.

John T.

rraeford

Did you ever get an answer concerning the Sagitta 900? Seems like there was a company/website called DCHobby that offered the glass fuse to which you're referring. I don't think they're around anymore, at least under the same name. If you found out anything, please post.

Thanks.

rraeford

rmflyfish

My Feedback: (5)

Tried to reach quality fiberglass by phone, no answer. Dropped him an email but no reply yet. Thanks to all for the input. It is a sexy old sail plane, can't wait to get it started.
Still hoping someone has one floating around in the garage. PLEASE let me know.

Thanks

Bob P

jquid

If you find a fuse there is a guy in CA that might make a duplicate fuse and mold for us. I flew a Sagitta 600, and would love to build a 900 Glass. I sent him the fuse from my Great Planes Illusion pattern plane earlier this year so he could replicate. Just a thought if you come across one, so others can get them too.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

Yea, I can get them molded as well.

rmflyfish

My Feedback: (5)

Can anybody give me a ball park price to have on molded and done?

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

I'm showing one to my fiberglass guy shortly so I'll get an estimate and let y'all know.

TexasThermalKing

Sagitta

Sagitta Fiberglass Fuselage

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I see by this thread a few of you would like to have a stock Sagitta fuselage made with fiberglass. I haven’t seen an actual fiberglass replacement to fit the stock layout of a Sagitta in a long time.

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I would like to share what me and my flying buddies are up to right now.

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We don’t have a replacement “Stock Sagitta fuselage” but we are using one that’s close. We have included the photos we took this weekend for you to look at, and think about. Feel free to comment on what we are up to.

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I have attached several photos of the Sagitta fuselages we now have. We show how they compare to the molded fuselage we plan to build as a replacement for a modified…longer wing…different airfoil “Sagitta Like”sailplane. We are stripping the old Sagitta fuselages now of their radio gear.

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Comparing Fuselages in the Photos

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Black/ Red/ Yellow – has an extended nose and a ½ inch longer tail moment. Extending the nose I was able to move all the old style (Futaba FPS148) standard servos forward, with the battery in the nose. This let me remove all the lead (3.5 oz.) that was required for the standard kit fuselage. This fuselage was extended when my grandson launched using the winch, with receiver switch off. It flew right out, and gently nosed over, hitting the ground hard enough to break the forward section. The extension was glassed along the bottom, inside. There are 6 kids flying this plane, and all practice their landing on the tape when they fly. It’s overbuilt by a large factor, I know, but holding up well, and still very nice to fly on a weak thermal day. The overall weight was 1.8 oz more than the stock fuselage ( where the stock fuselage includes the 3.5 oz nose weight it requires for balance.) This Sagitta has 10 inch added tips, making the wing 120 inches on this plane. This fuselage RTF without the wings or stab weighed 798 grams = 28.7 oz. after its repair.

It measures: Nose to Rudder hinge line (bottom) = 45 ¾ inches

Nose to Wing LE = 14 ¼ inches

Wing TE to Rudder hinge = 21 ¼ inches

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White/ Red tail – This is the standard kit fuselage, painted lightly with K&B epoxy. The fuselage weighs 747 grams = 26.35 oz RTF without the wings or stab.

It measures: Nose to Rudder hinge line = 42 inches

Nose to Wing LE = 11 inches

Wing TE to Rudder hinge = 20 ¾ inches

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My Brown unpainted fuselage ….is epoxy and fiberglass from the mold in the photo. It was built about 7 years ago. It weighs 212 grams bare. It’s a very close match to the Sagitta…with a few extras that make it a great replacement for a stock built, wood fuselage. The exact RTF weight is 606 grams = 21.35 oz. This is with the same three servos, paint on fuselage, same standard size Sanyo 600mah battery, and all hardware, bulkheads and servo tray in place. We are using a light built-up rudder and stab.

It measures: Nose to Rudder hinge line = 47 inches

Nose to Wing LE = 12 ¾ inches

Wing TE to Rudder hinge = 24 ¼ inches

Fuselage width at wing root = 2 7/8 inches

Tail fin height = 10 inches

Wing root faired for Eppler 205 = 10 inch chord

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Trying to improve the Stock Fuselage:

Building the stock Sagitta kit as instructed, there’s a lot of timber in the tail. It could be lighter. Even a fiberglass fuselage with the pre-molded rudder fin is lighter. I say this, after comparing it to the fiberglass fuselage I built and made the mold for. I designed it for a 120 to 130 inch wing. The nose is 2 inches longer than the stock Sagitta. The tail moment is 3.5 inches longer, yet lighter overall. These were my calculations on what was needed for a little longer wing…other engineers may vary. {J

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The bare fiberglass fuselage you see in the photo was made in the mold next to it, and built with epoxy from Dow Chemical. This is Dow’s industrial grade epoxy, which tempered easily with a little added heat.

Using this mold to make fuselages for a Sagitta type sailplane would be an easy fit. Anyone that did not want the extended tail moment (length) could easily cut it down, modifying the molded fin, or remove the molded fin completely and add a built up balsa fin in it’s place…thereby having the standard length tail, and a standard Sagitta airframe with a fiberglass fuselage. It will have a longer nose, and you won’t need the 3 to 4 oz of lead commonly found in the stock Sagitta’s.

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I really like this fuselage. The extended tail it has, is needed if you want to build a Sagitta type plane….with a longer than 100 inch wingspan. It’s an easy change to make, to the standard kit if you want to. The experts can tell you why it will fly better…overall. It’s just pure fun for me and my flying group of grandkids with all their friends included.

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This being the same type of high, shouldered wing fuselage as the Sagitta 900, means you could use your old wings and get the overall weight down with the fiberglass fuselage. See the photos “of the stock “RED Sagitta wing”…matched to the new fuselage. You could use the newer, lighter servos and lipo battery and easily beat our weights shown above. Not really needed to fly, but it’s our group’s next step for a lighter, good flying sailplane. We are going out to 120 and 130 inches on the two planes we are building now, with two more planned by Spring.

I haven’t molded a canopy for this fuselage yet. We just used light framed balsa for the canopy. I doubt a fiberglass canopy will weigh much less, but I plan to look at doing an easy mold for one later.

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I have a real fondness for the original Sagitta fuselage shape and curves. I like everthing about it, even the box square shape, and the slender overall, oval shape, aft of the wing. It’s just right. I was thinking of molding a whole new fuselage, when time permits, changing to the longer nose and tail moment, but keeping the main lines of the Sagitta ….just gently stretched. It’s not a Sagitta when you change a single thing, I know, but it’s worth updating to get the tail lighter and the battery with servos forward for simple balance. Getting the weight down from stock, will just be a flyers delight.

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We need the four (4) super sized sailplanes for Spring….Our group is call “The Texas Red Tailed Hawks”. We are going to call the new planes “Red Tailed Hawk”, and no matter what other color we make them, they will all have bright red tails.

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We don’t have to keep the Eppler 205 airfoil, and scratching a wing with a different airfoil set of wing ribs, is the same basic job as copying the airfoil outline in the plans. The fuselage we are making has the faired shoulder at the wing root, that can be easily faired to any other airfoil. Speaking of airfoils a little change can be a good thing. You can pick what suits you. Have some fun…it’s a hobby. Please yourself…wing it your way.! We are!

I’m not going to debate the re-engineering of a CLASSIC sailplane here. That’s not the point at all. I just want to bench a sailplane I’ll love to fly. I just wanted something I could easily build myself. Then, make another, just as quick, to just give away to a kid that loves to fly, or watch them build themselves, with a watchful eye. It’s got to fly, and it’s got to fly well. An updated version of a Sagitta like sailplane….just makes it safe, that after all the work, you’ll be flying a plane that can do what it’s done for 35 years ....”Reach for the Sky”. The Sagitta has been a good sailplane for us, it’s easy to fly, thermal and repair. The ones we have need to be replaced soon, so this is where we are going. Then it’s time to practice and fly what you know, with something that works well, and practice some more in every kind of wind or weather. Skills first….advanced plane…later.

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The Gentle Lady’s are the thermal queens of all time, but just too fragile for the kids to use a winch on…with a safety margin. The Sagittas I have, all built with stock (no carbon) wings, have been winched their whole life with no failures. Yes, we use the tap…tap…tap method of launch on the winch, but with the slightest wind, it’s a good method to kite the Sagitta to its highest point. It will zoom if you want it to…just keep you brain connected to your foot when you do. However, adding carbon fiber to the new wings in the right places, can only make a better wing, and a better plane.

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I see other posters here may be looking at fabricating their own molds for their version of a Sagitta replacement fuselage. We are not trying to get in the way of that, or anyone’s business pursuit.

We will be building a run of the fuselages shown for our own use, If you’d like to try one let us know.

We don’t know what to charge…we can figure it out….what’s fair? We don’t even know yet. What’s a good fuselage worth, you tell us! What can we get it to weigh? We’ll see.

We have the right fiberglass but currently no Kevlar or Carbon fiber. We are shopping for it now, it adds to the cost for sure.

We are serious about getting it right, light and stout. It’s a project all by itself.

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This is no charity! We have group projects that we have done locally, to keep the glue and balsa in stock. We have funded the radio conversions of all our old radios, to FrSky 2.4 ghz, and our plans collection by similar fund raising. The kids have all worked to get what they have, and the skills to do it themselves. The shop I provide is just a place for it all to happen. It’s a great case of organized

chaos.

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Please look this fuselage over. All engineers and non-engineers invited. Let us know what the engineering math says about our pursuit, or just what you think. We really appreciate constructive comments.

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Later,

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John and the Kids

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

I'm going to pull 3 colored white in the mold. I just got a NIB kit, so if anyone needs one of the two I won't be using get in touch via PM

Kevin Matney

My Feedback: (1)

I have been working on a plug to make a mold but did not find any one that whated 1