I picked up a Sam Turner designed Saturn in april and am finally going to fly her this weekend. I'm just wondering if the method of securing the wings is enough. It has a small hook screwed into each wing half so I assume this is for a #64 rubber band to hold them together. Just wondering on a plane of this size and complexity, if this is all it needs. Thanks for the help.

Back in the day when the Sig Something Extra was new it used a similar system to help the halves together. I have seen people use a zip tie as a back up to the rubber band/s. Any photos?

Good luck,

Teo

Sounds like pretty standard for the time and suggests that one was built by Sam himself. There's really not a lot of stress there, so rubber bands are fine. I'm attaching some Saturn pictures for reference. Some are detail shots of the one that ended up with the late Al Weir. I can see that I used a 1/4-20 bolt from the fuselage inside through the wing end plate. The other photos of the Saturn with the Supertigre are of one of the prototypes I flew in team selection.
-Ron

Hey Ron,

Do you know of any Pattern friendly clubs or places to fly around Port Orange?

As Ron sez, a rubber band is fine to hold the wings in place. Most of the load is on the tube. The plastic bolts are overkill but are also light and easy to thread. I tested strength of one 1/4-20 bolt many years ago now. It held about 75 lbs to initial yield point and never did break clean as I recall. It simply stretched to about 110 lbs pull when I stopped the tensile test.

What ever became of Sam. He just suddenly dropped out of the pattern community.
He was an innovator and a great builder.

Sam was one of the good guys. Undfortunately he died 7 or 8 years ago.

picture of mine

Dave,

Out of curiosity, what are the colors of the paint scheme. Are they by chance metallic purple, circus-circus pink, and white?


Terry

Flying it for the first time this weekend.

The AirborneModels/WingsMaker AirMaster 40ep (originally called Commander 40ep) uses the same wing retention.
you can buy the smaller rubber bands designed for this from Fai at ww.airborne-models.com
Rubber band PT1112041 Specification / Size : D25 x 4 mm Package : 20 pcs/pkg $1.50

Let me suggest that you cut the band you need from a bicycle inner tube. Just long enough; lasts a really long time

Flew the Saturn this past weekend, this thing is sweet! For everyone who told me this would be an impressive flying airframe, you were right, it is the smoothest plane I've flown in my 35 years of RC flying. Even with wind blowing, smooth and stable is the best description. I've always flown sport planes and now I'm ready to learn pattern. Thanks to all who gave helpful advice.