WHOA!!

GREAT discovery! Consider that idea stolen, Patrick!!

Bob, You had the most beautiful Venus II I have ever seen! Depending on availability, if I were you, I would have to build and cover another Venus II just like the original. BTW, I might have to start calling you the "Monokote Man"! Sorry for your loss, Everette

Thanks, Everette, but I've gotten far away from glow and IC in general, having been bitten by the e-bug over a year ago.

I actually hate the process of covering models but sometimes like the results. At least, when you cover it yourself, your plane doesn't look like everyone else's.

Got a couple of 2-meter e-ships (Sickle and Spark) and a 62" Osiris. I put together a good self-contained field charging system and have never been happier! I have enough batteries that sometimes I just go to the field with batteries and a model and the TX.

For those of you using the OS 120 AX........

Which template did you use? Did you make any modifications to it?

Thanks

OS 2 stroke mount (angled) using the stock engine mount. You will need to use the OS120AX muffler extender.

I bought my OS 120AX without the muffler and bought a MAC muffler. I also bought the exhaust extender and cut it in half. Next i filed the new mating surface flat. This setup allows the muffler to be only half exposed beneath the Venus II cowling. This setup looks really nice and has been in use for over a year.

Thanks Guys! This helps a lot. Will mount the engine this evening.

Oh the Ultracote versus Monokote decision. I have a couple rolls of each I could use. I waffle on this one every time. I like the finish of the Monocote but the Ultracote is easier to work with. Hmmm.

Here's what I got so far. Feel free to comment. I attempted to follow some of the modern designs of F3A planes without making it complex.



And this is an idea for the wing panels. I have decided yet. I would need to incorporate this design into the tail feathers. This design has the canopy moved forward three inches. It gives the fuse a more modern look and adds some to the side area.
I think it looks better in that position.



I've done this scheme before. Here is a picture of it after its first flight. Receiver failure...
Its a copy of the original PA Katana scheme.

Tele,

That's a great looking scheme. What did you do for the underside?

Okay, engine mounted and throttle servo hooked up. Noticed that there is NO room on the sides of the area where the fuel tank sits. How did any of you foam the tank?

With the rubber band you won't need foam. After a few flights and having to re-trim several times, I moved the tank back to the CG and mounted a pump. I mounted it wth a single bolt and nut to the unused hole in the mount that was intended for a nose gear. My Perry pump works perfect and the Venus now stays in trim throughout the flight.

I used the rubber band method with no foam for the first season. As I was doing my winter maintenance, I noticed the vibration had started to wear on the tank. In my case, it was only a matter of time before the tank would have failed. Iam now in the process of moving my tank back (as well as a slightly larger tank, going from the stock 14oz to the Dubro 16oz tank) closer to the CG. There are many photos in this thread on mounting the fuel tank on the CG.

Here is a photo of the stock tank after 11 contest flights and 72 other flights plus 1 engine break-in on the ground. This was a very short season for me without a lot of practice or contests.



If you are set on mounting the tank in that former, I would suggest using wing saddle tape to cushion it a bit, or maybe 1/4 inch foam. Just know that it will probably wear away due to vibration.

I haven't decided on the bottom trim scheme yet. I will probably be black and white...four checkers per wing. Or if you have a better idea, I am certainly open to it.

I am not finding any information about painting the canopy. Should it be painted on the inside or out with first a primer coat then paint?

Just spray the color on the inside of a cleaned canopy and allow it to dry before installing. I drill and try the screw holes first.

Hey Patrick and Anthony,

How are the winter repairs going?

Bill

Done.  Starting my first "box o wood" model on saturday.  Great planes ultra sport 40.

Hey Bill! The Venus recover is coming along slowly but steady. This is only my second full recover and I am impressed with how well it is coming out. I have used Monokote in the past for numerous repair jobs but this kote I currently have seems different. It seems more rubbery to me versus hard and brittle. I don't know how to describe it. I am attaching the perimeter the stander ed way, then turning the heat up sealing the edges well. Then I mowing the entire surface with the heat gun instead of heat shrinking and pressing the covering into the wood grain. Its resulting in a beautiful paint like surface.
Does anyone know whether the covering will be more likely to bubble using this method versus pushing the covering into the wood. I sure hope it looks great.

You should iron it down so the adhesive sticks everywhere.

Hello to those in the know.

I picked up a Venus II , that is used and doesn't appear to be flown much. In general I build most of my planes. This is the first plane that I have had that uses the ply tabs at the front of the wing as a mounting method. Have any of you had problems with the tabs breaking and the wing parting company with the fuse? Have seen a couple of the GP Sticks lose a wing at our local field using this system. Unfortunately I don't know if it was from the tabs on the wing breaking or the fuse former breaking.

Just thought I'd ask. Thanks for any input.

Mark

I have 66 flights on my Venus II, flying hard with a YS 120. Never had a problem.

Thanks RCpollo,

How about negative manuvers. Like negative snaps?

I hope I'm just paranoid, from the old school where they are built like brick outhouses.

Mark

I flew the VII for 2 years pretty hard and found the wing (including the joint) is very strong. No need to worry.

My fuselage has broken twice during off runway landings, (engine quits). The area of the fuselage at the trailing edge of the wing, or just behind the wing bolts is too weak. I added 1/16" ply doublers on the outside of the fuselage sides in that area and have had no more problems. I tapered all edges of the ply and covered over the area. You hardly notice the doublers. The long tail boom and narrow fuselage are the root of the problem. Both times the landings were very slow and in 5" grass. As a wingtip would catch the grass the airplane would turn 90 degrees and the fuselage would snap just behind the wing. Other than those 2 problems my Venus has been awesome for 3 years.

The VII IS a brick house! I was SO hard on that plane, especially with motor experimentation and subsequent quits. I quit a long way back on final, nailed the plane directly into a 6' pile of dirt and gravel, and only had some minor repairs to the landing gear block. This was my first 'big' plane, and maybe my 4th ever RC plane? It got banged around, pancaked, etc. and never had any serious problem.

I think the plane is Over built.