Yes

-M

WOW beutiful!!!!! I think there is a spot or two for alittle more green. COOL!!!!

gary

Hey Guys,

I wasn't allowed to fly the VF3 very much, the Monster took it away from me. But I do want to thank Mike Hester for set me up with this beautiful bird. I know he put up with a lot of calls from me. My thanks to Dean Funk for all the painting advise and the dedication these two guy put out to help me with this plane to get it right is priceless. Guys like these two make pattern flying great. Now I wish I had one of my own because I'm never going to get to fly this one at all. Thanks again fellows

Lawrence

There are two other gentlemen that has already been a big help with Chris and his past and future travels. The endless advise you can't buy and the friendship that has developed you can't anywhere. Thank you Mike Wingo and Larry Loucks, you guys make this worth while.

Lawrence
Proudly Team Black Magic

Did you guys Monokote the wings? If so, a little advice learned the hard way. Get one of the planewrapper.com covers or something like that. The florescent monokote colors don't hold up with well direct sun. I had an Ultrasport .60 that was covered Charcoal, Lime Green and Neon Pink. It sat one summer at the field in the sun and I had light pink and light green. If you can keep direct sun off of it as long as possible, it'll hold up pretty well,

Plane looks unbelievable. if you need any help with trimming or anything, don't hesitate to ask...

Arch

hey Arch, I thought the same thing after we talked....but it's not flourescent, just bright green. Ultracote I think.

Guys I can tell you Larry has gone through a STEEP learning curve. This is the first large wood airframe he's ever glassed and painted. I built the plane (really just a fast and dirty frame up) and those guys did the rest. Yeah I spent a lot of time on the phone with them, and so did Dean. Trust me, I don't mind. I think the results speak for themselves.

Know what I really like about it? (And most Black Magics for that matter?) It doesn't look like every other plane out there. It's unique, custom. And pretty! Plus if anyone has seen me at a pattern contest (or in my shop especially) you know my energy drink of choice LOL

I can't wait to see it this weekend. I don't think you'll have any trouble with the trimming. We'll fine tune it Friday.

Oh, I was on the phone with Larry during the first flight, Chris was flying it...at one point apparently Chris was playing with some snaps, you should have heard Larry "DON'T BE DOIN ALL THAT ON THE FIRST FLIGHT!!!!" LOL You can tell how many hours Larry has in the paint.....Emory Schroeter does the same thing to me, KE to KE snaps on the first pass, before he even trims it....good way to make me wince in agony....

Haven't broke one yet though!

-Mike

Should'nt you let the paint cure for a couple weeks before you put undo stress on the airframe an paint!

Ya Its called apple green. ultra coat makes it and Its a perfect match for the monster "M" But its not Neon. I'm Still thinking about buying a plane Wrapper for this plane. When it sits in the sun for to long It starts to form bubbles on the covering. also what mike said I like doing snaps on a new plane. You know just feeling the plane out. Let me do a couple of snaps and a few field long Slow rolls and I'm good. thats when I know Its going to be an AWESOME plane. and let me tell you mike you got this one figured out. its PERFECT

Bubbling! Guess it's time to sell it!!!....

Greg Grigsby

Hahahah lol..Its going to take alot more than just the Bubbling of the covering for me to part ways with this Monter Magic. Just got the Plane Tuned in, will post pictures later.

Well here the flight Photos, IT JUST DID AWESOME!! man I love this Plane

Chris,

Looks GREAT..definitely visible.

Even though it may not be florescent, still not a bad idea for a plane cover of some kind. With the black color and also the bright colors used. The sun does nasty things to those colors...

I can't wait to see this one in person,

Arch

Well, you could always make another road trip to Andersonville this weekend =) Rumor has it it's going to be a good contest, with the best hobby shop in the US right off the runway....you are getting very sleepy....

LOL I know, but it was worth a shot.

I get to fly it Friday neener neener! I'm cutting a couple of graphics for it to lighten Dean's load. Dean's father passed away last Sunday morning so he's distracted to say the least. Not sure if he wanted me to post it here like this, but Dean's friends read this and would want to know I think. We all love the guy and are really feeling for him right now.

-Mike

Wow I hate to hear that about Dean's dad. I think he was a fellow WV boy. I really wish I could be at Andersonville this weekend, but will be packing to head to the big sand box next Tuesday....

Arch

I want to thank everybody for the support and kindness over the loss of my Dad. He had a tough 2 year struggle with his cancer. This was a shock as we thought he was doing better after a 2 week hospital stay. He died suddenly due to complications from his treatments, which may of been a blessing.

Many of you have meet my Dad at local D3 meets in Florida, I tried to drag him out to a few meets over the years, I want to thank everybody that took the time to meet and welcome my father at those events. He was a private pilot , owned several aircraft and was building an RV-4. He was 69 when he passed.

Again thanks and we appreciate all the support from the pattern community.

Dean

Dude! He gets to look down and see you fly all the time now.

Sorry to get the news of his passing...

gary

I think you have a great attitude and understanding of the process. It is hard to lose a loved one, but a part of life (I am sure you are well aware of this) Even though he is in a better place, I am sure that only mitigates the loss to you and your family so much.

My most sincere condolences to you and yours.

Anthony

Ok Dude,

It's time to see a sample of the paint that you have put on this bird. Go ahead and get some pics posted so we can see this major progression of the growth of a band spanking new VF3. I know you have it in you so "Get-R-Done".

Lawrence

Hi Larry,

once I get a little rested I'll get some pics. I have 4 colors on my personal plane and have 4 additional colors planed for the detail trim, plus 2 pearls for effect.

I am also tweaking the "Fierce" pattern foamie design for production this week. It's on my website, it's a foamie version of a F3A pattern biplane that Bryan Hebert is developing. It's really awesome and actually files like a real pattern plane but in 6mm flat depron. After Bryan released his sketches to me I developed the foamie version as proof of concept. And wow it flies really well for a pattern foamie - not a 3Der at all.

It was also designed around his triangulation trimming process - I got to see the actual results of that trimming process and it works even on a foamie. The original prototype required no elevator mix on left knife edge at all.

So here I am resting as I am cutting foamie kits

It was a tough week, thanks again all....

Oh...

Hey Larry,

congrats on Chris's first win with that new BEAST - The Monster is in the house !!!! 4Ks on it's first outing after only a week of flying!!!!

I know the work you put into it, Great Job Guys. Proud to be part of TEAM ODOM !!!!

I have a O.S. 1.60FX. Can anybody tell me the proper length of the pipe. From were to were. I an told that I need to de-tune it by adding some length to it. From the plug to the outlet it isw 22 1/2" Is this right or what is right.

Ha Mike, need a little info. On the Perry pump that mounts on the back an center of the engine which way do you go in or out to cut back on the fuel. It just seems to be to lean.This is the osilation pump.I lost the diractions.
An on the other pump that works off the engine presure Like Lowe's cook book. In or out to cut back on fuel. Help please.

Hi Wendell,

This might be a question you need to directly ask someone like Jon Lowe. Mike and I are YS guys and I've never set up a OS or run the pumps you guys mentioned. Mike might have the info. You might try looking at the Perry Pump website - (if there is one) regarding adjusting that pump. I don't know of any pattern guys using that pump.


Jon you out there for Wendell...??

I just want to spread the word that there was another successful Black Magic VF.3 maiden. Mark Atwood worked through the night many times over the last few weeks to get the first of our four BMV.3s completed and performed a very successful maiden flight yesterday.

The flight almost didn't happen as we had severe weather move through the area including heavy rains and hail. Apparently there was some magic in that Magic as the sun came out and the winds died down to nearly zero five minuts after he got to the field. His 170DZ had about 9 ounces of fuel through it when he arrived. We finished the break in on the ground and proceeded to tune the engine (complete with hard prop tossin back fire) until it was running reliably. One more check of everything and we were out of excuses.

He poured the coals to it and it took off and climbed out smoothly. Now I have heard the stories about Arch Stafford doing down on the deck knife edge passes on the maiden of a Black Magic and have to admit that a part of me was a little sceptical. Not to say that Arch isn't an honest man, he has always proven to be a trustworthy person of sound character, but it just seemed inplausable, I just always thought that maybe someone forgot to count the first flight because it was a short trim go around land and ajdust flight. In retrospect, I was the fool cause it wasn't three minutes before Mark was entering the box to start a round of P-09 on the MAIDEN flight! I am usually just happy that the plane survives a maiden flight![X(] but he is trimmed and doing P-09 on the maiden. Very impressive.

What I am trying to say is, Mark is a great builder, the plane flies very well, and I feel honored to have been associated with the building of the four Black Magics. I am more determined than ever to get mine finished and will be pulling all nighters this weekend to get mine finished. A big CONGRATULATIONS goes out to Mark Atwood. Great work.

See pictures attached. Look at that threatening sky!!! Picture three is the plane breaking ground on its very first flight.

To be continued:

More Atwood maiden flight pictures as well as a couple of mine.