i_soar

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mgnostic

I'd like to hear more about how the Staggerwing flies. I built an Aristocraft kit of the Staggerwing. The plans were dated 1976 but the design really seemed more like an early 60's design as it was designed as a 2-3 channel airplane.. It flew nicely. it was fast and had a pretty flat glide for a biplane but the ground handling could be a bit of a handful. It looks like the Royal kit is a more scale representation.

I-fly-any-and-all

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I can post a question and ask the guys in the Facebook royal group. I got 2 built staggerwings and I've seen at least a few more. One of mine needs repairs other is bare bones. What I can tell you is if you go with retracts good luck because wheels fold up past leading edge of wing where you would normally have some method of securing wing to fuselage.

mgnostic

Yes, I would be impressed to see anyone who could produce a set of scale like retracts on a Royal Staggerwng. On the full scale Staggerwing the retracts and lower wing stubs are a part of the fuselage structure. All the successful retracts that I have seen involved plug in lower wings with the landing gear integral to the fuselage. The Staggerwing makes an attractive model but i'm pretty impressed when someone builds one into an everyday flier.

FlyerInOKC

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I don't see how you could possibly fit retracts in a Royal Staggerwing the wing is just not thick enough. I see Robart still builds gear for the Ziroli but the price will choke a horse.

bryanmiick

the staggerwing in the picture I posted flies great, all of the take offs have been straight with no tendency to ground loop. it has nosed over on landings on a couple of occasions resulting in a bent cowl. the wing is definitely too thin for retracts, and I didn't even install the gear doors because I knew that they would cause problems down the road. it flies great inverted, and will do a nice outside loop. roll is good and very little trim was needed. it will land fast but it will also slow down with full flap. windy days are ok but it did get tossed on landing last time I flew it, damaged one wing tip that required a 15 minute repair. caught a severe crosswind gust on landing at 3 feet and cartwheeled. it is covered in solartex leftovers that I had.
one of these days I plan to build a bigger one, I have a set of Vintage RC plans as well as the MAN 1/4 scale plans. it looks like the vintage plans will fit retracts

I-fly-any-and-all

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Cool

mgnostic

Thanks, that answers my question about the handling. It is interesting to me to see the differences in an model of an airplane as designed by two different designers. The Royal kit is a bit bigger than the Aristo-craft Staggerwing that I built ( a .60 vs and .40 size airplane). I think the Royal also has a more scale outline, especially in the fuselage profile. Interestingly the Aristo-craft kit was also cut in Japan. The Royal kit probably benefits from being designed up front as a 4-5 channel airplane.

I-fly-any-and-all

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Let's see what projects you guys have under way!

I-fly-any-and-all

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Bought a super rare non dated royal catalog that seller said was the hobby shops master catalog early on in the mid 60s. More to come


Joel was kind enough to get me scans of the last known royal catalog to exist, i called royal publications and spoke to Dave Anderson formerly of engineering he said p61 was the last kit they worked on and the p40 never got off the drawing board.


Obtained the one and only official royal hell cat prototype from John Carlson, complete with all fax papers from a guy in California and conversation back to Dave Anderson st royal from August of 91 to December of 92 working on retracts and drawings also trying to create an instruction manual and says destroy all documentation once received. Let me know if interested in plans as nd templates.


Obtained blue prints to scratch built marutaka t2 jet and a good friend drafted all parts to scratch build. Let me know if interested.

I-fly-any-and-all

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I have recently learned by googling the address shown on a set of royal building instructions that royal is very much alive and well, I was informed by sid gates former head of royal Electronics to contact Dave Anderson at royal, got in contact with him and he confirmed the p40 never got off the drawing board, last kit they worked on was the p61.
They stopped importing kits around 2000 and are now
Royal Publications.

I recently obtained the 1 true prototype of the royal hell cat complete with royal plans. Included was many pages of documentation between Dave Anderson and a guy in California as they were working on retracts and creating an instruction manual, papers says to destroy all documentation once received. Kit came in a plane blue box. I'll get copies of plans made soon, these have royal logo and all templates.

I-fly-any-and-all

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Special thanks to John Carlson for this one of a kind royal hell cat prototype kit.

Riddle4U

That really is quite a find Jesse! Not sure how you swung that?

I have flown with Sid Gates quite a few years ago; maybe 10. He’s a member of the RC Eagles club where I flew my Sig Kavalier a couple weeks ago.

Mtthwacrss

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Any one have an idea what a 60 sized Royal Ki-61 Tony kit would be worth. I have one and have been thinking of letting it go as I don’t have the time to build it.

I-fly-any-and-all

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225 to 375 some do better than others.

Mtthwacrss

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Okay so I had the Ki-61 sold and then remembered I had done something with the canopy so the sale fell through. My wife said it happened for a reason. I remembered what happened to the canopy and was able to get it back so now I have the full kit and have decided to build it myself. I always wanted to build it but was a little scared to start it, but now I am going to give it a try. looking at the instructions I have a total of 12 pages and just wanted to ask if anyone out there has this kit and make sure I have all the info that came with the kit. I will most be doing a build loge if anyone is interested. I will post the link here when I start. if anyone has any suggestions please fill free to join in.

FlyerInOKC

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I for one subscribe if you post a link!

mgnostic

I would also follow a Ki-61 thread.

Mtthwacrss

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Here it the link to my Royal Ki-61 build. stop by and let me know what you think. any and all help is appreciated.
Royal Ki-61 Build

FlyerInOKC

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Thank you, I am going to go check it out and subscribe!

Mtthwacrss

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FlyerInOKC Do you all have a good club down there? I was in OKC a year ago and didn't find may hobby shops in the area. I am in North East Kansas, not many shops up here either.

FlyerInOKC

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Yeah, we lost Mike's Models this past year it was the best shop. Mike was losing money and he was retirement age so he packed it in. The two clubs I would recommend would be Westside over in Yukon and TORKS located on the banks of Lake Hefner in Oklahoma City. Both of these clubs have websites. I don't fly enough to hold a club membership I prefer to build and tag along with a friend when I do fly. I have a son in Sedgwick KS. They lived for a short time in Lawrence. Isn't Lancaster near Atchison? I had an old coworker years ago who moved back to Nortonville to take over a family lumber yard near Atchison.

johnboy151a

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I recently picked up a short kit and canopy for the 71" Stuka. Anyone have a list of the sticks and planks that came with the original kit? I'm sure that I can inventory from the plans , but I'm just being lazy.

Mtthwacrss

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Here is my problem are the trailing edge all suppose to line up? if I put a leading edge under them to keep the line level then all ribs will be a different distance from the building surface. If that is right then I should be good. If I put the leading edge under the trailing edge then they are all at the same height but they are not level. I don't want to glue this until I have it right. The kit has a 68" wing span for those who have asked. I have the plans in PDF. if any one wants a copy.

FlyerInOKC

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Hi Matt I added information over on your build thread. Relax, we will make a builder out of you yet!