I just published a new How-To. Printed Tissue, Part 1
Find it in the How-To area – or click HERE
I just published a new How-To. Printed Tissue, Part 1
Find it in the How-To area – or click HERE
A LONG post with a lot of photos AND a video!
One of the great things about the Flying Aces Club is that CDs are allowed to implement rules in their own way and try new things at the local level. On the East Coast, you will find 15-contestant Mass Launches being flown in 14 rounds. And out in Colorado, they are trying out a Mass Launch event for NoCal Thompson and Greve Racers. And now, Don DeLoach (Colorado) is taking that event to the national level – literally. As CD of the 2019 AMA Indoor Nats, he is strongly promoting FAC Events and has obtained GHQ permission to run the the NoCal Combined Races at this National meet – for a Kanone, even.
Now, you don’t see a lot of Racer NoCals – Chambermaids mostly – and the Hosler Fury is a favorite in come indoor circles (Don had prohibited the Fury), but you don’t see many other planes. While contemplating the drive out to Arizona, I wondered how I could participate in this event – given that I don’t have a Racer NoCal, and have never drawn any plans for one. I do sell a Chambermaid NoCal, but that’s been done to death (from my point of view). And who really wants to see the sky filled with Chambermaids and Mr Smoothies (although the Smoothie would probably do really well)?
Back when I was a younger man, I drew up the Wedell-Williams Model 45 for Peanut Scale. It wasn’t very successful. But I decided this would be a good candidate for this event – it has decent moments AND I already had a drawing to start with (always thinking!)
It was a quick draw from Peanut to NoCal and the good part was it fits on a single sheet of 11″x17″ with only the horizontal stab overlapping the wing. I laid out the parts and cut a prototype set.
The build went together pretty well and it came in pretty light – about 2.5g at that point. Now, the event requires a minimum weight of 6.2 grams and maximum prop diameter of 7″. These restrictions are a method of leveling the playing field – no super-light NoCals with monster props. They all have to be “heavy” and fly with a moderate prop. I decided to print the colors on some domestic white tissue, because I knew I didn’t need to save weight.
The model finished out at just under 7 grams. I was going to use a 7″ plastic can prop I made earlier in the year, but this proved to be too delicate this heavy model and the supporting blade spars cracked on test glides, so I went with a plastic commercial 6″ prop, scraped down to about 1.5 grams.
I will include more build photos here – and a test flight video. But if you want to know more, scroll down and I will address the “errors” and “fixes” that I have encountered – important stuff, should you want to build one yourself.
One more comment before the photos: Don will be running this plan in the NFFS Digest to promote the Indoor Nats and this Event. I will soon have the Short Kit ready for purchase ($11) and free Tissue Templates for download (2- legal size sheets).
PROBLEMS, ERRORS, and FIXES
Soooo… The video shows the model flying – it flies pretty well, but could do better. It is hard to tell in the terrible video, but it has just the slightest stall tendency. I am flying it left because I feel that low-wingers work better to the left. I do try to fly high-wingers to the right, especially indoors.
I didn’t pay attention to weight in this build. I knew I could hit the target weight and being well under would only mean having to add ballast. But I think I did make some mistakes in this design.
That’s all the major issues. I have a 7+ gram NoCal that flies on a loop of 3/32″ with less wing area that flies for 2.5 minutes. This plane has more area, in fact, it has a lot – 53+ Square inches. So this design might be able to get to that level, but care and attention will need to be observed (remember, low-wingers are less stable).
Two more things:
See you on the flying field,
–george
The Cloudbusters’ monthly indoor contest was yesterday and I had a few successes. This post will talk about two of them.
Last month, I debuted my B.A.T Monoplane neo-Dimer. I had a high time in December of 102 seconds (1:42). I felt (and may have even stated) that I thought it could use a touch more power. I was flying on a loop of 0.110″ rubber, but it wasn’t using all the space and there was obviously another 20 seconds needed to record maxes.
The old motor was 20″ of 0.110, wound to 1650. I installed a new motor of 0.125″, 20 inches long. after a few test flights, I would it to 1800 and was rewarded with a flight that exceeded Max at 2:11! This was launched and flew in the very center of the room, using all of the height available and included one light scrape/bump on a wire. A second official flight seems to be a little porpoise-y (maybe a bunched motor at the peg – maybe I forgot the down thrust shim?). I was concerned that it wouldn’t max, but my timer, Ron Joyal, stated that it would probably max and we recorded a 2:03. The two maxes were enough to beat everyone with their three flights. It is a majestic flyer and I am more than happy with this model!
The second plane is my 18.5″ Stout 2-AT, built specifically for Indoor Golden Age. I did this kit a few years ago (wow – over 3.5 years ago!) and never built one. I saw MANY of these have terrific flights at Geneseo and Muncie, when it was the One-Design. Anyway, when the club decided to fly Golden Age in the indoor meets, I threw one together, finishing it on New Years Day. I had to wait to really give it any test flights. It also uses a loop of 0.125″.
This is another very stable flyer. After tweaking, I was able to post 103/111/108 flights to win Golden Age. I was happy. When I messaged my flying buddy, Winn Moore, about the flights, he responded “that’s good, but it looks like you should be able to max with that. He’s absolutely right – no need to be satisfied with “mediocre” performance. The glide was not good and I had to keep adding downthrust. I take that to mean that I am nose heavy. Next month, I’ll try adding some tail weight, improving the glide, and removing some of that downthrust. Maybe I can max out with this one, too!
As I like to do, I was able to go out and fly today (New Years Day 2019) around noon. I had wondered what I would fly, but I finished up my Stout 2-AT this morning and decided to test it since it is rather calm outside today.
So, here it is – a TWOFER – my Stout test flight AND 2019 New Years Day Free Flight in Michigan – all rolled into one!
you can see all my build photos here: https://volareproducts.com/blog/?page_id=3608
See you on the flying field!
Postage
I have run with Flat Rate Priority Mail since I started. I am not changing the process, but postal rates have increased (for everyone) and while I get a discount through the service I pay for, postage is often a wash on orders I process. Sometimes it is a significant loss – like approaching $2 over what the flat rate charge has been. As you know, a business cannot survive selling things for less than what they cost.
I was prepared to increase my shipping prices across the board, but then I did a tiny bit of informal analysis. The orders that cost more in postage than I charge are for heavy packages.
Did you know that postage prices increase whenever you cross the 16 ounce (1 pound) weight? If you, the customer, can order 100 items that need a big box AND keep that weight under 1 pound, then I can ship for what I am currently charging. If your order weight exceeds 1 pound – or 2 pounds – then postage prices jump to well over the flat rate I charge.
Well, the culprit in most cases is Rubber. Even a 1/2 Pound box of rubber will almost certainly exceed 1 pound – the rubber weighs 8 ounces and the box it is in takes the total closer to 12 ounces – and then I pack it in another box. Boom – just like that it is over 1 pound.
So, instead of increasing the postal charge for all, I am adding an extra charge for shipping Rubber:
This should cover the excess postage. Note, contest delivery will NOT incur the extra charge.
Tissue
Esaki Tissue – I believe it is No Longer Available. It is a long story, but the short of it is that the old couple that ran the hobby shop in Gifu, Japan have closed shop and retired. I understand that Esaki did not manufacture the tissue – they procured it and resold it. However, I do not know the source of the tissue. It has been about a year since I was able to contact Esaki and my 6,000-sheet order is running low. I have had to discontinue sales on White, Dark Blue, Yellow. If you see a color on my site, I still have a supply of it, although Red and Orange are running pretty low.
I will be beginning the tedious process of trying to find a Japanese source for tissue. I have some very, very thin leads and time will tell if I can procure Japanese Tissue from a new source (at a reasonable rate).
Over a year ago, I contacted a Chinese paper manufacturer and asked for a sample of their 14gsm (gram per square meter) tissue. Esaki stated their tissue was 12gsm, but 12 is tricky to find. I received samples in a variety of colors. This tissue did have a shiny side and a dull side, but did not have the good wet strength that we have expected. I will continue the search, but this seemed like a reasonable alternative.
I did an experiment with some white tissue from my local department store. I bought a couple of different brands and I found one that was acceptable to me. The brand is FLOMO tissue and while it was apparently slightly heavier than Esaki, it worked well and was really cheap. Some “domestics” will work just fine and some have told me that Hallmark brand is not a bad tissue. However, for small models, where every 1/2-gram counts, I am not sure we will be able to find a cheap alternative to Esaki (even though Esaki was not the lightest tissue).
More to come on Tissue.
Kits
Sourcing balsa has become a game of chance – a roll of the dice. My primary source offers a great price, but they have had problems supplying in a timely manner over the past year. They have decent balsa, for the most part (more on this in a moment). My secondary source has very timely delivery, but the cost is twice as much per sheet.
In addition, I weigh each sheet that comes to me (this is for 1/16″x3″x36″ sheets). I then sort the sheets into 5 categories:
Lately, my orders have shifted to the heavier side. I am getting hardly anything under 14g and getting more over 20g. In addition, I have had to order more from the more reliable, but more expensive source. I even tried the premium light weight (more costly) wood. The good news – it was all light. The bad news – it was all under 8g per sheet. This is too light for my kits, excepting some NoCals and small Peanuts.
So…long story – I have held my basic Short Kit price at $10 since I started cutting kits 5 years ago. Any of these $10 kits will now be $11 to cover some of these costs. My larger kits that are $15, $20, or $25 will not change for now – it is only the $10 kits that are increasing.
Interesting Side Question
As mentioned, I set aside the under #7 wood for special projects. I cut the Turbo Cessna 195 NoCal kit from this wood. And I have used it for some of my own light-weight models.
As a customer, would you like to have the option to have your short kit cut from this wood? There would likely be a $2 upcharge for light wood. And it would probably only apply to some short kits, not all. Keep in mind that light wood is fragile – and some of my parts are already kinda flimsy (there is a downside to using light wood). Also, if there is high demand – and I have to start purchasing a lot of light wood, the upcharge would likely go higher.
Let me know what you think – and Welcome to 2019 – I hope it is a great one for you and yours.
See you on the flying field –george
Wrapping up 2018, I have quietly put a couple of short kits online.
First, I have the Jimmie Allen Sky Raider. I was able to fly this in September at the FAC Outdoor Champs and Ted Dock contests. It is an amazing flyer. I personally feel it is better than the Skokie (although I have never built a Skokie) as it is slightly larger. With its 26″ wingspan, it qualifies for FAC 2-Bit Plus 1 (26″ max span for ROG Old Timers), for FAC Old Time Fuselage (up to 36″ span ROG Old Timers), and for – of course – Jimmie Allen.
Second, I have the B.A.T. Monoplane for Dime Scale. This plane was putting up 90 second indoor flights its first day out with a high time on that day of 102 seconds. It has 60 square inches of area and is a real floater.
Lastly, I have four short kits of the short run of the Peanut Barracuda (with vacuformed canopy – and online tissue templates).
Coming in the New Year:
First up will almost certainly be the Durham Air Limousine Embryo. I am told the plan and story will be in the next FAC News. Once that hits “the news stands”, I will have the short kit for sale.
I’ll have the Peanut Bellanca T-250 Aries. This is complete, but I just haven’t been able to dedicate time to it. Winter is here in the upper midwest and indoor time is tight, with little time to dedicate to testing.
After the fatal final crash of my 19-year-old Falcon Special II Goodyear racer, I decided to build a new one. I’ve reword my 1999 plan and have parts cut for assembly. Once I get that built and flying, I’ll be kitting that – and provide tissue templates for the complicated scheme for free download.
A 1″:1′ Lacey M-13 (rebuild of the Lacey M-10) should make its appearance sometime in 2019. I’ve got the plan about 80%, but at this size, there are so many details – and the wild color scheme to lay out. It might take awhile.
If there is significant interest, I could get a short kit together for my 36″ span Jumbo Aircraft Designs Stallion. High wing, no struts, and retract gear make this a simple plane to build and fly – but it won’t get any FAC Bonus Points.
Of course, there are those designs yet to be known – even to me – that will appear in 2019.
Have a Happy New Year.
If you remember, I had three new planes to test fly (and compete with) at the Cloudbusters’ December Indoor Contest (yesterday – 13 Dec 2018). I build the B.A.T. Monoplane, Phantom Flash (#11), and the Cloud Dancer.
Let’s start with the Cloud Dancer. This is a full kit developed and produced by Mark Freeland of Retro RC. His goal was to produce a good-flying, simple-to-build model for this year’s Science Olympiad event. He has done just that. This model built quickly (an hour or so?) and flew right off the board. Mark could easily hit 2 minutes with his (a lot of testing). Mine put in a 90+ second test flight on like its second flight. I put in one official of 65 seconds (3rd flight) – this was shortened because it flew right up to the rafters, hit them and lost about 50% of its height before recovering. I need to trim it better to reduce climb and increase duration. This model just flat flies (flat – because of the flat wing – haha!)
I recommend this for ANY SciOly team. Why? because it is simple and does not require any fancy or exotic materials. I think many SciOly kit producers lose site of the fact that kids without any knowledge of airplanes build these – they need something simple to build and fly – after all, this is just one of many subjects they are doing in Science Olympiad. The Cloud Dancer is simple and sturdy and flies extremely well.
Next up is my 11th iteration of the Phantom Flash (the previous 10 all flew away outdoors). I built this one explicitly for Indoor flying and it weighs in at 4.5g and flies on a loop of 1/16″ rubber. It still needs tweaking, but will regularly put in flights over 2 minutes. It easily won Phantom Flash yesterday.
Lastly, the B.A.T. Monoplane for Dime Scale. Also built for Indoor – it weighs 9.5g and currently flies on 0.110″ rubber. I needed something that got beyond 70 or 80 seconds, as the competition is flying at this level. This did that, with a best flight of 103 seconds, and I think there is room for longer flights as I try a different size rubber. It was landing with turns, so maybe I need to go just a touch fatter.
I was very happy with the performance of these three new models.
Hi, my name is George and I might have a problem. It has all the traits of an addiction. Maybe combined with a touch of Seasonal Affected Disorder*
I sit here in a confused and anxious state, a few days out of completing my third build in three weeks. After the Cloudbusters’ November Indoor meet, I built a Dime Scale B.A.T. Monoplane, a Cloud Dancer, and a Phantom Flash. To me, building starts out as a necessary evil. I like to design the plans, and I like to fly (more on this in a minute), but building – while not terrible – is not the most enjoyable of these three parts of the process of modeling.
Once upon a time, building the fuselage was the easy part and I had to force myself to do the wings first or I would delay them. Since I now laser-cut everything, wings go together quickly and the fuselage takes more time. On top of all of that, covering and finishing now takes more time than the structure-building of the wing, tail, and fuselage combined. Some planes seem to take forever (yeah, I know – I just said 3 planes in 3 weeks).
Here is where the problems come in. Once I am started on the model in earnest, I just keep building and covering until it is done. I just put my building machine in gear and it is like the 4L gear on your 4WD – not super-fast, but lots of torque, and it gets the job done (ok, ok – 4H for you slow-pokes). But, then…
The model is finished. But the machine is not dis-engaged yet. It feels like I am spinning my wheels and getting nowhere, since I have nothing to build. And this time of the year just amplifies that, since here in Michigan, the weather is not the best for flying small, light models. And with the ground frozen and leaves off the trees, there is even more hard surfaces to crash into should I actually venture outside. I cannot fly until the monthly indoor contest rolls around.
So, when the model is done, I should fly it, but I can’t. I feel like I need to build because that is what I have been doing in the immediate past. I can neither build nor fly. There is a definite let-down after I complete a model, especially if I cannot go fly it right away. After a day or so, the building urge passes. Then…I have to force myself to start on the next project (remember, it is my least enjoyable part). Fortunately, in this dry spell between build sessions, I can work on plans. I do like the drawing.
The three models above were built for Indoor. I doubt I will be building any more for Indoor this year, unless something happens to my stable of aircraft and I need to replace something. So the remainder of the winter building season will shift over to builds for next Outdoor season. As always, I have a lengthy list of intended projects and now I will narrow that down and prioritize them so I can have a new fleet come spring. There are ten on that list right now, with two additional completed (B.A.T. and the Bellanca T250). Also, there are some duplicate events on the list – where I have to select which model to build for the event.
One additional issue with this building addiction combined with my “retirement” and focus on my hobby-business – I am getting Too Many Planes. I am running out of room to store them. They are everywhere – packed away, on shelves, on desk-tops, practically under foot. I almost never throw any of my old soldiers (airmen?) away (is this hoarding?) – I just retire them to an ever-growing pile. See what I mean? I have problems.
* – Note: this was written mostly in jest. I do not suffer from these issues (well, maybe the addiction to building … and the urge to fly – oh, and the hoarding of models) and I am not poking fun at those who do suffer.
I just received these this week. 10 each 7″, 8″, 9.5″, and 10″ with Spinner drives. Get ’em while they are hot! (If you miss out on this batch, there will be more – they are BACK IN PRODUCTION!)
Find them here: GIZMO GEEZER PROP ASSEMBLIES
I have been lax in posting these, but they are all online and ready to ship – just in time for the Holidays!
You can find them all here: Volare Products/Specials/Tools