Magician turns itself into a PT-22.

As it sits without an engine, tank or wheels and the clear coats it's 23 ounces. I moved the stab. back 4 inches without touching the fuselage. The original was that far forward. I used blue for the glare shield because I didn't have any flat black or olive drab. I still need the round star emblems for the wings.

Oh shit; update

I tried to install the new calipers on the El Camino but one of the 'banjo bolts' was worn beyond use. I tried to get one from Woods but he didn't have any so I went to NAPA and they had to order them. They were in on time and got installed. I have to bleed the brakes and test the system out. I'm afraid it may be the second rebuilt master cylinder causing the trouble. NAPA has two new ones in stock if that's the case. I went to the dog track this afternoon and got in 2 flights. No more engine runaways but I did have the tank installed 90 degrees off. I cought that before the first flight. The Magician kit I got off ebay is nearing completion. I have it painted and just need to ad a couple clear coats and it's done. Weight now with a Fox .35 and tank sans wheels is 31.5 ounces. Nice and light. Final weight should be close to 34 ounces.

Another 'oh shit'.

I went out to throw some horseshoes and figured I might as well throw the turn as I am having trouble with the flip. I did OK now if I mess up I can blame it on the turn shoe. The weather was pretty good so I figured on going to the dog track for a flight or two. Almost there the El Camino started working hard to move. I thought the tranny might be crapping out so I turned around and stopped at Woods' for a look see. Before I got there I could smell hot brakes. The front calipers wern't releasing. I got a pair of rebuilt ones from Woods and headed home. I changed them and one of the banjo bolts that hole the brake line to the caliper needed persuaion and I couldn't find a replacement. Woods didn't have any and NAPA should have two in by Friday. I got bids on all but two of my things on ebay. I spent two hours wrapping those things for shipment.. I have three more engines and a box of old fuel tanks for the next round.

Onwards and upwards.

I didn't do that well at horseshoes again. But I did manage to get 11 things on ebay. I found one engine this morning that is in great shape but too big for the control line stuff. It's an OS. 46 AX. I'll put it on after this stuff ends. I have another Fox .60 to go too. I also found 2 Fox .35's I forgot about. One is ready to go but the other needs a wrist pin clip. I'll probably use it for parts.

Another change of plans.

As I was rounding up the leftover monokote, about 24 rolls, I decided to get rid of some old r/c engines. 11 in the first wave. I took pictures and got them ready to put in the ads. I have several more that I used for c/l that will go in the second wave. I figure with the 4 day weekend coming a 5 day post will be enough. It looks like Tuesday horseshoes is a go finally.

The best laid plans of mice.......

I found a partial roll of yellow but it was cub yellow and the paint I have is plain yellow. Bad match. After a call to Tower I have a full roll of cub yellow econokote and a can of cub yellow spray paint coming. Now to put all the partial rolls of covering on ebay. I made 71 bucks with some car parts on ebay yesterday. One was an MSD distributor for a small block ford that I found in the dump in the original box. Looks like I'll start work on the El Camino while waiting for the stuff from Tower. Should be warmer today and through the week.

Still cold and windy.

I am in the final stages of the Magician. I decided on a paint scheme from a WW2 trainer the PT-22. It has a silver fuse. with a black glare shield from the nose to past the cockpits.. Yellow wings and tail with red and white stripes on the rudder. Mainly because I have the paint and only need the monokote. I snagged some more solid lines off ebay and a new OS .25 control line engine. I figured I needed it when I was having trouble with the other .25's. I was quite surprised that it is a c/l engine as it wasn't mentioned in the description. Less than half price though. Back to the Magician, I was looking at the latest c/l ARF the PT-19 and kinda liked the colors on it but needed something different. I never heard of the PT-22 before. I guess all trainers of that era had yellow wings and tail.

Cold and windy, the building season is here.

I added the nose tripler today. I had to install the landing gear first as the tripler covered the spot where it sits. I got the wing to fit and it's a loose fit in the front but a shim snugs it up nicely. I think I'll use a Fox .35 on it. I drilled the mounting holes for it and also added holes for an aluminum universal mount just in case. Of course I didn't have any aluminum of the right size so I ordered 6 feet of it from MSC. I'll be able to drill and tap into the alum. and screw the engine directly to the alum. which will be bolted to the extra holes in the plane. I applied a coat of thinned epoxy to the fuse. and then sanded it some and applied a coat of filler/spackle. A couple more go arounds like that and it should be ready for final assembly. I have to cut a path for the elevators to fit through as they are wider than the stab. slot. That isn't much of a problem. I have to make a wing tip weight box and keep forgetting to do it. I have been remembering to do it right after covering the wing. Too late now. I figure the weight should be in the mid 30 ounce range. A preliminary weight was 27 ounces bare. I just weighed again and at this point it's up to 30 ounces so mid 30's is a realistic target. The plans say 32 ounces but that isn't being built with kit wood.

Cool but flyable.

I got in several flights swapping engines on the Ringmaster. The 20% oil fuel worked very well. I had added way too much oil to the other fuel and the engines didn't like a bit. Luckily I only had one quart of the heavy oil fuel left so I didn't ruin much of it. I dumped a quart in the container on the flight box and poured the tainted fuel into the 20% container. Thet should raise the oil percentage to about 22% so it should run well also. If not I have more 20% fuel coming and can dilute even more. I bought an OS .25 NIB off ebay. $35. Less than half price so I'm happy. It may find it's way into the Primary Forces or the ringmaster. I also got more solid lines too.wont run out of them buggers any time soon. Too bad they're 110 feet long each. I have to measure each line and hope for a 120 footer. The Magician kit is coming along. I made several changes to the plane. I cut most of the fuse. out back of the wing to lighten it. I added some stringers to replace the balsa and sheeted it with 1/16 balsa. The stab. is way up the fuse. so I moved it back 3 inches. Its still up the fuse. but should have a more powerful elevator arm. The kit motor mounts are 3 inches long so I made new ones 10 inches long. Better vibration control. I'll also put on a balsa tripler opposite the engine from the nose back past the wing leading edge. Again for vibration control. The plywood doublers for the nose have a wing cutout that isn't even close to the wing shape. Will probably take a day to get the wing zero'ed in. Engine, wing and stab. are installed zero to each other. Is that 'coplanar'??

Too windy to fly.

I've been trying all kinds of things to get the engines running right. The only thing left to try is a different fuel. I have been adding oil to the fuel and may have gone too far. I have a gallon of 5% and 20% oil. That should do it. I won a kit of the Magician that was kitted by Midwest many years ago. I started building it today. I also won a NIB OS .25 to replace the bad running ones if the fuel don't work.
I shipped an item to Australia today and the postage was $10.00 compared to ebay and the USPS web site which was $22.00 and $32.00. These sites are not with the program.

Back to the old school.

After my morning coffee break I stopped by the old school to check on the flying field that has been locked since construction went sour. The prime contractor didn't bother paying the subs so they left and nobody worked on the school for some time. Work is going again and I have access to the field again. I returned with a push mower and carved out a circle and got in some flights with the .25 powered Ringmaster. Strange engine runs. I set it on the ground at a fast 4 cycle and as it started to move the engine would go wide open and stay there for the flight. I richened it more and more each flight but nothing changed. I went to the dog track today with it and the same thing happened. I richened it a turn and for 2 minutes it ran rich. Too rich to do anything but then it went lean again. I removed the tank and installed a plastic clunker. There isn't any way to to add a uniflow tube but then I figured it out. I poked a hole in the end with an awl and jammed a pipe in. I set it above the engine c/l and will test it next time out. The winds today are light and variable. Not at all good for control line flying. Any way the Fox .25, that I got off ebay, seems to be more than enough for the Ringmaster. I want to try it on a Primary Force when I get it running right.
I sold 9 items on ebay yesterday. 2 left to ship.

A good horseshoe tournament.

I went to the dog track Friday and tested the solid lines on the new plane with the old wing. The engine run was very good this time and it flew quite well. The lines didn't break but the inside wheel came off when it landed. Elastic stop nuts are not perfect with vibration and the wheel turning to loosen. I flew the P-51 with a .40 on it and got real good results. The .40 will stay on.
On Saturday I went to East Hartford to play horseshoes at the indoor site. I started off with a 30% game and then a 23% game. Just like old times i figured. Then I went back up and each successive game I got better finishing with a 37% game for a 29% average for the day and a first place win. It's my first win in two years.
When I got home I had an item ending on ebay and put a bid on it and won. It's an old original kit of the Midwest Magician. Like the one at the BR contest. I remember these old designs when they first came out and I couldn't afford them. They are good for classic or old time or P-40 or any stunt contest for that matter.

Rainy day.

I got the brake master cylinder changed and it seems to be fine. We bought a digital scale for the kitchen but it also fits in my hobby room. I weighted the P-51 and found it close to the Pathfinder in ounces. Pounds too. I have an Enya SS.45 on it and a OS.40 on the pathfinder. I figure a .40 will pull the P-51 nicely. I removed the Enya and installed one of the Fox .40's I have laying around. With a .40 I can use smaller dia. lines which means less drag. I'll have to try it next time out. I won some solid lines on ebay. Solid lines can be .012 dia. for a .40 but .015 for stranded lines for the same engine. I made up a set 62 feet long and pull tested them with 30 pounds and they held up. We got a bunch of stuff on ebay and so far 6 of 11 will sell. Everything started at $1.00. One guy bid a dollar and then retracted it. Times are hard all over.

Trouble shooting.

I've been having poor engine runs on the Pathfinder. I tried lots of things but nothing was working. I had the same type of engine on another plane and I was going to use it instead. I went to clean the needle valve asm. and screwed the needle in to see where it was so I could place it back where it was when I finished cleaning. It screwed in 5 turns. Way too much. I checked the other engine and it screwed in a litle over 2 turns. I reset the other to 2 turns and changed the tank as the engine cut off is weird. I went to the dog track today and the engine ran very well. It still had trouble stopping though. The only thing I can figure is that the fuel pickup is too close to the end of the tank. I shortened the pickup 1/2" and will try it asap. I opened one of my homemade tanks and shortened the pickup on it also. I'm bringing a camera tripod to assist me in resetting the plane after a flight and the plane stops away from the start point. I hook the handle on the top of the tripod and walk the plane around to the start point holding the lines off the ground. It works well. I lay it down when I'm flying so it's out of the way.
The El Camino has been leaking brake fluid from somewhere and I found it today. The new master cylinder is defective and will be replaced tomorrow. I have refilled the back resivour twice but couldn't locate the leak until today.