Making a kit.

I scrounged around and found enough wood to make the stabilizer and elevators for the Legacy. I noticed a fat line on the plans and being unlabeled I figured it was 1/32 ply running across the stab trailing edge. It built up and this piece stiffens the assembly a lot. Good to know after having the stab on the P-63 fold up this past summer. The elevators are solid 1/4" sheet and I had a piece of hard balsa just big enough for the job.  Today the balsa order came in from National Balsa so I grabbed a sheet of 1/4" and cut the flaps out and made the hinge pocket assembly for the flaps and cut the end shape. The fin/rudder says 3/8" tapering to 1/8 at the top. I used 3/16 for the whole thing. I got the 1/32 and 1/64 ply fuselage doublers roughed out but can't go any further until the rib set from Brodak comes in. I ordered the control horns and the instruction booklet too. The designer makes the flaps and elevators like I do. Flat sheets rounded a bit at the trailing edges. No carving and sanding a taper in the parts. A lot easier to get the control horns in perfectly aligning the parts also.
  The Bearcat has been fiberglassed successfully. It layed down flat all over. I have to start covering the wings and stab. so I can start priming and sanding. I bought a pilot figure for it but the scale is off. It's too big for the model. I'll have to get another.
  My older brother called this morning. It seems that 'his' sister borrowed his pump log splitter. She figured she would keep my younger brother busy and have him split the wood with it. That was against my older brother's wishes. younger brother managed to break the log splitter and bend the pump handle about 30 degrees off straight. Not to mention straightening out the return spring. And then when he left he ran over her "somebodys in the yard" detection system rendering that useless also. And he don't drink. The kid could break a crow bar in a sand box. I figure he's our uncle Si. Older brother brought the broken parts over and I welded them back together.

Just before it rained.

  The winds were minimal so we headed to the field to test the latest tweakings. I sealed the hinge gaps, widened the handle spacing to 5 inches, set the flaps even and lowered the nitro % to about 5.  Still trying to master the video portion of the camera. I'm thinking set it on manual focus as it wants to loose focus or not focus on automatic.
  The lower nitro made me turn the needle in a turn to get the rpm back to 7850. That proved to be too much so on the second flight, shown here, I slowed it down to 7700. I like that better. I also timed the run on 3 ounces of the fuel and got 3 minutes 59 seconds. So 5 ounces should get me close to 7 minutes which is plenty for the pattern. I can cut down to fine tune the run to complete the pattern and an extra 7 laps. I did at least one of each maneuver almost. I wanted to see how it felt doing the pattern and under no wind conditions it went fine. Now I know why everyone raves about the Super Tigre .60 engine.
  After the second flight we packed up and on the way home it started to sprinkle so we planned it perfectly.
  I built the engine crutch for the Legacy the other day and got what balsa I had together and found two pieces for the fuselage sides. I had to ad 2 inches to the tail end and drew the fuselage shape on one. I tried to order a rib set from Brodak online but couldn't. I'll give them a call Monday. That will save me a lot of trouble.
  When I checked the forums this morning I found that the designer of the Legacy had died of a heart attack. Bummer. Alan Brickhaus has several designs to his credit a couple have been kitted by Brodak the Legacy 40 included. He was the c/d of the fly in for many years too.

Made it to the field.

We shot some more videos of the new plane. The shorter lines and 150 rpm increase put the lap times at 5.44 seconds. Just right in my book. I'm still chasing the level wings though. I made a tweak to the flaps and the stooge line got wrapped on the elevator and pulled a hinge loose. I had to roll things up and head for home. I pinned the hinge.  I'm using 3 ounces of fuel for the test flights with a 6 ounce round plastic tank. One of the videos runs close to 3 minutes so a full tank should get me through the pattern. I'm using 10% nitro now and will drop that to 5% and if that goes well down to 2%. That will give me an even longer run time. I don't know if it's the conditions or not but I can't see a smoke trail in flight. There is plenty while on the ground though. 22% oil Omega fuel.

Plans for today.

The teacher that is in charge of the shop class that built the planes is trying to get me and the other club member together for lunch. I had an electrician coming this morning so I couldn't make it today but I could make it Monday. The other member could make it today but not Monday. Tuesday was offered and I can make that I don't know about the other member. A half hour ago the electrician called and cancelled so I emailed the teacher that I could now make it today. You can't herd cats. The weather is getting favorable so if I don't hear anything I'll go flying later.
  I found that the flaps needed tweaking on the new plane so I need to try that adjustment out. I also put on 55 foot lines and 4-5/16" handle spacing. It may want a bit more nose weight, I'm not sure yet.
  The garage has an open bay for a while so I took the motor mount stock for the Legacy out and cut it to size on the table saw. There are cutouts for fuel tank adjustment and for fitting the mount over the wing. All in all it makes for a light assembly. I'll be able to drill holes for the engine after the epoxy cures on the motor crutch assembly. That piece sets the tone for the rest of the fuselage. The balsa order hasn't come in yet.
 

"E" is different.

I covered the  Micro Telemaster in two sessions. The servo's and motor weren't too bad to get installed, the servo's are tiny. The speed controller connector is too big for the motor and the prop is too big and is held on with an 'O' ring. Coulda' knocked me over with the weather. I searched the web site of Hobby Lobby and there was a video on the motor. I wouldn't have figured it out otherwise. I might be able to scrounge up enough parts to get it in the air. And the wing is held on with a plywood hook in the front and two magnets in the trailing edge. I used the 1/32 ply control horns but glued them in well.

The darkest side.

December 22 and 23 I was waiting for better winds and the Bearcat waiting for a decision. I started building the micro telemaster. It went together quick. I had been given a motor and 2 micro servo's 2 batteries and another thing that is too big for the system. A speed controller for the motor I think it is. It's obvious the kids removed some of the parts here and there as the prop shaft is missing. I placed it on the pipes close to the ceiling for safe keeping. The elevator and rudder hinging is ignored in the instruction book. The fin and rudder have tiny holes in each and it looks like it should be sewed together. I have never seen that on a kit before and thought it was only used to replicate some old time model.
 I got some 0.6 oz. fiberglass cloth for the Bearcat the other day. So it's back to filling and sanding and waiting for the balsa order to come in for the Legacy 40 build.

Maiden voyage.

After a trip to the hobby shop I noticed that the wind was within limits for a test flight. We loaded the plane and drove to the field. I warmed the engine with hot water and put 3 ounces of 10/22 Omega fuel in the tank. It started right up and ran steady. 7700rpm at launch. I didn't time the laps but I can by watching the video.   I thought the wing was high both ways but the video don't show it. I added an ounce of tip weight,  none for the test flight.

Dabbling in the dark side.

The teacher at the high school gave me one of the left over kits from last year. A micro telemaster.  I've been ignoring it until today. I built the fuselage in an hour. The wing in a couple hours. I used strips for the spars and then found the proper spar in one of the laser cut sheets. It will fly anyway. The kit uses magnets to hold the hatch on, I can see that, but it also uses magnets to hold the wing on. The leading edge has a plywood hook that engages a slot and two magnets at the trailing edge holds the wing in place. I was wondering why there wasn't any dowels for the rubber bands to stick through the fuselage.. I used the wood that was supposed to be used on the stabilizer so I have to cut some.
  I have a test going for min wax poly urethane clear. If it turns out to be fuel proof I'll use it on the planes. It does amberize a bit but my planes don't last that long anyway.
 Maybe I'll be able to get in the test flight tomorrow, 12-24-13.

Ready to fly.

I waited a full week and applied the clear yesterday. I noticed the nozzle was spitting but not before it dripped in the fuselage. Then it attacked the yellow. Then I uttered a bad word or two, changed nozzles and finished the painting.  After the paint dried it doesn't look too bad so I'll go with it. I installed all the equipment and plumbed the tank to engine. Final weight is 59.6 ounces and the clear helped move the c/g back another 3/8" so everything has worked as planned/hoped.
  The temp. is 60 degrees and wet, the snow is gone but not raining with a bit too much wind for a test flight.
  I got the Eagle 63 ready for New Years first flight. The Bearcat is coming along and I probably will get some light fiberglass to cover the fuselage. I had to make a tongue muffler for it and the engine in the Polynesian as the bought ones are too short and I didn't want to buy one for the Super Tigre .60. Du-Bro has blank stock 6 inches long for this purpose.
  The winds looked like it was time to go flying. I loaded up the new plane and headed for the field but as we turned into Wauregan the trees were swaying a lot so we turned around and went home. Tomorrow looks better.
 I was tidying up the basement and came across the Monokote SmartCut trimming tool. I had tried to figure it out before but couldn't. I tried to find it on ebay and there it was. Then I did a search and found it again. Tower has it listed so after some button pushing I found the directions and printed them out. It may come in handy.

The new plane.

After having old number 7 removed from my upper jaw this morning I got the ambition to install the flaps and elevators for the last time. I have to wait until next week some time to spray the clear coat and install the engine. I'm hoping the nose heavyness is lessened by the paint and coverings.

It did it again.

There was about an inch of snow on the ground at 8pm last night. Not enough to push off. As forecast it snowed harder later in the night. Then it rained hard. When I got up there was about two inches of snow on the ground and most of it was rain water. I couldn't push it very far so I fired up the track snow blower. It managed to clear off the slush and only plugged up twice near the end. I found the salt and spread some on the drive and several hours later I went out and scraped off the remnants of the slush leaving a clean driveway. It's supposed to get colder again for a few days.
 I spent most of the day adding trim to the Polynesian and making a tongue muffler for the Super Tigre .60 that will be powering it. Then I got the ambition to weigh the parts to see what the weight will be. I came up with 47 ounces without any balance weights. A super light for a plane it's size. Never mind, I found an adding mistake. I used a calculator and came up with 57 ounces.
  I also found out that using the same can of spray paint of the same color you need to follow the directions for a second coat. I sprayed it yesterday and tried to fix a mess today and the paint wrinkled. I read the directions and it says to apply all coats within a few hours. Additional coats have to be applied after 7 days. Some time next week I'll hit it with the clear and do the final assembly. I aim to have the school make some graphics for it.

Building season in spades.

The forecast is for up to 6 inches of snow tonight. The temp has been steady all day at 17 degrees F. Very light snow has been falling steady since 0800 with just a dusting showing so far at 1430. It's supposed to snow hard over night which is the worst for me. I don't have the chance to push the snow off the drive before it gets too deep to push. The snow blowers won't throw it far enough to clear the big square in front of the garage. It happens almost every time it snows.
 The school class is coming along well and a few have finished building and will be adding the landing gear very soon. A late arrival came in Friday and got started on one of the spare kits. Maybe I can get him going and have the plane framed up by Fri. I haven't heard from the dist. one vice president about doing an article. I don't think he is interested as well as the education column guy at headquarters. They always want young people to get into the hobby but you can't prove it by me.
 I finally painted the Polynesian. Not the best paint job but it will fly. The bottom is curing now and I will take the masking tape off tomorrow. Then a clear coat or two and final assembly. The Bearcat is progressing. I don't like formers and sticks construction but I'm working through it. The wing is tack glued in and the sheeting for the bottom is soaking. Another easy paint scheme, all dark blue. After that I have the plans for the Legacy 40. I'll need to order some balsa to built that one.

So far so good.

The electrician came yesterday and fixed up half the basement. Four new Four way outlets with conduit to the ceiling as per the rules for basements. He couldn't make it today but I had to install the new water pump in the El Camino. That went well and it's dry. The old pump was rattling for some time and finally let the water out.
 The school class is going well but the covering has them working hard. There was little problems with the wings. If they would follow directions it would be easier. A first grade teacher at another school asked the teacher if they did robotics and wants to animate a gingerbread house. I think a string of LED's would be better.

Finally found the leak.

During the summer I noticed the coolant in the El Camino was going down. I searched and found drops on the lower radiator hose and tightened the clamp. Yesterday I checked again and found the coolant low again. I ran it around to warm it up and parked it in the garage. Today there was a puddle near the right front tire. No smell to the liquid and it was oily feeling. The oil level is up and the brake fluid is up. I started it and backed out of the garage and let it run for a bit. I noticed droplets falling to the ground and finally figured that the water pump is bad. Or at least I hope that is the problem. I could wiggle the fan and pump a bit too much so while the engine was warm, 32 degrees today, I removed the pump. With the engine running the pump sounded like it has a broken ball bearing. NAPA didn't have one in stock and a new one will be in Tuesday morning.
 We finally got the electrician and he will be here Monday morning to start wiring the basement properly. New outlets in the bedroom floors too.

Quick test flight.

The winds were down and the temp. was acceptable so I loaded the Stuka up and headed for the field. It took a bit of doing but the engine got started and the needle set where it belongs. But not before several kick backs against the chicken stick and prop loosenings. As I tweaked the needle I managed to get my thumb nail into the back of the prop. Something whizzed by my cheek lightly touching it. I looked at my thumb nail and it was shorter but not ripped off into the quick and not bleeding. I continued the flight and landed. I found that the trailing edges of the prop were missing and that must have been what touched my cheek. A few very minor cuts that barely bled. The plane flew pretty good with the damaged prop. I tweaked the flaps when I got home to level the wings.

One down, more to go.

I finished the Stuka Stunt model I bought in June at the Brodak Flyin. The winds are too high today and higher tomorrow so the first flights will have to wait. It's for old time stunt.
I was ready to start painting the Polynesian when I noticed the gloss white paint I had was lacquer and not enamel. That's on hold for now.
The high school class is going good. Someone finally got a minor cut last week. I was getting worried. The radios and engines have been ordered and should be in shortly. The covering is going well and I have been able to keep waste to a minimum. I bought 200 single edge razor blades and that has helped the covering process. I also made templates for the fuselage covering pieces to reduce scrap and that is working too. The injuries will come when the electric motors are connected to the batteries for the first time.  I will keep the propellers hidden from them until everything is working properly and the class has been properly warned.

Ran short.

I got some monokote from Tower and figured I had enough of a trim color to finish the plane. Nope. I put an email out to the club members and got enough to finish the job. I sprayed both planes with the first coat of primer this morning.
 I met one of the donors at the field and I had the P-63 with me. Just as I was about to flip the prop he drove in. I did get in a flight and near the end the plane was banking when I moved the controls. After landing I saw that the outside flap had pulled away from the wing. All the hinges were loose causing a large gap between the flap and the wing. I glued them in again and will install a pin for good measure.
  In the latest issue of Control Line World the center fold has a reduced set of plans for a model stunt plane. .46 size. I brought the center fold to Staples and they were able to enlarge it 395% at one shot. I put them in the barrel as I still have the Bearcat kit waiting.

A 4 day vacation.

  I found out today that there isn't any school on Monday and Tuesday. This is the longest I've ever gone to school and not had an absence. The planes are just about built with one still being assembled. I had a lot of trouble  fiberglassing the wing center joint using the schools epoxy. I think the shelf life is showing up and the 2 to 1 mix isn't strong enough to cure it. I mixed another sample 1 to 1 and it cured. By then I had fixed the stuff with another type of epoxy they had. Mounting the servos as shown on the plans is going to be a problem as the screws needed are 1/16 in diameter. Last years  builders used the servo arm hold down screws to hold the servos down. One of the teachers mentioned using two sided tape but I didn't think that would hold. Then I remembered that the servos in the Sig Kobra were held in with two sided foam tape. That will solve a big problem. The money for the covering and stuff has been approved and we should be getting the stuff in a week or so.
  I have the Stuka framed up. I'm using an OS .25 and the plans show a Brodak .25 which is 3/8 shorter than the OS. I didn't figure that out until this morning. That brings the engine real close to the fuel tank outlets and running the fuel lines will be a problem. I bought the kit at the Brodak flyin in June. I still haven't come up with a scheme for the scratch built plane yet.

First flight . . .

I did some repair work on an old ARF trainer that never flew and suffered some hangar rash through the years. I never heard of the model a Hobbico Super Star .40. The covering wasn't of the dry adhesive type but was usable after fixing several holes. The engine is an OS .40FP that had never been run. It started right up on the bench and again on the plane. I used hot water to warm it first. I had to add some epoxy to the wing center section joint and some fiberglass cloth for more strength. It didn't fold. I had to put in two servo's as the plane only had two in it.

  The take off roll was straight, which surprised me, and the controls felt just right for me. I had to change the elevator trim a few clicks at less than full power and it flew very smoothly. The wind was almost calm which is why I wanted to fly it today for the test flight.

Home again, home again, jiggity YIKES!!!

The 1530 mile ride home had a moment or two. The best was when a car passed me and pulled in front, I was in the passing lane, put on the left turn signal and hit the brakes. He planned on using the police turn around to reverse course. I was hard on the brakes as well and hoping there wasn't a truck behind me. He barely made the turn around and I barely missed him. No problems with construction or accidents until coming up on rte 95 in CT. A trailer had rolled over and blocked the north bound lanes closing the highway. We took rte 91 into Weathersfield and across to rte 2 down to Norwich and rte 395 to home. We only lost 10 minutes as the traffic was doing 80 on 91 and 75 on 2. The contest was very good as I entered 4 events and got a first and third. The awaited raffle went very well as I cleaned up. I managed to find a store that sells methanol for 3.74 a gallon. I brought two 5 gallon jugs and had them filled. I also bought a gallon of fuel to go with the three I had there and got two more at the raffle. I planned on bringing home the LSU plane but after loading the Cub Cadet mower and the goodies there wasn't room. I think if we drive ever again we will stay in Chatanooga instead of Gadsden as that will make 3 500 mile days instead of a 450 and a 650 and a 500. The kids at the school are coming along well on their planes. All 22 have been just about built with very few problems while I was gone. Covering will be the tough part. One of the teachers brought in an r/c plane his father had but never flew and I fixed the broken stab. I saw the wing there on Fri. and then I got a radio and engine ready to install. It will take some doing as the motor mount is metal with a clamp to hold the engine but the clamp is missing. It's an ARF from Tower hobbies and about 20 years old. I managed to win a Sig Acromaster kit at the raffle and Aaron won the last item which was a Brodak Bearcat kit. That should be a challenge to build as the fuselage is sheeted and the wing has dihedral. I'm getting ready to paper the fuse. of the new plane. I can't cover the wings until that is done. I can't ad the fillets as they will extend over the edge of the covering and hide the seam. I don't know what kind of paint scheme it will have either. That is the toughest part for me.

Winter project No. 1.

I have the new plane assembled enough to get a weight and balance. 53 ounces with a wood prop and tongue muffler as it's nose heavy. I figure that 2 ounces of lead in the tail will correct the situation. That leaves me 5 ounces for the finish. I've got the school class going well. The first half has the plane almost built. Enough so that they don't need the table and the second half can start on theirs. Between the two they should be able to wallow through it until I get back. They are running out of glue and still need covering, wheels radio's and motors. At least the planes will be built into a flyable condition when the other stuff gets bought.

Whipping them into shape.

Another club member and I are involved with a high school class that's building 22 small r/c planes. In the first week they have the fuselage just about built. I am able to be there every day and that is keeping problems to a minimum. I want to have the fuselage finished and at least half the wing built by next Friday. The students are paired because there isn't enough table space for all to be building. The wing shouldn't be too much of a problem and after that the other student can start their plane. I told them to be real careful to build a right and a left side, so far I'm the only one to build two right side fuselage sides. I traded it with another pair that hadn't gotten as far so it all worked out. No one but me has stuck their fingers to the plane either. I told them not to blow into the pippette to see if it's blocked and you guessed it. I chewed at the glue on my lip for a while. To start we gave a flight demo on the running track/football field one morning. It was calm winds and fog. I got in several flights as the r/c portion waited for the fog to lift a bit. Several other students walked by and some towns people too. I didn't know it but I cracked the stab on two planes. I didn't touch the ground or land hard so the corners must have done it. I repaired both and they are flying well again. I have found that using long lines, 64 feet, on .46 powered planes causes control problems. a few months ago i tried shorter lines and noticed a big difference in how the plane flew. I tried others with shorter lines, down to 61 or 62 feet, and they flew better. Now 62.5 foot lines are the longest I'm using. I had retired one plane because I couldn't get it trimmed right. Yesterday I removed an engine from one of the planes with the cracked stab. and put it on the retired plane. Today at Wrentham, MA I flew the plane and there was a noticeable improvement in the way it performed. I took the engine off the other plane because it wouldn't run right. I put it on the retired profile plane and that ran perfectly. I'm thinking it's overheating in the other plane. I took the Strega to Wrentham and got in two flights with it. Both flights had not so good engine runs. When I got home I ran it and tweaked the needle until it sounded right and put the tach. on it. 7400 rpm seems to be the magic number. I'll have to fly it soon to be sure. The club has a float fly tomorrow, Sunday. I'll probably pay a visit. The winter build has progressed to the point of installing the wing into the fuselage. I molded a turtle deck for it and it is looking like the drawing I made. I'm lucky to have bought the wing cores. I'm going to run the elevator push rod out the side of the fuselage for ease of adjustability. My Guru design has that feature and it works very well. I don't have to build in a hatch to get at the clevis. Of course I haven't had to touch the clevis on the Guru since it's out in the open. The McDonalds drinking straw sticking out of the wing will be to allow me to remove the push rod, cut the straw to length and tuck it into the wing which will allow me to slide the wing into the fuselage with out cutting the bottom off thereby making a weak spot. After getting the wing into position I can slide the push rod through the straw and find the heim joint on the bell crank. I've used that trick several times in the past. It's always worked. I re-located the upright on the flap horn to the right so the push rod will have a better angle out the rear side. The flaps and elevators have brass tubes for the horns to slide into.

Proof positive.

I ended up leaving my glow battery and chicken stick. I contacted one of the NEST members and he has them. I'll get them at the October fun fly. I've been flying the big ringmaster and it's flying well. I plan to bring it to LA along with the P-39 for the military stunt class. I started on the winter projects. I built a foam and balsa stab/elev for the new design plane. I plan to call it "Polynesian". .60 size, foam wing and stab.

Yesterday I couldn't spell 'expert" now I are one.

During the few years that I've been competing in control line stunt there has been one thing that stood out. Today at the contest there was two entrants in old time stunt one being me. I launched for the other guy who flew first. After his flight I retrieved his plane and carried it by the prop as the plane was really oily. A gust of wind caught the wing turning the plane and causing contact between my fingers and the hot muffler. I fumbled the plane breaking the tail off.

I got gas, well almost.

We got a phone call before 0800 today. It was the plumber and he would be here shortly. He was and they connected the furnace to the gas service. The building inspector came about 2:30 and liked what he saw. The plumber made the last connection and I tried to talk to the gas company to have them return and install the meter and turn the gas on. On hold, elevator muzak. I left a message at the tone and then used the email and said the same thing. I taught the plumber something while he was here. He was working on the piping and wondered why the threads and sizes were non standard for the meter. I said it would prevent someone from removing the meter and installing a jumper. Kids. 12 years he's been at it. My balsa order came in today while I was mowing the lawn. I just now remembered why I ordered 3/16 sheets. It's for the hinges. I sand the slots in two pieces and glue them together to form the trailing edges and leading edges of the elevator and flaps. Shoulda asked the plumber.

Good score on the second flight lands me in 4th.

At the contest today I didn't score well on the first flight. I was 8th out of 9. But others did have good scores and the best of the two scores is the one that counts. I put up a barn burner for the second flight and was second highest for the round. A 529. I'm not sure where I ended up but it wasn't last. The winds were calm for both days. I hit my wake a few times making the plane bobble. I brought 3 planes and 9 engines to sell on Sat. The planes and 4 engines sold. On Sun. one of the planes had one of the engines mounted and was flying in beginner. He finished second. It flew better than when I had it. $25 for the plane and $10 for the engine.

A nice gift.

On Sunday morning I met my new flying buddy at McDonalds and led him to the field. He had a new plane and needed to tweak the electric motor a bit. He flew it well and plans to be at the contest A Lee, MA next week. I went to the field on Monday and the farmer had run the tedder over the mown grass. Bunches of grass were thrown onto the circle but it wasn't a problem. Today I went to the field and the circle looked different. I took a close look at the ground and it had been rolled. The grass was flattened in the direction of flight. I looked at the r/c field and didn't see the same flattened grass. I was able to get good takeoffs without being bounced into the air. Real nice. When I left I noticed a trail left by the roller and followed it down around the town garage buildings where it faded out. I didn't see a roller on the property and didn't want to ask the workers about it as that may get somebody in trouble. The club meeting is Thursday and I'll ask then.

A flying buddy.

While at the field Sunday another club member gave me the phone no. of a person looking for a circle. It happened to be a flyer that I know from local contests. I got in touch with him today and when he has time, He still has a job, we will meet and go to the field. He flys electric planes so being early won't be a problem. We will be in the same class at contests. I changed a burned out brake light bulb in the right rear light on the hot rod yesterday. Even though I removed the ground wire it still works. I also changed the oil and filter. It's been a long time. I ran some test flights on the Evo engine. I removed the muffler pressure and didn't see any change. Then I installed a free flowing muffler and it seemed to like that. I didn't have any fuel after that and couldn't get in another flight with it to be sure. I'll try again tomorrow. I have an edger coming in tomorrow. I ordered a new mower blade today too. The weather has been good lately but very wet in the morning. Lots of dew and it doesn't burn off until mid afternoon. It makes mowing very messy.

It's summer again.

After 4 weeks of high temps and humidity the temp dropped into the 50's with cold rain. Norwich got flooded with over 5 inches of rain. Today it's mid 80's and a lot dryer. I finally got the ambition to attack the panel dimmer in the hot rod. I clipped one of the wires and that took care of the panel lights dimming when I stepped on the brakes. I never did locate the radiator fan switch and it's been hanging down by the steering column all these years. Now with the dimmer rheostat out of the picture I have a spare hole in the dash. The fan switch had failed lately too. I bought another from Radio Shack and moved the wires for more slack and stuck the new switch into the dimmer hole. That should hold it for a few more years.

Winter arrives.

I went to Epping drag strip yesterday with a friend that lives nearby. It was test and tune day and he had concerns about a water leak in the engine. We may have had to tow the car back home for repairs. As it turned out he found the leak spot and after the engine warmed up and the radiator pressurized the leak was apparent. The engine builder used studs to hold the heads on. The coolant was following the threads out on top of the nut. He put two cans of stop leak in and the leak stopped. There were several very fast cars running and one pro stock from Tasca Ford. We watched as the car launched and started fishtailing down the track. Almost hit the wall but the driver, Carl Tasca, got it straightened out and stopped. They didn't make a full run all day. The track ambulance responded to a man down that we found out today had died. He was near the ATM machine, probably saw his balance. The temp. today is in the 50's and spitting cold rain all day. I had a coat on when I adjusted one of the down spouts. I got the Evo engine on Tuesday. They found a leaky front bearing, a scored cylinder and a faulty needle valve. They put in all new parts and it runs much better. I had the engine apart before sending it back and didn't notice any scoring of the cylinder. I got new parts though.

Another book.

The weather has been hot and humid lately, equal to the Baton Rouge forecast. Early in the morning for flying and mid day for mowing. The dew is too heavy to mow early. The heat is very good for grass to grow. I just finished a book written by Charlie Louvin, of The Louvin Brothers, about the Louvin Brothers before and after being country performers. One of their hits called "When I stop loving you" was mentioned several times in the book. Ray Charles did a version as did many other country stars. I looked it up on you tube and it's worth a listen by both Ray and Charlie and The Louvin Brothers. I thought we had an album by the Louvin's but it's only by Ira Louvin after they had split up. It was Ira's last record before being killed in a car crash, not his fault. The problem Evo engine is still in the repair shop. It was "checked in" on the 11th. No further updates. I changed all the ground wires over to a copper grounding block. The ones in the trunk were on an aluminum strip and I removed them and bolted them to the battery. No change in the dimming problem. Next is to remove the gauge brightness adjusting knob that was an option to the system. It doesn't do what it's supposed to I found out. Turn the knob and nothing happens.

Something lost.

The power or gas company was just here marking the location of the power line again. Hopefully they will get the connecting done soon. I had to admit defeat on the Evo .60 engine and send it back for evaluation. I tried everything in the book to get it to run with any consistency but couldn't. Next I'll be asking directions when I take the scenic route. I did some tricks to the original engine I had on the plane and re installed it. Maybe get in a test flight tomorrow.

It is still summer.

85 degrees and climbing at 1100. Too warm to fly at 0900 even. The repair parts I ordered from Brodak came in Saturday as I was mowing the lawn. Fed Ex. I masked the areas to be painted and brought the plane into the garage to warm up. I was going to bring the compressor into the basement to cool but it would take a long time. I mixed the paint and plumbed in the spray gun hose and gave the repaired areas two coats of olive drab. I have enough paint left over for another plane. I painted the underneath areas with light grey the day before. I glued the elevators on and waited until this morning to spray the flat clear urethane. It's drying and by tomorrow I should be able to re assemble it ready for test flights. I made a 6 ounce metal tank for it and cut out a pocket for the tank to sit in between the engine bearers. That worked well on the Banshee. I wanted to fly Red Molly today but it's too hot. Maybe this evening. I installed the wheel pants that came with the original kit that crashed. Mostly for looks.

It is summer.

Yesterday the temp was in the low 90's and the dew point was 75 degrees. Today the temp things are a tad higher. I found that I could put one of the tongue mufflers on my plane "Red Molly". I checked on the Brodak web site and found where the c/g should be for the plane that the wing came from. It is right on the money with the lighter muffler. A made few tweaks on the push rod and the handle too. I went to the Sterling school this morning and got in a quick flight. I was surprised that the turns are good and it's pretty stable in level flight. The wind picked up so I only flew the one flight. I sized up the Elantra and found that I can get a plane in the back seat area. I tried to find out how to remove the rear seat cushion but the instructions didn't match. I pulled up and the seat popped out of it's holders. Maybe I can get two planes in. I would like to bring one of the P-39/63's for war bird stunt and a good stunter. I made a line clip bender out of a 3/4-16 bolt and nut from a picture on the web. They want $25.00 plus shipping. I paid $4.75. Now I have to get some .035 wire to bend. They want $00.50 for 12 inches of wire. Last Saturday I saw a full size Mitsubishi pickup truck on the highway. I haven't seen one before or heard any advertising. There was a V8 emblem on the side. I also saw the Hyundai Genesis V8 brochure at the dealers. 429 H.P. out of 302 cu. in. None on the show room floor. The damaged P-63 is waiting for some paint to arrive. I was happy to have used up all the olive drab on that plane and didn't have any left over. Now I'll have lots after thinning. I made a sheeted foam stab and re used the elevators. That should prevent fluttering.

Victory and defeat.

The new Evo .60 wouldn't run the way I wanted it to. I tried many ways to win the battle but still not the way I wanted. There were some small wins like installing head shims and drilling more holes in the tongue muffler. Not until I accepted the fact that the engine would only run one way did I get the right combination. The flight was short because the stab. folded early in the flight. The engine did run properly though. The damage wasn't that bad as I built it with hard balsa except for the stab. The wing had some broken glue joints and ripped covering. I have a replacement under construction now. A balsa foam and balsa sandwich and I added diagonals to the built up original elevator. I started covering the stab. this afternoon.

It was awful.

While waiting for the rain to stop at the Kentucky race I stumbled across a tv show called Crusin' New England. I've seen it before and the host Paul Mennett, doesn't know a whole lot about cars on top of being a poor interviewer. This show was about a car collection in CT somewhere. It is all gas class race cars from the 50's and 60's. 41 Willys, 55 Chevys all with the straight front axles and names painted on the sides. "Gas Attack" was one. The owner says he built all the cars and when they showed the interior of one I believed it. It was the 55 Chevy and had a full interior with a roll cage made from PVC pipe and fittings. A 33 willys that was built as an A/GAS class car, the only higher class was A/GAS Supercharged. This thing didn't have a roll bar never mind a cage. I won't be going to look at the cars.

Mr Tanner snuffs it.

On you tube there are videos of a wing walker and pilot, possible the famous Mr. Tanner, crashing at an airshow in Dayton, OH. Full time consideration of another endeavor is not an option now. I got the OS .46 FXi running pretty good but ordered an Evolution .60 instead. Should be in early next week. We are heading for Salmon River st. park to watch the combat contest this morning.

Slim rolls a seven.

I just heard that the above s. t. b. today. if you think Joe Val is something try a listen to "Indian love call". I got two yodels into it and switched to Ray Stevens. Slim Whitman was huge in Europe which explains a lot about them. I've been flying the new P-63 trying to get the engine to run right. It's the one I got from the pawn shop a year ago. Definitely not a C/L engine. I opened the venture and now it uses over 4 ounces for the pattern. That made me put a 6 ounce tank on that I didn't pressure test. I made the pattern plus a half lap when the engine quit. The plane was covered with fuel and I found the cap not tight when I got home. A couple turns of the screw fixed that but the winds are too high to go back. I'm tempted to buy a new engine from Horizon hobbies that is a .60 size in a .46 case. That makes it lighter and it's designed for c/l use. I'll try the one I got for a while more. The plane does fly well.

Been busy.

The trip to Brodaks contest was good. I got some stuff at the hobby shop and saw the big boys fly. I wasn't impressed that much. The car got over 39 mpg for the trip. The new P-63 flew today. I like the way it flys even though it's on the heavy side. 59 ounces. 10 ounces heavier than the P-39 it's twin. I didn't take any care with the balsa selection and cored the fuselage and covered it with 1/64 ply. The engine is not giving it's best power and needs some tweaking I used 10 percent nitro and 18% oil and it ran better. It still wasn't right so I changed the tank and opened up the venture. Maybe tomorrow. I fixed one of the mowers I use at the field. A screw had fallen out letting in too much air. I brought it back and fixed it's replacement that had a fouled spark plug. I flew the Guru today also. That is just about the best plane in the fleet. The gas co. called and said they would be here tomorrow to install the meter. I called the plumber and passed on the news. Combat at the Salmon River Park this Sunday.

Gas station roulette.

When we headed for Groton this morning I noticed the gas gauge close to empty. No problem as I had money and we were close to several stations. I went to rt. 12 and there was 10 state and local police cars in my first choice for gas. A person was in hand cuffs and we went to the Sunoco station near Wood;s auto parts. Nobody knew what the problem was at the other station. We listened to the local radio station at news time and no mention of it. Again on the next hour still nothing. We went to the Roadside Diner and no one there heard anything about it. Maybe in the news at 6. 2 to 5 inches of rain over the state last night. The coast got most of it. About 1000 hours the sun started peeking out and it warmed up nicely. Too windy though. Tomorrow is forecast to be very good. We'll see.

Waiting on the gas man.

The plumbers finished doing all they could without the gas. They installed 4 sections of heater in the lines to make up for the heat the old furnace put out.

Gone but not forgotten.

As I headed out to get some chores done the plumbers were taking the old furnace apart. When I got back they had it on the truck. It looked like a big rusty radiator. I mowed the lawn and saw the tank filler pipes sticking out of the house askew. When I got done and checked they were dragging the tank out the door. I sticked? stucked? measured the oil in the tank and figured between 100 and 125 gallons left. A goodly amount of sludge included. They were able to drain 100 gallons of usable oil. They brought some heater sections and got one piece installed with 3 others waiting. It's visable in the top right corner of one of the pictures. The road has been painted by three people so far.

A total disconnect.

The plumbers have made progress so far this week. The gas company diggers have marked the road some more. I kinda figured that the new furnace wouldn't throw any heat like the old one and I'm correct. One of the plumbers suggested installing a baseboard strip in the basement. That idea was improved by the other plumber by putting the strip in line with the return pipes overhead. No extra piping involved. Quick and dirty, I like it. The old furnace has been taken off line and is ready to be removed. They installed a temporary electric water heater until the gas is working. The fuel tank is ready to be emptied and removed also. You can see the spackle patches where the black board was. There is no reason for the amount of small holes to be there spread out like they are. A one by three by four feet board that held nothing but it's own weight was attached with ten 3 inch nails.

Progress so far.

A few pictures of the furnace installation. The stake in the ground is where the gas company should be putting the meter. I blocked the window to get the clearance needed for their vent. The furnace vent pipes go two into one through the small window. I imagine only one pipe will be seen going up with the smaller inside.

The plumbers cometh too.

We got a call late last night and found that the plumbers would be here early in the morning. They got here on time and have been doing plumber things for 6 hours now. I was going to mow the field this morning but now it's put off until they finish up and leave. I had to remove the black board as the furnace is on the left side and not the right where there was enough room. The vent and air pipes go through the wall into my space and then out the small window. I didn't find any treasure behind the blackboard. All it is is a piece of sheet rock painted with black paint of some kind.

The gas man cometh.

We went to the field this morning. I put one plane up and the engine ran real strange. the fuel pick up line had fallen off the brass tube inside the tank. The second plane fared a bit better but still ran away hot at the end of the flight. I moved things around when I got home and fixed the tank. As I was mowing the lawn this afternoon I saw a gas co. truck stop across the road. I stopped and talked to him and we decieded to put the meter near the milk room end. I had to move the window blocker from the end window to the side window. The plumber was happy to hear about it too.

Progress on the furnace front.

After getting no response from three plumbers after they looked at the job to a plumber that can't go fast enough. Almost pushy. I put the service contract and the installation contract with 50% down in the mail early in the morning. That afternoon we got a call from the plumber saying he was bringing the stuff the next day. He came on time and dropped off the furnace and the half built piping board. It will take some time until the gas company comes and installs the line and the plumber will come and mount the board and furnace in his spare time. I measured the wall where the board will go and there is a half inch clearance between the board and a pipe that goes through the wall there. The vent pipes will pass through some walls and exit out the small window near the oil tank. I checked ebay for an update on the hub caps for the Dodge and they left Denver on the 24th. Pay Pal now has a waiting period when payment goes through the checking account. Makes sense. The latest plane is taking shape. With the crappy weather I'm getting some quality building time. I've been flying some of the full fuselage planes and getting them ready. Not much trimming. I got the field mowed on Thursday and tried to mow the lawn yesterday but it started raining soon after I started and I had to stop. The rain has kept on going though. The Dodge will get a new cat back Flowmaster exhaust on Wed. along with a serpentine belt and maybe spark plugs if he has time.

Maybe, finally.

We haven't been having any luck getting a plumber to install a gas fired furnace. I got a 30 day extension from the gas company on the service installation contract so we could find someone willing to do the work. I called a number we found in the paper yesterday. It sounded like the others but we held out hope.. This morning the plumber arrived and I showed him the site. He had pamphlets and gave me a price that is reasonable. I have to board up a window or two so the vents will be away from windows to suit the code. I have to fill and seed the tire tracks near the milk room so the gas company will have more choices to run the line. Nothing that can't be done in a jiffy. The plumber is supposed to be mailing a quote and will install the furnace and then when the gas line is installed come back and finish the job. With no more profile only contests in the area I removed the engine from the P-39 and brought out the Honey Bee. That's the one that I used to win the Mass Cup and then remodeled it. I had flown it a few times after the re work and it flew better than it had. With the new nose the engine was closed in more but I didn't think that would matter. I flew it yesterday and the engine wouldn't run steady. Mostly too fast no matter how I set the needle. Changing tanks didn't do anything so I removed the engine and installed it on the P-39. It ran perfectly. So I figure it was getting too hot in the new nose. I made some cuts and other wood removal things to open up the engine to the air. I installed the engine from the P-39 into the Honey Bee and should be able to test it in the morning fog. With the too fast maneuvering the nose had developed cracks and the glue joint on the wing had come loose also. A few more corners and it would have torn off. I added some ply over the cracks and filled the loose joints with super glue. It should hold.

A plan comes together, accidently.

A few years ago I lost a hub cap/wheel cover off the Dodge somewhere between here and Baton Rouge. I finally got around to looking for a replacement. Wholesale Mopar wants $100.00 for a new one. The local large junk yard doesn't have one so I looked on ebay. There were several to choose from. They had the right part number and everything. I put a 40 dollar bid on one and got an out bid notice a few days later. While waiting for the sale to near the end I found another up for bid. Not wanting to mess it up again I waited for it to end today. While waiting I noticed there were 4 in the offing from the same seller. No bids. I waited on the first to end and got it for $19.99. On to the second and got that one for the same price. I looked at the final for the one I got out bid on and it went for $41.00. HA HA. I have the new P-63 wing built and the fin and rudder also. I started on the fuselage this morning and got it ready for skinning with 1/64 ply. The P-63 is related to the P-39 and has a different shaped fin and rudder. I have to look up the other changes. Flat green and flat light blue right up my alley.

Finally figured it out.

The off and on rain has put a stop to my flying. I've been looking at the engine I got off a plane from the pawn shop for quite a while now. It's an OS .46 FXi r/c engine. Ball bearings and larger all around than the .46LA's I've been using. The hole for the carb. is 9/16 while the LA is 3/8 so getting a venturi for it is a problem, until today. Just for grins I removed the carb. and tried fitting K&S tubing into it. As luck would have it the 1/2 i.d. tube slipped right in with a snug fit. I took a 1/2 nylon spacer from the Dorman racks at Tractor Supply and that fit the tube really nice. The spacer had a 1/4 inch through hole so I drilled it out to .300 and cut one end at an angle for a smoother in flow of air. Then I drilled through the engine block and tubing and nylon spacer for the spray bar. The fuel exit hole wasn't centered so I drilled a new hole and soldered shut the original. Then I tested it behind the garage and it ran very well. I don't have any plane that will accept this engine as it's wider and a half inch longer so I got out some paper and started drawing another P-39 fuselage. Trike gear and flat colors what could go wrong. Time will tell.

A bit of good news.

I've been having trouble getting the Banshee to fly wings level. I had a tab on it but removed it in favor of twisting the wing flat. That didn't work and I added another tab and it finally flew wings level today. A few years ago I bought an ARF Nobler. It didn't fly well at all so I put it away. Then I stripped all the monokote off and put it away. Then I re worked it to be more like the original version from plans I had and put it away. Then I covered it. A while later I put some paint on it and re assembled it. Then I installed the engine and it was ready for a test flight. I didn't have to many hopes as it didn't fly well in the first place. I was surprised when it flew very well. I may have something here. The second plumber came and looked at the job this afternoon. He didn't seem to be as overwhelmed as the first one. Now we wait for his estimate.

Another "oh shit" moment.

I backed the hot rod out of the garage to scrape some of the pollen off. Before closing the windows and shutting the doors I always test the hidden get in locks. They didn't work. Today I started to trouble shoot the problem. Both doors didn't work and there is a circuit breaker somewhere in the car. I removed the dash and found everything I was looking for. They all tested good. I really didn't want to remove the door panel but I had no choice. I removed one solenoid and tested it. Worked perfectly. I attached it to the wiring with jumpers and it worked. Bad grounds. I had a bitch of a time getting the solenoid back in and wired but I did. I stuffed all the wiring and hoses back together and closed the dash. The right side doesn't work and I'll get to it some day. I went to Groton this morning and got the new combo switch installed. The exhaust needs renewing from the cat back. That's on order.

Late arrival again.

UPS delivered on time today and the USPS delivered a few hours later, 4 days late, again. The tracking showed that the boxes took a long time to get out of Baton Rouge then back and out again. Anyway all boxes arrived today. There was some breakage in the box in a box. The do it yourself spray paint can glass cup was broken and the outside box took a severe beating. The layers of tape held it together. The UPS box had barely a scratch. I ran out of fuel at the worst place with the P-39 yesterday. At the top of the circle at the end of the clover maneuver. i ran and got control at 3 feet and saved a complete wreck but the fuselage was broken just behind the wing. Some carpenters glue, clamps and other reinforcement later I flew it this morning and it flew well. Then I painted the repaired areas. Good weather so far.

Official simple fix.

I don't know why the police and FBI didn't fire off their shotguns into the air to end the manhunt still going on in Boston. Biden said that's all you have to do. Simple fix. And If the police had 10 round clips they would have got both perps. in the shootout. Hundreds of rounds were fired off and only one killed. If several cops can't hit two crooks with many round clips that isn't too good. A lone citizen with a 6 shooter is said to get 6 crooks. The cops should take citizen training.

Gun control works.

Mass. has pretty good gun control. Today three bombs went off during the Boston marathon. No guns. Proving that gun control works. Now what to do about bombs? Denial, that's the ticket, denial. Or more gun control.

Rain, cold and wind.

The new combo switch came in the other day. It has a hole in the mounting bracket that the steering column passes through. I called the guy that bought Richards garage and set up an appointment to have him do it. I would end up with the air bag blowing up. I got in a test flight with the P-39 and the changes worked. Tomorrow is forecast to be decent for flying so I'll get to really check them out. I enlarged the holes in the cowling on the StregA-36 and changed to an Xoar 13 x 6 prop. It's a first for me. I should get some APC props too.

Mickey.

We went to the field this morning. I took the big ringmaster and the P-39. I had changed fuel tanks from a square Hayes tank to a round tank on the ringmaster. It didn't like the round tank so I put the Hayes tank back on. The engine ran very well. The P-39 has been troublesome in that the turns are quite different. I ran out of handle adjustment but was closing in on the problem. When we got home I set the P-39 controls to exact neutral. I had built in a hole that I could insert a pin through the bell crank and lock it in neutral. I set the controls to be neutral in the beginning but something has changed. I have a mark on the fuselage that is on the extended chord line so I can set the flaps in perfect neutral and the flaps were 3 turns of the clevis low. The elevator was correspondingly high and I brought that back down a turn below neutral, which is what all the "big boys" suggest. Now I had to reset the lines at the handle to neutral and we will start over. I have a plastic clunk tank so I can put an ounce of fuel in it to quickly check the control response. On the way home from the field we stopped at the Roadside Diner for a coffee. Yesterday I sent an application into Yankee Gas for a change over to a gas furnace. Our neighbors had changed to gas a few years ago and could be a source of info. As we entered there they were. I haven't seen them there until today. I talked to him about the gas service and got the number of the plumber that did his work. I'm waiting for him to return my call. With the oil tank gone I would have room for another plane or the work bench. The old furnace doesn't owe us anything. They have sold their house to one of the Hoyt girls and will rent it from them while their new house is being built. And they had to put up a security deposit. The closing is this week.

Light winds.

I noticed that the winds were forecast to be under 10 mph today so I got some planes ready. I took an ebngien off one of the full body planes and put it on the P-39. Today I took that plane and the big ringmaster to the field. I got in 4 flights with each plane. When I got home I loaded up the StregA-36 and went back. The engine has been running funny and with the warmer weather the problem stood out. The cowl is too close fitting to properly cool the engine. I removed it and found that it hot starts quite easily. A couple flights with the cowl off and some handle adjustments has it flying quite well. I added almost 2 ounces of castor to the low oil fuel that is recommended for the engine when I got home. I will run out the gallon I have before using the low oil fuel that's on order. It should be broken in by then. The plane really glides after the engine quits. It's kinda easy to get a good landing with it. Tomorrow may be good for flying too.

Almost spring.

I got a reply from Brodak's magazine Control line World and they will publish my article on the plywood handle. It's the equal of the carbon fiber handle made by the famous guy but mine is much less expensive and faster to make. I've been flying with one and it's working very well. I finally bit the bullet and scoped out the steering column on the Dodge. Three screws hold the plastic pieces on. I removed them and the top came off easily but the bottom piece is held on by the tilt lever.. I called Wholesale Mopar and ordered the combo switch and asked the guy how the bottom piece comes off. He said the tilt lever is screwed on so I should be able to unscrew it. I'm going to wait until I see the mounting bolt pattern on the new piece, I may not have to remove the bottom piece. I found a bag of quick crete at the dump. I figured I could add it to the square pilot circle in the middle of the circle and make it round. I set up forms and mixed the bag and poured it into the forms. The next day I stepped on the new cement and it crumbled. It wasn't thrown away for nothing. Today I went to the local lumber yard to get some cement. Their web site said they opened at 0700. At 0805 still nobody. I ended up at Lowes. I mixed the two bags and now the square circle is round. I got in some flights with the big Ringmaster. This afternoon the winds were still light and the temp is in the high 60's. I grabbed the StregA-36 and went back to the field. I had increased the elevator throw and sealed the hinge gaps since the last outing, which was the first, and made some adjustments on the handle spacing. The changes worked well and I had to take some space out of the up and ad some to the down. The engine ran OK for one of the flights and I got in a full pattern on the second flight. On the third flight it was running good and then went rich. Seems to be the norm for a plane that has sat for a while. I did get it to fit into the El Camino by turning it 45 degrees to the center line of the bed. I have been adding nose weight to the big Ringmaster and the Banshee. Each plane has responded favorably by being more stable in flight. I have spread the line spacing at the handle to get the turns back and that is working too. Kinda scary. I put a weight on the Ringmaster engine last night and then figured I should check where the balance point is compared to the plans. Somehow the balance is where the plans say it should be. Funny how that works. The Banshee has been modified a lot and the balance is about an inch ahead of the plans, which is where the guy that modified the Twister in the same manner that I modified the Banshee said it should be. Another lucky guesser.

Early flights.

The forecast is for strong winds and cold. It was calm at 0830 so I headed for the field before the winds hit. I got in 6 flights before the fuel ran dry. Then I figured it was time to burn the spruce cones on top of the stump. I split a bunch of old lumber and had a good fire raging for a few hours. I got rid of all the cones and have to wait for the fire to go out to see how much of the stump has burned away. There appeared on the hill a large pile of leaves. I dragged that off to the compost heap. Then I took the mower out and put the charger on the battery. After 15 minutes I hit the starter and it fired up right away. Then I ran over the remaining leaves and mulched them up a bit. An engine de gunking was needed after sitting all winter seeing that I had the hose hooked up incase the fire got away.

Getting warmer.

I've been designing new handles lately. I read a thread on a forum about one of the big boys bragging about his handle, made from carbon fiber sheet, and how light it is. He said "don't go cheap and make it out of aluminum". Oh? My first attempts were made from aluminum of varying thicknesses. They didn't come close to his weight of 14 grams but around 20 grams. I modified some of the handles I had been using but still over the 14 gram bar. The other day I picked up a sheet of 1/8" 5 layer plywood and noticed how stiff it is. I took my handle template and drew one out on the plywood and made a handle out of it. Some thin super glue and brass eyelets from the r/c servo hardware and I sandwiched the handle with 1/8" balsa in the grip area. The ready to fly handle weighs 14 grams and cost about a dollar in material and 30 minutes in time to make. I wrote an article about it and submitted to Brodak's Control Line World magazine. I've been getting in some flying lately but the winds have been rough. I got in 6 flights yesterday and between stooge problems, engine runs and getting blown out of maneuvers I didn't get in one complete flight. Today looks good though.

Found it.

I stopped at NAPA and got a quart of brake fluid. I hoped it would be enough to fix the brakes on the El Camino. Then I got the idea to vacuum bleed the system. I hooked a piece of fuel tubing to a syringe and the bleed screw on the master cylinder. I got air on top of air. Shouldn't be. Air could be leaking by the bleed screw threads so I sealed then with teflon tape. Still getting air. I reversed the procedure and forced fluid into the system. Then I walked back to get something and noticed a puddle near the left rear tire. The only bleed screw that wouldbn't break loose yesterday. I removed the tire and luckily the brake drum came off easily. Dry as a bone everywhere. Just for grins I figured I would try and vacuum the line to the brake. I got a wrench and a pounder to loosen the bleed screw and found it already loose. Yesterday the wrence must have been real close to a bolt or something and bound up against it and I mistook that as a frozen screw and left it. I put the syringe on the bleeder and vacuumed a ton of air. Then I got the idea to pressure bleed the normal way. I got more tubing and a jar and a length of plastic pipe to use to push teh brake pedal while I controlled the bleed screw. After maybe 10 pumps the fluid came out without bubbles. I tightened the screw and put the brake drum and tire back on. With the engine running I have a nice hard pedal where it should be. A couple hard charges in the driveway to test them and all is well again. I didn't have to use the quart of fluid.

Couldn't do it.

I went to NAPA and picked up the master cylinder and booster this morning. I forced myself to install them. The booster on the car has four studs holding it to the firewall. The nuts were and still are very tight so I'm assuming it's an original piece. I could only loosen the two top nuts and couldn't get at the bottom two as teh wiper motor and brake lines and steering column are in the way. I ended up installing the new master cylinder and bringing the booster back. The brakes still need bleeding but they work some what.

That's the brakes.

I was going to take the El Camino out for a spin and as I backed out of the garage I applied the brakes and the pedal went to the floor. I checked the fluid and added some but nothing changed. I got the car back into the garage without any problems and went to NAPA for another master cylinder. When I got home I remembered the problem I had when I first changed it. The replacement has a push rod hole much deeper than the one that's on the car. I brought it back and another should be here in the morning. I may have to replace the booster some day too.

More fecking snow.

Just when the field had dried out enough to drive on it and the temp and winds had settled down it snowed again. I had just found a way to equalize the difference in line length of my Spectra lines too. I'm using short lengths of fishing leader to equal up the lines. I just crimp a loop in both leaders at lengths that even out the Spectra. Then it snowed before I could test them. The winds came back and the temps are in the low 20's on top of it. I had bought an ARF Nobler a few years ago and it flew poorly. I stripped the covering off and made some mods to it so it looks like the original Nobler that is eligible for old stime stunt. It's sat in the dark room for a couple years as it's a pain to work on. With all the fecking snow I brought it out and have done enough work on it that it looks like a plane again. The stab. is thicker as I sheeted it with 1/16" balsa, the fin has a slightly different shape and both are now glued on the fuse. I covered the fuse. and elevator with tissue and just finished covering the wing with poly span. I'm thinking of biteing the bullet and driving to NJ for a contest in mid May. It's on Sunday so traffic shouldn't be too much of a problem. I-95 most of the way. It's for Profile models only and there will be a tailgate swap meet at the same time and place.

Installed and tested.

The temp got into the low 30's and the wind wasn't too strong so I parked the truck on the side of the garage and started to install the Bak Flip. The rails wouldn't fit without trimming the bed liner in three locations on each side. The clamps went on without a problem but when I went to put the hold down star wheels in they were the wrong ones. A little hack saw work and the problem was over come. When I went to close the lid with the tail gate up the lid wouldn't latch with the tail gate protector on. I removed the 8 screws and took it off and set it aside. I was done in two hours including the clean up of the boxes and foam padding. I made a test run with a plane up to the field and got in two flights. No problems.

A twofer.

The tracking number said that the Spectra line was due today. About 1300 the UPS truck stopped and dropped the Spectra and a book off. I busied myself making a set of lines for the Bipe. It is difficult to get the lines the same length as the knot used to terminate is a slip knot. I ended up only a 1/2" short on one line. As I was tying the last knot I heard a bump outside. I looked and the Fed Ex truck was here.They have the quietest trucks. I went out and he was leaving. Two big boxes were leaning against the garage. I put them inside as the wind is blowing hard and the temp is in the low 30's. I'll get after it ASAP.

Bird houses.

I took a walk to the power line and checked the blue bird houses. They needed cleaning as the birds have been using them during the winter for shelter. I got the idea to put one at the Brooklyn field as I've seen blue birds there. I removed one of the three in the yard and brought a plane just in case the wind was low enough for flying. When we got there the wind was too high so I only installed the bird house, removed the mower battery and stopped at the diner in Central for a snack. A friend stopped by and we gave her a bird house to put in her yard which left me with no spares. I got some wood and made up three more boxes just in case. The snow is just about gone today but more is in the forecast later in the week. Bak Flip took the money last Fri. so the cover should be on it's way.

Just wet.

I took a peak at the little league ball fields and they are clear of snow. Some idiot was playing lets make divots in the outfield with a golf club so I had to wait. I went back around noon and got in one flight as the winds were rough. Later in the afternoon I took a plane and went to check out the Brooklyn field and found it clear of snow also. I got in two flights and the winds were banging the plane around pretty good there too. Lots of standing water there as well as the ball field. I checked the mail and the firing pin came in. It didn't fit and I had to grind it down in all dimensions to get it to fit. The slot that the shell ejector rides in needed enlarging also. That keeps the pin from shooting out when the bolt is retracted. A pretty simple design. I'm still waiting for the bak flip.

Some snow is gone.

We went to the Sterling school yesterday with the Twister and a new handle I made from .062 aluminum. It's quite light at 27 grams. My first attempt at a new handle weighs 112 grams and the one I switched to after that one weighs 60 grams. I copied the shape from my other new handle. An article in a forum gave me the idea. Super flyer, designer, builder, finisher, thinker Paul Walker made one out of .080 carbon fiber plate. His weighs 14 grams. I don't have any carbon plate and have heard bad things about cutting it so I used what I had on hand. If some one had a water jet or laser cutter I would probably buy one. When we got to the school there was a pick up parked on the asphalt and state cop sitting behind the trees waiting for vandals to show up. I thought about using the wet field for a bit and drove over and checked it out. It was usable so I got in 3 flights. The new handle works well as best I can tell. It took about an hour of hacksaw and file work to cut it out and make the handle. I took a quick trip to the Brooklyn field and it is still 100% covered in snow. I'll check on it today in a while. With the time change I can go to the school after hours.

It's melting.

The temp. went into the 40's early today. The snow is melting rapidly but not that rapid. It's down to 3 inches deep. I took a trip to the Sterling school to see if the track had been plowed. Luckily it was plowed fully in the large paved area. More than enough to fly in. After the basket ball game we headed for the school with the MI Bipe and the old Twister. First up was the Bipe and it flew well for what it is. Very sensitive on the controls and I only had 32 foot lines which were too short. Less line spread at the handle and 40 footers should calm it down. I had addeed a bit of weight to the nose of the Twister and it flew more stable than usual. The winds were tricky so I only got in one flight each.

I did it, just about.

The temp. is barely in the high 30's and the winds are not too bad. I re arranged the flight box to carry the fuel needed for the Double Star engine in the StregA-36 and tried to put it into the El Camino. Won't fit. It barely fits into the Dodge. I headed for the field even though the school would be better there could be some people in the way. I had to park at the top of the hill and walk about a 1/4 mile to the circle. I picked out a good spot, considering the wind, and set things down. When I re configured the box I removed the prop box and fuel bottle to make room for the quart fuel can for the big engine. In the prop box is the stooge. Shit. Luckily I had another one that is a hook and a nail. I struck it into the ground and put the hook around the tail wheel and wire. It seemed like it would stay put so I went ahead and set everything up. I put in 3 and half ounces of fuel into the 6 ounce tank,flipped the plane over and primed the engine with a little fuel and lighter fluid. It started and being larger I had to pay attention flipping it right side up and hooking the stooge to the tail wheel. I grabbed the down line and walked out to the handle. If the plane came loose the down line would tip it up on the prop. I checked the controls and pulled the release line. It came off the wire and didn't release the plane. I grabbed the down line again and went back to the plane and attached the hook and back to the handle. It released this time and the plane flew very smooth. The engine quit early and I was amazed at the glide. I kept it barely above the grass for a ways before setting it down. I added another half ounce of fuel and restarted the engine. Same routine to the handle and the line came off the stooge again. Back to the plane and back to the handle and off it went. I gave it more rpm's and did a couple loops. It ran the fuel out this time and glided smoothly to a landing. I moved the lines out on the handle and shortened the up line a bit for the next time out. The engine did start right up, after the first flight, on it's wheels.

The Sterling school.

The temp. has been in the high 30's lately with very little sunshine. The winds have been favorable and I have gotten some flying. I've kept an eye on the track at the Sterling school and the snow piles have been getting smaller. The field was clear of snow yesterday but was quite wet and soggy. The end of the track that butts against the woods was clear of snow also. I went back in the afternoon with the Banshee and got in two flights. The ground was very bumpy but barely usable. I set up at the edge of the ball diamond at third base for takeoff. After flying I went to the track and measured the end radius and found it to be the same as my lines. I marked the center will give it a try next time there if the other end still has snow piles. The MI Bipe is ready to fly. I have a set of 30 foot lines for the first flight. They may be too short but I don't think the plane is worth making a new set.

It's ordered.

I called Bak Ind. and ordered one of their VP models p/n 162204. $699.00 delivered. It's one of their newest models. It should be here late next week. I started painting the Bipe. The can of propellant I have for the Badger air brush is getting low so I ordered two more cans from Amazon. They are on back order but the price is well worth it. The can and air brush I have I bought from Tower I believe back in the very early 80's. It came as an extra with a small compressor a one quart spray gun and the glass bottle detail gun kit I used all the time. I still have it and it still works.I never used the quart gun. I never used the air brush until this past winter. Now I'm using it on every plane for touch up and small stuff. Funny how that happens. I bought a small HVLP gun from Amazon for $13.00 and that works very well for the bigger jobs using the compressor and 40 psi.

Usable weather.

I took a ride to the ball fields in town and found them not usable to fly off of. Too much standing water and snow and ice patches. Around noon I went to the flying field to check on the mower tires and ad air if needed. I checked the circle and found it very wet with large snow and ice patches covering most of the circle. There was an area that could be used as a starting point so I went home and got the P-39. I didn't take the StregA-36 because of the water and cool temps. I don't want to pour hot water on the engine before the nose gets a coating of oil and the P-39 has a nose wheel to keep it from tipping up when running through the snow. I had made a few changes from the last outing and the plane flew very well. I made new lines for it too and the first flight was a one ouncer to see how the lines were set then I got in three full flights. The new handles I made don't have any fine adjustment for line length. When I got home I hung the lines on a nail and the down line seemed to be a bit longer which would make it fly too high and get off the ground and up to 5 feet too fast. I switched up and down lines on the handle and it felt better. The MI Bipe is nearing paint. The balance came out real close and total weight before paint is 14 ounces. It should fly but I can't say how well.

Lots of fecking wind and rain but the snow stays.

The temps are in the low 40's and the wind is 25 to 35 mph with periods of rain. The snow is very slow to melt. I started to cover the Bipe today. A few more small pieces around the interplane struts and I can shrink it.

Not warm enough.

The temps have been in the high 30's lately but not warm enough to cause any melting of the snow cover. I checked the field a few days ago and there are a few small bare spots. I have been pecking away at the MI Bipe. I don't see how anyone could have built this thing that hadn't built one before. Especially if he didn't have the engine shown. I built a fuel tank and it has to go where the bellcrank was supposed to be. The interplane struts are at an angle and can't be installed once the slanted ribs are glued in.I attached the lower wing this morning and it's waiting until I figure out what to do next without messing up the rest of the build. Maybe a wide rib as a platform with the strut resting on top of it. Covering will be a pain as it has to be done in several strips on top and bottom of the wings. I hope by the time it's finished the snow will be gone.

Decent weather.

The temp got above freezing so I took the El Camino out for a spin. When I got back I figured on taking more pictures of the StregA-36 and the P-39 which I did. The flat color will need better lighting or a grass back ground.

One down.

The mirror for the truck came in yesterday. I got it out of the box and it looked pretty good. It took about 5 minutes to install it. Perfect match and fit. Big difference not having to look around all the cracks in the wobbling mirror. I am told that my graphics are on the way. It's been close to two months. I am worried that they will be the wrong size. The will finish the build and allow me to put the engine in. I had to leave it out as the fuel fill and overflow pipes stick out in the area that the unit insignia will go. I can't remove them with the engine installed and they will have to be removed to stick the decal in the right palce. The little plane I'm making from the plans is quite a pain. It's designed for a spark ignition engine that has the fuel tank attached to it. In order to use a glow engine the tank has to go where the bell crank is supposed to be. I have that worked out and I'm working on the wings now. They have a huge, for it's size, leading and trailing edge. Lots of carving will be needed. We went to the hobby shop and I got some red and white dope for the finish. The snow is down to about 6 inches deep. The temps have been above freezing lately with some rain and lots of wind. No place to fly. We are planning on going to the Brodak Fly-in again in June. We were there in 2008 and found it very interesting. 6 circles going all the time with stunt ,scale, carrier and combat. Plus the big hobby shop and whatever else is for sale at the site.

Old plane.

Last night I got a set of plans for a c/l model plane that are from the mid 40's. I had copies made and I'm in the process of making one of the planes. I dug out 2 old engines and both ran quite well but I'll use the newer old one as it's bigger and more powerful. A Fox .19. I started cutting out parts for the fuselage and tail. The wings are made with large leading and trailing edges. I'm thinking on a better way to build them but may not be able to. I fumbled around and found some directions on how to replace the dimmer switch on the truck. not too much to it. That will be the next project on the truck.

The wait begins.

I finally got an answer from the graphics guy about the price and how to send it to him. If I hadn't suggested pay pal I would be still waiting. I've never done business with anyone that was afraid to give specifics. Now I have to wait for the mail. Today I put the new friction wheel on the track blower. It went much better than I figured. No rust to clean off and things still had lube on them. I oiled the outside fittings and adjusted the cable and track wheels. Then I removed the right side mirror from the Dodge. The inside panel is a pain but I got it off and taped over the holes until the new one comes in. Pictures of the P-39 show a U.S. ARMY sign on the under side of the wing. I tried a few things to make the letters but to no avail. I drew them on paper and sprayed a coat of clear on the paper to give it some body. When that dries I'll give it a dusting of spray glue so it will stick on the wing like tape and lightly spray black paint over the words. That's how I put my AMA number on the vertical fin.It worked out pretty good. Those planes didn't get any other color stripes to make them stand out. Kinda what you want in that business.

Mirror mirror on the Dodge.

I finally got around to looking for a replacement mirror for the passenger side of the truck. I stubbed it against the garage door jamb last year and broke the glass. I glued it back together and it's usable. I started sniffing around ebay and they didn't have what was on the truck. All heated and w/tow package. It just didn't look right so I kept looking. I googled it and came up with the same company that was on ebay. I looked at what was there and they had what I wanted but was listed as manual not heated and no tow package. I looked at the truck more than once comparing the picture to what is on the truck and finally ordered one. Next up is either the exhaust or the dimmer switch.