More trimming finds.

I have figured out that I've been setting the leadouts too far aft. I tried one plane with them moved forward a ways and it flew a lot more stable. I figured that flying too much sideways is shading the control surfaces causing a loss of control authority. I tried moving the leadouts forward on another plane and got improved flight again. With that in mind I got out the Wildcat that flew poorly from the start. Moving the leadouts forward improved the flying on it too. Today I got out the Mo' Best and moved the leadouts on that one and it flew better also. I'm going through my fleet moving leadouts and flying them to make sure the change works on each plane.
   The new field box is working out well. I found an empty peanut butter jar that will fit inside and I'm using that to hold the fuel. I don't know what the fuel will do to the plastic so I keep the jar in a baking tray while at home.

Thinning the herd.

Not the planes this time. I got a new field box. It really is a tackle box from Cabela's and it's cheap. Probably very close to the sale price of my old one when it was new. I spent the afternoon transferring stuff from the old box and making a place in the new box for it. It came with 4 smaller parts trays that got the small parts all separated in their own divided place. I only used two of the trays to hold the small stuff and there is room for more. I had to rig up a holder for the fuel jug on the outside but as soon as I can modify another quart can I'll be able to put it inside as well.

Twisting more out of the Twister.

With the extra performance I'm getting from enlarging the stabilizer I got the idea to try that on one of the Twisters I built. The first one is scratch built from plans so i used that one as the test mule. The original stab. span is 18 inches and the balsa I had to work with was 1 1/2 inches wide so that brought the span to 21 inches. It flew pretty good before I added the wood so it will be interesting to see what it does now. The weather is cloudy and some rain but I may have a window to get in some flights.

More changes to test fly.

It's been windy lately but in the morning two days ago it was very light wind so I headed to the park with Nomads 3 and 5. I had enlarged the elevators on #3 and put the salvaged canopy from the highly modified Strega ARF on it. On #5 I installed the metal tank I made for it and that needed testing. I didn't realize it but I had installed a venturi I made a while back and it is .015 larger in inside diameter. I got in two flights with 3 3/4 ounces in the tank for the first flight and 4 ounces in for the second flight. Both flights ran out of fuel before I could finish the pattern. All my other engines of the same size and type use 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 ounces for a full flight. I took out #3 and it flew very well. I've since flown #3 with a full tank of fuel and it is enough to finish the pattern. Some fill the tank and draw out a set amount but I avoid one step and put in a set amount. It amounts to the same thing.