Another new plane.

This is the one I made from the extra set of ribs that came in the J D Falcon kit. The fuselage is a copy of the Mo'Best as the ribs are close to ones from that plane. I got a short window of low humnidity today and the temp was right so I took the oppurnity to spray the urethane clear. I puty all the pieces on the scale and it should end up at 53 ounces. I won a complete wing with flaps in the raffle in the Zacharyt contest last month. I drew up a fuselage for it based loosely on the old Stunt Machine design. I need to get some 1/2 inch and 3/8 balsa to get that one started.

Something bad, something good.

I had installed an OS .46LA into the Dixon Ringmaster Excel last week. It had an Evolution .52 or an Evolution .60 in it and they just didn't work the way I figured they should. At the park I was flying the Ringmaster and something happened to the control system and the plane hit the ground. Not fixable at all. I think the bell crank pulled out but I can't say for sure. The wing broke in half at the glue joint without much damage to the two halfs. They had good balsa sheeting and it is usable if I can get the foam off it. I was planning on harsh chemicles to melt the foam but then I remembered the foam cutting bow I have. I threaded the wire through the wing and turned the heat up and cut the foam from the balsa giving me some nice usable sheet balsa. I painted the new plane with a white base color and it sits waiting for a color scheme to appear in my mind.

Another find.

I got tired of looking at the new not quite a Mo' Best plane and started to paint the base white. When I was done with the first coat I found that you can't sand Poly Span covering against the grain. No matter how light you try. After the white cured a bit I gave it a light sanding with the grain and the fuzzys were cut off. I have to get another can of white to finish the base coat. I also got tired of the Evolution engines I had put in the Ringmaster Excel. I weighed it as it was and got 52 ounces. I removed the Evo engine and had to epoxy some shime to the motor mounts so the O.S. .46 would fit. That went well and I spent a good hour installing the "T" nuts under the wood mounts. After getting it back together it weighed 48 ounces ready to fly. I went to the park this morning with the Ringmaster and it flys quite well as the new weight is well within the capabilities of the O.S. engine. 48 is the weight I shoot for when building a plane for that engine.

Progress.

We went to the contest at El Dorado, Ar and didn't get any kits in the raffle. It's the first time in over 10 years that I've been skunked in the raffle. I didn't make out very good at my own club's raffle either. I did get a first, second and a third place finish in "Old Time, Classic and Profile" stunt events. The new plane is coming along nicely. I ordered two rolls of covering and then found the two that I had but in the wrong place. I was able to cover the wing and other parts with only one roll so I will have three rolls when the order arrives.