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.