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.