Build Log: Herr Cloud Ranger balsa kit

[basslord1124]

Well the time has finally come for me to start a balsa build. Something I have been looking forward to for quite some time. After going back and forth on various models I ended up going with the Herr Cloud Ranger. Some of the criteria I was looking for on a first balsa build:

-kit was from a reputable company
-high wing/cub trainer type
-4 channel capable
-decent size...for transport reasons AND being able to see it in the sky
-capable of being flown with electric power
-Affordable (no sense sinking big bucks into a first build...especially if there's a chance of crashing and picking up pieces)

Herr is part of Sig Manufacturing so the plane is definitely from a good company and it fit all the other criteria very well. I wanted a cub/trainer style b/c I was already familiar with its flight characteristics and didn't want to take a chance with something I wasn't familiar with. And 4 channel would still make it decently maneuverable.

I had also looked at Sig's other models such as Kadet, Seniorita, etc. I felt they had too much of an emphasis on 3 channel that I just didn't want to "regress" on this build. Plus, I just saw a big emphasis on using nitro engines with their planes and it seems to me nitro is not as big as it used to be. Don't get me wrong, if someone hands over a low cost nitro plane, I'll take it...but I'm not actively seeking it. That's a whole other discussion/debate in itself. Now, I am sure that one could change over a Sig 3 channel kit to 4 channel OR convert a nitro setup to electric (I have converted an old Hangar 9 trainer to electric before), but I just wanted something that was already mostly ready to go for my needs. And the Cloud Ranger was 4 channel ready AND could be built using nitro (even mentioning the Cox engines) or electric power.

Funny story too...there was a guy on Facebook in one of the balsa plane groups who would advertise some balsa kits he had for sale (think they came from a friend/relative that passed away). Every time I'd try and grab one I was too late...it had already sold. One of the last ones I tried to get was a Herr Cloud Ranger...missed my opportunity for it too. Ended up looking into the kit more and just ordered it from Sig's website. Price was around $58-$59.

Some photos:

More pics and/or videos to come as the build continues.

 

[basslord1124]

Reserved for maiden flight video

 

[speedbirdted]

Looking forward to seeing this! I've wanted one of the Herr kits for a while. I know a guy who built the Star Cruiser which is basically just this but with tricycle gear. Powered it with a TD 049 with a throttle ring and it seems to fly pretty nicely. It's especially great on floats because it can be built pretty light and resultantly land pretty slow.

 

[The Hangar]

Well the time has finally come for me to start a balsa build. Something I have been looking forward to for quite some time. After going back and forth on various models I ended up going with the Herr Cloud Ranger. Some of the criteria I was looking for on a first balsa build:

-kit was from a reputable company
-high wing/cub trainer type
-4 channel capable
-decent size...for transport reasons AND being able to see it in the sky
-capable of being flown with electric power
-Affordable (no sense sinking big bucks into a first build...especially if there's a chance of crashing and picking up pieces)

Herr is part of Sig Manufacturing so the plane is definitely from a good company and it fit all the other criteria very well. I wanted a cub/trainer style b/c I was already familiar with its flight characteristics and didn't want to take a chance with something I wasn't familiar with. And 4 channel would still make it decently maneuverable.

I had also looked at Sig's other models such as Kadet, Seniorita, etc. I felt they had too much of an emphasis on 3 channel that I just didn't want to "regress" on this build. Plus, I just saw a big emphasis on using nitro engines with their planes and it seems to me nitro is not as big as it used to be. Don't get me wrong, if someone hands over a low cost nitro plane, I'll take it...but I'm not actively seeking it. That's a whole other discussion/debate in itself. Now, I am sure that one could change over a Sig 3 channel kit to 4 channel OR convert a nitro setup to electric (I have converted an old Hangar 9 trainer to electric before), but I just wanted something that was already mostly ready to go for my needs. And the Cloud Ranger was 4 channel ready AND could be built using nitro (even mentioning the Cox engines) or electric power.

Funny story too...there was a guy on Facebook in one of the balsa plane groups who would advertise some balsa kits he had for sale (think they came from a friend/relative that passed away). Every time I'd try and grab one I was too late...it had already sold. One of the last ones I tried to get was a Herr Cloud Ranger...missed my opportunity for it too. Ended up looking into the kit more and just ordered it from Sig's website. Price was around $58-$59.

Some photos:

View attachment 184692

View attachment 184693

View attachment 184694 View attachment 184695

More pics and/or videos to come as the build continues.

Awesome - I'll be following along! It'll give me motivation to continue on my gentle lady build if I can get my desk cleaned off to find the parts on it...

 

[OliverW]

I have the fuse and wings framed up for one of these. Its a super easy build! If you have any questions hit me up

 

[basslord1124]

Intro video:

 

[basslord1124]

Thanks so much for the replies.

@speedbirdted - yeah a .049 engine is the recommended glow size for them. I was an early teen last time I had any experience with glow. I'll probably stay electric with mine. I looked one of these little Cox engines and they were pretty cheap (I always thought they were expensive as they so old now) I may tinker with one someday.

@The Hangar - definitely keep up with the gentle lady build. I want to see it completed and I'll try and check your thread from time to time.

@SquirrelTail - thanks! I'm going to get a few more supplies before I officially begin. Have been test fitting a few pieces here and there. I got CA, wood glue, and T Pins. Gonna order some epoxy and pipettes next.

 

[basslord1124]

Well I officially got a little bit of a start with the build....

Found out I will need to get some hinges for the control surfaces. I actually thought I had some that would fit but turns out I didn't. Also realized that my kit is missing the tail wheel wire. I've got main landing gear wire and push rods...but no tail wheel wire. I probably have wire that may work, BUT I am going to legitimately contact Sig about it. I'm not too bummed about it, it happens. Everything else with the kit appears fine.

Next I will be starting with the fuse.

 

[Ryan O.]

Well I officially got a little bit of a start with the build....


View attachment 185555

Found out I will need to get some hinges for the control surfaces. I actually thought I had some that would fit but turns out I didn't. Also realized that my kit is missing the tail wheel wire. I've got main landing gear wire and push rods...but no tail wheel wire. I probably have wire that may work, BUT I am going to legitimately contact Sig about it. I'm not too bummed about it, it happens. Everything else with the kit appears fine.

Next I will be starting with the fuse.

cool, I'll be buying one soon since it seems relatively similar to the mini telemaster, which is a great plane

 

[basslord1124]

Just came across another MIA piece... this time a former.

I sent an email to Sig regarding the tail wheel and former so probably will know more details Monday or early next week.

I'm a little bummed but I know these things happen. I know folks have had situations like this from FT...sometimes even more missing pieces or other issues.

Unfortunately I didn't check each individual piece when I first received the kit. It was my first one so I assumed all was well and went with it. Lesson learned.

Build is coming along fine. Slow and steady... but fine. Doing a technique of wood glue and CA. Using the CA in moderation to hold the pieces in place while the wood glue does the main work.

Overall I think this is a neat experience. Obviously not going to slap together as fast as an FT plane but still fun and challenging.

 

[Ryan O.]

Just came across another MIA piece... this time a former.

View attachment 186119

I sent an email to Sig regarding the tail wheel and former so probably will know more details Monday or early next week.

I'm a little bummed but I know these things happen. I know folks have had situations like this from FT...sometimes even more missing pieces or other issues.

Unfortunately I didn't check each individual piece when I first received the kit. It was my first one so I assumed all was well and went with it. Lesson learned.

Build is coming along fine. Slow and steady... but fine. Doing a technique of wood glue and CA. Using the CA in moderation to hold the pieces in place while the wood glue does the main work.

View attachment 186120

View attachment 186121

Overall I think this is a neat experience. Obviously not going to slap together as fast as an FT plane but still fun and challenging.

Looking good. With missing pieces that's why I always keep a bag with scraps to cut small pieces from, and I try to order US built and distributed kits when possible since shipping is cheaper, and more of them have replacement part policies. Also, are you planning on keeping the rubberband wings, or may you do a nylon bolt modification? both have their pluses ad minuses

 

[basslord1124]

Looking good. With missing pieces that's why I always keep a bag with scraps to cut small pieces from, and I try to order US built and distributed kits when possible since shipping is cheaper, and more of them have replacement part policies. Also, are you planning on keeping the rubberband wings, or may you do a nylon bolt modification? both have their pluses ad minuses

Yeah I think this kit is the start of my scraps. Already kept a few pieces.

As for the wings, I will probably just stick with rubber bands.

Something else I have started doing (missed the first few though) is tracing out the pieces on paper so I have a backup copy.

 

[basslord1124]

I haven't updated the thread in a little while but I did contact Sig and they will be sending some replacement pieces. Not sure with the shipping situation when I will receive them. I haven't been home since the Christmas holiday so I suppose there's a chance they might be on our porch OR may not. The holidays had me tied up too to do more progress on the build but looking forward to get back to it.

 

[BATTLEAXE]

Looking good @basslord1124. I like the idea of the wood glue, it is definitely is cheaper then doing all CA, more time consuming but if you want to drag out time on the build it makes sense. One trick i found out about is when the airframe is assembled you could reduce the white glue down to 50/50 with water, then brush it on the balsa. This will soak into the wood sealing the balsa and stiffening the whole thing up. With CA you will find the joints will be much stronger then the material itself, all breaks will happen between the joints then on them. CA is magic stuff in this regard. The white glue reduction coating will make it even stronger. Mind you in a crash it really is still just a balsa plane, as i am told. I dont want to test the durability limits of mine yet.

I noticed the pieces of mine were at times not in the same place in the sprew as the instructions said, sometimes they are on a different balsa or plywood sheet. Before i pulled any pieces out i took an inventory and numbered all the parts as per the instructions. This way I was able to find all the wooden parts. You said you got ahold of Sig and they sent you new pieces so maybe you have it all sorted out.

Great job buddy

 

[Born2bwire]

I'm building the Herr 1/2A Piper Cub and the assemblage is all very similar. Same wing, fuselage, and stab constructions. Herr has a reputation for being tail heavy and all the sheeting certainly lends itself to it but I'm still going with stock build. I noticed though that the laser cutting had a few corners cut. The balsa quality is good, but they didn't laze in the part numbers. It's a bit annoying with the Cub kit because the two fuse sheets are slightly different lengths to create a built in engine offset. I also was missing a balsa spar but I was lucky to find a suitable basswood at a local hobby shop in what they had left.

Good luck on the replacement parts. It took me several months of backorder last year to get the Cub and I'm going through a similar wait for the Alien Taylorcraft 42. I like the 1/2A scale size that Herr has, but I think I may stick with the Alien for the next few kits as they're more often 4 channel, make use of stringers and formers so they aren't as boxy, and they were designed with electric motors in mind.

 

[TooJung2Die]

Does the plan have full size templates of the missing pieces? If so you can cut the missing parts by hand. There doesn't seem to be too many.

 

[Ryan O.]

I got a Cloud Ranger kit; hopefully the parts missing from your kit aren't missing in mine too🤞

 

[OliverW]

I got a Cloud Ranger kit; hopefully the parts missing from your kit aren't missing in mine too🤞
View attachment 187877

I had the same former missing that he had, but I found it in the bottom of the box hidden in one of the seams of the cardboard

 

[basslord1124]

That's interesting @SquirrelTail ...I had thought of that too when I was looking for it...unfortunately I never found it. I did find it to be the same size as another former so I could've made a copy of it. But due to the scale of the instructions and the plans not really showing a whole lot of detail about the formers (plans only show a side view of a former), it's hard to make a copy. Some parts you can...just these are hard to do that with.

The missing parts came the day after I made that post, so not too bad as far as shipping. I have experienced delays with shipping with other things. Got a set of RC plane wheels (2.5"). Ordered Dec 6 and it looks like I may receive them in a few days. These wheels are for a different build and not super crucial. It did make me wonder how long they'd take to arrive since there have been delays. We have a friend who ordered something at the end of November and it just recently arrived.

 

[Ryan O.]

That's interesting @SquirrelTail ...I had thought of that too when I was looking for it...unfortunately I never found it. I did find it to be the same size as another former so I could've made a copy of it. But due to the scale of the instructions and the plans not really showing a whole lot of detail about the formers (plans only show a side view of a former), it's hard to make a copy. Some parts you can...just these are hard to do that with.

The missing parts came the day after I made that post, so not too bad as far as shipping. I have experienced delays with shipping with other things. Got a set of RC plane wheels (2.5"). Ordered Dec 6 and it looks like I may receive them in a few days. These wheels are for a different build and not super crucial. It did make me wonder how long they'd take to arrive since there have been delays. We have a friend who ordered something at the end of November and it just recently arrived.

If you're flying off grass I like to use slightly ovesized wheels on my telemaster since it likes to nose over. The landing gear on this should be similar, so "tundra tires" may help if you have trouble getting off the grass.