Hey everybody

[Tr33s]

So it’s cool to read about all the really neat projects out there! So I found out about this foam board stuff recently. I flew the gas stuff in college in the ‘80s, but spent more time rebuilding after crashes than flying (Radios often interfered with each other without good flightline management). So far I built the FT Tiny Trainer with both wings, Dora the Explorer, and am working on a carbon fiber fuse sort of slow stick using an upscaled Old Fogey wing. Everything from printed paper plans so far (or just made up). Also going to build the Storch and Spitfire. Got the FT Cub ready to glue up too. Keep the inspiration flowing...

 

[The Hangar]

So it’s cool to read about all the really neat projects out there! So I found out about this foam board stuff recently. I flew the gas stuff in college in the ‘80s, but spent more time rebuilding after crashes than flying (Radios often interfered with each other without good flightline management). So far I built the FT Tiny Trainer with both wings, Dora the Explorer, and am working on a carbon fiber fuse sort of slow stick using an upscaled Old Fogey wing. Everything from printed paper plans so far (or just made up). Also going to build the Storch and Spitfire. Got the FT Cub ready to glue up too. Keep the inspiration flowing...

Welcome to the forums! You’ve got a good list going there! Have you flown any of them yet?

 

[Jackson T]

Welcome to the Flite Test community. Sounds like you're having lots of fun! What were some of your favourite balsa planes from your college days?

 

[Merv]

Welcome to the forums.

 

[BATTLEAXE]

Welcome to the forums. You definitely have some good planes on the list. The Cub and the Storch are going to be fairly similar planes to fly, both being high wing trainer style planes, much like the Explorer. The fun plane on your list will be the Spitfire. It will be your easy-to-fly warbird that will surprise you at how well it performs. Even if you do a 3channel AET it will be the one that puts a smile on your face.

You should post your builds on the forums, take pics in the build process and let others in on your experience. It helps document your builds as well.

 

[Tr33s]

Thanks for the information. I watched a lot of the FT videos on YouTube and that’s perfect for me. Plus I really enjoy the build process.

 

[BATTLEAXE]

Just so you know there are a few things to the Cub that will make it an easier plane to fly. There are a bunch of threads here if you want to do a search to check them out. Things you won't find in the YouTube vids like wing incidence and raking the landing gear forward, small stuff that add up to be a better flying plane over the stock build. Just a heads up to save frustration later. Have fun

 

[skymaster]

aaahaaaaa! anather bitten by the bug. welcome to the forums.

 

[Tr33s]

Just so you know there are a few things to the Cub that will make it an easier plane to fly. There are a bunch of threads here if you want to do a search to check them out. Things you won't find in the YouTube vids like wing incidence and raking the landing gear forward, small stuff that add up to be a better flying plane over the stock build. Just a heads up to save frustration later. Have fun

Thanks for the tip! I was going to start that build this evening.

 

[Tr33s]

Just realized my planes are twice as heavy as they should be without the ESC/BAT/RCVR. Oops. It’s foam board from that largest of ubiquitous stores instead of that smallest of ubiquitous stores. Oops.

I have been so busy moving from NM to CO and starting in the new workplace that I didn’t even fly the FT TT or Explorer yet. And the wind...🙄
So back to balsa? Maybe not, but Oops.

 

[Tr33s]

Welcome to the forums! You’ve got a good list going there! Have you flown any of them yet?

So I haven’t! I have been busy moving between NM and Colorado. I blame it also on the wind. All kidding aside, I just posted on finding out that they’re made out of the wrong foam board, at least from a power/electronics angle. Time to regroup from the mindset of building with balsa and basswood apparently. Oh, and I love the forum. Thank you!

 

[Tr33s]

Welcome to the Flite Test community. Sounds like you're having lots of fun! What were some of your favourite balsa planes from your college days?

Well as far as flying the old gassy ones I had a Sig Kadet that I crashed badly due to radio interference. After that the old WW2 guys gave me a couple of unnamed trainers folks had crashed pretty badly and were throwing away. So I swapped stuff around to make something to fly. I guess that part hasn’t changed at all.

I am feeling really nostalgic about building with balsa and basswood though. Guess it’s a tactile thing. So it would be really cool to build my GP Spirit 2m sailplane kit with a piggyback off the Storch that I am starting. The process will be a fun build. In the meantime, building lighter and stronger sounds good. (I don’t think I could fly both, so if might need to find a co-conspirator).

 

[Jackson T]

Well as far as flying the old gassy ones I had a Sig Kadet that I crashed badly due to radio interference. After that the old WW2 guys gave me a couple of unnamed trainers folks had crashed pretty badly and were throwing away. So I swapped stuff around to make something to fly. I guess that part hasn’t changed at all.

I am feeling really nostalgic about building with balsa and basswood though. Guess it’s a tactile thing. So it would be really cool to build my GP Spirit 2m sailplane kit with a piggyback off the Storch that I am starting. The process will be a fun build. In the meantime, building lighter and stronger sounds good. (I don’t think I could fly both, so if might need to find a co-conspirator).

I'm sorry to hear about your interference crash. I had a dodgy radio system late last year, and it destroyed a few of my nice planes, so I sorta know what it feels like.

Yep, balsa building is awesome! I'm sure you'll have heaps of fun with your GP Spirit when you build it. I personally really like balsa gliders, I recently finished scratch building a 4m wingspan balsa glider, and it flies great! I put my FPV system on it, and it's really fun to cruise around nice and high.