Lovin the Willy Nillies

[LitterBug]

I can't tell for sure from the pictures, but it almost looks like it straps on above the wing rather than being permanently mounted.

 

[MZ250Ben]

For years I've been doing this all wrong. A butterknife heated under a cheap travel iron is the easiest way I've EVER covered a balsa frame. You can be so articulate, the results are much better than I'm used to. $75 for a sealing iron? Nope. For the record, not my idea, I read it in a decade-old thread in RC groups while seeking technique ideas. Now I no longer loathe a pending wrap job!

My gentle lady is coming along wonderfully, half a wing and the fuselage left to cover and she's ready to join the ranks of my doomed fleet! I like the fpv idea, I've never done that in a plane, but this is probably a good craft for it.

 

[bisco]

i wish i had known that back in the 80's. i'll definitely try it if i attempt another balsa build, thanks!

 

[LitterBug]

My kits shipped today.

 

[MZ250Ben]

i wish i had known that back in the 80's. i'll definitely try it if i attempt another balsa build, thanks!

I suspect, though I can't prove, that the material has improved greatly in shrinkability and resistance to burn holes, but it's been decades since I did plastic cover on balsa. Seems like I can really be sloppy and the heat gun bails me out in the end. I'm using Parklite, the thinnest they offer. Also, the color stays on the plastic even after adhesion. No more accidentally staining your iron!

 

[MZ250Ben]

So close...and I have to go make dinner now 😩 you can see I already snacked on chips and salsa, but the warden demands that I eat "meals" with some sort of "regularity" and blah blah blah...

 

[LitterBug]

My warden doesn't understand how I can forget to eat when left to my own devices......

 

[bisco]

looking good!
i admit, i look forward to regular meals 😎

 

[LitterBug]

I was rabbit holeing WillyNillies videos the other day, and there were two in particular I wanted to share. Wouldn't you know it, now I can't find either. One was the GLH, and the other was the Pee Jay on 6s, but it sounded and looked more like 8s based on the speed. The pilot was absolutely amazing as well. Throwing them around like it was nothing and snapping out of dives 10' off the ground.

 

[LitterBug]

OK, now that I said that, I found it. I believe the first plane in the video is the WillyNillies GLH 250. The other planes are not WIllys

 

[AIRFORGE]

OK, now that I said that, I found it. I believe the first plane in the video is the WillyNillies GLH 250. The other planes are not WIllys

I've never seen any WN fly that fast. Wow.
"I don't always fly my 7L on 6s, but when I do the battery is secured with super glue!" 😲

 

[LitterBug]

Hah. The video is in the picture when you first go to the GLH product page on the WN site. Looking for his power specs on a RCgroups thread he has.


There is also a pic of it on the WN site

 

[bisco]

wow, his skills are above my paygrade!

 

[LitterBug]

Oh holy cow! I am loving what extra came in my WillyNillies box today!

 

[MZ250Ben]

Finally finished the Skylark 250. I swear I glued one piece per day for a month, it's been so hard to squeeze in building time lately. I will do some kind of accent on the wings maybe, it needs snazzed up. Fairly easy build, but the servo tray did not fit, the tabs didn't line up at all, something was definitely amiss there. I just cut a new one from scrap, didn't take long. It's been so windy here, I still haven't flown the GL250 yet, but the Wee Willy and Shoestring have been up a few times each. The Ss is a handful in the wind, but I somehow keep reeling that one in safely. She needs to be moving fast or she won't listen to you. Bank and yanks well, but you'd need rudder for a nice axial roll. It's very light and nimble and I love the profile. Wee willy is good for "surfing" a headwind, even a reasonably strong one. In erratic conditions however, I'd stay 2 mistakes above ground. When I get near the treeline of my local field, things change abruptly. She is a joy to land, you can really stretch out the run, she just drops onto a rail and floats in. They both needed a good deal of nose weight and I'd definitely go nose heavy on your early flights. Both flew with the recommended motor, 3 blade prop and 350mah 2s lipo. Power was more than sufficient, but certainly not the ridiculous overkill that we can manage these days. Got 4+ minutes out of a pack, much more if the headwind is exploited.

 

[bisco]

looks great!

 

[MZ250Ben]

That's a little better. Drawback of the super light covering is the unavoidable translucence. The blue is pretty solid though.

 

[L Edge]

Hah. The video is in the picture when you first go to the GLH product page on the WN site. Looking for his power specs on a RCgroups thread he has.


There is also a pic of it on the WN site
View attachment 250201

Here is a Ace GLH from the late 70's. We used this one to test out the TD 049's to see if it is race worthy. If it didn't go between 95 to 102mph, it didn't have a chance to win a race. We used a 3D 2P prop where I had to reseat the ball to get our 30,000+rpm. If not, we would send it back, and factory repair it(guaranteed new performance) for $8.00 including parts.
I still have a spare "new in box" engine that can be used.

 

[MZ250Ben]

My 4 Willies at WOE on Sunday. Wee Willy got the most airtime. 2 more kits are on the way...