I found plans for a balsa wilga, and me in my infinite stupidy decided to make it my first balsa build. I'm considering making it my first nitro build as well, but I haven't decided for sure yet...
Senior telemaster Re-Build
- Thread starter OliverW
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whackflyer
Master member
Sweet! Are you going to start a thread?
I sure will - I'm in the process of getting all the right balsa pieces ordered.
speedbirdted
Legendary member
I would say do electric if you've never done nitro...
If you want to do nitro go to some swap meets and pick up an old 40 size trainer or something. Usually they can be had for sub 100 dollars (and even less if you're good at sweet talking people
) And what happened to the gentle lady? You've already got all the parts for that.
Good idea - I'll keep an eye out for a nitro at a swap meet. As far as the gentle lady, I might build that first, just depends. I don't really feel the need for a glider in my fleet right now, but I'm really excited about the wilga. I do want to try a glider tow sometime but probably not with a balsa plane I've spend hours on lol.I would say do electric if you've never done nitro...
If you want to do nitro go to some swap meets and pick up an old 40 size trainer or something. Usually they can be had for sub 100 dollars (and even less if you're good at sweet talking people
speedbirdted
Legendary member
I say build the gentle lady first. It's little more than just a long skinny box with a wing and tail feathers on it. Even dumbasses like me can build one!
As a rule of thumb, scale is hard. If you started with the wilga money would be wasted and tears would be shed.
For a very generic idea on price, online a .40 size glow engine often sells for around $40 and a .60 goes for closer to $60. Obviously higher quality, rare, "in-demand" engines cost more and garbage costs less. At swap meets you may find much better prices. Heck, it's not uncommon to see a .40 size trainer with engine, servos, and old-school receiver for under $100. The snag is that many of these old engines haven't been run in years (decades?) and are often very gummed up and in need of a full rebuild. It's not difficult to do, just something to be aware of and watch for. A little time cleaning and oiling puts it back into working order.
chris398mx
Master member
I bought my Sig Kadet at a swap meet with an OS 40 complete with servos for $65. All it needed was a receiver. Great flying plane.
One of my buddies has a bunch of gas/nitro engines stashed away in one of his hangars. I’ll have to ask him to pull them out and see if I can get one from him... I know some of them are new, and some are used.
speedbirdted
Legendary member
Always good to buy off someone you know because usually you can get a healthy discount
Pretty much all bad that happens to glow engines due to sitting for a while is easy to fix. Just immerse it in fuel with the backplate and plug out for a few days and it will free right up. In rare and exceptionally severe cases, some 3 in 1 oil or MMO can be used along with some heating. Depending on the fuel that was ran in the engine and how well the previous owner took care of it you might not need to do anything at all. I've had engines that have sat for years before I got them but because the owner ran synthetic oil and used a healthy amount of after run they were completely free.
There are a couple of things that might need replacing though. Be sure to unscrew the needle valve and see if the O-rings on it have hardened and disintegrated over time as having a poor seal here can cause air leaks, and lean runs will easily destroy engines.
It looks a lot better than what I would have done!
What's the yellow and blue plane in the background?
OliverW
Legendary member
It's a crashed e-flite RV-9It looks a lot better than what I would have done!
OliverW
Legendary member
And thank you!!!
Haha, that's awesome!
Quinnyperks
Legendary member
That garage tho
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