The next "build off" idea?

Turbojoe

Elite member
A few guys are working on old timers and scratch builds. I'm working on one right now that is just a scratch balsa and 3D print hybrid build with an Old Timer theme from whatever just happens to pop into my dusty old brain at the time. It's gonna be VERY weird when done but it'll be 100% scratch design/built.......

How about a plans built old timer design converted to R/C for the next build off? A true cut every part from plans build. NOT a kit or short kit assembly. With a balsa stripper and a sheet or two of balsa you can VERY cheaply make your own balsa sticks in whatever size you need for a fraction of the LHS price. I love doing stick builds and I've always liked the "Miss America" old timer in 49" scale and plan to finally build it once I clear out a bunch of other projects. The plans for most all of the old timers are out there for free. I hang out mostly at Outerzone but there are tons of other sites out there with free plans. This is where Google really is your friend. Just search free RC plans and download to your hearts content! I already have tons of downloaded plans. Maybe we could create a repository to upload balsa plans to share here. They don't ALL have to be old timer plans. I've got a lot of plans for well known planes that were fairly recently released into the public domain. I'm sure a lot of people here have some great plans to share.

Just a random thought from a diseased mind.......

Joe
 

Turbojoe

Elite member
That could be a good excuse for me to build a Robinhood 80... it’s not much of a conversion, but it is old school.

What size plans do you have? I know there was an early 38" version. A quick Google search netted mainly results for the OSMW kit in the 80" size. They did an incredibly good job of totally saturating Google with their link. I have their Comet kit. No comment :(.......

$286.00 + shipping for their laser cut Robin hood 80 kit. OUCH! Whadya think? $100.00 tops for wood and all other included kit materials if you cut and build it yourself?

Joe
 
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Joker 53150

Mmmmmmm, balsa.
Mentor
What size plans do you have? I know there was an early 38" version. A quick Google search netted mainly results for the OSMW kit in the 80" size. They did an incredibly good job of totally saturating Google with their link. I have their Comet kit. No comment :(.......

$286.00 + shipping for their laser cut Robin hood 80 kit. OUCH! Whadya think? $100.00 tops for wood and all other included kit materials if you cut and build it yourself?

Joe

I don’t have any plans for one yet, it’s just a design I’ve liked for a while.
 

Turbojoe

Elite member
I don’t have any plans for one yet, it’s just a design I’ve liked for a while.

Oh, OK. I wasn't sure if there was a set of plans with whatever structural enhancements may be needed in a build twice the original size. I know you'll figure out what changes will be needed to hang a small gasser on it. ;)

Joe
 

OliverW

Legendary member
Oh, OK. I wasn't sure if there was a set of plans with whatever structural enhancements may be needed in a build twice the original size. I know you'll figure out what changes will be needed to hang a small gasser on it. ;)

Joe
I honestly was so tired that I didn't see you talk about the miss america!🤣 I have wanted to build one for years though!
 

Turbojoe

Elite member
Hmmmm, maybe a Miss America 500 scaled up to 150% or 200%. I have a 20cc Zenoah that needs a home.

Boy, I'll watch that one with great interest if you double size the big one! The term "balsa overcast" will take on a whole new meaning! ;)

Looks like I'd better get some plans printed up as soon as the lock down ends and "non essential" businesses open up again. I have everything I need in stock. No excuse for not prepping for a start if my crazy idea gains any ground.

Joe
 

Joker 53150

Mmmmmmm, balsa.
Mentor
Boy, I'll watch that one with great interest if you double size the big one! The term "balsa overcast" will take on a whole new meaning! ;)

Looks like I'd better get some plans printed up as soon as the lock down ends and "non essential" businesses open up again. I have everything I need in stock. No excuse for not prepping for a start if my crazy idea gains any ground.

Joe

A Miss America 500 at 150% would put it at a 93" wingspan, just about right! :) It would give me a chance to try scaling up, as it brings all kinds of "issues" beyond just being bigger. The design is very straight forward and shouldn't be difficult, and it'd look great with transparent covering. The wing is huge, but 75% of the ribs are all the same which would be nice. Unless ailerons were added...

I'm still kicking ideas around, but if I do it it'll need to be a big plane so I can use gas. :)
 

Turbojoe

Elite member
Does the Twin Cyclone qualify? It's printed wood. I've been working on it so slowly it is almost at a standstill.

Y'know if it isn't a bARF and doesn't doesn't come from a box 100% ready to assemble then I'm OK with it. It's NOT up to me though. I just got this crazy old timer idea in my warped head and hopefully someone smarter than me runs with it in creating a "possible" build thread.......

Hey, most of the early Sig kits were on printed wood. How many of us "old farts" built a BUNCH of Sig kits? I'd just like to see more people try the grass roots approach to aircraft building and "stick built" is SO easy. Because most of those old timer plans were free flight the conversion to R/C will require expert input from many other builders to ensure their maiden flight is a success and in my opinion that's a plus for everyone all around!

Joe
 

OliverW

Legendary member
Y'know if it isn't a bARF and doesn't doesn't come from a box 100% ready to assemble then I'm OK with it. It's NOT up to me though. I just got this crazy old timer idea in my warped head and hopefully someone smarter than me runs with it in creating a "possible" build thread.......

Hey, most of the early Sig kits were on printed wood. How many of us "old farts" built a BUNCH of Sig kits? I'd just like to see more people try the grass roots approach to aircraft building and "stick built" is SO easy. Because most of those old timer plans were free flight the conversion to R/C will require expert input from many other builders to ensure their maiden flight is a success and in my opinion that's a plus for everyone all around!

Joe
I'm working on my Sig Kobra right now that is mostly print wood. It is a great little kit! I'm about to mount the Enya .30 on it
 

Turbojoe

Elite member
I'm working on my Sig Kobra right now that is mostly print wood. It is a great little kit! I'm about to mount the Enya .30 on it

The Mountain Models FireStorm is very loosely based on the Sig Kobra. I bought the Kobra kit and made a copy of the plans for Brian to design and laser cut a Kobra kit for me as a side job NEVER expecting it to be made available for sale. The Firestorm was his rendition of the Kougar. I built for Brian and still have the original first flying prototype of the Firestorm. While it's a great kit it's not what I personally originally asked for. I'd still like to have a laser cut version of the Kobra and maybe even the Kougar (that I built in the early 70's). Now I wish I had never sold my Kobra kit.... I still have a very old Wing MFG foam wing kit for the Kougar. All I need is the fuselage plans.......

Joe
 

Turbojoe

Elite member
Here's me with the prototype Kougar/Firestorm before Brian crashed it landing it at the Arizona Flight Festival.

1587507234725.png


Joe
 

OliverW

Legendary member
The Mountain Models FireStorm is very loosely based on the Sig Kobra. I bought the Kobra kit and made a copy of the plans for Brian to design and laser cut a Kobra kit for me as a side job NEVER expecting it to be made available for sale. The Firestorm was his rendition of the Kougar. I built for Brian and still have the original first flying prototype of the Firestorm. While it's a great kit it's not what I personally originally asked for. I'd still like to have a laser cut version of the Kobra and maybe even the Kougar (that I built in the early 70's). Now I wish I had never sold my Kobra kit.... I still have a very old Wing MFG foam wing kit for the Kougar. All I need is the fuselage plans.......

Joe
I'm definitely gonna build a kougar at some point
 

Turbojoe

Elite member
I'm definitely gonna build a kougar at some point

Kougar was one of the many "kits" I built way back in the 70's-80's. The Kougar I finished was sold in way less than an hour after the first guy saw it at the field. I never even got to fly it! I used to build a lot of (Pilot) kits and hang them in the LHS's in the 80's. They usually sold in way less than a week. It gave me money to buy more kits and supplies. That's all I wanted at the time. It was never intended to be a profit generator.

Joe
 

Joker 53150

Mmmmmmm, balsa.
Mentor
Curse you, Joe! I did a little browsing around AeroFred and found this beauty, the Lancer 72! It's designed for free flight IC, but should be easily (?) converted to RC. Stock span is 72", scaled up to 150% is 108". While not as easy of a design as the Miss America, Robinhood, etc., I've decided I have enough high-wing giant scale planes (for now) and something different would be nice. This is a strong contender for me. Subject to change.

BOB ENGLISH  LANCER  DSC00348.JPG
EUROCHAMPS 2006 LANCER WRECK picture 028.jpg

IMG_0327.jpg

Lancer 72 at SAM 21.jpg
 
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