Today's "Why Not?" project

earthsciteach

Moderator
Moderator
I'm off for Holiday break for a couple of weeks starting today. I have managed to progress all of my current projects as far as I can without purchasing more equipment and I have repaired the planes that were in need of repair. That left me looking for something to do, so I dug out this kit that I've had since the early '90s.

I'm working on a Classic 40 by US AirCore. US AirCore has been out of business for a while now. They produced kits built from coroplast. Their models, while not being what I would call beautiful, were pretty clever. You could build several kits and use the same "power cartridge" in all. They were gas powered swappables!
 

Attachments

  • US AirCore Classic 40.jpg
    US AirCore Classic 40.jpg
    141 KB · Views: 78

pgerts

Old age member
Mentor
Gas? Was it common in the early 90s?
Gas is the US for UK Petrol or?
I have not got any gas engines - a little to big for my transportation possibilities.
Electric and up to .45 glow-alco until this winter project that vill be a .60.
 

earthsciteach

Moderator
Moderator
It is possible that I have no idea of what I am talking about. Could be Nitro or glow for all I know. Its a Webra 6.5 ccm engine. Maybe you could tell me what I should burn in it. I see it referred to as both a glow and nitro engine. :confused:

Man, I am glad my wife is not home today! She would not be at all happy with the contact cement vapors in the kitchen.
 

Attachments

  • Classic40PC.jpg
    Classic40PC.jpg
    312.8 KB · Views: 54

pgerts

Old age member
Mentor
Webra 40 is an old very reliable, almost impossible to wear out, engine.
If you want to look att my collection :
http://www.svensktmodellflyg.se/for...=282766&page=&CurrentMainTopic=6&replypage=99
scroll down to 2012-11-23 and you will find 3 Webra 40 (disassembled for cleaning) and a bunch of other glows.
Those engines are designad for 80% Methanol and 20% Ricin oil (Castor), but you can run them with a few % of nitro(methane) as long as you get some ricin and a total of about 20% oil. The old fuel mix 80/20 was called AMA or FAI "Standard" if i recall correct.
 

earthsciteach

Moderator
Moderator
Glad to hear the good report! Thank you for the info. Is methanol something I can buy at a hobby shop or do I have to take to making my own home fuel?
 

earthsciteach

Moderator
Moderator
The fuse is ready for folding. It goes together very much like a foam board plane. Fold along score lines and glue tab A to tab B. The clear plastic rails at the nose are the tracks that the power cartridge slides into. This thing is so easy!
 

Attachments

  • Classic40fuse.jpg
    Classic40fuse.jpg
    122.2 KB · Views: 52

pgerts

Old age member
Mentor
Glad to hear the good report! Thank you for the info. Is methanol something I can buy at a hobby shop or do I have to take to making my own home fuel?
Most clubs can mix the fuel you want if you cant buy it in your hobby store.
"Normal" glow fuel contains synt oil instead of castor oil.
If you find a gallon of 14% oil and 5% nitro - the other part is methanol and you can add some extra oil - prefferably castor as the engine probably is used to it if it was run in the early 90s.
Byron Originals Premium F.A. I.
http://www.byronfuels.com/msds_2012/BOI_820018.pdf

http://www.fastsite.com/cgi-bin/vic...r=byron_fuels-byron_fuels&perpage=10&mpage=on
 
Last edited:

earthsciteach

Moderator
Moderator
Again, thank you for the info!

My wife is home now and it only took her about 3 minutes to be completely pissed at today's project. I really don't understand. Women are so insane!
 

con244

Senior Member
Teach, if you really want to earn some browny points try running that engine in the kitchen :eek:
Con
 

earthsciteach

Moderator
Moderator
That would have mixed well with the contact cement fumes in the kitchen and gas fumes coming up from the garage.

I quite enjoyed the aroma of progress today. Hell, I even managed to go out Christmas shopping for her, buy a new toilet seat to replace the cracked one in the kids' bathroom AND pick up a couple 6 packs of top-notch beer! Really!

Just because the house smelled a bit of brain cell killing chemicals, the kitchen table was covered in a partially built airplane fuselage, various tools and cutting boards occupied every available counter space, and a large box full of airplane kit lay in the middle of the kitchen floor, doesn't mean she should freak out over it! Hell, I would have cleaned it up in a few days - probably before Christmas!

Does anyone else deal with a wife who feels perpetually disappointed at Christmas because it doesn't "feel" like it did when she was a little girl? And then, is haunted by years of disappointment starting with her parents' ridiculously dysfunctional relationship which comes crashing down at this time of year? Yeah, I thought you did, too.
 

con244

Senior Member
She wouldn't be the only one that is disappointed with Xmas. I think as society has placed more and more importance on '"stuff" lots of people feel disconnected with it. It's all about stuff. If you think about it Christmas was the most fun when we believed in Father Christmas and maybe God and Christ. As we lose that innocence and belief we also lose the fun and awe that comes with the unknown. Maybe we should all stay children and not grow up. Peter Pan had the right idea. Wives like to have tidy homes and modelling does make a mess. The guy who first taught me about building years ago lived in a tiny one bedroom flat with his wife. The entire place was full of beautiful contest winning control-line models. When he was showing me how to do stuff he did it on the kitchen table and left the mess for his wife to clean up. He worked and she was he homemaker so that was her job. That was over 40 years ago and I don't think we can get away with that anymore. Well hopefully your Christmas will be a really good one, my wife is a teacher and I know you guys work really hard for your students and schools so I wish you the very best for the new year.
Happy Landings Teach
Con
 

earthsciteach

Moderator
Moderator
It will be a good one. Some to you, Con!

I can only imagine what would become of my hobby if I declared to my wife that she must clean up after me. I see a large pile of flaming airplanes and a possibly lethal blow to my head.

Don't get me wrong - my wife is an amazing woman! I would not trade her for anything! But, why does she allow the past to haunt her so?
 

con244

Senior Member
She's not the only one. Most people allow the past to shape their lives. In fact if you are able to let the past go you should be congratulated. It's no mean feat.
Con
 

earthsciteach

Moderator
Moderator
True. I attribute it to my severe ADD! LOL.

Enough of this nonsense! We are going out with friends to a great bar within walking distance of home tonight, so life is damed good!
 

con244

Senior Member
Have a beer for me, it's going to be 32C here today and 39C tomorrow, serious drinking weather!
Con
 

bicyclemonkey

Flying Derp
Mentor
It is possible that I have no idea of what I am talking about. Could be Nitro or glow for all I know. Its a Webra 6.5 ccm engine. Maybe you could tell me what I should burn in it. I see it referred to as both a glow and nitro engine. :confused:
Nitro and glow = two words for the same thing. That engine needs to run Cool Power 5%. Your local hobby shop should have it or an equivalent.