Want another plane? Sure!! Got some glow and gassers...

basslord1124

Master member
A guy i went to school with messaged me out of the blue asking me that him and his dad had some planes they were wanting to sell (apparently they used to fly together) . So I ended up venturing down to his dads house to check things out.

He had a few more but I was more focused on these in the pics.

20201210_223242.jpg



20201210_223217.jpg




The Stick and P51 both used nitro engines. Can't remember the sizes unfortunately. The guy was telling me that the Stick style plane had a separate wire so that the glow plug always stayed lit in extreme maneuvers. The sport plane (Yak I'm guessing?) uses a 20cc gas engine.

Just wondering for those who are more familiar with IC powered models like these what your thoughts are and any other info that you think might assist me. As you all know I've mainly been flying FT and electric models.

From talking to him it seems most all were Tower Hobbies kits (he said the Stick one was a Carl Goldberg model), wings are obviously included just not in pics. I saw some hangar rash but all seemed pretty solid. It kinda looked like they were fixed up back in the FM radio days too. And all of them seemed to be in the 60"+ wingspan category.

Can't say I want all 3... actually I do, but my wallet isn't that fat at the moment. I may just get 1 for now and then maybe a 2nd one a little later. We shall see.

My choice would be to leave the gas one as gas, the nitro ones I'd be tempted to switch over to electric. But then a part of me would want to give nitro a shot... I just hate how expensive glow fuel is in relation to gas. Ugh I'm a little torn. He was offering $150 each for the nitro planes, and $250-$300 for the gasser.

Thoughts? Opinions?
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
A guy i went to school with messaged me out of the blue asking me that him and his dad had some planes they were wanting to sell (apparently they used to fly together) . So I ended up venturing down to his dads house to check things out.

He had a few more but I was more focused on these in the pics.

View attachment 185999


View attachment 186000



The Stick and P51 both used nitro engines. Can't remember the sizes unfortunately. The guy was telling me that the Stick style plane had a separate wire so that the glow plug always stayed lit in extreme maneuvers. The sport plane (Yak I'm guessing?) uses a 20cc gas engine.

Just wondering for those who are more familiar with IC powered models like these what your thoughts are and any other info that you think might assist me. As you all know I've mainly been flying FT and electric models.

From talking to him it seems most all were Tower Hobbies kits (he said the Stick one was a Carl Goldberg model), wings are obviously included just not in pics. I saw some hangar rash but all seemed pretty solid. It kinda looked like they were fixed up back in the FM radio days too. And all of them seemed to be in the 60"+ wingspan category.

Can't say I want all 3... actually I do, but my wallet isn't that fat at the moment. I may just get 1 for now and then maybe a 2nd one a little later. We shall see.

My choice would be to leave the gas one as gas, the nitro ones I'd be tempted to switch over to electric. But then a part of me would want to give nitro a shot... I just hate how expensive glow fuel is in relation to gas. Ugh I'm a little torn. He was offering $150 each for the nitro planes, and $250-$300 for the gasser.

Thoughts? Opinions?

His prices are fair for the age on those birds. They look like some pretty cool airplanes! Just something to add to your dilemma (Hopefully helpful:unsure:). If you do convert them to electric, you'll be paying a LOT more for your electric gear (motor, ESC, batteries, etc) than you will for the glow fuel you will need to run them over the next few years. Big electric setups get expensive fast, and with every electric conversion I've done I've been disappointed with the performance as I typically had to add a bunch of nose weight. The models come out a pound or two heavier than they should be. Additionally, it's a headache to set up! You have to figure out where to put the batteries and how to access them. I love glow, but I do have the privilege of finding glow fuel for $10-$15 a gallon at swap meets, and when I run out I mix my own for about $20/gallon. That makes it a lot easier to run glow engines.

Gas is fantastic, I think that anyone who doesn't mind tinkering with internal combustion engines should give it a shot.

Personally, I'd try and see if he'd do $400 for all three. You never know, he might say yes!
 

basslord1124

Master member
Thanks for the info @Chuppster . I've only done an electric conversion on a .40 trainer. I had no experience with it in its glow days, but I researched and followed suggestions on what motor/ESC to get and everything. In the end, I think it did very well... only thing I would've changed was taking it down to 4 cell and seeing how it did with that. I originally ran it as 6 cell and it was a rocket! Lol. But that was that bird and not these. I'm not too sure what I'm up against with these in terms of power. A part of me does want to keep the IC as is as its something I've been wanting to venture in to more.

I have sort of felt too, that if I did IC power I wanted to stay more towards gas as fuel is so much cheaper. Curious though, how do you mix/make your own nitro fuel?

I like the idea of the offer for all 3... may try that. He had a Katana as well and was wanting $400 for it as it is gas and fixed up with high performance servos and the whole 9 yards. I'm sure it was worth it too.
 

Piotrsko

Master member
Nitro fuel is simple, but obtaining the pieces is hard. Alky at 99.99% can be gotten online, the oil can be either castor oil or synthetic 100 to 1-- 2 stroke oil, nitromethane can be had at a hotrod shop that sells fuel or online, too. Even in bulk it's expensive, and has to be stored in metal sealed containers because the nitro evaporates and the alky wants to absorb water.

Sometimes the FBI gets interested when you buy nitromethane.
 

Bricks

Master member
Nitro fuel is simple, but obtaining the pieces is hard. Alky at 99.99% can be gotten online, the oil can be either castor oil or synthetic 100 to 1-- 2 stroke oil, nitromethane can be had at a hotrod shop that sells fuel or online, too. Even in bulk it's expensive, and has to be stored in metal sealed containers because the nitro evaporates and the alky wants to absorb water.

Sometimes the FBI gets interested when you buy nitromethane.


Why would the FBI be interested?
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
Thanks for the info @Chuppster . I've only done an electric conversion on a .40 trainer. I had no experience with it in its glow days, but I researched and followed suggestions on what motor/ESC to get and everything. In the end, I think it did very well... only thing I would've changed was taking it down to 4 cell and seeing how it did with that. I originally ran it as 6 cell and it was a rocket! Lol. But that was that bird and not these. I'm not too sure what I'm up against with these in terms of power. A part of me does want to keep the IC as is as its something I've been wanting to venture in to more.

I have sort of felt too, that if I did IC power I wanted to stay more towards gas as fuel is so much cheaper. Curious though, how do you mix/make your own nitro fuel?

I like the idea of the offer for all 3... may try that. He had a Katana as well and was wanting $400 for it as it is gas and fixed up with high performance servos and the whole 9 yards. I'm sure it was worth it too.

I didn't have much trouble getting the components to make glow fuel, but I had to get a 5 gallon pail of 50/50 nitro/methanol, which is enough to make 25 gallons of 10% nitro, no small quantity! I have a local VP Racing distributor that sells the nitro/methanol as well as 100% methanol (you get this stuff at a pump, only costs a few bucks a gallon). For oil, I sue Klotz Super Techniplate (from Amazon) which is mostly synthetic with a little Castor Oil mixed in. Then you just mix everything up in the proportions for the fuel you want.

With the planes you're looking at, if you do want to do an electric conversion, the Stick will be an easy swap. I scratch built an Ugly Stick and went electric, I pretty much didn't make any changes to the original design. However, I did massively overpower it to get it to balance, but who doesn't love a stick that can hover?
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
Why would the FBI be interested?

Nitro is really good for making bombs. Years ago they didn't consider nitro to be volatile enough for special handling. A railcar was impacted and the resulting explosion was rather... intense. Now above certain quantities pure Nitromethane is very hard to get (they even ask what you're going to do with it). That's why I get it already mixed with Methanol.
 

Bricks

Master member
Nitro is really good for making bombs. Years ago they didn't consider nitro to be volatile enough for special handling. A railcar was impacted and the resulting explosion was rather... intense. Now above certain quantities pure Nitromethane is very hard to get (they even ask what you're going to do with it). That's why I get it already mixed with Methanol.




It is not hard to get there is just not much call for it besides guys that race cars, shipping is what causes the price to be so high ( hazard ). Being there is not much call for it many do not keep it in stock and on hand so much is a special order which adds to the cost. If ordered in big enough quantities the price can be as low as $5 a gallon as I have looked into it.
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
It is not hard to get there is just not much call for it besides guys that race cars, shipping is what causes the price to be so high ( hazard ). Being there is not much call for it many do not keep it in stock and on hand so much is a special order which adds to the cost. If ordered in big enough quantities the price can be as low as $5 a gallon as I have looked into it.

That's very interesting. When I buy locally in "bulk" it comes out to about $40/gal. Race fuel that contains it has a proportional markup. Furthermore, it's not very easy to manufacture. Where can you find it for that cheap?
 

Bricks

Master member
That's very interesting. When I buy locally in "bulk" it comes out to about $40/gal. Race fuel that contains it has a proportional markup. Furthermore, it's not very easy to manufacture. Where can you find it for that cheap?


Local oil company have to order 4 55 gallon containers.
Considering you only use 5-18% in fuel mix to a gallon for Nitro engines, how many decades and decades would it last or go bad once containers are opened. As you probably know it has an infinity for moisture..
 

Bricks

Master member
They just rip us off on small quantities as look at the attached link 1 55 gallon drum works out to be roughly to $29.75 but try and by just a gallon it is $67.

Alcohols (3dcartstores.com)

You can buy nitromethane from overseas rather cheaply but shipping will kill you.
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
They just rip us off on small quantities as look at the attached link 1 55 gallon drum works out to be roughly to $29.75 but try and by just a gallon it is $67.

Alcohols (3dcartstores.com)

You can buy nitromethane from overseas rather cheaply but shipping will kill you.
Yeah, it doesn't make much sense to buy a 55 gallon drum of nitro. That'll last a club a decade! Especially now that people are flying more gas!
 

basslord1124

Master member
Well the deed has been done guys. Picked up the fuselages Thursday and the wings on Friday. Just couldn't fit it all in my car in one trip. I'll get some more pics soon.

Planes-resixe.jpg


He also has a big plastic storage container full of spare props, electric starter, servo wires/extensions, etc. that he's wanting to sell for $100. I'll probably get it too.

Pretty excited about the score and plan to take my time with them like I do with this hobby. Also planning on having some guys from my local AMA RC field show me the ropes on the engines, maintaining them, etc. I know the Stick motor was a little gunked up but we were able to free it a little. Not sure on the P51. Still going to make sure and clean em good.
 

OliverW

Legendary member
Well the deed has been done guys. Picked up the fuselages Thursday and the wings on Friday. Just couldn't fit it all in my car in one trip. I'll get some more pics soon.

View attachment 188587

He also has a big plastic storage container full of spare props, electric starter, servo wires/extensions, etc. that he's wanting to sell for $100. I'll probably get it too.

Pretty excited about the score and plan to take my time with them like I do with this hobby. Also planning on having some guys from my local AMA RC field show me the ropes on the engines, maintaining them, etc. I know the Stick motor was a little gunked up but we were able to free it a little. Not sure on the P51. Still going to make sure and clean em good.
Lucky! Those are some beautiful birds and you got a steal for them. If you have any questions regarding engines hit me up
 

Chuppster

Well-known member
Well the deed has been done guys. Picked up the fuselages Thursday and the wings on Friday. Just couldn't fit it all in my car in one trip. I'll get some more pics soon.

View attachment 188587

He also has a big plastic storage container full of spare props, electric starter, servo wires/extensions, etc. that he's wanting to sell for $100. I'll probably get it too.

Pretty excited about the score and plan to take my time with them like I do with this hobby. Also planning on having some guys from my local AMA RC field show me the ropes on the engines, maintaining them, etc. I know the Stick motor was a little gunked up but we were able to free it a little. Not sure on the P51. Still going to make sure and clean em good.


If you like the guys you should join up with their club. I really like being a part of our club, it's a ton more fun flying with other people than all by yourself!
 

FlyingMonkey

Bought Another Trailer
Staff member
Admin
Pretty excited about the score and plan to take my time with them like I do with this hobby. Also planning on having some guys from my local AMA RC field show me the ropes on the engines, maintaining them, etc. I know the Stick motor was a little gunked up but we were able to free it a little. Not sure on the P51. Still going to make sure and clean em good.


Any updates on the planes? (I know, there's the Stik restoration thread, but...)
 

basslord1124

Master member
@FlyingMonkey - I've been doing each plane one at a time...starting with the Stik. The other 2 are just hanging out. Maybe after we get moved I can start back into them more hardcore. With the Stik, the next step I was going to do was probably update the servos. I've got most all of the glow accessories (which I didn't have before).