Stuka Stunt Main Forum · 31 of 31 known posts recovered
I'm not looking for anybody's idea of a world-beater, but a project worth the trouble of building, and I recall it as very attractive to peer at.
I'd appreciate a lead on where to get the drawing, and any help as might be available for the construction article. And, of course, editorial responses.
Thanks, folks.
I believe Tom Neibur at Blue Sky Models is kitting it. Somebody correct me?
Tom Niebuhr, owner of Blue Sky Models, has just released a laser cut kit for the Roadrunner and I believe that he is shipping them as of this week.
From all reports his JD Falcon kit is really beautifully done and I have been on "pins and needles" waiting for mine.
Several Falcons were completed last winter and have been steadily collecting trophies in the hands of Expert flyers. I understand, that for a classic legal design, it really turns nicely.
Tom has had a short delay in production because of some health issues of his laser cutter but when I spoke to him a couple of days ago, parts were in house and kits are going out.
If you're interested in a kit, give him a call. He makes them up in batches and they sell out pretty quickly.
Tom's a good source for vintage plans and laser cut ribs, etc. and will probably be willing to sell you a plan if that's all you need or the plans and a set a laser cut ribs.
Give him a call at 972-736-3780
He won't steer you wrong!
BIGS
By all means, check out Tom Niebuhr, and Blue Sky Models.
I had the distinct pleasure of having Tom, and his lovely wife, as house guests several years ago when he was comtemplating a move.
He came to check out different areas of NC, and unfortunately for us, chose Texas.
He is a true Gentleman, and will be of the utmost help.
Bill <><
When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends.
Japanese Proverb
Be aware that the RR has a short tail moment, very long nose, and small stab/elevator. It was originally designed for a Fox .35, no muffler, with a 3/4" long shaft extension. If you use a modern (heavier) engine, with muffler, metal spinner, APC prop, no shaft extender, etc. you may end up quite nose heavy, particularly if you finish it very lightly.
Mark Bowen and I both added about 2 ounces of lead to the tail on ours (we had OS .40 FPs, mine with stock CL muffler, etc.) to correct the nose heavy situation. The standard airfoil is traditional, pointy and thinner than modern airfoils. The stab is 1/8" hard balsa sheet.
It's a gorgeous design, classic legal.
(At the risk of upsetting The Daniel over my excessive self-promotion here, I'll post a photo of my RR.)
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Paint scheme was copied from one of Bill Melton's ships..
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"My wife only has sex with me for a purpose. Last night she used me to time an egg." -Rodney Dangerfield
The kit is mostly laser cut, and there are only minor changes from the original to allow for removable landing gear, and changes to leading and trailing edge construction. This allows the laser ribs to have Lincoln Log Slots, and 3/8" Jig holes. You can build it using a Lost Foam Jig (Available from Bob Hunt), Lincoln Log or Rod jigs. I believe that this is the first kit anywhere that will accomodate all three methods.
The kit also has a custom vacuum formed canopy. Jim loved this, since he "always had trouble fitting existing canopies"!
In addition, the kit uses 3/32" wing sheeting, since all "Roadrunners" before and after the M.A.N. version used the thicker sheeting, giving it a stronger center section.
The kit version will also use 1/32 ply nose doublers that were not available in the sixties. While keeping the outside dimension of the nose the same, this allows more room for the tank, instead of having to "shoehorn" a 2" wide tank into the nose.
I am working with Jim Young (co-designed with Bill Melton) to assure complete accuracy. Jim is also building the kit prototype airplane.
***Let me let everyone in one the secret about the moments!!!...***
I have, in my temporary posession, the actual "Roadrunner" that was used for the M.A.N. article. Jim actually took 3/4" off the nose! This was to eliminate the shaft extension at the time, but makes the airplane more acceptable to modern engines. I will be including a photo of the "RR" nose with a ruler against it, for documentation. This shorter nose is the kit version, but can lengthened by the builder if desired.
The Blue Sky Models kit plan is CAD drawn, by me, and has been checked by Jim Young. There are details on the kit drawing that were not on the M.A.N. plans.
Several people have pre-paid orders for kits, and they will get the first few kits. I am very thankful for these individuals patience and help in developing this kit.
The "Roadrunner" kit will be followed by a profile version that will also be Classic legal! This will be great for the P-40 events.
The M.A.N. plans were amazingly accurate, considering the history of many magazine plans in the past. I do have copies of the M.A.N. plan for $10 + $4 S&H. I think Leonard might also have the plan.
I will have more in the Classified Section in a few weeks.
Tom Niebuhr
The "Roadrunner" stab is 1/4" Hard balsa. For authenticity this will remain so in the kit.
Changing to a thicker stab would be an illegal aerodynamic change.
Tom Niebuhr
You are so right, I just looked at my original plan!
I didn't mean to sound like I was advocating any changes in the aerodynamics, just calling attention to the differences. But I am happy to hear that nose-shortening would seem to be legal.
I'm so glad to see you guys kitting this design.
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"Remember that life is not measured in hours but in accomplishments." - James A. Pike
No problem, and in no way would I think that you would recommend any aero changes. My concern, like the JD Falcon kit, is to provide a kit that is as accurate as possible.
I am very lucky that I see Jim Young quite often. In addition to the actual "Roadrunner" I thought you might like to know that Jim has been kind enough to lend me the original pencil drawings.
Also thought that, now the cat is out of the bag, Y'all (that's Texas) would like to see a picture of the original. It has 35 years of hangar rash, but when I have taken a real close look, the workmanship is outstanding.
At one point, I had borrowed the original magazine article photographs of the Roadrunner from Bill Melton. After Bill died, I returned them to Lois Melton.
It certainly is a design worthy of a modern kit.
Bill told me that he and Jim finally got tired of cutting "kits" every weekend, when they wanted to fly! I had one of the original plans from one of these kits, which was moth eaten and fell apart. I had carefully measured it and transferred it to AutoCad drawings.
I'd like to mention that those gorgeous lines live on in a modern ship as well.Amigo Gary Marchand has a "Roadrunner on steroids" design, as he calls it, called the Chaparel (the roadrunner bird is a member of the cuckoo family, and one name for it is the chaparel cock). This model is enlarged, has longer tail moments, modern airfoil, enlarged stab, same wonderful styling. Not classic legal, of course, it is finished in the bright yellow of the New Mexico flag, with a red Zia symbol.
Of course, Jim Young has retained the name Roadrunner on his modern designs, which are extremely competitive, running piped PA .65s I think. That stylized wheel pant was still a feature on the last one I saw.
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"Not to anticipate is already to moan." -Leonardo da Vinci
Email it to me if you like at
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"It irks me when people use the character's name in a demeaning way." -Larry Harmon, AKA 'Bozo the Clown' after his stage name was used for political purposes by Bob Dole, 1996
Larry: you might be interested to know that a few weeks ago, Jim & Nancy Young visited Bill's wife and gave her a prelimanary check copy of the Roadrunner kit cad drawing.
As you know, Jim continues to to use the Road Runner name. Here is a picture of Jim at the 1975 Team trials, for the 1976 FAI team. Jim is holding the "Roadrunner X" which like his current piped RR has a bubble canopy. Note that those beautiful stylized wheel pants are an ongoing theme. Knowing Jim now, it is hard to believe that he looked like that.. I guess we all change. Gee, I still feel like a kid!
I also have a current picture ... Does anyone know the guy holding the airplane?? We all haven't changed have we??
I met Jeff Anderson at the VSC where he had that ship - Bill Melton signed it for him, then Bill died the following July.
Jeff's RR flies very well.
It would be interesting to have Jim build a fresh classic RR from the kit and see how he feels it compares to the modern namesake. At one point, I had a plan sheet for Jim's early bubble canopy version, and it was simply titled 'F2B' as I recall.
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"Twenty years fron now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -Mark Twain
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This is our Mesilla Vallely Model Airplane Club, sometime in the late 50's I believe. Organ mountains in the background, FWIW our club still has this site, which is now named Melton Field. No Roadrunners in view.
I was wondering if the guy on the far right is Jim? Bill Melton is in the center on the back row, holding the stunter.
What do you think? Man, I love model airplanes.
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"Sorry about that. My karma seems to have run over your dogma."
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"Laziness is no more than the habit of resting before you get tired." -Jules Renard