Roberts 3 line system

I searched and found a half dozen posts for the Roberts 2 line system.
I used it back in the 70s on a few planes. I didn`t notice any problems with it all. Now, my question is: Why isn`t it used for stunt?
In fact, it seems to have died out. I can understand why Monoline was unsable for stunt, but the Roberts system felt just like using a Hot Rock.

Am I missing something?

Gary

Yes you are missing something.
Too much weight too much overhang, too much hand bias and other things.

Bigiron

Excuse me, BIG, aren`t you confusing the Roberts handle with the U-Reely Control handle?

Gary

Nope Gary. I got some of both and the statement applies to both. Especially when used for stunt. Scale and sport race, it is fair to ok. but not for stunt.

Bigiron

LAST EDITED ON Dec-01-04 AT 12:05 PM (CST)
 
Gary,

I'm a bit confused...

Topic title is "Robert's 3 Line..." but your first post mentioned a Roberts' 2-line handle. I don't recall that one.

As BigIron says, the Robert's 3-line handle is about the same size, weight and grip rake as the Walker U-Reely handles. BULKY.

J. Robert Smurthwaite sold mainly his 3-line stuff. If he did a 2-line handle, it may have cost more than the EZ-Just type, or looked different, or something. He was a great innovator, so it might well have been a better 2-line handle than others, but just up against the weight of tradition or preference.

If you ARE referring to the 3-line handle, aside from the additional fuss of getting all three lines attached where and how they should be, we have enough fun managing TWO lines through the pattern<g>.

I operate several three line systems, one for profile carrier(3 lines are mandatory) and the others, various scale ships.
Since I don't use a throttle in stunt, there is no need for a three line system. But as mentioned by others in this thread, the handle is bulky, and there is too much overhang, and the line spacing is about 5", much more than I typically use.
So, its OK for carrier and scale but a decided disadvantage for stunt.

LAST EDITED ON Dec-03-04 AT 01:51 AM (CST)
 
im hoping you mean roberts 3 line...3rd line for throttle control? i tried that in 1959...i had it in a squaw it was cool in wing overs you could slow the airplane down in the decent...but it was difficult to use for square loops...worked cool on verticle maneuvers though but not cool enough for competition...then there was falure of th bc to worry about..it seemed to wear out quickly.....and that xtra line was a lot of added drag...but it was fun to fly and see what u could do with it!...i put a "stunt monoline setup in a flite streak once...i learned how to fly monoline with it..it reacted fast enough u had time to think how to save it....within 3 or 4 flights i could do about anything with it ...but nothing well....danny jones smacked it off th ground and broke th wing....he took it home to fix and i never saw it again....at least i think it was danny....dennis shauer could fly it ...so could jack...we would fight over whos turn it was...it was that much fun...inside or outside loops about 2 feet in dia...if u had it level it would fly 3 or 4 laps maybe more by its self...that and the quick response made it easy to keep up with...jim

I played with a Shark 15 kit-bashed into a trike gear P-39 in the 1970's. It had a Webra .20 RC engine and Roberts 3-line setup. I think I used 60 foot .012 braided lines most of the time. I tried some .008 that gave the least drag and best performance but I was not confident in the strength, even with three lines sharing the load. The engine was much too large but it was all I had at the time. It was fun to fly with long, long takeoffs and fast but real touch and go's. The nose wheel helped hold her on the ground easily. When you throttled back, it was incredibly quiet compared to the normal unmuffled engines. It would do wingovers, inside and outside loops as well as I could fly but it was very tender and a bit flaky as it got up around the top of the circle.

I wish I had known about adjustable leadouts in those days. I was always suspicious the leadout spacing was much too wide. I am sure there were many other things to explore that I simply didn't know about or understand. But, it was a fun experiment. I loved to take off using half or more of the parking lot we flew from, do a couple of loops at full power, come out inverted and idle back. She was a delight to see, low and slow, with the wheels pointing up at the sky.

I remember that Jim Walker used to do all sorts of stunt demonstrations using a third line throttle control. I wish someone would be interested in pursuing that. It may never be "PAMPA Precision Aerobatics" but it could be a show-stopper! I flew with Bill Dawson ("Kiwi") some in those days. Maybe he remembers my throttle controlled P-39.

Bill

LAST EDITED ON Dec-04-04 AT 01:20 PM (CST)
 
was that "dunga-dunga" dawson? he lived on saticoy in van nuys?...jim

This is the San Antonio, Texas Bill Dawson version who used to post on here regularly. Have not seen him in a while. He used to be a very active combat flier. His son is still flying competitively, I think.

Bill