Hollow Profile Fuselage

I have a bunch of Ringmaster laser cut parts so I decide to put some of them to good use. I don't have any 1/2" balsa for profile fuselages. I have a set of plans for a Corsairs that shows the fuselage built out of 1/8" balsa sheet with 1/4" square balsa around the edges. I have some 1/8" sheet and lots of scrap 1/4" I can use for the edges. The finished fuselage looks like the profile fuselage that came with the kit. I can tell the hollow fuselage weighs a lot less than the solid fuselage that came in the kit. I don't have any light weight scales at home my best guess is the fuselage is a few ounces lighter. The hollow fuselage is also a lot stronger than the fuselage in the kit. The CA glue around the entire edge has made this fuselage very strong and ridgid.

Looks good, Gary! I bet that fuselage is a lot stiffer, too. Although the Ringmaster fuselage is so short it may not make a difference with stiffness. The lighter weight will always help, though.

The odd thing is when you build an extra light fuselage and then need to add weight to the tail to get the thing balanced.....

>The odd thing is when you build an extra light fuselage and
>then need to add weight to the tail to get the thing
>balanced.....

I've always had issues getting these short nosed profiles (RM/FS) to balance without adding a bunch of weight to the hind end.

On my Ringmaster S-1A (the black one) I used the stock tail feathers which came in the kit. The wood was pretty heavy. Result was I had a well balanced profile which flew surprisingly well.

Hi Gary,
Looks like a good idea.
I see you are using the square leading edge ans sheeted trailing edge on your parts.
Check your Private messages.
Bill <><

this not very good picture but says all I think ... more is on:

http://www.netax.sk/hexoft/stunt/thetiny.htm

Gentlemen: My own S-1 Ringmaster plan uses a 3/8" square frame fuselage covered with 1/16" sheet. In addition, the leading edge is built up from 3 pieces of 1/8" sheet. Trailing edge is two pieces of 1/6" sheet. Internal wing spars are also lightened. The result is a S-1 weighing 22.2 oz. with an OS25. The tail section is so light that I had to move the motor aft to balance. In order to keep the nose moment legal, I use a Fox 1/2" extension.

If you want plans for my Ringmaster S-1 "super light" give me a shout at my e-mail:
[email protected]

Floyd Carter
AMA 796

>I have a bunch of Ringmaster laser cut parts so I decide to
>put some of them to good use. I don't have any 1/2" balsa
>for profile fuselages. I have a set of plans for a Corsairs
>that shows the fuselage built out of 1/8" balsa sheet with
>1/4" square balsa around the edges. I have some 1/8" sheet
>and lots of scrap 1/4" I can use for the edges. The
>finished fuselage looks like the profile fuselage that came
>with the kit. I can tell the hollow fuselage weighs a lot
>less than the solid fuselage that came in the kit. I don't
>have any light weight scales at home my best guess is the
>fuselage is a few ounces lighter. The hollow fuselage is
>also a lot stronger than the fuselage in the kit. The CA
>glue around the entire edge has made this fuselage very
>strong and ridgid.
>
>Gary Weaver

Gary why don't you run the push rod inside the fuse? Thats what I use to do on built up profiles.

Sir Thomas of Luper has a Hellcat powered by a ST 60 that is a built up profile. I believe it might be loosely based on the Frank Williams Bearcat. But Tommy did his own drawings. He had a slight misshap with it, fat engine run but pulled up into the wingover anyway, but it is now flying again. (damage was miraculously minor)
My most vivid memory of it is his placing second in expert with it against Kaz Minato in a contest in Winston Salem by just a few points. There were quite a few excellent pilots there that day.
Bill <><