Weight of S-1A Ringmaster?

Last night I finally decided to weigh my S-1A Ringmaster that I built last year.

It weighs in at 32.5 ounces with a OS 35-S Engine and one of Leonards Dustbin type mufflers.

Is this in the ballpark for a decent weight?

The wings are covered with 5mm silk and the plane is finished in Brodak's dope.

Thanks, Guys...Just curious!

I make the Ring. to be about 383 squares. This gives you about 12.2 oz/ sq ft for a wing loading. It is more or less in the middle; certainly not exceptionally light, which would put the loading in single digits, but not a hog either. (A 10 ounce/sq. ft Ring. would be about 26.5 ounces, by the way).

Having said that, my Super Ring. (identical wing) weighs within 0.5 ounces of yours, and flies well, I think, although I haven't done much with it yet.

Just flew it yesterday. Johnson "S". Nice setup.

My Ringmaster is covered with silkspan and now I wish that I had covered it with Polyspan. It is painted with Rustolem and weighs in at a whopping 25&1/2 ounces with a Veco .19BB as power.

I've got one I built a good while back using mostly kit wood. Just a mere 39 OZ. Nicknamed it "No Weigh Jose". No way it will ever be a "sterling" performer but if you keep the maneuvers big it does okay.

Considering you are using silk, no, that is close to what they usually weigh. The best way to keep the weight down is by choosing the balsa very carefully. Not easy to do in most hobby shops. Use silkspan for covering. In my experience starting in the fifties, silk always used more dope than silkspan, but is no where as strong. I always thought of the Ringmaster as a trainer, slow combat, rough treatment plane, so silk is good here. If that OS Max is typical, it will pull the plane with a 10/5 or 10/6 no sweat. However, landings will need to be "hot" to keep it on the ground first touch, some down elevator, until friction slows it to a stop. In grass, just land it.

>In my experience starting in the fifties,
>silk always used more dope
>than silkspan, but is no
>where as strong.

Hey BB...are you saying silkspan is stronger? I always thought Silk was stronger but slighter heavier. I have been planning to use silk on a couple of trainers I'm building. Do I proceed?

Silk is a little heavier. It's also a lot stronger. A good compromise is Thermalspan or Polyspan. I prefer Thermalspan myself as it is non-directional and will heat stretch around wing tips much more easily. If you are "heavy-handed", as am I, or fly on a rough field I suggest saving silkspan for wings with a sheeted leading edge as this is where most holes seem to appear first.