Vector 40

Really like the looks of this model. I know it's an Randy Smith design, so it must be a solid performer.

Thinking about building one for the next step airplane, maybe using a Brodak 40 for power. Any comments or suggestions, helpful tips, just about anything welcome???

I would imagine that you might want something a bit more powerful to achieve the full, award winning potential of the Vector 40. The best performance with one that I have seen had an AeroTiger .36 as power. Another flew very well with an OS .46 LA.

See Ya

It might be difficult to squeeze a 46 in there. Its very small up front. Tom Polk and I both used 1/8" larger spinners and had to move F1 aft about 1/8" to get his Aerotiger and my Rojett BSE 40 RE into the space. I built mine as an SV40 1/2 scratch built. His was full scratchbuilt.

Tom won intermediate at the nats in 2002 with his. Mine wasn't done in time for 2003 nats but is an awesome flying combination.

Work to keep it light and straight and it will reward you with a great plane--it is so much easier to fly well than the profiles I was flying. (Twister and variant)

I havent had any experience with the B-40 but from what I have heard, if you keep the plane light enough, it would be ok.

Another good choice would be a TT36 pro running in 2 stroke only mode with about an 11-3.75 or 4. Or the Magnum 36 xl II set up same.

My RoJett 40 will nearly four stroke the entire pattern with a Tornado or APC 11-4. I'm still in prop experiments but it has been a great package--just really getting fully broken in after half season. The plane, in its third outing scored a close second at Cleveland Intermediate this year.

Nelson Erbs has a vector40 and it flies well with a tweeked tower or fp 40. This is a thick foil plane and therefore requires some solid power and propellor to pull it around but it is a great flying plane.

The junior or senior flier ____ Rudd has a very nice flying vector as well--he is a young talent to be reckoned with.

It is also pretty easy to build as it has a straight top and bottom line on the fuse so it is easy to fixture.

let us know if you get stuck or have any other questions

Hope this helps some

Curt-thanks for taking the time to write about the Vector. You info is very useful!!!

The Jr/Sr flier you mentioned is Chris Rudd. He is from Sandwich, IL. Chris also uses an OS46LA in his Vector 40. Your right, he is an exceptional flier. He flew Beginner in 2002. This year, he is one of the top Advanced fliers in the Midwest.

Fred

>The Jr/Sr flier you mentioned is Chris Rudd. He is from
>Sandwich, IL. Chris also uses an OS46LA in his Vector 40.
>Your right, he is an exceptional flier. He flew Beginner in
>2002. This year, he is one of the top Advanced fliers in
>the Midwest.
>
>Fred

Fred,
I thought that Chris had told me he had an OS 40LA in his Vector. I did think that it was hauling for a 40LA.

Crist Rigotti
"A driver trying to be a pilot."

If you are using a board to build wing on, be sure and shim spar 1/8" at tips rather than 1/16" called for on plans and booklet.

I'm ready to paint and kit went together real well. I put an O.S. .46 LA in mine with no space problems at all. To offset the engine weight, I did NOT cut out the stablizer and use ribs. So my plane will likely be a little heavy.

Good kit. Mine was missing several plywood pieces and brass strips to go around control horns. But I had extra ply and strips laying around, so I didn't bother Brodaks with it. Last time something wasn't right, they shipped the part, with a bonus free propeller and new catalog. Great service.

I went ahead and made even wing panels rather than 1/2" longer inboard. I didn't intend to do it, but discovered I didn't match plans up correctly when I cut the drawings and taped them together. Worked out perfect, though, if I intended even panels. Best lower cowling I've seen in a kit. Well thought out and easy to build.

Good luck.

Now see the comments on power from the Designer, Randy Smith in the thread titled "SV Series"

LAST EDITED ON Oct-10-03 AT 06:04 PM (CDT)
 
"""Myself John Brodak and Curt Contrata , worked to develop and kit my Vector 40 design..it has Brother ships that use the same wing ..just in a different shape..)Tempest 40..SV-40,,DREADNOUGHT 40..
These go well with Brodak 40 engines..AERO Tigers..Thunder Tigers.magmun or Any of the 35 to 46 FP LA type engines..This plane has been built and flown many times with pipes or mufflers.

The Larger mid size Vector was a late 80s design that is great for a ST 46...HP 40 ST 51 size power plants ...
This plane ( The Original 637 sq. in. Vector) was campaigned in the late 80s - thru 90 by Many people such as :
Dale Barry Tom DIxon , Jim Rettick , Dondi Garrison Rob Gruber ,1 of The French FAI team members and many others. I prefer this size airplane even today.""""
""
As you can see there are many engines that can an d have powered these

I have these kit s and Brodak 40s as well as other engines back in stock they sell out fast.
I think John said this was the 3rd o r 4th run of these

LAST EDITED ON Oct-11-03 AT 05:10 AM (CDT)
 
One thing I like on the Vector 40 is a smart thing Randy did: The fuse sides and the LE sheets are exactly 3" wide, the way balsa sheets usually come.

It saves the hasle of having to cut them to size, it`s just the right size. I doubt Randy did this by acident...

Or did you, Randy?

God bless you!

In Christ,

>One thing I like on the Vector 40 is a smart thing Randy
>did: The fuse sides and the LE sheets are exactly 3" wide,
>the way balsa sheets usually come.
>
>It saves the hasle of having to cut them to size, it`s just
>the right size. I doubt Randy did this by acident...
>
>Or did you, Randy?
>
>
>God bless you!
>
>In Christ,
>
>Ion

I assume you would like our "Das Stunter" design, then. The fueselage sides are exactly 3 inches wide and 36 inches long and square. Pick two good sheets, and your sides are done except for making the wing and stab cutouts. And, no, that was not done by accident, either. Siplicity!

>Really like the looks of this model. I know it's an Randy
>Smith design, so it must be a solid performer.
>
>Thinking about building one for the next step airplane,
>maybe using a Brodak 40 for power. Any comments or
>suggestions, helpful tips, just about anything welcome???
>

I thought that Peter Deane's flew awfully well, even with the modest power of a well-used Fox 40 stunt.

I`m going to put an OS.25 VF w.pipe on it, it`s gonna be just sweet!
I might have to do some small mods on the fuselage, nothing complicated.
BTW, it`s a simple design, easy to build.

The winh spars help keep it straight.

God bless you!

In Christ,

""The Jr/Sr flier you mentioned is Chris Rudd. He is from Sandwich, IL. Chris also uses an OS46LA in his Vector 40. Your right, he is an exceptional flier. He flew Beginner in 2002. This year, he is one of the top Advanced fliers in the Midwest."""

Hello Fred

You are right about that, great flyer and I had the pleasure of meeting him, this year, Chris is a very nice young man also, I wish we can get many more in this hobby.