Well! My time is near.

My flying buddy (Irvin Ella) and I are going flying this Sunday it seems.

So it's time for my second flight - my first (and only) being 30 years ago.

My two Ukeys are ready (a 35 with a Fox 35 and a 40 with a McCoy 35).

The 40/McCoy balances about 1/4" in front of the front edge of the spar and the 35/Fox on the centre of the spar - this seems to be odd as most people think that they should be nose heavy as designed?

Where should the balance point be for my first flights - 3/4" or 1" in front of the spar or more?

Be careful of the elevator hinge tape--I'm quite convinced now, after disecting remains, that this is what caused my figure nine crash.

HAVE FUN!

Yes but this is (effectively) my first flight so I want to go for insensitive - so should I add some weight to the nose to bring the cg forward?

Great - I didn't realise just a 1/4" would be enough.

> I have balanced mine
>at that point.

I will add a bit of weight to the nose on the Fox/Ukey 35 to bring the cg forward a bit.

>Mine
>is powered by a Fox
>.35 with factory muffler,

I've 'modified' the stock Fox muffler to fit the McCoy - I have one of Big Art's tube mufflers on the Fox.

>Brodak #596 wedge tank held
>on with rubber bands,

I have a class A (meant for 2.5cc) tank on for the first few flights - I have a choice of a Brodak uniflow or one of Nil's modified clunk tanks/

>MasterAirscrew 10 x 6 wood
>prop,

I'm sticking to Nylon - I have a 10*5 APC (not Scimitar type) an old TF 10*6 and an APC 10.5*4.5.

>2 1/2" du-bro
>tire,

I've gone for 3"!

> clear waterbased polyurethane
>finish (minwax brand).

Flair Spectrum paint.

> I
>added 1/8 inch ply doublers
>from the nose to 1
>1/2" behind the trailing edge
>of the wing,

1/16 ply but 1.5" in front of tailplane

> a wire
>tail skid(1/16 dia.)

I've used tailwheels on both.

>and plan
>to use .015 briaded lines
>about 60' in length eyelet
>to eyelet.

I've a set of Tom Morris 19 strand ,015*57' and a set of Sullivan 7 Strand .015*60'

I will post photo's soon.
>Kurt

Our U-key 35 has an OS FP20, tongue muffler, #10 Perfect tank modified to uniflow, 2 1/4 Dave Brown wheel, no skid (didn't think of that), balances about 1/2" in front of the spar. Flew fine on some old 52' lines. I have a new set of 60' .015 lines that I haven't tried yet. The elevator was set for maximum slow. I broke the OS needle valve after a couple of flights, and only this week got it replaced. Now I need to do some more development flying.
Meant to say that I was very pleased with the way it flew, except that the outboard wing flew high. Has anyone else had this? Not sure of it needs tip weight or a trim tab yet.

>
> Our U-key 35 has an OS FP20, tongue muffler, #10 Perfect
> tank (OH YUCK!) modified to uniflow,

(I've never been a fan of Perfect's tanks, no matter how they are plumbed. This is based on many factors; the Froom tanks were on the market by 1953 and vastly superior - slightly "pricey", but well worth it - became Veco, eventually.)
>
> The elevator was set for maximum slow. I broke
> the OS needle valve after a couple of flights, and
> only this week got it replaced.

Mostly I responded to suggest something to any NV breakage- prone fliers. There was a time when I was working on various outside stuff and trying to get my five foot exit heights dialed in; but was regularly knocking off the vertical fin and breaking off the needles.

I made up several sets of (1/16" +/- aluminum) motor "pads" that all had a flared-out side intended for the left, or "upper" lug of the engine. I shortened some of the longer needles so they didn't project past the "skid/protector" side of the pad. (And when I STILL was scraping off tail fins, made the last one from plywood so it would all break off in one piece, at least!)

(Added in edit.) P.S. I haven't had any generously long-nosed models at any flying fields lately to try remote needle setups with "plain suction" tanks. I like bladders with remote needles for combat planes, but simply haven't been enthusiastic about remotes for beginner modellers, since it adds several additional places for problems to appear that a beginner might be buffaloed by. But they do require a half inch or so of clear space between engine and fuel tank, if not more, as on vents-forward tanks!

Kiwi

Well, gee, Kiwi. It seems to work, well, perfectly.....Besides, I got it on closeout for 59 cents at an LHS that was going out.

To save some space, thank you, Nils. You confirmed my suspicions.

Give Irvin my regards. I bought a series 21 McCoy .35 from him a while ago. Still have not run it. If you want to build a Picador, he has some plans for it (he was kind enough to send me a set when I lost mine)

I noticed that you are using APC props. nothing wrong with them apart from their brittleness. Do make sure that you have some spares with you.

Good luck!

Here are pictures of my Ukey 35 & 40 - the cat is Suki our Korat looking interested!