"Building Season"

Well maybe it is just me but as I looked out the window this afternoon around 5:15 (after the Panthers won ohh yeah) I realized "building season" for the most part has managed to creep up on me because here in NC it was all but dark.

I am going to be building a few plans as I need to get some flyable plans ready so I do not have a repeat of this year.

I will be building a:
GeoXL with PA61 - geo hunt cradle wing.

SV25 with PA40 - foam wing for quickness, funny thing is this wing from Randy was SO SO SO light I could not believe how light the foam was.

What about you guys?

Backfire IV,and maybe Backfire V. I have also had this hankering to build an Old Time RC ship like a Sal Taibi-Powerhouse, etc. Maybe put a Saito 40A in it. I guess, I am longing for that look of the sun dancing on the wing ribs and the look of stringers glistening along the fuselage.

LAST EDITED ON Oct-26-03 AT 08:15 PM (CST)
 
Well now that it is cold I should have more time to provide my own insights on this board. That is my "building season" so I will try to keep my criticisms "constructive." I kept in touch with some other list members over the summer and was always glad to hear from them, though I could not always respond due to the clogging of my hotmail by pervert spam messages. I thought I'd seen it all until I got that hotmail address...

If I ever flew planes enough that I could crash them then I would feel like building more. But, I have 25-30 planes so I do not build. I couldn't fly them even if I could get around to it because I have had them for so long that I am attached to them. Also I can't dope or paint ever again.

My boy Virgil did do some flying over the summer. I do not like to say it but he flew a bit of RC and hardly had time to fly any CL. RC guys, to me, seem by and large like a bunch of stooges but that is just my opinion so let's not go ballistic. You'd think though that it would be the other way around since we are the guys with planes on strings! One of the guys in his club had a trailer when I was out there and it is painted all up with planes and identifies him right next to the license plate as "Pilot: Commander Phillip Such and such" and his wife as "Copilot: Lieut. Carol So and So" and I was turned further off of RC flying. I have great respect for pilots of all types especially military ones and for some RC guy who was never a real pilot to go and act all big (which is very common with RC) bugged me silly.

Well I did put some flying in early in the Spring. I had a 1/2a plane from ebay and also several 1/2a brodak planes. I visited Brodak's shop early this year several times and was sorry to see that it has shrunk since I was last there. I do hope that this is not indicative of bad things on the horizon. I have built most of his 1/2a planes now and have been impressed by quality and prices. I am thinking about getting the bi slob since it looks like a good deal. Living near a shop like that is obviously a dream come true for a Cl man and has really helped me to enjoy this hobby plus it has given me an endless supply of things to gripe about price-wise, but they are no higher than anywhere else. It just strikes you more when you have all that neat stuff in person.

Building season has arrived in Tucson for me. Temperatures down to the low 80's, so I can work in the garage at last. I've got a framed up Fancy Pants and an ARF Nobler about 20 hours into the 6 to 8 hour build time. Next project is a Primary Force followed by something to fly OTS with at VSC. I have an Umland Barnstormer kit and a Palmer Mars from Saturn to choose from. Will probably go with the Barnstormer for simplicity, but the Mars is attractive because it is rare.
Steve

Well, here in the not-quite-frozen-yet North (Canada), I'm doing my best to keep Building Season at bay, for a little while at least. I actually got out flying this afternoon, and after waiting an hour for the rain to stop, I was finally rewarded by being able to get in 3 flights. I've been out flying almost every weekend so far, and I hope I'm able to continue for another few weeks, but we all know it's gonna end sometime.

As for building, I'm just finishing a Brodak Smoothie I started working on 2 years ago - I'm hoping to be able to fly it within the next week or so. I just started building a Walter Umland All-American Senior, I have a Phoenix 2 that's ready for finishing when I get the Smoothie finished, and a Fancherized Twister that's about half-built, which I'll finish up when the snow flies. If I have time, I do have a couple more planes in mind, but I hope I'll be too busy flying for a while yet.

Oh, yeah, the weather here today was raining (up until about 3:00 pm), and about 55 degrees, but no wind. It rained all day yesterday and spoiled my fun...

Tim

Here in Topeka, Kansas, it was in the mid 50s today. Really not all that bad. We had a pretty good crowd show up, I think 7 or 8. One of my grandsons and his dad showed up. The grandson hadn't flown in quite a while, but put in a flight with my McCoy powered Flite Streak.

Really, I wish they would just leave the clocks alone. You get to sleep late one day and pay for it the rest of the winter. Today, by 1:00pm the sun was right in your eyes with anything overhead. Also a little turbulence. With that tree row right next to the circle, all it takes is a little wind in the right...wrong...direction...and any breeze starts things twisting and turning.

I hope to finish up the Magician soon and get on the Peacemaker which I got plans for from Leonard. Sort of looks like a Flite Streak with round edges. I also want to get going on the Zilch X I got from Walter. Really Really nice light wood. Planning on a McCoy 40 for the Zilch. Hey...if anyone is interested, there is a tether car site that's got some really neat decals...McCoy,Dooling, Ohlson and even the old AMA decal.

http://www.tethercar.com/cars_decals.html

Supposed to be in the 60s and 70s this coming week, but the cold stuff in coming. It's just a matter of time.

Cheers,

LAST EDITED ON Oct-26-03 AT 10:54 PM (CST)
 
Not much of a "building season" as such here in southern Cal, but a few new projects getting started about now anyway.

I'm framing up a new version of my Fairlne profile for a .40 FP, starting on a Brodak Legacy for one of Leonard's Magnum .46s, and I've got the plans for a Strega. Don't have room to have three wings on the board all at once, but I'm going to do the best I can!

Happy building!

God bless!

Right now, here in my part of Southern California the fires are raging in almost all directions. I live about 3 miles from one of the biggies and we are covered with ash and smoke...

I have my building table ready and will be building my first full fuse, A Sig Super Chipmunk, it's an older early 70's model. I have not weighed any of the parts yet, but I suspect that it's a little heavy. I will be running a OS LA 46 that Mr. Larry Foster has "tweeked" I can't wait to run that 46! I also have a partial Jim Van Loo kit so after I build the wing I will decide to make it either a JVL or a Super Chip.

Shucks,

It's building season again and i'm going to have to BEG my wife to let me build my Viking - I hope that she listens to the fact that ther will be minimal shavings and sanding to do on it and;;; most of that I will have to do outside - - in the snow probably!!!!

Building season is creeping into being up here, and coinciding with the end of hurricane cleanup season. Once my squashed and flooded shop is rebuilt I will start on a scratchbuilt 52 Nobler from Dixon plans and foam wing. When I get that done I start a Time machine 60 to go with my Time Machine 40 and 50 that are complete. Somewhere along the way I might contemplate the Jack sheeks FW-190 I beamer from the plans Aaron gave me. It would be my first attempt at an I-beamer so it might not be too heroic a first effort, but it looks like a simple plane overall. Lots to build, not enough time to build all of it though!

Hi Steve,

As Aaron said, we are building! We can still get in some flying from time to time, but the cold dark period has begun.

I plan on building the FW-190, and am going to make a mold that I hope to get a board member to pull canopies from.

I will begin building a plane based on the Geo XL as soon as Aaron's wing is out of the cradles.

I also have a Grondal Nobler, Vulcan, Barnstormer, Lil' T-Bird, F-8 pipe ship, and Shark 35 planned for construction alnog with the refinishing of two of my older classic planes(Parrott P-47 and T-Bird II).

Others are possible.
Bill

I will be building a "Skylark 60" --from tracings!! This was a kit put out in the 1940's by BROWNS Models in Ptld, Ore. Frank Macy was 13 at the time and helped Bill B make up the kit boxes from old refrig. box etc. in the attic of his home. I visited Frank this summer and we "Traced" the out line of the Wing, Fuse. tail surfaces. Have you ever seen those OLD time kits? They are a box with "somewhat" carved fuse. --outline of wing and tail pieces on balsa --one page instructions,Written and a picture on the box!!Thats it. Oh, and the balsa was not always the greatest. They did not pay attenion to WEIGHT. they came from the life rafts that were salvaged . I have developed a two layer 1/32 balsa over a molded form or using the half shell fuse. build up method, using aliphatic glue brushed on after the first layer and the second layer pulled down with your plastic shrink wrap on a roll for packaging. REALLY light weight and strong. Used this method on the R3C-2 with a 60 on front and it withstood and straight in --OUCH really stupid mistake. Ohh, the Skylark is a 60 version of the Jim Walker "Fireball" I was able to purchase my very first 'sparky" this year and am really wanting to have some fun with it. Hopefully Dr. Spark will help me.
"old timer, but new to this Electronic STUFF"

Right now, all I have planned is a Magician, although I am thinking of a small project I might do. Having always liked the Goldberg 'Lil Wizard, I may scale one up an additional 50% and install a Norvel .061. that will keep me busy for a couple of days. I would like a Geiseke Nobler, but will save that for later.

Well I plan on building a P47 Profile stunter and a Midget Mustang Goodyear Racer and also rebuilding the wing on My RSM Miss Sarah AKA Cosmic Wind as I shredded it in a race with Mr. Clean!

Steven Adler
Momma always told me not to look in the eyes of the sun, but momma that's where the fun is!

It's still flying season in Western Canada. We went out yesterday with a Chipmunk (Great Flyer),2 Banshees,Twister,Acrobat (First full flight and it feels great)Accentor and a Tanager. It was a good day, except for the TWO prop nuts coming loose on the wooden prop of the Tanager ( Thunder Tiger 40)..and along with the prop flying far away...then the motor screaming like an Eagle..we think it'll still run...good compression, no slop but we'll wait a couple of days for it to cool off before trying it again! The biggest problem is the grass is starting to grow again and it makes for soft but abrupt landings.
On the workbench is STILL my Pathfinder but maybe this week will be not filled with accidents like dropping my digital camera!
Project next???.......FINALLY start my Magnum!

Hmm,

Just about have my new plane, Tango Red II, framed up. Just control surfaces and some odds and ends. After that, it's probably going to be a USA-1 for classic and as a backup PA plane. That, or a Jerry Worth "Mirage II". If all goes well, I'll start my weird, new PA plane for the year. It's certainly different and experience says it would fly well.

LAST EDITED ON Oct-27-03 AT 11:58 AM (CST)
 
>Just about have my new plane, Tango Red II, framed up. Just
>control surfaces and some odds and ends.

Dr. Jekyll sits in pieces in my front room. It has completed control surfaces, sheeted foam wing with completed tips, assembled fusaelage, and all the shells molded, Tom Morris horns and pushrods. Dr. J ARF!

"Building season" officially begins with the time change. Unfortunately, during the winter it is nearly dark by the time I get off work, not even enough time to hit a bucket of balls at the driving range. My plan for this year is to literally shift gears starting today. The standard routine will be to get off work, go to the gym, come home and build for two hours minimum. Planes magically appear pretty quickly when you build steady.

Well, I started my building season too. First out: 7lbs 8oz Mireille. She turned 1 month old last friday.
I've already setup the table and laid out the parts for Chipmunk kit by Walter Umland. In the mean time, I am going through Foam Wing construction videos by Windy(Thank you Rich!!!). Those videos have gobbs of information! I've never done a foam wing before and was worrying about doing it correctly on the Chipmunk. The tapes showed me that it's not rocket science at all.

New builds:

F4 Phantom, jet style stunter - by Bill Suarez - canopies blown by Tom McLain
Blue Pants, 1955-ish stunter - Henry Stouffs

Finishing off:
Mercury Toreador, 36" span flying wing/sports/combat - elevator to attach and connect to push rod
A brace of Mini Goodyear racers - 0.09 diesels and fuel tanks to fit
Riveter - vintage class B team racer - fuselage to complete
Footprint - vintage class A team racer - wing to mount
Flitestreak - tank to make engine to mount

Refurbishing:
2 X Keil Kraft Phantoms.

Have started my building projects for the winter. One of my projects is to finish my scratch built twin rudder plane called "marksman". It features built up D-tube wing, Juno airfoil and powered by an LA 46. Also plan to assemble my ARF Nobler and build a new flight box. Have plans to finish the rebuild on my PA-6. That should keep me pretty busy!

Mark

LAST EDITED ON Oct-29-03 AT 08:57 AM (CST)
 
So many planes....... so little time!

Humongous - Saito 40
Viking - OS MAxH 40
Green Box Nobler - Brodak 40

Walter's Barnstormer Saito 30

WHEW...... Glad I'm retired!

Added - Credit Gary Tultz for the "So many planes ..... so little time" comment. But it's so true

Dick Fowler
AMA 144077
Kent, OH
[email protected]

I hope to have two new stunters for next season.....

Dixon Time Machine with a Big Jim ST 60.

Randy Smith foam wing Dreadnought with a SSW/Len's APS 53.

Kits I have to build when I get time......

Brodak Accentor
Brodak Nobler
Sig Chipmunk X2
Sig Banshee
Sig Twister
Sig Skyray 35
Sig Magnum wing and tail built but I need to build a new fuse.

>So many planes....... so little time!
>
>Humongous - Saito 40
>Viking - OS MAxH 40
>Green Box Nobler - Brodak 40
>
>Walter's Barnstormer Saito 30
>
>WHEW...... Glad I'm retired!

I'm jealous...

Tim

Finishing up Hurricane- by Jack Sheeks modified as I-beam TT36
Started Tucker Special for Classic also for TT36
Repair wrecked All American PHD Mike Garman design
Like others have said, so much to build so little time.

Steve Y. get ready to build some pink airplanes down the road. You did good. I have three girls and they picked the colors on the All American whew. My son wouldn't even fly it.
Dave Reyes

>Steve Y. get ready to build some pink airplanes down the
>road. You did good. I have three girls and they picked the
>colors on the All American whew. My son wouldn't even fly
>it.
>Dave Reyes

Dave, out of curiosity, how does pink look? Does it bring out defects or does it hide them? What kind of base color paint did you use(silver)?

Don't get me started...
Nate Sturman who used to check in at Model Builder's C/L column once in a moon or two did a couple of his models up in pink because his daughter Naomi picked the colour.
Charlie Bruce once had a Super Clown that his wife Kay toted home from a garage sale- pretty well built and a nice GH Torp for power. It was promptly christened "Pink Elephant" by CB. Not bad for $10 (in 1967 terms tho!).
I think it looks great if you have the right trim scheme and all.

>>Steve Y. get ready to build some pink airplanes down the
>>road. You did good. I have three girls and they picked the
>>colors on the All American whew. My son wouldn't even fly
>>it.
>>Dave Reyes
>
>Dave, out of curiosity, how does pink look? Does it bring
>out defects or does it hide them? What kind of base color
>paint did you use(silver)?
>
>Steven Yampolsky

Steven, Actually I've been able to dodge the pink color scheme, for now anyway. The All American PHD was transparent yellow monokote on the bottom and orange transparent on the top wing surfaces. The fuselage was Harbor Blue Rustoleum, kind of a baby light blue. Girls love it more when I said it looked beautiful. My son just rolled his eyes.
Dave

We don't really have a "building season" on the SE Texas coast. The possible exception is mid-Summer when the heat and humidity knocks you down and then the mosquitos fly off with what is left...

J.