I'm in need of RD-1 building information?

I have a set of RD-1 foam wing cores. First time building a foam wing. I have ordered the plans. I also have a Flying Models magazine June 1991 issue, written by Bob Hunt. It has some good ideas on construction. If anyone has built this plane I would be very happy for your comments and photos if you have them. Thanks to Jerry Eichten for the cores and magazine, I hope I can someday show him a well built ship.

If I remember correctly, Bob did a whole series of monthly columns on building and trimming the RD1 in FM - maybe 9 or 10 issues. Check the PAMPA bibliography for reprints - not sure of the month/year.

Windy and Scott Smith made a terrific tape on sheeting foam wings, from butting the edges of the skins to different glues and their application. He may still have it in inventory.

I've been "cheating" of late with foamies....I buy 12" X 30" 1/16" panels from Riley and adhere them with PICA GLUIT Sandable alphatic. Lighter than my usual efforts, and allows the freedom to make some mistakes.

See Ya

Greg,
I've built and flown 2 RD-1's. I also sell foam cores for them. I'm at work right now but go to:

http://www.clguy.com/

for a picture of my RD-1. I talked to Bob and he suggested several changes to the design. I can get those to you later. BTW, it is a nice flying airplane. You'll enjoy it.

LAST EDITED ON Dec-17-03 AT 11:03 AM (CST)
 
Crist, bro,

Nice lookin' ships!

Was the RD-1 on a stooge?

What are those letters on it? They are the same ones Bob hd on his kid's ship.

Where can i get them?

Bless ya!

Ion

EDIT:

I was checkin' out your site, and you build so darn neat that I feel personally insulted!!

LAST EDITED ON Dec-19-03 AT 05:43 PM (CST)
 
>Crist, bro,
>
>Nice lookin' ships!
>
>Was the RD-1 on a stooge?
>
>What are those letters on it? They are the same ones Bob hd
>on his kid's ship.
>
>Where can i get them?
>
>Bless ya!
>
>Ion
>
>EDIT:
>
>I was checkin' out your site, and you build so darn neat
>that I feel personally insulted!!

Ion,
Thank you.

Yes, it was on a very heavy stooge. I have since changed to a Brodak stooge.

The letters are Monokote and I found a font that was a close match to what was drawn on the plans.

I cut them out myself. I printed them on white paper, then taped it over several layers on Monokote, then cut them out using a #11 blade.

Have a blessed Christmas.

Crist, Ion,
I did the same. Found the font, sized it and printed it out, cut out a mask, and airbrushed them on. Was pretty quick.
Aaron finally totaled the plane, but it served it's purpose well!
Bill <><

>Greg,
>I've built and flown 2 RD-1's. I also sell foam cores for
>them. I'm at work right now but go to:
>
>http://www.clguy.com/
>
>for a picture of my RD-1. I talked to Bob and he suggested
>several changes to the design. I can get those to you
>later. BTW, it is a nice flying airplane. You'll enjoy it.

Here are the mods Bob suggested:

1) Use fiberglass or carbon veil, applied on a bias, to strengthen the plane.
2) Add a 1 piece, 1/8 lite ply, stub spar to wing center section. Mine was 6 inches long, 3 inches into each wing.
3) Add a ¼ inch balsa cap to the spars. This hides stress fissures as the plane ages.
4) Add ½ inch to tail moment for heavier engines. I.E. OS 35/40FP.
5) Mount the engine to an aluminum plate.
6) Add 3/8 or ½ inch tripler to inboard side of nose back to high point of wing.

>Greg,
>I've built and flown 2 RD-1's. I also sell foam cores for
>them.

I have two sets of Crist's cores and they are a great product. You won't be disappointed.

We have built one foam core RD-1. Aaron built it and used it, and a Tutor, to learn the pattern. Flew his first contest ever at Cleveland with it also. That ship suffered several *lawn dart* manuevers, and was always a quick repair. We used 1/2 oz. fiberglass cloth on the fuselage.
We now have a built up wing RD-1 waiting on paint. The design is an excellent profile stunter, and it is closely related to the *Prowler* and *Hole Shot*.
Our original had a Webra 28 which did a great job of flying it. The new Bilt Up one will be OUNCES lighter, and will also get the Webra 28 along with an OS 25 FSR, etc..
We really enjoy the simplicity of the design, and the ease with which it flies.
Oh yeah, absolutely no surprises in the construction, but I would suggest to keeping the weight reasonable, it doesn't need to be built *super light*, but will fly better if the weight is kept down.
Bill <><

Greg,
I am using Polyurethane glue to sheet the wings on my latest projects. I found a neat tool at the local hardware store. It is a trough made from plastic with 3/32 notches on the sides. Smoothed off the ends about 1/32 with a sanding block to remove the sharp points.

Here’s my method.

Dribble the Poly-U glue on the wing skin and spread with a regular spatula until it has a thin even covering. Thin as you can get it but no “dry” spots showing on the balsa. Then using the modified trough, go over the sheet in both directions. This leaves little square bumps of glue evenly over the sheet and carries the excess glue off the sides. Do both the top and bottom skins this way.

Lay the lower cradle on a flat surface (glass table works great.) sheet of wax paper, lower skin, wet the wing core very lightly with a mist of water and the put it on, upper skin, another sheet of wax paper, and then the upper cradle. Line it all up, weight the whole mess down and let it sit over night.

Sometimes the leading edges of the wing sheeting will not quite touch the core. Wetting the none glue side of the sheeting on the front 2-3” will help them to bend toward the core. The moister is needed for the Poly-U glue to set anyway so it won’t hurt any.

Hope this helps,
Jerry

Bob's RD-1 is a popular design here in Rio.

I had two of them, and Bob sent me a set of plans.

The best darn one I saw was a D tube winged RD -1.

The wing was pretty light, and it ws the toughest thing I've ever heard of!

A not-too-heavy guy could put his weight on it, (no BS!) and ya know what?

I might just build me one, they are easy and fly good!

God bless you!

In Jesus,

>it. The new Bilt Up one will be OUNCES lighter, and will
>also get the Webra 28 along with an OS 25 FSR, etc..
>We really enjoy the simplicity of the design, and the ease
>with which it flies.

From my best observation and comparison, the wing dimensions and airfoil for the RD-1 is just about spot on the same as the SIG Twister. It takes little effort to convert the rib pattern from the Twister layout to a C or D-Tube, or even a Millenium wing. They build very quickly as well.

I have done this conversion and have these files in .pdf format. If anyone wants a copy, let me know, and I will email the digits. Just print a copy off your home computer's printer and you are in business.

I would be curious as to what Bob's recommended mods are. Mine all came out a little nose heavy, so I drew up a set of plans for a slightly longer fuse with larger tail feathers. This ship builds so quickly that, less finishing, you can knock one out in a weekend... .

That guy Jerry must have a "Santa Claus complex"...

I'm still benefiting from the stuff he gave me! Tanks , dave brown lite wheels, leadout guides, leadouts, belcrancks sullivan cables wow!

Down here a guy can kill is mother for such nice stuff...

Thank you sooo much, Jerry, once again!

BTW, that little OS .25 VF is really "KEWL" (I was lookin for an excuse to use this "kwel " thing...) it fires on the first flip, and has lots of ponies for it.

God bless you!

In Yeshua Ha Maschiach,

Ion,

Let's do this right. It's "cewl," first used--to my knowledge, at least--in a Bad Boy Stunt column in Stunt News.

"Kewl," even though sounding the same, would be something uttered by a Commie. Kommie? Cewl...

I'm now the owner of GREG'S RD-1. I started it last night. It will have an OS-32f from Tom Lay in the nose. and I going to do a build up PROFILE FUSE. I also finished it last night. Great looking plane can't wait to fly it. Right now I'm looking at 34 oz.

Scott(got to build the tank) Riese