ARF Flite Streak

This Flite Streak ARF had a price I couldn't refuse.

Monokote, in spite of my best efforts will always have wrinkles and bubbles (although I pricked the fuselage totally with a pin. it still had ugliness).

First "bash" was to make a 2-wheel landing gear. Not too hard, with a short piece of 1/2" maple epoxied to the bottom, and a hardwood dowel inserted through the fuselage at the top of the gear mount. Then the two-piece wire gear lashed with copper wire and JB Weld wasn't too ugly, but some ugly.

The elevator hinges were pretty bad. I used DuBro pin hinges instead.

The cable leadouts looped through the bellcrank are sure to fail, but not soon.

This clunker with a Norvel .15 BigMig will be our club "hack" for anyone to fly. It will be stored in the lock-box at our field with lines, handle, fuel. I hope our club members will use it when they come to the field with no plane and no excuses.

In the meanwhile, my Brodak LEGACY is assembled and ready for fillets and final doping, as soon as Windy ships the Aeropoxy Light fillet stuff.

Happy flying. Floyd

>First "bash" was to make a 2-wheel landing gear. Not too
>hard, with a short piece of 1/2" maple epoxied to the
>bottom, and a hardwood dowel inserted through the fuselage
>at the top of the gear mount. Then the two-piece wire gear
>lashed with copper wire and JB Weld wasn't too ugly, but
>some ugly.
>

Not a big deal, but could you post a picture? Still trying to decide how to accomplish this myself...

Happy Holidays!

Flite Streaks take off and land wonderful with a one-wheel gear. Taking off and landing a Flite Streak is just like taking off and landing a rat racer. Just grease it off and on. Why uglify it with a two wheel gear?

Jim. We fly on asphalt. This makes a mess of Monokote wingtips and stabs.

I got around the tip scraping by using a large nylon horn as a tip skid with the holes to the rear. Bolted it right through the trailing edge, and I can change it if it ever wears out.
Happy Holidays!
Bill <><

Just use the wing tip skids for R/C Sailplanes. $3 and the problem's solved.

>First "bash" was to make a 2-wheel landing gear. Not too
>hard, with a short piece of 1/2" maple epoxied to the
>bottom, and a hardwood dowel inserted through the fuselage
>at the top of the gear mount. Then the two-piece wire gear
>lashed with copper wire and JB Weld wasn't too ugly, but
>some ugly.
>

Not a big deal, but could you post a picture? Still trying to decide how to accomplish this myself...

Happy Holidays!

Andy

Andy,

ARF Flite Streak fuselages are mostly hollow. Had the good Dr. Spark known that he would have merely removed a chunk of fuselage inner perimeter, inserted a stick of maple between fuselage doublers, glued in place and then drilled for the landing gear.

I have two Flite Streaks ARF and I use Brodaks 38 Special gear#BG857-CLP-22 works very good, and prop clearance is fine. Neal

You are absolutely correct! The FS fuselage is "mostly air". In fact, I remember a comment to that effect earlier on this forum. How about this for an excuse?: I hesitated to cut into the fuselage for fear of voiding the warranty. (!)

As I mentioned earlier, this FS will be a club "hack" for anyone to fly. Not all our members are experienced with landing team race planes with mono-wheel gear. And dragging a wingtip on a fast landing could result in some interesting ground-looping..

Lest anyone thinks I'm bashing the Top Flite ARF, not true. I consider this one heck of a deal. It is perfect for its intended use.

>You are absolutely correct! The FS fuselage is "mostly
>air". In fact, I remember a comment to that effect earlier
>on this forum.

Snip, snip...
>
>Floyd

Dr. Spark,

Please be advised there is no need whatsoever to place an exclamation mark after the phrase "You are absolutely correct," when the statement is directed at myself. Unless, of course, you are surprised. And you shouldn't be...

I thought your comment about not voiding the warranty was very funny.

On my first ARF FS the "mostly air" feature was used to advantage in cutting away lower front perimeter piece, inserting lead and epoxy, closing it all back up with scraps of wood.

Happy New Year!

Dan. Your impropmptu English lesson is appreciated! One learns something new each day! I seem to be handicapped in this area because I was an Electronic Engineering major!

You shouldn't be ashamed: some of my best friends were English majors!!

Floyd !!

Does the stock bellcrank work and lines work ok with the flite streak? Or do you have to change it? I'm thinking about just leaving the stock setup in it instead of replacing it. It looks like it will hold up, but I would like the plane to last like I do all my planes. I will be using an .25

Ryan put them togerher and fly, I have two completly stock with an LA 25 and Norvel 25 . The Norvel is better for combat and the LA is better for a stunt trainer, either way for the money its a great plane .and loads of fun. SeeYa Neal

What line length do you use with the .25 LA Flite Streak, and where (inch from leading edge) is the CG ?
Norvald Olsvold

>What line length do you use with the .25 LA Flite Streak,
>and where (inch from leading edge) is the CG ?
>Norvald Olsvold

I use 58 foot lines on bolth Streaks and the cg is good with muffler and 2 wheel lg. Did not really check is as it flies very good,a little nose heavy is better and its easily adjusted. SEE YA NEAL

Ryan;

I would say depends on a couple things. Seems there are two different size lines used for leadouts mine had the small size and measured .018 the larger is around .027 if the reports are correct. All either need is to be bushed where they pass through the bellcrank. Your leadouts might be long enough to allow this without replacing them. At stunt speeds and 21-24oz either size should be fine, however I prefer the larger lines.

What do you call lasting a long time. Do you expect the plane to last part of a season or many seasons. If the latter install the bushings, for the former go fly especially if you have the larger leadouts (the smaller leadouts are plastic coated and measure around .028 with the plastic on).

The motor mount area is soft, there has been a lot of discussion on ways to strengthen it. Check older threads for suggestions. The tank that comes with the plane may be too small for your 25 depending on the flight times you want, but this has been discussed before too.

Whatever you do it's going to be hard to have a bad flying plane.

Dan. Your impropmptu English lesson is appreciated! One learns something new each day! I seem to be handicapped in this area because I was an Electronic Engineering major!
You shouldn't be ashamed: some of my best friends were English majors!!

Floyd !!

My Dear Floyd,

It was not an English lesson at all!!!! I was merely pointing out that when you say I was correct on an issue it should not prompt you to place exclamation marks in your response as I am of course *always!!!!!* right!!!!

And have, as Brett might say, a well-formed, if overly large, ego!!!!!!!

Norvaldo,

I'll be glad to check for you, but my recollection is that I prefer my ARF FSs to balance about 1.5" from leading edge of wing!!!!!!

Not trying to put you off, but think you will find lots of archived material on this site and a review would get you well up the learning curve quite quickly!!!!!!

Dan!!!!

My, how silly all of us can be sometimes(!)

Dan,

You left out the !