Model plane trailers

Anybody have or seen a good design for a hobby trailer dedicated to model airplanes? The thought of buying a motor home doesn't seem cost effective as compared to a trailer and motels for the contest season.

Bob Smiley
A Lancair 360 builder\pilot trying to be a modeler

There's a fellow here in town that flies R/C 3D planes. He's got a trailer (out of necessity - some of his planes are, I swear, 1/4 scale!) that will fit two of his large planes (removable wings) and a number of smaller ones. It looks like a professionally-made trailer, but I have no information about who makes these. It's not as high as a U-Haul - nor as big. It has a door on the side as well as one at the back.

Tim

Bob:

I have seen a few guys tote their r/c stuff....big, and they seem to require 100 pounds of support gear per plane. I have seen some nice finishes put onto a "trailer kit" that Harbor Freight, Costco, Sams, Sears, etc sell for $299.00. The frame is 4' x 8', and they have pretty good springs.

See Ya

NEGATIVE

Check your local advertisements for used 5th wheel popup trailers, especially ones that need new interiors. I have heard of these going as low as 25 bucks and as high as 150 for a rather nice sized one.

Rip out all the insides, install what you need to hold your planes. Haul the now lighter trailer behind your Honda civic if you wish. Don't like it, cut the darn thing up and haul it to your local aluminum scrapper. Probably worth more than 25 bucks there.

Around here we affectionatly refer to the "DMAA" trailer. The club had a used boat trailer used to transport the Carrier deck round and about. We built a box of 4x8 plywood and attatched it to the trailer with carriage bolts. Not much to look at but this thing has been to 2 VSCs (2000 mile round-trip), 4 Topekas and as many Wichita contests with never a problem. We lined the box with sponge rubber foam. stack planes vertically with rubber foam between them and no damage ever. Works so well we had it covered with aluminum siding. it is very light- takes about an extra mpg to pull it. Best regards,

Here is my rig.....

LAST EDITED ON Feb-27-04 AT 00:34 AM (CDT)
 
Duck,

See, now here's a guy that gets carried away. Me, I want a competitive stunter that fits in a shoe box and drive a Ferrari to the contest.

Heck, just a new SUV with a better seat would be nice.

LAST EDITED ON Feb-27-04 AT 00:21 AM (CDT)
 
Mike Lauerman

A trailer can be all you ever wanted. If you set one up right, it can also be a 'mobile repair station', without getting too sophisticated. By this I mean that the mat'ls req'd are within our own realm: WOOD. A set of drawers for tools, and the necessary 'sliders' for hangars, not to mention the walls for add'tl wings, stabs, (if Break-down mode is appropriate) etc.
The magic thing about a trailer is that, given 5'X 8' of Real Estate, it stores easily; not to mention Storage Space thru the Winter, or 'between-the-acts'. I have a stationary 'Camp Trailer' (20') that is devoted exclusively to Kit Storage. (That's how it was planned; Now, it is extra building space, dedicated to those "also, and while- we're-at-its") I have benefitted from the seperative space, as it keeps from overflowing into my standard building mode, which may be augmented at a moment's notice...
I had a Horse Trailer, and LOVED it! It went behind my '55 F100 like it was designed there. Plans were to convert it to a C/L Model workshop that pulled nicely. An Equestrian friend talked me into selling it, wish I hadn't rescinded, would have been "neat"...
Think on a trailer, but one you can pull. My F100 HATES the 20-footer, but it is Smallblock Chev powered, so...think McCoy .19, pulling a Ringmaster and a scale Waco Troop Carrying-Glider, fulla fat guys!
Look at the previous post, and I think you will agree that Duck has the right idea! Just Ducky. (grumble)

Bob:

I haven't done set up one for modeling but have done them for Tandem bicycles. There are good small setups out there for $150 to $250 but here's the potential problem: Unless you add a lot of weight the ride like they don't have springs. My 4x6' job would bounce off the ground on the freeway. (tandem bikes weigh 30-50 lbs). By increasing the floor to 3 layers of 3/4" plywood, removing the small helper spring built in originally ( and this trailer is only rated for 750# gross weight), and running the tires at 20-25# pressure, I keep it on the ground. As a rule of thumb, try to get the weight up to 50/60% of the rated capacity OR have the springs softened carefully by a pro. At your loaded weight, have some one drive it and drive beside it, an a road with sharp expansion strips. You need to see the wheels staying on the ground and moderate flexing of the springs.

Also, when running lower pressures, monitor tire temps (which shouldn't be a problem with light loading) and be SURE you have enough pressure to keep the tires from sliding on the rims and tearing the valve stem off the tubes.

Large trailers ride better but defeat your purpose. Pack every thing in the trailer like it is riding a Jack hammer. It is! Jeff

Bob,

I would think that you might need a small purpose built glider wityh autopilot. I think everyone else forgets that you travel to a lot of contests in a Lancair 360. Therefore, I don't believe the trailers they suggest are appropriate at all.

OS

How about a cargo box like the Cessna 206 had specially designed to fit under the wing/fuselage of your 360. Would cost a few MPH on cruise, but you have plenty anyway. Should be able to design it so a standard stunter with gear removed could be carried without having to be a take apart. Could be carried on top of a rental car after landing.

Sourdough,

You may be right. A towline glider pulled behind the Lancair might be the cat's meow. Pat Johnston wants me to get a Cessna 210. That way he can come with and we can "Load er up".

The trailer idea is thinking ahead for 2005 NATS with Pat Johnston and Randy Powell as a travel team.

Bob Smiley
a Lancair 360 builder/pilot trying to be a modeler.

PS I like Rob's outfit. Looks like a class act.

You obviously are not married to a woman like my wife. She actually dragged me to an RV show and made me look at those mobile mansions. I could not believe it. She figured if I could pack four airplanes in one, I'd be tempted to buy one. Right, and who's gonna drive the thing?, you? ha. Then she looked at the prices. They cost more than our house!!! And the fireplace was huge!! I forced her to look at the smaller ones. I'd rather have a house in Tucson. Since I'm from Nevada, I like it high and hot and dry.

Hey Ty!

Right here in the yard I have a NEAT motorhome that is for sale. Not mine, I'm doing some basic repairs for the owner.

It's a 1978 GMC Royale. 37K original miles, one owner, in PERFECT original condition. It's been stored in an air conditioned, heated warehouse ALL of its life.

It's worth between 20 and 30K, not terribly expensive, MUCH better looking than the big boxy new ones, at 26' big enough for two people and model airplanes. Drives like a car, your wife would have no problem maneuvering it around. Sit down, press the brake, put in "D" and go. It's the same motor and transmission as the front wheel drive Toronados or Riverias. I have a 1977 Palm Beach, in, uh, not QUITE as nice of shape...

Thanks for the cartoon! Very appropriate!

Tools

Ty,

You read my mind. We, wife and I, did just that. We looked at motorhomes. Yep, we found one for about 70K. new with a basement under the bed. about five feet wide, width of vehicle and about 40 inches high. That cavern could carry many stunt planes and gear for one possibly two flyers. But alas, not enough room for three flyers with six planes and gear nor sleeping room for three.

Being a retired businessman whose success depended upon frugal decisions; I couldnot bring myself to the point of buying a motorhome when the Lancair calls me into the great blue skies of our wonderful country. Perhaps when My hair is all grey and the ole ticker prohibits me from flying general aviation aircraft. But then, I will probably try to figure out how to build an inflatable or orogami stunter to be carried in a Stemme SV10 motorglider. No medical needed there and they cruise at 140 mph.

Bob Smiley
A Lancair 360 builder/pilot trying to be a modeler

Crain mentioned 5th wheel pop up campers, but the regular bumper hitch pop up campers are great for converting to airplane haulers. Available pretty cheap as you don't care about the tent part or the interior, strip it out and build something to hold the planes and support gear.

One caution on the sponge-rubber lined trailer I described above. It's so comfortable being insulated with the foam that occassionaly you'll find a "sleeping giant" in it, taking a snooze. Named Mike Greb! Flew the Tucker for the first time today- high winds and cold. Requires flap/elevator adjusting which has been accomplished this evening. New Grandson arrived to cause me to lose focus for a while. That makes six. Don't know why I always change thread direction- I'll try to quit. Best regards,

LAST EDITED ON Feb-29-04 AT 12:38 PM (CDT)
 
I know someone that built his own trailer. He built it from 4 sheets of plywood and a homemade trailer frame. He attached a sheet of 1/2" plywood to the trailer frame, attacked the plywood sides that are 2 ft high cut from 1/4" plywood. The top of the trailer is another sheet of 1/4" plywood attached with hinges and some of those nitrogen filled cylinders from Auto Zone. The top lifts up like a trunk lid the cylinders keep the lid up so he can get the airplanes in and out. Its all held together with 1"x2" boards in the corners and screws. It looks sorta like a home made pop up camper. I like the idea and have been thinking about building one myself because I don't like to pull anything that blocks my vision behind my truck. The trailer, frame and wheels do not weigh much I can lift it off the ground with it attached to his truck. It probably weighs 200 lbs. I don't have a pic so look at this pic on ebay 2226637755 it will give you an idea. The 1x2 boards are on the inside. Wheels are on the outside of the box. Fenders are sheet aluminum. It measures 4wx8Lx2h.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2226637755

You made a trailer out of a model airplane?
Cool!

Jake

IDEA,

There a a lot of old beat up worn out small camper trailers about 14-18 feet. They could be gutted out, leaving the table and seating area for a worktable, conversation area and the rest of the trailer can be used for storage and transporting models etc.

I remember one time where someone bought a beater for next to nothing and used it for a chicken coop.

Bob Smiley
A lancair 360 builder/pilot trying to be a modeler.