The NEW (vintage) Chief

Mike Lauerman

The new Chief, by Larry Richards, is obviously the 'way to go'.
But, is it legal? I understand Ty's concern, and share it myself.
(product revues, the New Chief)
As the 'second Chief Version', I ask again: is it legal?

Since you haven't gotten any answers yet, I'll toss in my 2 cents worth. This will move the topic up to the top of the list again and maybe someone will come on and correct any errors I might have made.

Larry's kit is of the Veco version which is classic legal but not OTS legal. The OTS legal version dates back to the "Henry Engineering" days and came in a brown box with red label. In addition to the infamous pollywog airfoil, the fuselage was different. The most noticeable change is the nose which is completely open, much like the Brave and Warrior. There are two fuselage widths shown on the plans. The conventional 2" wide is called "narrow" and is shown with an O&R 23 engine among others. The "wide" fuselage (2 1/4 I think) was for the big engines. The forward formers were cut for the wide version and marked to be cut down to fit the smaller size. The wood in the kit was not particularly good and the die cutting is terrible. Larry's kits are vastly better.
Steve

Mike Lauerman

Thanks, Steve. That was the info I was seeking. I liked the old Sterling kits, and the Vecos were simple to build, flew well, and lent themselves to some scale touches, but all that was in a galaxy far and away.
Larry Richards' kits are the most enjoyable I have ever seen, and he is as near as your phone in the event of any degree of question!
His Redskin kit was my first of his, followed by the Profile Bearcat, which I am sworn to photolog as I build them. Hobby Shop in shape now, digital camera skill being sharpened as we speak, should be laying out some wood as soon as I finish cutting formers & patterns for this Coon Dog.
Cheers from Atwater,
Mike

You are so right about the fuselage being different. Mine is ready to be "boxed", but I am waiting for the engine so I can get the fuselage width right. Most, note most, fuselages are set so the top of the fuselage is the reference point for the wing, engine and stab, ie; it is parallel to those lines. But on the Henry Engeineering version, brown corragated box and red and white label, it is built with a slope. The cut out for the stabilizer is cut at an angle so it will sit in line with the thrust lines. I thought I had cut it wrong, made it "true" and found I had big incidence problems!!! Repaired that "thought" right now. The big engine is the O&R .60 believe it or not. The others are the samller O&R .23, McCoy .19, etc. Lots of ways shown to mount those engines. I have a replica kit of the Veco Chief and they are not the same except for the name. Even the rudder and stab are different, but the wood is sooo much better. Making pollywog ribs was fun. Next time I'll have the lazer cut.