Box Car Chief

Here is my completed and flown Box Car Chief. Really a neat airplane that flies very well. I had Crist Rigotti cut me a foam core wing that I built using the "Dixon" technique. The rest of the model is balsa and built right off the plans. Other than the foam wing everything else follows the plans exactly. Thanks to Bill Hodges for his advice on building and flying. The plane ready to fly is 31ounces with a Fox 35. I fly it on 57' lines.

With the help of EddyR and Ken Hedrick we have it 90% trimmed and flying good. It does fly a very nice OTS pattern, and it's slightly unusual with it's high wing. It looks very cool in the air and it's different.

Looks great, John!
Bill <><

Really Pretty!!

Looks great! Is the bellcrank in the fuselage? I don't see the lead-out lines.

I am amazed every time I see a Boxcar Chief fly. They fly so much better than I expect them to (eventually I will learn, I suppose). It is a very good airplane. Make sure your rudder is firmly attached. Bob Arata's Boxcar Chief lost its rudder at one of the Sig contests and immediately went into a flat spin to the ground.

John,
Really nice job. It's gratifying to see one of my wings done. Man it didn't take you all that long either.

John:

Looks great. Glad I could be of some little help. Don't forget my offer. If you ever decide you don't want the BC, I know where it can find a very good home where it will get lots of attention. Like I said in my email, the more you fly the BC and get used to the high wing, the more you will like it.

Got me thinking here. Maybe it is time to build another one.

Have a blast flying it.

LAST EDITED ON Apr-13-04 AT 07:48 AM (CDT)
 
Hey, Bill. I still have your old one, if you ever want to fly it.
Larry Lundy

That's the nicest looking BC Chief I have seen. I never really had any desire to build one until I saw your's. It's on my wish list now. (More wishes that I think I have life left. I gave up that "too many women too little time" to now "too many models, not enough time.)

I watched Jim Lee fly his BC at SIG and didn't notice any problems, but asking you first hand, is their a noticeable difference with insides and outsides? How about the landing with inches to the ground? Pretty bird. You done good.

Insides vs. Outsides: never had any problem with mine (see construction article, FM, Dec. '90). Landings (on asphalt) were very smooth when "driven" on somewhat fast and holding just a "skosh" of Down before letting the tailskid settle. Don't try to fly these things at "precision" speeds; let 'em rip and they'll serve you well in any OTS competition.

Shel-I haven't noticed any difference between in and outs. So far it flies good, once I get the engine running better I think it will be a solid OTS ship. However, I found it easier to land slow with a nose high attitude. Landing with some speed it just gives it more energy to bounce.

Also, Crist has the templates to cut a foam wings for the Box Car so building is easy and quick.

I have had the drawings for the Box Car for several years now but have not moved on it due to the looks of the short nose. All the pictures I have seen to date do not give a good view as to weather the nose had been lenghten or not. Yours looks as per design and I notice the heavey hub. Is this all the additional weight required or is there something I missed seeing? It sure is a good looking ship. Something I have noticed (or it could be just me) is that the plane looks a lot better in a picture then what you would envision by just looking at the drawings.

LAST EDITED ON Apr-13-04 AT 06:06 PM (CDT)
 
Rich-because of the tongue muffler I had to add the heavy hub, even with that it's 31 ounces. Everything you see on mine is stock right off the plans except for the foam wing. The plane reallys looks better in real life than on the plans, looks evan better in the air.

>Rich-because of the tongue muffler I had to add the heavy
>hub, even with that it's 31 ounces. Everything you see on
>mine is stock right off the plans except for the foam wing.
>The plane reallys looks better in real life than on the
>plans, looks evan better in the air.
>
>John

Thanks for the info. Now thats another model I have to find time to build. Retirement keeps looking better and better.