Ringmaster Adventures

Based on a lengthy Ringmaster thread posted here last Winter, I decided to build the lightest R. I could. Goal was 20 ounces, and the only way I could attempt to make it was with an OS FP 15.

Well, I missed by about 2.5 ounces, but this R. has that light feel to it. This is what I did:

Swap Meet S-1A wing, already framed up. I covered it with light span, dyed fuscia, and sprayed on very few light, very thinned coats of clear.

Scratched the rest with contest balsa (fuse, tailfeathers). Take a look at the extreme "airfoil" shown for the fuse on the Sterling S-1 plans. I went at least that far and then some. Even so, I did run the very hard maple mounts all the way to the wing, and lightened with holes the part you don't see. Also, the doublers were extended to the high point of the airfoil, light ply inboard, regular ply out. As it turned out, the little OS didn't really need all this support, but I will use the plane as a test bed for other, larger, more vintage (read: shaking) motors. Yellow dyed, very thin clear aprayed on the fuse and tailfeathers. Oh yes, solid, S-1 style balsa canopy; it was so light, that the plastic S-1A alternative really wasn't any lighter. And I think I actually hollowed the canopy just a bit.

Ultra lite wheels on music wire one size smaller than stock, but stock length.

Maybe a two ounce tank, metal. An RC clunk would have saved a little wt.

I flew it tonight, twice. It flew quite nicely, and very easy to fly. It was odd at first, flying a plane that normally has a shaking, noisy Fox. This one is so quiet, it might as well be electric, with its stock OS muffler. I have heard Wakefield rubber models unwinding on launch that were about as loud. Ran it almost in a hard two cycle. I couldn't bring myself to fly it on 60 foot lines, so 52 it was. Somewhere in the mid 50s may be ideal.

Interestingly, I had a "standard" R., about 30 ounces, out tonight also, with a Fox 29 (as you know, a bit heavier vs. its 35 cousin). The 15 powered Ring actually CGed out fractionally more noseheavy.

Apples and oranges, these two...

LAST EDITED ON Jul-01-04 AT 00:36 AM (CDT)
 
If you're looking for an even lighter .15, there's the ASP. Just Engines in the UK sells them. I bought a pair, delivered to Malaysia, they were US$60.00 apiece, with muffler and RC carb. Next time I'll ask him for the CL venturi instead, or with no carb/muffler (the ones I bought were for Cheap .15 Combat). These are, believe it or not, BB engines.

I think the OS 15 FP, without muffler, is about 4.6 ounces. What is the ASP? Currell

Currell,

Yours is nearly identical to at least one model built and flown by local OTS ace Emil Kovac. I think his was lighter than your model, but doubt if it makes any real difference in the air.

Emil's model was just deadly. I first encountered it when beginning to fly OTS with a Viking/Fox 35 combination and there for more contests than I like to recall Emil and that stupid, whining model/engine combination was untouchable.

In fact, while a group of us would stand around mindlessly whining about the exhaust noise, the judges didn't seem to notice and would give him (fully deserved) high scores.

By chance, Emil called last week looking for a place to fly. I brought up that old model and he waxed eloquent about how it pretty much flew at the same speed all the time, how easy it was to fly accurately.

Currell. You have done something not many others have been able to do: that is, a Ringmaster S-1 at 22.5 oz! That takes some doing. My own Ringmaster is 22.1 oz, with OS25FPS but I had to do some heroic stuff, like fuselage of 3/8" square covered with 1/16" sheet both sides, leading edge made of 3 pieces of 1/8" sheet, super light balsa, and no paint (just colored tissue and clear dope).

The difference a few ounces makes! The RM is a great OTS ship, still winning. But a light one turns like no other (and you get a no-flap bonus at some contests).

Steve,

Hey, check in here, will ya? My recollection is that at least one of Emil's Ringmasters was *under* 20 ounces. Can this be?

You are right; it is very easy to fly accurately.

I was pretty cheesed that it did not come out under 20 ounces. I kept a very accurate record of each piece or component, and it looked like I was going to be very close. Then, I didn't do any work on it for a while. Once I got all of the landing gear brackets, etc on, it was around 22.

Currell. You are almost there. Close enough. Next time, you might consider some of Windy's CF parts, like bellcrank (3" if he has one), pushrod, landing gear, titanium threaded ends, etc. Easily an ounce saved there.

Nothing wrong with using 4 lb balsa from Riley Wooten. Most Ringmaster planes are built to survive a crash. Not mine!

Hmmmm...

I'm thinking there is way too much emphasis being placed here on an ultra-light Ringmaster. Especially as very light models can almost be counted upon to let the tail surfaces go all wiggly in level flight and in maneuvers.

I did mention Emil's as being very light. But he quit flying it, or moved on to something else, as the model proved to be a problem in windy conditions. Some claim it was too light, although I never actually flew it myself.

My bet is that, from the judge's perspective, the differences between two identical Ringmasters, one a 22-ounce piece and one which comes in at 27 ounces simply could not be seen or identified in any meaningful way.

I have certainly never seen--including Emil's trick model, David's cool unit--a Ringmaster which flew better than my PF02SO-powered ARF Flite Streaks which came in at 27 and 28 ounces.

Dan,

OK, so now all of the sudden, due to a serendipitous chain of events, I am the owner of the “engine that must not be named” (am I the only one who’s read all the Harry Potter’s?). I’ve already got the ARF, ARF Streak so off with the TT .25 and on with the Oh So Faithful Powerplant for one OutStanding Flying Plane. Got the 9x4’s to go with it too.

Just working on a few name ideas here, like you need my help.

Clay

PS This looks to be a late model? I saw mention of some being Iron Piston? How can I easily tell? Have not looked in the muffler yet but I will.

Hola, Currell. Como es ta?

t is the ideal weight?

please ignore my last. I composed a nice tome, but the computer deleted almost all of it.

Sorry about that..

Cgryphon,
"PS This looks to be a late model? I saw mention of some being Iron Piston? How can I easily tell? "

Attached is a picture showing the difference between the original iron/steel O.S.FP engine and the later ABN version. The picture shows .40 size FP engines but the .35FP, .25FP, and .20FP crankcases all looked the same except the 25/20 case is smaller. The older "iron piston with steel liner" version is identified by the raised vertical flute on the side of the case opposite the exhaust port.
DennisV

Hi Clay. Where are you living now?
Currell

Hey Currell,

Still living in Nashville. I don’t miss the snow much but I do miss the swap circuit and flat land. Hard enough to find a place to fly without being surrounded by hills and hollers. Sounds like you guys are getting/keeping a good group of flyers together up that way. Check out these recent posts (you may have already) for my recent adventures, parts of which are actually true.

http://www.clstunt.com/htdocs/dcforum/DCForumID1/9558.html

http://www.clstunt.com/htdocs/dcforum/DCForumID1/9589.html

DennisV,

That's like most excellently perfect! Thanks for the effort on this post. I have the newer version.

Getting back to model weights, and the (maybe helpful) effects thereof...Only recently have I taken pains to remove weight, select materials carefully, apply paint sparingly, etc.

One was a swap meet Nobler, assembled but not covered, and potentially light with covered with the proper silkspan and minimal paint. The other is the aforementioned R. (And, of course, the various Scientific Hollow Logs).

Based on flying characteristics, mainly that you could fly them a lot slower but still under control, I thought that the weight reducing efforts were well worth it. Not that I am any good at exploiting the wt differences, but it still felt better, at least to this strictly Sport flyer.

Another question, in the same vein, to anyone...what is the lightest full size Flight Streak that you know of, or someone has lied to you about? Ever see it fly?

I composed a rather lengthy discourse on Ringmasers, but I seemed to hit the wrong key, and my effort went into cyber-land, never to be recovered.

Basically, I offered my own Ringmaster S-1 plans, with my special construction, which with light wood, will get a Ringmaster to about 22 oz. Before you salivate, the "special" construction is a fuselage of mush-soft 3/8" square and covered with 1/16" sheet. The wing L.E. is 3 pieces of 1/8" sheet, and the T.E. is 2 pieces of 1/16" sheet.

Without any heavy paint, and using colored tissue throughout, a 22 oz. Ringmaster is possible.

Now, I realize that Bart can fly a heavy Ringmaster to first place, but the lighter ones turn better, giving us lesser flyers a slight advantage.

Floyd

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