.15 size Airplanes

Any one besides me like .15 size airplanes? I have a Shark .15, a Flying Clown, and an Acromaster. While I have a number of models with .35 and .40 engines, I just have a blast flying the smaller ones.
This morning, I did some experimenting with a "Steel Fin" Fox .15 in place of the "Slant Plug" Fox I have Always Used on the Shark. It doesn't have as much power, but runs more reliably than the "Slant Plug" on this airplane. The"Slant Plug" model seems to have the dreaded Fox burp in outside maneuvers. I have tried 3 different tanks, but it has the same problem to some degree with all of them. Any one else have this problem?

> Any one besides me like .15 size airplanes? I have a
>Shark .15, a Flying Clown, and an Acromaster. While I have a
>number of models with .35 and .40 engines, I just have a
>blast flying the smaller ones.
>This morning, I did some experimenting with a "Steel Fin"
>Fox .15 in place of the "Slant Plug" Fox I have Always Used
>on the Shark. It doesn't have as much power, but runs more
>reliably than the "Slant Plug" on this airplane. The"Slant
>Plug" model seems to have the dreaded Fox burp in outside
>maneuvers. I have tried 3 different tanks, but it has the
>same problem to some degree with all of them. Any one else
>have this problem?

Hi Don, My engines "Burp" all the time......and they're not
even Foxes. They are Diesels. Don't worry about the burps
unless power diminishes. I have more .15cu" sized models than
I care to count.....many of them with .049 and .061 engines
installed. I luv em also... Tony

Tony,
The problem I have had on more than one occasion with this ship, is a dead engine instead of just a burp. I have another Slant Plug Fox on my Flying Clown that has never given this problem. Maybe I should try this engine on the Shark. The Clown also has a different type tank, which might be the solution I guess, but since they mount differently, I will need another tank before I can try that out.

How do you like the Jr Nobler and the Lil Thunderbird? I have both kits and several 15's, so I might try class "A" flying.

Phil, a friend who is a very competent aerobatics pilot has a Jr. Nobler powered with a Fox 15. I am amazed by the performance of his model.

For the Lil T-Bird, I also have 2 Veco .19's, one plain bearing and one BB, plus an Enya .19. I had also considered an early Fox 35S for this. There is also a Magnum 25 GP in my collection, but it still needs to be dialed in.

Hi Phil,
For the Little T-Bird, I'd suggest at least an OS .25 LA or FP. That's a BIG plane for a .15; 435 sq. in. is 5% more than the TF Tutor! I don't believe I'd trust even a PAW .15TBR diesel in that large a plane.

>Hi Phil,
>For the Little T-Bird, I'd suggest at least an OS .25 LA or
>FP. That's a BIG plane for a .15; 435 sq. in. is 5% more
>than the TF Tutor! I don't believe I'd trust even a PAW
>.15TBR diesel in that large a plane.

Hi Raplh, Guess how many Sq"'s Aldrich's Peacemaker(USA ver.)
has....and it was powered by an Oliver Tiger III ..which is
considerably less powerful than a PAW .15TBR. I've got a
PAW .19TBR on an All American Sr.(it's light however).
23 1/2 oz's without fuel...
Tony G( I manage to fly that Cat Jet once a year ...)

I flew and my son now flies the U-Key 15. I originally ran the Norvel BigMig 15 but now putz around with an OS FP 15.

The Jr. Flite Streak also comes to mind. I learned inverted with a slant plug Fox 15 powered one back in HS.

I built a Jr Nobler in the early 60's while stationed in Iwakuni Japan with the Navy. The model was fairly light and was originally powered with a ST G20 15 which tried to make a combat ship out of it. This wasn't what I wanted so I installed an OS Mas 15 Mk 2. This turned the little ship into a great flying little stunt ship. I was very impressed with it's performance and fun to fly value. I suspect a OS FP 10 would give similar performance to the earlier loop scavenged 15 with about the same weight. I feel the FP 15 would be way too much power and hard to slow down to a respectable lap time. I highly recommend the Jr Nobler if kept fairly light. I have a kit that I plan to use to trace the parts so I can sometime make another.

Don,

I like smaller planes, and 0.15 is a sensible size -- big enough to fly when there's some wind.

I also like diesels, but they fly more like larger engines. I had a PAW 19/Sterling Ringmaster for several years. Didn't fly often enough to nail settings consistently, but when close it felt more solid than most Fox35 Ringmasters.

It is also easier to find space for the 52.5' lines that older glow .15s do well on. Some of the newer schneurle 15s may work more like mild older 25s, if the smaller props still suit stunting.

Not that I don't like larger planes, too... <g>

Jr Ringmasters, Flite Streaks, a little Keith Sandberg design called the Challenger, restoring a Guillows Trainer 2 with an OS steel fin 15. All lots of fun, quick and easy, frugal on fuel. Son Ryan did his first loops the other day with a FS Trainer and Enya 15. Yup, we like 15s, too. BTW, the Enya 15 are potent and cheap. We need a better source of mufflers, though.

At the moment I am flying a #5 Easy with a ST G20-15 diesel and having lots of fun. In some ways it flys better than my #7 Easy with Tower 40. If I can avoid attacks of stupidity the #5 will be my OTS airplane for the next VSC. I had a scratch built Shark 15 With TD 09 which I had a lot of fun with until one too many pilot errors. I've just started one of Walter's kits. I'm going to put on metal mounts so I can try a number of diferent engines. After the first Shark demised, I put the engine, tank, and controls in a Brodak Flitestrak Jr. TD 09 is a lot of engine for that airplane. Had to go to 57 ft lines to get it where I could fly it almost all the time. No doubt that the 09 - 19 size airplanes can be very capable and a lot of fun.

I just retired a scratch built skyray with an old enya .19V. It worked very well, till I did something stupid. I have a few slant plug fox 15's and want to build a magacian 15 and a Jr flight streak. The 33-36 inch airplanes fit well in the car, and are managable. 52- 57 foot .012 lines are nice, and fit in a smaller space.

Normally, my 15 sized planes are Streak Jrs, Ringmaster Jrs, home builts around 30" in span, etc. And usually with a Steel Fin Fox.

Lately, though, I built a 22 ounce full size Ringmaster, and put n OS 15 FP on it. With a muffler, it is so quiet, it might as well be electric. I have it on 52 foot lines at the moment, and it is easy to fly, very controllable. And no vibration.

Any of you guys that really want a fine .15 sized stunt ship should check out Design Man's Skyfire 4.15. He has plans, and RSM has laser cut ribs. Still working on mine but it sure looks promising. Also putting an FP 15 in my ARF Streak.
Larry Lundy

I have two 15 size planes at the moment. A Flying Clown Fox 15X (slant plug) that I flew at VSC 2 yrs ago. The problem was the rich to lean change during the flight. Just enough spped for the climb dive and wingover at first. Then lean sagging during the overhead.
I've tried to run uniflow but no success yet.
The other is a modified Nobler Jr, Fox 15X or Cox TD 15. It's heavy and the controls are stiff. Built in 1966. Would be an excellent stunter if lighter weight and better controls.
You have me curious about the Fox 15 steelfin. I always thought they were too heavy, low power, wear out too quick. But I'll try one now.
My next 15 ship will be a Whipsaw (Enterprise). Had one in 1959, Fox 15 steelfin/8-4 tornado nylon. It was fast and fun.
Then maybe a Ringmaster Jr. Also had one in 1959. Learned the basics of syunt on one. Great fun.
Happy Landings

My current .15 size group includes Flying Clown, Ringmaster Jr., Flite Streak Jr., two Akromasters (one stock, one modified), and two roll-your-owns. Would we include an old Jr. Satan?

What about British and other European designs? Judging from the articles published on Tony Elmore's website, there's a lot of 15 size OT and Classic designs out there. Can Tony respond? How about obtaining plans? I get bolloxed up trying to figure out how to order from over there. If I get the cc numbers right a few 15 class birds flew in world stunt contests in the fifties and sixties.

I flew a jrFlite Streak with an Enya 19 fitted with an old style adjustable plate DuBro strap on. It chugged along nicely. Definitely could handle the beginner pattern. The nose heavy plane flew smooth.

I like planes under 33inch span. They fit the back shelf of my 75 corvette. Not much else does.

I have a sterling P-38 with a pair of Fox slant plug .15s. A bit heavy for the wing area, but can do loops and rolls. Recently re-kitted a Jr. Flite Streak with a Fox BB 15. Occassionally find out one or the other 15 on the P-38 quits in flight, but at least on the inside engine, it will still loop.

Yes .15size airplanes were pretty popular here in Europe - many are still available from x-list and Phil Hannson - many .15 size planes are available for 'swap' at Gabrielle Macri's Italian site.