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General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: Tony Vitiello on August 19, 2010, 10:41:24 PM
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I had a Goldberg Shoestring Stunter 30 years ago as a kid and still have it on display on the wall in my workshop. I decided to build a new one to fly so I found an original Goldberg kit on Ebay and built it just like my original. Only difference is a 25LA instead of a K&B 40 on the old one.
I flew it for the first time this evening and it flew very nice. I hope to learn stunting as I never really did much with this plane as a kid other than fly around in circles.
I've been in RC for the past 30 years and still enjoy it (see my 40% Carden Edge in the background) but I hope to get into CL Stunt and get some of my RC buddies converted as well.
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Welcome back Tony. As long as the weight of the model is within reason, the Shoestring will like the .25 much more than the ol' K&B. The K&B would have been a very heavy engine for the Shoestring, and a lot more power than it really needs. I still feel that a well built, straight Shoestring is one of the best all around models for a sport/stunt flier. I still have one myself that I fly on occasion Have fun! H^^
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Well it felt light when I flew it but it remains to be seen how it does for learning stunt. I'm sure the weakest link will be me. I was on the rich side with it being a new engine and it still felt like it had good pull on the lines.
You are absolutely right on the K&B 40. It was too much power and pretty heavy. I did still have to add some lead to the tail with the 25LA though. I was hoping with a lighter engine not to have to do that.
I also have a Brodak kit of the Shoestring that I will start on next. It will probably be lighter as the wing is a lighter design. Based on my recent track record of learning stunts with my old 1/2A Goldberg Swordsman, I may need a few backup planes in the learning process. I shope the bigger airframe and more consistent engine will be easier to learn with.
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Hi, Tony - WELCOME BACK!!! y1
I was out of Model Aviation for 22 years. Then I found an old Shoestring at a private sale. With an old Fox 29, I was able to get back into the U/C groove.
Enjoy the plane! #^ #^
Bob Z.
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My Brodak Shoestring is 28ozs. with an LA .25 ready to fly...I could probably
have shaved a couple more ozs off that but this is a fun plane no matter what
and like you I had one as a kid...with a McCoy .35 on it...what a brick!!! LOL.
Once that LA breaks in mine did the whole pattern with ease...looks good doing
it too. Thats a complete Polyspan and Brodak dope finish too. 3 oz. uniflow on
60 ft. lines.
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Looks Great Tony!!!
Keep us posted, and Welcome Back!
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Make sure you at least try flying it without the added tail weight. Basically ignore the CG on the plans, just trim it to your liking. y1
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I've been in RC for the past 30 years and still enjoy it (see my 40% Carden Edge in the background) but I hope to get into CL Stunt and get some of my RC buddies converted as well.
Show us that 40% Carden Edge!! No offense to the Shoestring but, that big Carden looks hot!
By the way, a president of a local RC club here in Socal has told me that, practically all of his members are taking up CL again. Seems that most of them started out in CL and they want to relive the "good old days".
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Hi Tony, And welcome back to UC Flying! Much as developed over the past 30 or so years and one of the more positive developments has been the introduction of a new magazine entirely dedicated to Control Line in all of its manifestations! The magazine is Control Line World and is published by John Brodak! The subscription rate is only $25.00 per year and is very worthwhile for the price charged. Check out the web site at www.FlyIn@Brodak.com! They also have a web site which shows a wide array of UC planes and accessories!
TallyHo
Phil Spillman
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Another thing that I have done was to discard the 1/8" sheet stab and build mine up from 3/8" with ribs. 3/8" might sound a little thick but by the time you sand it all down you are back at 1/4". You can airfoil the stab this way. Don't know if it actually flies any better but it sure looks better.
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I had a Shoestring Stunter in the old days with a Fox 35S. It was always one of my favorites. I just picked up a used Shoestring that used for racing. I need to lighten it a little, then recover and refinish it. but it should do well. What is a good covering material short of silk. There must be a replacement for silkspan.
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Show us that 40% Carden Edge!! No offense to the Shoestring but, that big Carden looks hot!
By the way, a president of a local RC club here in Socal has told me that, practically all of his members are taking up CL again. Seems that most of them started out in CL and they want to relive the "good old days".
Well the nostalgia is certainly is certainly the main thing that brought me back to control line. The 40%er is always fun to fly but I have to say I'm more nervous flying my new Shoestring. Every new stunt you try is down low with control line and there is no simulator to practice with. I enjoy the challenge and I'm sure I'll tear up several planes learning stunt.
The picture is from my local flying field which is Buder Park in the St Louis area. Some of you guys might know the field because we have a control line area as well as RC. It is a 40% Carden Edge which took over a year to build. The Shoestring took about 2 weeks and that was taking my time rather than slapping it together in 3 days like I did when I was a kid.
Thanks for the tips on the Shoestring. I may try removing some tail weight. In RC I know how to trim a plane for CG but its a bit different with CL. It certainly didn't feel nose heavy on landing but if I start removing tail weight, how will I know when I've gone too far? Having to hold more up on landings?
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Tony: Your Shoestring looks great. My son's had a couple of them
and they are great little planes. I love the big Carden, too!
Later, Steve
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Thanks for the tips on the Shoestring. I may try removing some tail weight. In RC I know how to trim a plane for CG but its a bit different with CL. It certainly didn't feel nose heavy on landing but if I start removing tail weight, how will I know when I've gone too far? Having to hold more up on landings?
Hi Tony,
My first *big* plane was the Shoestring with a McCoy 19 Red Head. I loved it! ;D
When learning stunt, it is easier (in some people's opinion) to fly slightly nose heavy. Maybe, maybe not.... As you are aware, if the plane is tail heavy, it will be difficult to control. Sounds like that is not the case since you have flown it successfully.
A way to judge tail heavy is if the model drops its tail when the engine quits. If you are not having trouble flying it as is, I wouldn't bother. Just try to be smooth and open up the maneuvers when you are learning. Most tend to fly WAY too small when they are beginning to fly stunt. And a great way to learn inverted flight is to start with "lazy 8s" and keep flying the inverted part of the 8 longer and longer until you are flying laps inverted.
Big Bear
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Hi Tony,
Very nice work! Sounds like you have the makings of a jim dandy stunt builder and pilot. Do you have an experienced flying buddy who can give you a hand? Bill is right about CG and control sensitivity (too far forward and the controls become sluggish and unresponsive), and about learning outside loops the easy way (best not to try it by the "kamikaze" method--climbing up high and then diving toward the ground--KERSPLAAAAAAATTTT!!!). Also, have you glued the tail on the new Brodak kit plane yet?
Happy flying!
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My thoughts are the CG is that it's good. Not too sensitive in flight and did not pitch up when dead stick. Although I haven't even looped this plane yet (1 flight so far with brand new motor and chicken...lol), I have been practicing with my 1/2A Swordsman 18. The advice about flying bigger is right on as I was basically on the verge of stalling or at least looping so tight as to loose airspeed. I had a buddy who flies RC and CL watch me and advised to make the loops larger. I've been doing long lazy 8's and flying a few laps inverted with the 1/2A but it is far from smooth. The part that was rough was pushing back from inverted to upright. I though it was due to the plane but my buddy flew it and although it didn't look as good as a bigger plane, he certainly showed me it was more capable than I thought.
I plan to take the Shoestring to Buder tomorrow morning as it seems the CL guys tend to fly most Sundays. I'm glad to see everyone so helpful. I try to be as helpful with folks new to RC but it's been a while since I was on the receiving side so much. Thanks!
By the way, I weighed it all up without fuel and it is exactly 32 oz. I know one guy above built a Brodak down to 28 oz but it still felt light to me at 32 oz in the air. I may switch out the wheels to lighter foam ones and lose a little tail weight which would shave a couple oz's.
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Glad to hear you are having fun again. Been to Buder many times since the 70's flying competition of different sorts. Was mainly carrier and racing then got to flying stunt. You have a great bunch of guys down there. Watch out for Sparky and Dan M. They will have you flying the pattern before the first frost of the year.
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Hi Tony Your plane looks great I hope you are reliving the good old days of control line.I can relate to your story because I have been out of the hobbie for the last 20 years raising 2 daughters.This is the first summer back for me and I've only done a couple of flights ( girls don't get a big charge out of helping dad fly).I am working on a 59 Ares for the past couple months and flying a 10 year old ringmaster. Good luck with your plane .Scott
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Use polyspan. Goes on like silk only dry, shrinks like plastic, which it kinda is. Stays tight in heat. Tom Morris sells it. H^^
I checked on Polyspan. It's a problem on tips. I have trouble with Monokote on tips. Is there anything better out there?
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I plan to take the Shoestring to Buder tomorrow morning as it seems the CL guys tend to fly most Sundays. I'm glad to see everyone so helpful. I try to be as helpful with folks new to RC but it's been a while since I was on the receiving side so much. Thanks!
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Hi Tony;
Yes, some of us plan on being there in the morning. Usually someone sends out a group email Friday or Saturday to see who is free on Sunday morning. But sometimes the weekday evenings and weekend evenings work out better for some guys. If you are retired, there is a group of guys that fly free flight, 1/2A Texico, and some C/L on Tuesdays during the day. The C/L club is the Lafayette Esquadrille, and is a great bunch of laid back guys. Having fun is the name of the game, and your in the right place. y1
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee
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Hey Tony; I got back in to C/L about 18 years ago, after flying R/C pattern for 25 years. I still fly a little R/C, but mostly C/L. I found that scraping the ground with a C/L model was more exciting than R/C. LOL. I am glad you have a good place to fly, and some great guys to fly with. I belong to the R/C club in Salina Ks., but I am the only one that fly's C/L there. There are a couple of others that fly C/L once in a while, but mostly R/C. I hope you enjoy flying C/L as much as I have the last few years, and since you are one of the few R/C builders left, you will have no trouble building great C/L models. You are going to love it. May our tribe increase.
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I checked on Polyspan. It's a problem on tips. I have trouble with Monokote on tips. Is there anything better out there?
Good hot air gun takes about 99% of the wrinkles on on my Poly-span on tips and compound curves. 100% on the flat surfaces. If not careful will get a hole once in a while. H^^
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Welcome Back Tony!
Love Shoestrings! have 3 for C/L and 1 R/C.
I got back into C/L about 3 years ago and sofar more enjoy than last 30yrs of R/C!
You came to the right place here! LOTS and lots of good help.
David
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Hey Tony; I got back in to C/L about 18 years ago, after flying R/C pattern for 25 years. I still fly a little R/C, but mostly C/L. I found that scraping the ground with a C/L model was more exciting than R/C. LOL. I am glad you have a good place to fly, and some great guys to fly with. I belong to the R/C club in Salina Ks., but I am the only one that fly's C/L there. There are a couple of others that fly C/L once in a while, but mostly R/C. I hope you enjoy flying C/L as much as I have the last few years, and since you are one of the few R/C builders left, you will have no trouble building great C/L models. You are going to love it. May our tribe increase.
Yes, I enjoy building. It is half the fun for me even though my time is limited. I have another Carden (Extra 300 this time) on the building board but I can knock out several CL planes in the middle of the Carden build.
Dan McEntee helped me out today and I got a couple flights in. Did some ugly loops but I know what the problem is. I just need to practice more. Thanks for the help Dan!