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Building Tips and technical articles. => 1/2 A building. => Topic started by: Bill Little on May 04, 2013, 05:36:16 PM
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I believe the "Baby Bird" is a Tom Dixon design. (??) It is based on the bubble canopy. I believe a Medallion would fly it well, but not sure.
Has anyone built one and flew it?
Thanks!
Bill
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I remember the article. MA perhaps? I was fascinated by it's good looks. As I remember, last read the article 10 years ago, He had a power & fuel problem. Could not get good consistant runs with good power from the TD. Tried a diesel, good power but a fuel draw problem. He solved the problem with a strange angle to the tank. If I build one the engine will be a Norvel. The tank will be one of those little Red Caps used as a bladder. I would get & read the article before building.
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I saw Tom Dixon's airplane when he was having problems with the diesel. Never got it started. It is a nice looking airplane.
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I did a search and found nothing on "redcaps". What are they?
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Hello Larry,
They are what they say they are. Small rubber devices that you can use as a fuel tank for our small planes. Google Mattes Engine Rework. He has some stock and pictures. They are also available from Texas Timers if my memory serves me correctly. They work quite well, but a little limited on capacity for my applications.
Andrew.
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Check your local Ace hardware & Ace on line. A little red condom like rubber cap that is placed over the nozzle of a caulking gun to prevent the tube from going bad.
http://littleredcap.com/
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I believe the "Baby Bird" is a Tom Dixon design. (??) It is based on the bubble canopy.
Bill
Tom Dixon's Baby Bird was in the Nov 86 issue of Model Aviation. His article explains his exploits with a diesel and shows his slanted tank solution.
Tom's Baby Bird is a 60% version of his Phoenix (Model Aviation, Feb 84) which draws its appearance from the Bob Palmer Thunderbird.
Keith
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wasnt there a kit of the 1/2 A T-Bird i seem to remember seeing one
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There was a smaller sized T-Bird kit back in the 60's. I built one and powered it with a Torp 19. Much too large for 1/2 A engines. Don't recall the wing area but probably around 400 sq inches.
Don
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There was a smaller sized T-Bird kit back in the 60's. I built one and powered it with a Torp 19. Much too large for 1/2 A engines. Don't recall the wing area but probably around 400 sq inches.
Don
Don,
I think that was the VECO Little T-Bird.
George
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George and Don are correct about the VECO Little Thunderbird kit. Not to be confused with Tom Dixon's very nice 1/2A Baby Bird, the Little Thunderbird has a 46 inch span and calls for a .19. E-mail me if you want some nice E-plans for the VECO Little Thunderbird. Paul Gittel
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There is another model called the Baby Bird which I am assuming is different to the Tom Dixon one (The plan credits the designer as Don Martin). Around 350sq". Quite a long thread on the Barton site about the Don Martin Baby Bird with revised plans.
http://controlline.org.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=10086
Here's the original Don Martin plan. http://controlline.org.uk/phpBB2/download.php?id=19813
TTFN
John.