blank

Look up the aeromaniacs site.  There's a half-A stunter in there that flies exceedingly well on a Norvel 061.

Sad to hear the kit is so bad. When one goes together right, it is one of the best small models I have ever flown.

Next time get a SkySport from RSM. Easy construction, Eric insists on good wood and appropriate hardware.

Hey guys, the MM has what he has. If he can't fix it, or if he says it's not worth fixing, then I for one want to see the video of the balsa chips coming out the chute on the rotary mower. Be sure to get hi-res video. Hundred twenty frame rate if you can so that we can have some good slomo.

I've fixed a lot of planes, but frankly, some of 'em just weren't worth it. Someday I'll learn to tell which ones are and which ones aren't....

The Divot

MM is right about the 1/2A Pathfinder in that the wing is a pain in the ass to build...lots of parts,but they do fly well. Chris Fretz did a fine job with his at Brodaks. I've still not finished mine ,but it is well along the way. Regarding the Pinto,a first class 1/2A model,and yes it is strong! Cheers,PhillySkip

400sq at 14 oz is really good. I had one of those MVVS 2.49 on a Mercury Midge. It liked allot of pitch in the prop.

Right now I'm building a 1/2a Pathfinder. This kit was a total waste of $70. It's got a million ribs and allot of lumber in the wing but it's still very easy to twist. bad design that's weird to put together.  Half the parts aren't made right, all the ribs had cut outs for the landing gear and had to be filled. the wood selection is terrible, the fuselage is 3/8" balsahogany, one flap is punk the other rock hard, same with elevator, line slider is useless by design, the weight box weights more than you would want empty, massive bellcrank, have to replace allot of wood. Other than that it's great.

Motorman

Hi Motorman, I had the same reaction to the Brodak 1/2A Pathfinder kit as you did.
I bought the kit several years ago, because it seemed to be a decent design and I
thought it should be easy to keep the RTF weight around 11oz.  I intended to power
it with a Paw .8cc sbr diesel(that's .049cu"). Sorry guys, but to me, a Half A engine
stops being a Half A at .0501 cu".  An .061cu"engine is a small "A" class. But then,
that attitude comes from flying years of 1/2A FF, Speed, Combat and 1/2A racing events.

Anyway, when I weighed the kit wood, it weighed a total of 16oz. That meant I would have
 to replace nearly all the wood in the kit.  So, I just put the kit aside until much later.
The last modified Ringmaster Jr. I built and flew, revealed that the 195sq" wing area
was too small for the kind of power generated by the Paw .049 sbr.   That's why I liked the
1/2A Pathfinder design at 236sq"s wing area.  Barry Baxter has flown several excellent performing
 240sq"-250sq" models powered by a Paw.049 TBR diesel.  Well, I'll kit bash that Pathfinder
in the near future.

Tony G 

If someone came out with a 250 sq. in. foam wing for 1/2a I'd be on it like a duck on a June bug.


Motorman

Hi Motorman, If wing weight is a consideration for you; a built up balsa wing is lighter than

a foam wing.  We found that even using a foam LE on a built up balsa wing, the finished wing

was lighter than the foam wings that we used for Combat flying.  Tony G 

The Barecat has about 350 sq in. Weight is 15oz or less and will fly on 52 ft .008wire lines.
Howard