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Author Topic: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang  (Read 3898 times)

Tom Vieira

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Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« on: May 22, 2018, 08:28:19 AM »
Hi everyone!  getting this guy in on the action ;)  a few more nights, and he'll be ready to turn it in to a pile of match sticks (he's been warned it'll probably happen...  and I proved that even I am good at that part!)

it'll be running a black widow on it when done.  he's doing a pretty good job at building it (mostly) by himself!  Letting him make a mistake here and there, and then realize later on that it needs fixed, and it would have taken less time to do it correctly the first time.  Sometimes, "slow is fast!" is very true, and he's learning that!

Offline john e. holliday

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2018, 10:43:15 AM »
He's lucky to have you.  I didn't have help when I built my first planes and I learned real quick to read instructions.   Sterling was good at writing instructions.  Of course back then no full size plans. H^^
John E. "DOC" Holliday
10421 West 56th Terrace
Shawnee, KANSAS  66203
AMA 23530  Have fun as I have and I am still breaking a record.

Offline 944_Jim

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #2 on: May 22, 2018, 11:14:35 AM »
Hi TJ,

Congrats on finding the time to introduce a youngster to the hobby! Neither of my boys like to build, but they tolerate going flying with me. It's a good thing I like to build.

I hope you traced your parts onto cardstock in case you need to cut new parts. This makes repairs easier.

I have a 1960s Scientific Super Mustang. I strongly suspect the Brodak kit is a clone of the one I have.

I'd like to compare details concerning the kits. Mine has been  traced and digitized to include the build sheet.

Would you mind taking this discussion off the forum? I can PM my email address. Then shoot you my scans so you can find the differences.

Thanks in advance.

Tom Vieira

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #3 on: May 22, 2018, 11:17:18 AM »
sure thing!

Offline 944_Jim

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #4 on: May 22, 2018, 11:19:56 AM »
PM sent. Reply with your email. They'll hit your inbox tonight. Thanks.

Offline Andre Ming

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2018, 09:09:28 PM »
It is so refreshing to see a young man actually building a model airplane out of sticks!

Way to go, T.J.!

Andre
Searching to find my new place in this hobby!

Offline 944_Jim

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #6 on: May 30, 2018, 09:29:17 PM »
Any forward progress? I'm dying to see this one done.

Tom Vieira

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #7 on: May 31, 2018, 07:04:50 AM »
not yet...  I'm in the process of moving in with my girlfriend, so shop has been closed up for the past two weeks.  hopefully next weekend i'll get him back and gluing his fingers to the wood ;)

Tom Vieira

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #8 on: July 06, 2018, 06:39:44 AM »
so, I guess the pic I have is too big to post, but, here's the story....

it's been tough getting our schedules to line up, but he did most of the construction.  I covered the wings for him and brushed on the dope, and then applied decals.  a couple coats of clear, mount the engine and gear, then up up and away!!!!

hopefully flying Tuesday....

Offline 944_Jim

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #9 on: July 06, 2018, 11:18:55 AM »
Let's see if it fits now...

Tom Vieira

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #10 on: July 09, 2018, 07:35:31 AM »
It's alive!!!!!

he's all set to go!  lines made, motor and landing gear on, ran 4 tanks through it last night.

his face was great the first time I got it to fire, and then how high he jumped the first time I let him try to start it and it "farted" a bit ;)

pics to come....

Offline john e. holliday

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #11 on: July 09, 2018, 08:07:55 AM »
That is funny.  It brought back the memory of the first time I started an engine.   Even a brand new engine will surprise me once in a while. #^ #^
John E. "DOC" Holliday
10421 West 56th Terrace
Shawnee, KANSAS  66203
AMA 23530  Have fun as I have and I am still breaking a record.

Tom Vieira

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #12 on: July 09, 2018, 12:27:29 PM »
The happy kid!

"Is that it?  It only runs for that long?" Says the wee man...

"Yup, and that'll be the longest two minutes of your life up to this point!" I reply...

Tom Vieira

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #13 on: July 09, 2018, 12:34:40 PM »
https://www.facebook.com/groups/906304736107218/permalink/2042011705869843/

firing up!  he's getting the rhythm down, only took a few flips I edited out.  these are much easier to get running than I remember....!

Offline Fredvon4

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #14 on: July 09, 2018, 12:36:10 PM »
I still fondly remember my very first ever CL flight in 1959 aged 4 and my retread flight in 2012...both times the plane was only doing circles level as much as I could... in reality a roller coaster  flight..."When the hell is this thing going to run out of fuel?"!!!!!

Both times sitting in middle of circle giggling uncontrollably  dizzy
"A good scare teaches more than good advice"

Fred von Gortler IV

Offline 944_Jim

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #15 on: July 09, 2018, 05:30:05 PM »
It sure looks good! He sure looks excited!
Consider flipping the prop around or running a little rich for his first few flights...he's gonna be looking for an exit before it runs out of fuel the first couple of times.

Tom Vieira

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #16 on: July 13, 2018, 08:19:28 AM »
***UPDATE***

We went to the field Tuesday to give it a shot, however, between an uncooperative motor, low nitro fuel, too much prop (6x4), and an impending storm, he only got about 2 laps in :(  Next time!

Thanks to club member Allen for hooking me up with a 5x3 prop, and a tank of higher nitro fuel, though!!!!!

he'll be out again :)

Offline 944_Jim

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #17 on: July 13, 2018, 01:03:09 PM »
I don't know if I mentioned this:
Run your handle line spacing smaller than you think is good. My 22" Profile P-40 sure flew smoother once I went from 3.5"-4" at the handle to around 2". Especially good for someone just starting out!
RSM's Larry Renger designed 1/2A handle makes changing line spacing a breeze. It also makes neutral really smooth, and control feel up/down quite apparent.

Tom Vieira

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #18 on: July 16, 2018, 06:01:01 AM »
He Flew!

So, I now have a key to our field, and I had his parent's sign him up with the AMA.  So, this weekend we went out, and at first tried flying over grass.

That didn't go so great....  he couldn't get the coordination down to take a couple of steps back at launch to keep the line tension...

So, he says he wants to try and take off on the pavement.  I said "you know how we just kept picking this up and going?  that's not going to happen on the hard stuff!"  But, he persisted.  OK...  I have a flite streak to build for him anyhow.  I was planning on immediate splinters.

Not so!  but, wow, he fired that thing off the ground, managed a few unintentional wing overs, a "whoopsie-loops" and about one kinda straight lap before another wing over and then greasing it in inverted.  The look on his face was priceless!  He thought I was kidding about a terrifying minute!

So, he wants to go up again (atta boy!)  this time, when he went to lift, , he tried to slow the ascent by giving it down, which caused it to nose over, buzzing the pavement for a quarter lap, then he yanked up so hard it looped and cracked the tail off, lost a wheel, and wither bent the prop screw or bent the crank.

But, he took the disappointment well, and says he had a blast, and wants to come out again!

....more to come....

Offline Paul Smith

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #19 on: July 16, 2018, 08:47:20 AM »
The happy kid!

"Is that it?  It only runs for that long?" Says the wee man...

"Yup, and that'll be the longest two minutes of your life up to this point!" I reply...

Good enough.  No need to over-finish a beginner's 1/2A.

Paul Smith

Offline 944_Jim

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #20 on: July 16, 2018, 05:00:14 PM »
Good for you guys!
Super glue will fix it!

Did you guys make paper patterns? I can't count how many times I cut new ribs for my Lil Satan as I crashed, spun around, and crashed again. I seem to remember each of the outboard wing ribs were two/three layers thick before the plane wouldn't flight right any more!

Because of the apparent over control, I would recommend either scratching out a new control handle with narrower line spacing, or getting an RSM 1/2A Renger handle. If the wing gets opened up, change the pushrod hole to the one closest to the bellcrank pivot bolt. Move the elevator end of the pushrod to the hole furthest from the elevator...this one is easilly reversible.
All of these options will really slow down control inputs and overcorrections.
Whatever you do...don't let him slow down! I'm glad he still enjoyed the flights! My boys didn't grab the hobby like I hoped.

Tom Vieira

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #21 on: July 17, 2018, 06:16:05 AM »
I'm heading to a bike rally this week, so won't have time to fix him up.  We're flying tonight (the club), I'm considering bringing him out and hanging on to the handle and letting him putt around the circle a bit with my nobler...  we'll see how brave I feel after work!

Offline john e. holliday

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #22 on: July 17, 2018, 11:39:55 AM »
You r he will find he Nobler easier to fly than you think if he doesn't over control it. D>K
John E. "DOC" Holliday
10421 West 56th Terrace
Shawnee, KANSAS  66203
AMA 23530  Have fun as I have and I am still breaking a record.

Tom Vieira

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #23 on: July 30, 2018, 06:00:23 AM »
SO....

After he stuffed it, I let him try out my nobler.  Had one of the guys take him up, but he only did a couple of laps with him before sending him out, because as he put it, my hand-me-down plane is a "flying pile" and "go build yourself a plane" lol.  So, I have a kit on the way for me, as well as for the boy, Phil Cartier's RST's.

BUT....

I already had this guy read to go for him sitting on the table.  After the busted crank, I snagged up a sure-start from a club member, swapped out the back plate for the black widow tank, and ditched the spring.  If he manages to keep it in one piece, I'll swap out the cylinder and piston for more oomph.

Here's a pic of the Vintage Performance ARF's we've all been hearing about.  nice little ships, well built, and RTF in about half an hour!  not bad for 60 bucks!

Tom Vieira

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #24 on: August 08, 2018, 05:41:05 AM »
The boy did it!!!!

https://m.facebook.com/groups/906304736107218?view=permalink&id=2104603176277362

need to move the lines in on the handle, the pushrod is already on the furthest one out.  plus, get him to calm down a little out there, but, he's on his way!

my niece wants to fly now as well :)

Offline john e. holliday

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #25 on: August 08, 2018, 10:55:52 AM »
Just getting him to fly more will get rid of the erratic flying.   Looks like another champ in the making.  A Champion Fun Flyer.    H^^
John E. "DOC" Holliday
10421 West 56th Terrace
Shawnee, KANSAS  66203
AMA 23530  Have fun as I have and I am still breaking a record.

Offline Jerry Haupt

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #26 on: August 09, 2018, 07:42:03 AM »
A new "Mini Buzzard" in Dayton :)  Haven't had one of those in a while.

Offline 944_Jim

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Re: Getting my nephew to buld a 1/2A Brodak Mustang
« Reply #27 on: August 09, 2018, 05:25:36 PM »
Sign up on CoxEngineForum.com and check out the RSM/Larry Renger 1/2A handle. I love it (No Financial Interest):
https://www.coxengineforum.com/t12045-gotta-get-a-handle-on-it#153715

It is super-adjustable and feels better than any of the light weight jobs of yesteryear.


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