Author Topic: Stuntman 23 vs. Sworsman 18 (Read 914 times)

Victor Jeffreys · « **on:** September 21, 2010, 06:55:47 PM »

I have a good flying overweight Stuntman 23 w/ a Golden Bee. It will do all round pattern maneuvers at my novice hands. I recently got some tankless Ryan PT-22 plastic backplate Pee Wee .020s (call them a 290 version of a Pee Wee .020) that are rather hot units on 25% nitro fuel with grey Cox 4.5 x 2 props.

I also have an original Stuntman 23 kit and was looking at photos of a Swordsman 18 a few days ago. My logical conclusion is that a Swordsman is a 78% scale version (except for nose block section of fuselage) and would be grossly overpowered with all but the weaker of .049s for sport/stunt flying. The catalog says for .020 to .049 engines and a Baby Bee .049 is pictured on box art.

Ergo, I went to big scale print/photcopy shop and shot some 78% images of Stuntman pieces and am halway through the Swordsman project for my 020s. The nose will be longer than an original Swordsman, and the rear 2/3s of fuselage will be sanded ultra thin to get proper CG w/o adding nose weight I'll be using contest grade balsa and am thinking Sig clear nitrate sanding sealer/fillercoat followed by color brush on Aerogloss dope which I have a ton of on hand. I'm thinking of using 6# test Spiderwire for flying lines. Can someone help me regarding how to do the knots/terminations with this product? Would a heavier weight of Spiderwire make good lead outs? What length of flying lines should I use? Spectra line vs. Spiderwire?

minnesotamodeler · « **Reply #1 on:** September 21, 2010, 08:47:35 PM »

6# Spiderwire is sorta minimal, I'd use 8# anyway, maybe even 10, even for an .020. .049s need 10-12#. Terminate the ends by tying a Palomar knot onto a line connector (fisherman's knot).

Line length: For .020, 27' lines work pretty well. Maybe could go down to 20' but you'll be spinning pretty fast. With .049s, even mild ones, 35' is better.

I've used spiderwire for leadouts, with just loops for attaching the lines, strength is OK but had unexpected difficulty getting line connectors thru those limp loops, especially after a flight or two. Wire leadouts are much better--they hold their loop shapes. either solids ('way thin, maybe .010" or so) or braided--I use .008 7strand very successfully. Kinda fragile for flying lines but work very well in short lengths such as leadouts.

Hope this is helpful.

Author Topic: Stuntman 23 vs. Sworsman 18 (Read 914 times)

Victor Jeffreys

Stuntman 23 vs. Sworsman 18

minnesotamodeler

Re: Stuntman 23 vs. Sworsman 18