Thanks Jim,
Good points all.
On my 1st three CL ARFs, FS, Nobler and P-40, I sealed all the edges, and ironed down the covering. I also put in CF push rods and ball links in all of them. They have held up OK. The P-40 now has 150 ECL flights on it with no problems.
BUT ..... I plan on taking off ALL the covering on any ARFs in the future (when I can't get the plane in an ARC) After finding out how REALLY EASY it is to take off the "chinakote" from an ARF, it is a NO brainer. It's scary how easy the chinakote FALLS off the plane, a little heat helps it come off with NO problems at all. ....... I think I can almost take off the chinakote and recover the plane with MK faster than I can iron down and seal (clear nail polish) all the seems in the original chinakote.
So now I can have my cake and eat it too: any plane turned into an ARC form so I can have my own color scheme that will stay there for the life of the plane.
I admire your adventuresome journey into the past. I have not used dope in many years, decades actually!
I think the Strega ARF/ARC experience will be the future of CL ARF/ARCs. It was a brilliant idea for John to go right to using the excellent Morris control systems. This was the MAIN problem with the CL ARF/ARCs. I think in the near future we will see a move in this direction. In the mean time it is not really much trouble for us to fix the problem ourselves. And fortunately, thanks to Sparky's great forum, the word has been spread to almost everyone. .... Now, if we can just find a use for the bags full of "questionable" parts we are all accumulating??
I know I'm still preaching to the choir here, but hopefully it helps some new retread reading this post:
The only other problem is the "CA hinges". These work OK (sorta) in Dark Arts sport planes and trainers because of the servo always having the ability to overcome the initial force needed to bend the hinge, then bend the control surface. .... In CL we don't always have any "extra" force available (overhead turbulence, etc., etc, ;-) so the stiff hinges use up that last CRITICAL amount of force our slack lines have, just when we need it most! Sooooo, I hope the word gets out on these hinges like it has on the poor push rods, horns, BCs,. The Robart hinges are excellent for our CL use. Maybe John will start supplying these someday too.
Do you have an est. on the weight of your ST .51 and Muff? I would like to compare it to the Wt. of a Saito .62 (14.7 oz) or my ECL power system. .... TIA
Again, thanks for your input. Your's and Geoffrey's info. has been very helpful.
Regards,