Author Topic: Jetco Dolphin (Read 23634 times)

Steve Maines · « **on:** November 05, 2023, 08:17:09 AM »

I just acquired a substantial lot of C/L airplanes, engines and other misc odds and ends from a local senior modeler who decided to get out of the hobby. I was happy to stumble onto his ad and bought everything. In the mix is a Jetco Dolphin that is a bit crusty but should clean up nicely. The engine is locked solid, but that's an easy fix. I'll check it out, patch the wing where necessary, flush the tank and free-up the engine. Hopefully she'll fly again.

Robert Zambelli · « **Reply #1 on:** November 05, 2023, 05:50:12 PM »

Steve - the Dolphin is a great flying airplane. I built mine in the sixties and it flew beautifully with a Fox 29.
It is very similar to the Barnstormer which I had at the same time I had the Dolphin.
If memory serves me right, it was designed by Les McDonald, father of the Shark 45.
Bob Z.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #2 on:** November 05, 2023, 06:40:56 PM »

Try Lew Mac farland on the plane designs.

Robert Zambelli · « **Reply #3 on:** November 05, 2023, 07:33:56 PM »

John -you are correct.
It was Lou McFarland.
Sorry for the error.
Bob Z.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #4 on:** November 05, 2023, 09:42:02 PM »

Well I have those moments also.

Robert Zambelli · « **Reply #5 on:** November 06, 2023, 08:48:40 AM »

What moments?

!!!!!!!

Bob Hunt · « **Reply #6 on:** November 07, 2023, 07:49:57 AM »

Todd Lee used to fly one at VSC years ago and it performed very well (of course with Todd at the controls pretty much anything would perform very well...).

And I remember that a very young Dennis Adamisin used to fly one. I think he flew it at the 1966 Nats. I first met Denny and the rest of the Adamisin clan at the 1965 Nats; Marie was just a baby! Memories, memories...

Later - Bob

PS: Denny is shown in the photo below squeezing electrons into the tank of the Dolphin...

Dave Hull · « **Reply #7 on:** November 07, 2023, 03:21:52 PM »

Exactly, Bob. I don't think you're going to need anything like this kind of accuracy, but if you knew the exact proportion of your fuel components thus permitting you to calculate the number of moles involved and recall Avogadro's number (6.022142x10^23), and since you are metering by volume you know the exact composite temperature of your mixture, then you could figure out how many electrons Denny just pushed into his fuel tank by doing the math. Or, you could take the easy way out, not bother knowing how many electrons were involved in flying and just run some kind of battery. When the charger says it's "full," you go. Just sayin'.....

The Divot

Ken Culbertson · « **Reply #8 on:** November 07, 2023, 03:59:28 PM »

Quote from: Dave Hull on November 07, 2023, 03:21:52 PM

Exactly, Bob. I don't think you're going to need anything like this kind of accuracy, but if you knew the exact proportion of your fuel components thus permitting you to calculate the number of moles involved and recall Avogadro's number (6.022142x10^23), and since you are metering by volume you know the exact composite temperature of your mixture, then you could figure out how many electrons Denny just pushed into his fuel tank by doing the math. Or, you could take the easy way out, not bother knowing how many electrons were involved in flying and just run some kind of battery. When the charger says it's "full," you go. Just sayin'.....

The Divot

I always weigh my planes with a discharged battery just to be fair.

Ken

Dave Hull · « **Reply #9 on:** November 08, 2023, 12:54:22 AM »

Well, I think we can make the generic statement that those who are using non-combusting technologies in their stunt machines are not expending any electrons at the system level at all. A control volume analysis would easily validate this conclusion. They are all still there inside your "zero emission" but highly polluting interchangeable housed chemical repository with the wires coming out of it. During operation you are merely perverting them from one chemical form to another. And then you apply a brutal grid-based technology that increasingly is based on the total decimation of the balsa-containing element of tropical forests to force that more stable chemical composition to change its attitude via "reverse" redox, thereby screwing up the entropy of the universe. All this happening inside the beautiful disguise of (hopefully) a classic-looking stunt ship such as a Dolphin.

With that understanding, as a frequent pit boss/pull tester for SoCal events, I can say that whether your housed chemical repository is fully in one state, or the opposite state, or is in perhaps in an 80/20 state does not concern me at all.... But if I felt you were actually losing electrons I might emphasize the use of a dispersive cylinder technology featuring a carbon-double oxygen compound.

Bob Hunt · « **Reply #10 on:** November 08, 2023, 05:59:19 AM »

Quote from: Dave Hull on November 07, 2023, 03:21:52 PM

Exactly, Bob. I don't think you're going to need anything like this kind of accuracy, but if you knew the exact proportion of your fuel components thus permitting you to calculate the number of moles involved and recall Avogadro's number (6.022142x10^23), and since you are metering by volume you know the exact composite temperature of your mixture, then you could figure out how many electrons Denny just pushed into his fuel tank by doing the math. Or, you could take the easy way out, not bother knowing how many electrons were involved in flying and just run some kind of battery. When the charger says it's "full," you go. Just sayin'.....

The Divot

Uh, well, of course, Dave... That's what I meant to write... I'll be taking up another hobby now...

Bob

Steve Maines · « **Reply #11 on:** November 10, 2023, 04:34:29 AM »

Power will be an OS FP35 with the OS muffler, which is the engine that the plane came with. I/m not sure of the size of the fuel tank as it's internal, but I will figure that out shortly. I have a few repairs to make to the covering on the wings, but the rest is solid and I don't see any issues. Winter has set in so I won't be flying this until next spring. Looking forward to flying this one.

Dave_Trible · « **Reply #12 on:** November 12, 2023, 10:37:14 AM »

Hello Steve. I've had some experience with the design-it's sweet! BUT Mine had the good old Fox .35 no muffler (6 ounces) which was plenty of power and balanced about right. Lew McFarland designed the airplane for the Fox (6 ounces no muffler). Me thinks the FP is WAY too much power and weight for this small airplane. With muffler it will be crazy nose heavy . They have been adequately flown with as little as a powerful .19. I'd sure be looking for another power plant.......otherwise I think you will struggle keeping the speed down with an engine that only knows "giddy up" and too heavy on the controls for much maneuvering .

Dave

Steve Maines · « **Reply #13 on:** November 12, 2023, 01:12:10 PM »

Quote from: Dave_Trible on November 12, 2023, 10:37:14 AM

Hello Steve. I've had some experience with the design-it's sweet! BUT Mine had the good old Fox .35 no muffler (6 ounces) which was plenty of power and balanced about right. Lew McFarland designed the airplane for the Fox (6 ounces no muffler). Me thinks the FP is WAY too much power and weight for this small airplane. With muffler it will be crazy nose heavy . They have been adequately flown with as little as a powerful .19. I'd sure be looking for another power plant.......otherwise I think you will struggle keeping the speed down with an engine that only knows "giddy up" and too heavy on the controls for much maneuvering .

Dave

Hi Dave - the Dolphin came with the OS FP35 mounted and I just assumed this was a 35 size model. I actually have a Fox 35, with the Fox muffler. It's a but grubby, but seems to have good compression ans 'feels' fine when flicked over with the yellow prop I installed.

Dave_Trible · « **Reply #14 on:** November 12, 2023, 04:20:11 PM »

Steve I sure do believe that will be a much better suited choice for the Dolphin. It will fly the pattern on about 3 1/2 ounces of fuel which also helps the fuel load. The FPs are fine engines but can easily pull an airplane 30% larger than the Dolphin and even then you have to go to a flat pitch prop and let it run at pretty close to full blast since that's what they were designed to do. I haven't tried the retro fit of FP to Fox so not sure what you will need to do to the airplane to mount it but that's for sure what I'd do....

Dave

Author Topic: Jetco Dolphin (Read 23634 times)

Steve Maines

Jetco Dolphin

Robert Zambelli

Re: Jetco Dolphin

john e. holliday

Re: Jetco Dolphin

Robert Zambelli

Re: Jetco Dolphin

john e. holliday

Re: Jetco Dolphin

Robert Zambelli

Re: Jetco Dolphin

Bob Hunt

Re: Jetco Dolphin

Dave Hull

Re: Jetco Dolphin

Ken Culbertson

Re: Jetco Dolphin

Dave Hull

Re: Jetco Dolphin

Bob Hunt

Re: Jetco Dolphin

Steve Maines

Re: Jetco Dolphin

Dave_Trible

Re: Jetco Dolphin

Steve Maines

Re: Jetco Dolphin

Dave_Trible

Re: Jetco Dolphin