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General control line discussion => How I got my start in the hobby => Topic started by: Henry McClusky on December 03, 2018, 06:28:14 AM
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Greetings and Salutations
First off I'd like to thank you for allowing me to be a member of this forum.
I got started in Control Line back in the mid 1970's flying a COX 049 Super Sport. The plane is long gone.. but I've still got the motor.
My grandfather had a bunch of old glow plug motors so I moved up from the Super Sport to building my own plane. A 33" P-40 that ran an old 35 Torpedo Engine.
At that point life got in the way of my hobby. Fast Forward... I'm now a retired Mechanical Engineer / CAD Monkey. /DV
I was also into rocketry back in the day and just recently finished a scratch built X-wing that I designed and built. I was thinking of building a small x-wing style control line plane similar to the American Boy, something simple in construction, but as a pusher style plane. Here's some screen shots and some photo's of the rocket I just completed.
I'd probably be way better off though starting with a way more basic plane. I'm thinking the x-wing is going to be very challenging.
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I'm thinking that x-plane is going to be pretty challenging, too! And as drawn, it'll have way too much motor -- it looks like the correct prop for that engine would have the same diameter as your wingspan.
I think if you want to start with that basic look you should build a canard. Keep the X-wing in the back, but put a stabilizer and control surface in the front. You'll want to set the engine as far forward as you can, because with a decent-sized canard surface the CG will be somewhere in front of the wing -- swept-back wings, if they fit with your notion of how it should look, would be a good idea. Resign yourself to nose weight, or go REALLY complicated and drive the prop from a drive shaft (there's a DO-335 Pfeil project in the scale forum that shows this) -- that would let you put the engine close to the CG.
Look up the Sarpoulis "Wild Goose" for a warm-up project.
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Greetings and Salutations
First off I'd like to thank you for allowing me to be a member of this forum.
I got started in Control Line back in the mid 1970's flying a COX 049 Super Sport. The plane is long gone.. but I've still got the motor.
My grandfather had a bunch of old glow plug motors so I moved up from the Super Sport to building my own plane. A 33" P-40 that ran an old 35 Torpedo Engine.
At that point life got in the way of my hobby. Fast Forward... I'm now a retired Mechanical Engineer / CAD Monkey. /DV
I was also into rocketry back in the day and just recently finished a scratch built X-wing that I designed and built. I was thinking of building a small x-wing style control line plane similar to the American Boy, something simple in construction, but as a pusher style plane. Here's some screen shots and some photo's of the rocket I just completed.
I'd probably be way better off though starting with a way more basic plane. I'm thinking the x-wing is going to be very challenging.
Henry,
Welcome!
Designing and building, that's GREAT! It's exactly what I like to do.
Will you be flying also?
Looking forward to seeing your creative and interesting builds.
Charles
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Dear Henry,
Wishing great success in Canard designing, here is an online CG-position calculator for you:
https://rcplanes.online/cg_canard.htm
Note that the CG-position of a Canard is far more essential than a conventional arrangement.
Regards: Istvan
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Thanks for the warm welcome Tim, Charles and Istvan.
I'm thinking that x-plane is going to be pretty challenging, too! And as drawn, it'll have way too much motor -- it looks like the correct prop for that engine would have the same diameter as your wingspan.
The screen shot is just kind of a "mash-up" of the rocket, and of the only glow plug motor I had in CAD. It looks cool, but, agreed.. it's rather huge.
Will you be flying also?
That's the plan. Although designing and building are my true passions.
.... here is an online CG-position calculator for you:
Wow, that's awesome. I'll link that into my spreadsheet. Thanks.