General control line discussion > How I got my start in the hobby

Henry Is Retired... But He Still Loves Designing and Building Stuff

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Henry McClusky:
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.

Tim Wescott:
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.

Avaiojet:

--- Quote from: Henry McClusky on December 03, 2018, 06:28:14 AM ---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.

--- End quote ---

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

Istvan Travnik:
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

Henry McClusky:
Thanks for the warm welcome Tim, Charles and Istvan.


--- Quote from: Tim Wescott on December 03, 2018, 01:38:54 PM ---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.
--- End quote ---

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.


--- Quote from: Avaiojet on December 03, 2018, 02:26:05 PM ---Will you be flying also?
--- End quote ---

That's the plan.  Although designing and building are my true passions.


--- Quote from: Istvan Travnik on December 03, 2018, 03:17:37 PM ---.... here is an online CG-position calculator for you:
--- End quote ---

Wow, that's awesome.  I'll link that into my spreadsheet.  Thanks.

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