"Bugs" of the Wild Bill variety

[Kim Mortimore]

Humbugs and Doodlebugs by Wild Bill Netzeband.  I see RSM now kits one version (of many) of the Humbug.  I have the plans for another version, from Tom Dixon.  Bill has built a small swarm of Doodlebugs in various sizes.

Does anyone have experience with these unique designs that might be of interest.  I'm curious how they fly, and how they fly differently from conventional types.

Thanks,
Kim Mortimore

[Bill Gruby]

   If you wish to see the "Doodlebugs" go here and click on "Gallery"

                            http://www.airfieldmodels.com/index.html

                   "Billy G"   

[Leester]

John Lowry kits several of the doodlebugs
www.control-line-models.com

[Larry Renger]

Stan Tyler, a local expert level flyer and very good builder has built both the (I think) 40 and .049 size versions.  They require a LOT of power, that fat, low aspect ratio wing is a dragmaster!  However, the concept of a low aspect ratio wing and high aspect ratio tail is a winner.  We redisigned the tail of the Flite Streak with numbers provided by Mild Bill, and came up with the "Doodle Streak".  It kicks empenages in Profile 40 competition!

[Kim Mortimore]

Larry,
That last sentence cracked me up!  Do you have the numbers on the posterior of the Doodle Streak: tail moment, stab/elev dimensions?  Or maybe plans can be bought?

Thanks,
Kim Mortimore

[minnesotamodeler]

Or maybe pictures can be shown?

[Larry Renger]

I will try to get you that data.  My version is buried somewhere in the garage, but I can get it from Stan.  The approximate, from memory, modification is that the stabilizer chord is kept the same as stock, but the span is about 8" longer. In addition, the elevator has about 1/2" more chord.  The whole thing is smoothly curved to match the look of the original.

[Kim Mortimore]

Was the new monster stab placed about the same distance from the wing as the original?  How were the plane's flight characteristics changed so as to enable the aforementioned kicking of competitors' empennage in P40?     Was the control sensitivity increased, as the original is quite sensitive already?

Thanks,
Kim   

[john e. holliday]

I have been flying the DoodleBug I built from John Lowery's kit.  It is a different airplane in looks and the way it feels.  I have a Fox 40 on mine and find it takes a little getting used to the look of it more than how it flies.  Mine goes where I point it and is very stable in a way.  DOC Holliday

[Stan Tyler]

For everyone that's interested here's the details of the Doodle Streak tail:
Stock Tail:

Stab:
Chord - 2 1/2"
Span @ TE - 15"
Elevator:
Chord - 1"
Span @ LE - 15"
Span @ TE - 15 3/4"

DoodleStreak Tail:

Stab:
Chord - 2 1/2" Same as stock
Span @ TE - 22"
Elevator:
Chord - 1 1/2"
Span @ LE - 22"
Span @ TE - 23 1/4"

The fin/rudder are about 80% of the original size, just take the stock fin/rudder and reduce it to 80% with a xerox machine. Simple but effective. Use essentially no rudder offset other than just a little to be sure that it's not offset to the inside of the circle.

I built the new stab and elevator out of some 3/16 light balsa stock that I had available. The moments are not changed, it goes in the same place that the stock tail does.

I replaced the stamped alum. bellcrank with a SIG 3" nylon, and replaced the leadouts with a Sullavan C-D leadout set.
The pushrod was replaced with a 3/32 musicwire with a carbonfiber tube epoxied over the wire for stiffness.
The pushrod goes in the center hole in the bellcrank (3/4" from the pivot) and the elevator horn is a DuBro large T style with the pushrod connecting 1 1/4" from the elevator.

I use a FP25 with a Tornado 9-4 prop (APC 9-4 works well also) and a Hayes 3 oz tank setup non-uniflow, A-LA the Dirty Dan/ Brett Buck Tuneup.
Launch RPM is about 11,000 in a wet 2 stroke.
.015 lines 60" eyelet to eyelet yield about 5 sec laps.
Yes, it flies well enough to post 490+ scores in winds gusting to 20+ MPH.
I think it weighs in at 29 oz.

The major performance difference is that the high aspect tail starts and stops the turn easier and with less deflection and doesn't require the pilot to apply opposite elevator to stop a turn.

The pictures show the DoodleStreak tail with the stock tail components for reference.

[dennis lipsett]

Stan Tyler, a local expert level flyer and very good builder has built both the (I think) 40 and .049 size versions.  They require a LOT of power, that fat, low aspect ratio wing is a dragmaster!  However, the concept of a low aspect ratio wing and high aspect ratio tail is a winner.  We redisigned the tail of the Flite Streak with numbers provided by Mild Bill, and came up with the "Doodle Streak".  It kicks empenages in Profile 40 competition!

Gee larry,
That last sentence is the equivelent of saying something like the guano hit the rotary oscillator.
Dennis

[phil c]

Interesting Flite Streak mods Stan.  I've yet to see an unflapped plane where the tail was too big, as long as it was balanced for and aft properly.