Author Topic: Akromaster (Read 4568 times)

James Holford · « **on:** March 12, 2016, 08:43:58 PM »

Have not touched balsa in over 4 years...it's time to rekindle the fire!

Got this kit at the Hobbytowne USA in Baton Rouge this past summer and finally caught the bug to build again... needless to say I'm not enjoying this particular kit but hey it could always be worse.

If in wrong forum I do apologize.

Steve Helmick · « **Reply #1 on:** March 12, 2016, 09:18:52 PM »

1) Stack all the ribs up and match them for best fit. Mark with a Sharpie in the bottom of the top spar notches so you'll be able to tell at a glance that you haven't reversed some.

2) I'm not a fan of notching LE, TE or spars, and would likely take steps to mow off said notches. They're just stress risers, marking the places where they'll break in a rough landing.

3) If the Akromaster is like the Banshee, splice the spars, LE & TE together and make the wing as long as you can with what they give you. Make an extra few ribs if that's what it takes. It looks like you're going to build the wing in halves. Do not!

4) No, don't hinge the flaps and link them to the elevator.

5) Build light. Hold it very close to the sandpaper!

Steve

Dane Martin · « **Reply #2 on:** March 12, 2016, 09:41:46 PM »

What Steve is saying is correct, don't cut the leading edge or trailing edge logs. Leave them long. I ended up cutting out two more ribs and adding them into the ends. Right at the wing tip. The "added weight" is unnoticeable, and the added squares on the wing carry more weight any way. I've built three now. My latest is electric, it was a learning curve at first, but it is now great

Here's my wing, count the ribs, and notice the spacing. The instructions are a little weird on the spacing when splicing the logs together.

Dan McEntee · « **Reply #3 on:** March 12, 2016, 10:03:43 PM »

Construction of the Akromaster has been covered many times, so do a search on the model and read up on it. It's basically a good design and model. The already mentions adding two more ribs is a good idea, but not 100% necessary. Just make sure you get the leading and trailing edges put together straight, and with instant glue you can build the wing in your hands. The best improvement suggestion I could make is substitute the two inch bell crank for a three inch. This will slow the controls down and make them smoother. Build in a tip weight box on the under side of the out board wing also. Some guys put flaps on but it will fly just fine without them also. Just build it straight and square and that solves lots of problems before they start! Pick your poisen for power and watch the balance. Lines can be .012 or .015 in the 52 to 55 foot range.
Good luck and have fun,
Dan McEntee

James Holford · « **Reply #4 on:** March 12, 2016, 10:06:01 PM »

Oh man I wish I'd had seen yall replies... I done chopped the logs.

James Holford · « **Reply #5 on:** March 12, 2016, 10:07:56 PM »

I have a Enya IV .15 but it has a RC venturi on it. It was my planned power.

Terry Caron · « **Reply #6 on:** March 12, 2016, 10:30:59 PM »

Randy Smith (see the Vendors Corner), for one, can supply a c/l venturi/NVA for your Enya (great engines!) but it'll do to wire/clamp/block open the throttle and try as-is.

Terry

david beazley · « **Reply #7 on:** March 13, 2016, 06:00:27 AM »

I had an Akromaster with the same engine on it. Just wired the throttle open and flew it. Great combination

Carl Cisneros · « **Reply #8 on:** March 13, 2016, 08:50:18 AM »

I did what Dane did to his wing as well. Mine has an Enya 19 V on it with CL ventury and flies great.

I fly mine on 58' .012" lines and does what ever I ask it to do.

just my opinion, but you could carefully peg and glue the cut off portions back on, make the extra ribs and go from there.

Carl

James Holford · « **Reply #9 on:** March 13, 2016, 09:21:45 AM »

Quote from: Carl Cisneros on March 13, 2016, 08:50:18 AM

I did what Dane did to his wing as well. Mine has an Enya 19 V on it with CL ventury and flies great.

I fly mine on 58' .012" lines and does what ever I ask it to do.

just my opinion, but you could carefully peg and glue the cut off portions back on, make the extra ribs and go from there.

Carl

True. My only concern would it being a weak point in case of crash lol

john e. holliday · « **Reply #10 on:** March 13, 2016, 10:51:35 AM »

I have one my daughter built many years ago that was built box stock. She put Monokote on and base coats of dope. I sprayed the epoxy color on. Power is a Cox Medallion .15. I flies great in my opinion in that it got her to flying and doing loops. It is a fun design and I don't think it was meant for all out stunt competition.

Russell Shaffer · « **Reply #11 on:** March 13, 2016, 11:57:00 AM »

Since the wing is already cut down I would just fly it that way. It will be fine. What I WOULD do is mount the landing gear wires solidly. Don't use the rubber band shock absorbing system that the plans show. On a hard landing, the wheels will swing back under the wing and break the lower wing spar. If the gear is solid mounted you just bend it back straight and fly again. I have had three Akromasters powered with an Enya 19, a Supertigre 15 and the last is electric. Fun little airplanes.

Tim Wescott · « **Reply #12 on:** March 13, 2016, 05:33:14 PM »

Yup -- if you've already cut the long wood down, just leave it as-is and complete the kit.

Bill Johnson · « **Reply #13 on:** March 13, 2016, 06:55:53 PM »

Quote from: James Holford on March 13, 2016, 09:21:45 AM

True. My only concern would it being a weak point in case of crash lol

I have 2 to build (and I just cleaned off the bench to start) so this is good timing. My club flies at a school parking lot, asphalt, so I don't have to worry about weak points in a crash. Just about every one of mine has been totaled.

Dane Martin · « **Reply #14 on:** March 13, 2016, 07:04:24 PM »

My first one was built 100% box stock. With an OS15 LA. It was great! I wouldn't worry about adding if it's already cut. They've been proven to fly. Many many times... Lol

wwwarbird · « **Reply #15 on:** March 13, 2016, 09:35:42 PM »

The Akromaster is a great little airplane, easy to build and fun to fly. "Back in the day" it was my first step up from 1/2A models, I still remember it seeming like a BIG model. I built, flew, and completely wore out two of them, each using the same Fox .19. Had a LOT of fun with those two models and I can't even imagine how many flights that old .19 had on it.

I currently have one that I "kit-bashed" into a Cessna Agwagon...

James Holford · « **Reply #16 on:** March 14, 2016, 03:59:00 PM »

Awesome! !

Dan McEntee · « **Reply #17 on:** March 14, 2016, 07:37:27 PM »

Quote from: Dane Martin on March 13, 2016, 07:04:24 PM

My first one was built 100% box stock. With an OS15 LA. It was great! I wouldn't worry about adding if it's already cut. They've been proven to fly. Many many times... Lol

OOOOOOOOO I'm thinkin' 'Mini-Dusty!" Why didn't I think of that before! Did you drop the wing a bit and add the equivalent of dihedral? That's what I did on my larger Dusty and it worked out well. You do have a good eye and vision, Wayne! I was going to do a stock Akromaster but can do a Mini-Duster at the same time. The Mini-Duster will get the stretched wing.
Type at you later,
Dan McEntee

wwwarbird · « **Reply #18 on:** March 14, 2016, 09:33:55 PM »

Dan,

I'd better not mess up James' post any more than I have, these old posts will give the full "AgroMaster" scoop...

http://stunthanger.com/smf/open-forum/akromaster-my-way/

http://stunthanger.com/smf/open-forum/sig-akro-uh-agro-master/

http://stunthanger.com/smf/open-forum/akromaster-my-way/

http://stunthanger.com/smf/open-forum/the-'agromaster'-is-done-and-rtf/

Sean McEntee · « **Reply #19 on:** March 15, 2016, 07:43:36 AM »

FYI: I was looking the plans awhile back, and it is NOS 30 legal. I wouldn't build one to take across the country to VSC or anything, but it would be a fun model to pull out and fly on occasion.

I think it would also do really well if the ribs were reengineered, similar to RSM Ringmaster kit. Those "baseball bat" LE and TE pieces are heavy. I just might work on that sometime....

Wayne: I was 6 years old when I flew my first Akromaster, and compared to my Carl Goldberg Lil Wizard, it was HUGE!!!