Another Twister takes to the Sky

[Motorman]

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[Joe Ed Pederson]

I was just re-reading the original article Ted wrote and in it Ted said he balanced his Fancherized Twister 3/4" to 1" forward of where the plans show the balance point.

Joe Ed Pederson
Cuba, MO

[Ken Culbertson]

Mine flies incredible "nose heavy".  I don't have to do any horsing.  I just kept moving the balance forward till it stopped hunting and haven't touched it since.  Keep your speed up.  I have flown mine on everything from63 to 58' lines.  Did fine on all of them but 58 was best at 5.2 lap times.

[Dwayne]

480 sq. in. wing, LA 46, coverite/poly span and rattle can. How much does it weigh?

[Tim Wescott]

Mine flies very nicely at 53 ounces (yes, that's a five in front).  So yours should be fine at 46.

What don't you like about Rustoleum?  It's a nice quick & dirty finish, in my opinion.  It'll never be as good as 'span & dope, but that's not the point of it.

[Ken Culbertson]

Mine flies very nicely at 53 ounces (yes, that's a five in front).  So yours should be fine at 46.

What don't you like about Rustoleum?  It's a nice quick & dirty finish, in my opinion.  It'll never be as good as 'span & dope, but that's not the point of it.

Mine is 52oz WITH battery so 46 w/o fuel is not too heavy.  Rustoleum is fine once you get used to it.  Only thing I won't use again is the clear.  After a month it still will not wet sand.  If I was going to get desperate and use an engine I probably would use dope.  I don't have the patience to wait for it to become fuel resistant.

Ken

[Tim Wescott]

... After a month it still will not wet sand. ...

If you care enough about "pretty" to wet sand, don't use Rustoleum.  It's old-school enamel paint, which, when I was growing up, was the low-labor self-leveling paint you used for inexpensive paint jobs.  Rustoleum is like that, only cheaper (and I don't mean "inexpensive").

[Ken Culbertson]

If you care enough about "pretty" to wet sand, don't use Rustoleum.  It's old-school enamel paint, which, when I was growing up, was the low-labor self-leveling paint you used for inexpensive paint jobs.  Rustoleum is like that, only cheaper (and I don't mean "inexpensive").

you know, when it wouldn't wet sand I left the plane in that semi flat state that a light spray coat does and I actually like it better.  I doubt seriously that the judges will back that decision.

Strange part is that I always finish a 3x3 piece of 1/4" at the same time I finish the plane.  It gets everything the plane gets.  I forgot the clear on that piece and the Rustoleum Red (3 light coats) wet sanded to a perfect finish.  I shot a coat of clear over the wet sanded color then rubbed and polished that and you can see your face in it.  Not sure what the ramifications are of adding one more coat of color and one less coat of clear and doing it that way.  Better yet - use dope.

Ken

[Tim Wescott]

... Better yet - use dope.

When I was crashing all the time I had been using Rustoleum + Ultracoat (well, whatever-is-cheap-coat).  Now that I'm not (crashing, that is), I'm completing my education in silkspan & dope finishing techniques.

[Steve Helmick]

At 46 > 50 ounces, use 1:1 flap/elevator. IIRC, the elevator should be a touch down with the flaps at neutral...MM has it the other way 'round.  Steve

[James Holford]

63' lines... id be afraid to fly mine on that long of lines lol.  I use 58' with .46LA...TT11X4.5..  40oz

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[Tim Wescott]

63' lines... id be afraid to fly mine on that long of lines lol.  I use 58' with .46LA...TT11X4.5..  40oz

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I fly mine on 64' lines with a 46LA.  It flies better that way than with shorter lines.  Longer lines give you more centrifugal force at the same lap time -- or the same centrifugal force at a lower lap time, which means the same line tension as before but more time to complete maneuvers.  The 46LA certainly has enough grunt to handle the longer lines.

[James Holford]

Oh Im sure it is.

Ive tried flying it on 60' and just hated it. On 58' im in my comfort zone.

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[Ken Culbertson]

I fly mine on 64' lines with a 46LA.  It flies better that way than with shorter lines.  Longer lines give you more centrifugal force at the same lap time -- or the same centrifugal force at a lower lap time, which means the same line tension as before but more time to complete maneuvers.  The 46LA certainly has enough grunt to handle the longer lines.

I was doing the same till some younger and wiser fliers showed me the error of my ways.  Two things that I found.  The twister is very small and on 64' lines (actually mine were 63) it is WAY WAY out there and much harder to judge elevation.  It also had way too much yaw in the turns from the line weight.  On 58' lines I can see it better and it doesn't bobble on corners.  In addition, mine is electric and I can use a smaller lighter battery to get the same lap times.

Ken

[Tim Wescott]

Well, it's a 54 ounce Twister, which I think has some bearing on the line length -- I have planes that size that are considerably lighter, and they like flying on shorter lines.

[James Holford]

Yea mibe being 40oz.. 64' msy be pushing itbut it is something to try 1 day though.

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