Author Topic: Larry's New Ride - LASER! (Read 2028 times)

Dennis Adamisin · « **on:** May 31, 2021, 07:46:41 PM »

Flying buddy and all around good guy Larry Fruits just finished his new bird. He has trouble posting pictures so he asked me to post these for him He can also chime in on all the particulars. All I can say is WOW. Best of all, Larry worked with Walter Umland who did all the CAD work and has it set up for kitting. Walter can speak to that part.

Most profiles are serviceable but rarely exciting. This one makes you scream I WANT one!

john e. holliday · « **Reply #1 on:** May 31, 2021, 08:05:00 PM »

I love it. That is one gorgeous airplane.

Crist Rigotti · « **Reply #2 on:** May 31, 2021, 08:22:49 PM »

Very nice Larry!

Matt Colan · « **Reply #3 on:** May 31, 2021, 08:38:25 PM »

That’s really really cool!!!! Looks awesome!

James Mills · « **Reply #4 on:** May 31, 2021, 09:21:28 PM »

Looks nice Larry.

James

Jim Hoffman · « **Reply #5 on:** May 31, 2021, 09:32:03 PM »

A great looker. Good on you Larry

Are the aerodynamics based on any known design?

gene poremba · « **Reply #6 on:** June 01, 2021, 04:58:08 AM »

Very nice looking model! Good to see some stunt models looking like full scale aerobatic planes....Gene

Dave_Trible · « **Reply #7 on:** June 01, 2021, 06:29:20 AM »

That's REALLY nice Larry! What's in the nose? Do I see a swept forward flap line?

Dave

Mike Griffin · « **Reply #8 on:** June 01, 2021, 09:49:14 AM »

Dennis,

Please pass on to Larry that is a good looking model. Is that his original design?

Mike

Larry Fruits · « **Reply #9 on:** June 01, 2021, 12:00:40 PM »

Thanks everyone for the nice comments about my Laser. It's a long story that began in the fall of 2012. I won't burden you with all that entailed getting to this point, but it was quite a ride. I will try to answer all the questions posted so far. Here are some specs:
Wing span: 56-5/8, equal panels
Wing area: 596 square inches, with swept forward flap hinge line.
Tail brace wires are carbon rods with landing gear clips, clevises, and threaded couplers for the attachments.
Power: ST 51 with Brian Gardner ABC liner, piston, and hemi head
Prop: Carbon 3 blade, 12 x 4.3 cut down to 11 inch diameter
Weight: 64.5 ounces... Had some brain farts during construction, so if building another one I know where I could save 3 to 4 ounces. Goal was 60 or less.
Colors are: Cub yellow, white, and black. Canopy is lime green. No decals or stickers are on the plane. All Brodak dope.

I have been given credit for the design, but in actuality Walter Umland and I modified Gid Adkinson's original Laser. I always liked the Laser from the time I saw Leo fly his original full size plane. So I obtained Gid's model Laser plans when they were first published, but thought it to be too large for my smallish stature. Ya have to be able to hold onto them. John Miller did the CADD work for Gid's Laser. So when I approached Walter about the project he obtained all the required permissions for us to begin our modifications, reducing the overall size. I had been flying a Top Flight Tutor II in the profile events for several years and liked it's size, so Walter and I used that for sizing the Laser. Originally it started out to be a full fuselage model, but somewhere along in the process it got the skinny treatment and ended up as a profile. I had been getting a lot of flack about my "ratty" Tutor II for some time, it does look pretty used, and I think that may have influenced the skinny treatment on the Laser. Maybe the next one will be a full fuselage version...

I liked Leo's original color scheme on his Laser prior to the "Bud Light" paint scheme, so I chose that scheme for my Laser. Besides Gid and Bob Whitley had already done the "Bud Light" color scheme. I thought yellow for the base color would present better than the original blue on Leo's plane, so I reversed the colors. Judging from your comments, I think I chose correctly.

Walter and I spent many hours on the phone and exchanging emails during the process and without his help this project would not have seen the light of day. For his help and patience with me on this project, I gave him all commercial rights to the plane, so if you get the bug and want one, give Walter a call, I am sure he will be more than happy to provide what you desire. Unpaid endorsement.

Since the maiden flight was postponed due to weather I will have to report later on how that goes.

Thank you Walter for all your help and hope you sell a bunch of them. Thanks Dennis for posting the photos. Much appreciated.

Blessings to all;
Larry

Larry Fruits · « **Reply #10 on:** June 01, 2021, 11:26:20 PM »

Update: Well, if that old saying of "if it looks right, it will fly right" is correct, then we have a winner. Of course remember who helped me out with this project. "BuiltrightFlyright". And it certainly does. Thanks Walter.
I was able to put up a couple half tank flights with the plane late Tuesday afternoon. First flight the neutral handle was off just a bit, but I was able to do some climbs and dives, a few hard inside corners to vertical and then hard outside outside corners to level at the 45 degree elevation or a little more. Plane responded well with no apparent hinging. Turns in both directions were quick and crisp. Transition to glide after engine shutoff was smooth with a long glide and no apparent stall tendencies.
I made a neutral handle adjustment for the second flight, and I could tell almost immediately on takeoff that this plane was going to be fun. WOW... It settled right in at about 4-1/2 feet of altitude and became rock solid. A few laps later, (I was enjoying just watching the plane groove), I began some climbs and dives, then a half loop to inverted. Wow, right back to 4-1/2 feet and locked in. I don't think I have ever had a plane lock in both upright and inverted so solidly, especially on it's second flight. A few laps later, (again just enjoying the sight of the plane inverted), a half loop back to upright. A few more hard inside and outside corners with some steep climbs and dives here and there, then it was time to land. I'm not willing to say it's the best plane I have ever had, but I learned enough to know that it certainly has the potential to be a great flying plane. More flights and some trim tweaking will determine just how great. I am certainly liking it so far.

I was a bit concerned about the weight and if the ST 51 would be adequate, but those concerns were definitely not warranted. No lack of power.

I would have liked to have put up a few more flights, but the wind was coming from the south with increasing velocity and creating some pretty good turbulence, enough that I saw all the stars on top of the wing a few times on the second flight, so I decided to pack up and head for home. At my home field, any wind over a near by building on the south side of the circle of 5 MPH or more, creates enough turbulence to have 3 to 4 feet altitude variations, even in level flight. I figured it wasn't worth the risk to continue flying a new plane.

Blessings;
Larry

Will Hinton · « **Reply #11 on:** June 02, 2021, 07:59:15 AM »

Larry my friend, ya done good! It's not only gorgweous, it flies! I had the distnct privelege of pitting for Gid all during the '90 nats and really liked the platform he had. That was/is a big airplane and really flew nice. He took fourth that year and you never saw a happier guy.
Maybe you can do that this year? (Yea, I know you're "pit bossing" on the L pad, but we can still hope.)
Seeya in a couple of weeks!

Walter Hicks · « **Reply #12 on:** June 03, 2021, 09:25:08 PM »

Larry, If I read the information correctly this is a Laser 200 that was downsized from John Millers plans? John redrew Gids original plans to try to lighten it up a bit. He added tabs on the ribs for easier building, If this is indeed a downsized model from Johns plans it should fly really well. I built and flew the Laser 200 from Gid's Orginal plans . Yes the plane was big 63" span 740 squares and not light( Most of Gid's were 80 oz. ) Will Walter be selling any kits of this new smaller plane?

P.S. One of the excellent characteristics of Gid's original Laser was what you were describing excellent turns and flat pull outs with a locked in feeling.
No surprise that the smaller one flies like you described. https://hosting.photobucket.com/albums/j262/kickercoach12/.highres/IM000327-1.jpg

Picture is of Gid Adkisson Launching my Laser 200 in days past. ( Click on photo bucket link to see)

Larry Fruits · « **Reply #13 on:** June 05, 2021, 09:03:06 AM »

Hi Walter,
Yes, Walter Umland and I initially used John Miller's plans of Gid's Laser and downsized them by approximately 11%. Then we resized some areas, such as the tail, to make it close to current day percentages of wing area. So it is not exactly a direct percentage reduction. As you are aware a direct reduction does not work so well. I was concerned about the weight of the tail brace wires and had panned to replace some of the hardware with lighter components, but I was very pleased that I did not have to add any ballast weight on either end of the fuselage to have the C/G fall right where we had planned. And after flight testing, I am not sure it needs adjustment. It flies and turns very well right where it is. I may play with it a little, but it seems pretty good right where it is.

I have several more flights on it now with complete patterns and even with so few flights, I would not hesitate to fly it in competition. It's rock solid and is fun to fly, plus it looks like a real plane on the end of the lines.

Yes, I am sure that Walter is planning to offer plans and kits for the plane. He sent me a preliminary add for his website and it looks awesome. Not sure when he plans to have it on line. Hopefully soon for all to enjoy.

Blessings;
Larry

P.S. Your Laser looks great. Thanks for posting the link.

Larry Fruits · « **Reply #14 on:** June 05, 2021, 09:12:31 AM »

Thanks Will.
Another disappointing year as I won't be flying, but it will be fun being there to see everyone and help out. Maybe fly at FCM later this year. See you in a couple weeks at the Scale Nat's.

Blessings;
Larry

Walter Hicks · « **Reply #15 on:** June 06, 2021, 12:33:30 PM »

Larry will you be at the scale mats ? I will be attending Friday and Saturday. Looking forward to meeting everyone. Will you bring the Laser?

Will Hinton · « **Reply #16 on:** June 06, 2021, 05:36:26 PM »

Walter, Larry and I are teamed as judges for the scale nats, so where you find one of us, you're unlucky enough that you find both!

Brian Gardner · « **Reply #17 on:** June 06, 2021, 06:52:00 PM »

Nice looking design and model Larry!

I kinda want to build one

Larry Fruits · « **Reply #18 on:** June 07, 2021, 12:42:48 PM »

Quote from: Walter Hicks on June 06, 2021, 12:33:30 PM

Larry will you be at the scale mats ? I will be attending Friday and Saturday. Looking forward to meeting everyone. Will you bring the Laser?

Hi Walter,
Yes, I will be at the CL scale event, as my buddy Will stated. Between Will and Allen Goff, I got my arm twisted a little to help judge the event.

I will be picking up items being brought to the Nat's for a couple of friends that will not be able to attend, and will be pinched for space on the return trip home. So it is unlikely that I will be able to bring the Laser. Somewhat disappointing, even though I am not flying in the Nat's this year, it would have been fun to fly it in the evenings. Look me up. We can still compare notes on our Lasers.

Hi Brian,
Thanks for the comments. I sent you a P.M. in response to your P.M.

Blessings;
Larry

Walter Hicks · « **Reply #19 on:** June 19, 2021, 12:37:18 PM »

Larry I arrived in Muncie 5 Am on Friday,no one flying found out scale was flown on Thursday oh well I am here until Sunday morning as my flight out from Indianapolis Indiana is at 4 pm are u still in Muncie?

Will Hinton · « **Reply #20 on:** June 19, 2021, 07:17:36 PM »

Walter, Since we were able to finish c/l scale by working late on Thursday I abandoned Larry and headed back to Ohio. (I had some calls from guys needing frantic help at the shop.)
Wish I could have seen you, but Larry's gonna make up for it. He was a huge help at scale.