Author Topic: Brodak Nobler Kit (Read 7703 times)

Shawn Kuntz · « **on:** October 17, 2006, 01:09:51 PM »

Does the Brodak Nobler have fuselage mounted landing gear or wing mounted gear?

Leester · « **Reply #1 on:** October 17, 2006, 01:11:50 PM »

Fusalage mounted gear.

Bob Zambelli · « **Reply #2 on:** October 17, 2006, 01:17:31 PM »

Shawn - all three Nobler kits have fuselage gear.

Bob Z.

Shawn Kuntz · « **Reply #3 on:** October 17, 2006, 01:17:50 PM »

Thanks. How does it handle on a grass field?

Leester · « **Reply #4 on:** October 17, 2006, 01:20:35 PM »

I have no problem with my ARF.

Shawn Kuntz · « **Reply #5 on:** October 17, 2006, 01:25:50 PM »

I assume you have the Top Flite ARF? What modifications did you have to make prior to flying it? Is it worth all the trouble? Would a guy be better off just building the Brodak kit?

Ron King · « **Reply #6 on:** October 17, 2006, 03:17:12 PM »

Quote from: Shawn on October 17, 2006, 01:25:50 PM

I assume you have the Top Flite ARF? What modifications did you have to make prior to flying it? Is it worth all the trouble? Would a guy be better off just building the Brodak kit?

I have built both and think you would be much better off with the Brodak kit. Like Ty, I took my Nobler ARF, stripped the covering, completely rebuilt the controls and much of the internal structure, and ended up with a virtual Green Box Nobler. The ARF fuselage is thinner and the motor mounts are definitely not as good as the original kits.

My Brodak Nobler flies great off grass with 2 1/4" wheels. It's a great kit and and a cool little beast.

Hope you enjoy yours as much as I enjoy mine.

Ron

Leester · « **Reply #7 on:** October 17, 2006, 03:30:02 PM »

Everything they said, The ARF is quick but I'll build my next ones from an RSM and Brodak kit. Also the UHP Gieseke Nobler since I have all three. Almost forgot the Top Flite GN.

frank carlisle · « **Reply #8 on:** October 17, 2006, 06:02:18 PM »

It'll take a bit longer to build the kit but I think you'll be very happy. And since winter is coming up there won't be a time crunch. Based on your other models I've seen you'll have a purdy plane when you're finished.

Shawn Kuntz · « **Reply #9 on:** October 17, 2006, 09:52:02 PM »

Frank-
Thanks for the vote of confidence. I really like the Nobler. I remember when I was a kid back in the early 80's seeing the old Top Flite kits on the hobby shop shelves. The best I ever did was the Ringmaster that I still have. Tried a Sig Chipmunk but ripped the landing gear off trying to hand launch it. I never had good luck with the upside down motors so I am leary about building one. I just am getting back into CL flying after not doing it for 20+ years. I have a brand new Dare Sporthawk to build this winter. I also have an old Siq Twister kit that my brother had for over 20 years. Both of those should get built before I tackle the Nobler. I am mighty tempted though.

Shawn Kuntz · « **Reply #10 on:** October 17, 2006, 09:55:20 PM »

Ron,
That is one sweet looking Nobler. What are you using for an engine?

Ron King · « **Reply #11 on:** October 18, 2006, 05:51:57 AM »

Quote from: Shawn on October 17, 2006, 09:55:20 PM

Ron,
That is one sweet looking Nobler. What are you using for an engine?

It started with a Fox 35. I was trying to recreate my lost youth. Caution: The memories are sometimes much better than the reality.

It now has a Double Star 40 and flies much better.

Interesting note: I really did not like the Nobler when I was in high school. I liked the Detroit stunters, like the Lark and the Ares. But Jim Silhavy spent a few minutes with me at the Glenview Nats in 1966 and convinced me to build the Nobler. Great advice from a great guy.

I now have two more Brodak Nobler kits, an RSM Green Box Nobler kit, the UHP Gieseke Nobler kit, plus I still have one original Top Flite Nobler and the Top Flite Gieseke Nobler here in my workshop. I'll probably never build them all, but they are great kits.

Take care,

Ron

Alan Hahn · « **Reply #12 on:** October 18, 2006, 06:04:53 AM »

I think everyone is fooling themselves if they think either the Brodak or RSM kits take only a little more time than the TF Nobler ARF. I have all 3, and it is amazing to look at the big chunks of wood in the kits!
If the original poster is beginning or just coming back, I really recommend the Arf, even with the fixes. You could be ready to fly in a week---at least I was 2-3 years ago, and then we had to figure out the upgrades ourselves! Still have mine, and some day I will get around to the kits.

Leroy Heikes · « **Reply #13 on:** October 18, 2006, 06:35:09 AM »

I have been flying my AFR Nobler for three years also. It is a great flying plane. I would change the push rods from the bell crank to the flaps and the one from the flaps to the elevator. Go to the hobby shop and get a good set of 1/16 pushrods and clevis from Sullivan and you'll be fine cost should be less than $5.00. I made this change after crashing because the stock clevis slipped on the push rod.
I fly ARFs for stunt and save my building time for my scale planes!

Leroy

Bob Zambelli · « **Reply #14 on:** October 18, 2006, 07:18:22 AM »

I built the Brodak Nobler a while back. Here's something I wrote that should be of interest.

“I bought a Brodak Nobler kit a few years back (around 1998) and built it pretty much to print. The kit was one of the best qualities I’ve ever seen – every part was exactly as it should be. I set up the control ratios and CG exactly as called out on the plan and it weighed 34 ounces with a Fox .35 and a decent finish. When I told George (Aldrich) about it he said it would fly like a pig!

Taken back a bit, I asked him to elaborate. He said that the main problem was that it was too light: It will not groove, will jump on any square pullouts and will balloon and bounce on landing.

Figuring “what does he know?” (Actually we had become pretty good friends by that time), I decided that it would be fine as built so I took it out to have some fun.

It would not groove, jumped in pullouts, and ballooned and bounced on landings! I tried narrowing the handle line spacing, adding a bit of nose weight and playing with outboard weight. NOTHING worked. I flew exactly as George said it would. I let a local expert flyer try it and it still was not performing. While preparing to take it to a swap meet with a $5.00 price tag on it, I mentioned the issue to someone else and he just said, “it’s too light – period. It will never fly properly”. I also read that some people had reduced the amount of flap movement and the plane improved. My original Green-Box Nobler was quite nose-heavy so I decided that if I was going to add weight, why not put some in the nose.

So, here’s what I wound up doing: I put on a somewhat heavy aluminum spinner, an APC prop, a larger tank and a Fox muffler. I added tail weight until it balanced about ½” forward of the suggested point. All that and removing all the tip weight did the trick. Total weight came up to around 43 ounces I can now say that the Brodak Nobler with the small modifications I performed has turned out to be one of the best flying stunt planes I’ve ever owned."

The plane has been flown with the Fox .35, SAITO .40, SAITO .30 ans Surpass .26. I liked the Fox the best - maybe just for nostalgia's sake.
With the Fox, it got me the "boot" from advanced.

Bob Z.

Bob Z.”

Ron King · « **Reply #15 on:** October 18, 2006, 08:01:23 AM »

Bob,

Agreed. I only talked to George a couple of times, but he did tell me that his Nobler had to weigh over 40 ounces to fly right. He said I should keep it under 45 ounces, but just had to get it over 40.

As a teenager who was intimidated by all the talk from the experts about building super light, this was music to my ears.

Mine weighs 42 ounces and flies great.

Take care,

Ron

Ted Fancher · « **Reply #16 on:** October 18, 2006, 07:35:37 PM »

Quote from: Bob Zambelli on October 18, 2006, 07:18:22 AM

I built the Brodak Nobler a while back. Here's something I wrote that should be of interest.

“I bought a Brodak Nobler kit a few years back (around 1998) and built it pretty much to print. The kit was one of the best qualities I’ve ever seen – every part was exactly as it should be. I set up the control ratios and CG exactly as called out on the plan and it weighed 34 ounces with a Fox .35 and a decent finish. When I told George (Aldrich) about it he said it would fly like a pig!

Taken back a bit, I asked him to elaborate. He said that the main problem was that it was too light: It will not groove, will jump on any square pullouts and will balloon and bounce on landing.

Figuring “what does he know?” (Actually we had become pretty good friends by that time), I decided that it would be fine as built so I took it out to have some fun.

It would not groove, jumped in pullouts, and ballooned and bounced on landings! I tried narrowing the handle line spacing, adding a bit of nose weight and playing with outboard weight. NOTHING worked. I flew exactly as George said it would. I let a local expert flyer try it and it still was not performing. While preparing to take it to a swap meet with a $5.00 price tag on it, I mentioned the issue to someone else and he just said, “it’s too light – period. It will never fly properly”. I also read that some people had reduced the amount of flap movement and the plane improved. My original Green-Box Nobler was quite nose-heavy so I decided that if I was going to add weight, why not put some in the nose.

So, here’s what I wound up doing: I put on a somewhat heavy aluminum spinner, an APC prop, a larger tank and a Fox muffler. I added tail weight until it balanced about ½” forward of the suggested point. All that and removing all the tip weight did the trick. Total weight came up to around 43 ounces I can now say that the Brodak Nobler with the small modifications I performed has turned out to be one of the best flying stunt planes I’ve ever owned."

The plane has been flown with the Fox .35, SAITO .40, SAITO .30 ans Surpass .26. I liked the Fox the best - maybe just for nostalgia's sake.
With the Fox, it got me the "boot" from advanced.

Bob Z.

Bob Z.”

Bob,

Ouch! Sparkie's going to excommunicate you.

Your experience goes hand in hand with my ultra light Tucker Special. I went even further and added eight oz total of stick on lead on the top and bottom of both wings at the root. Biiiig improvement.

Ted

Paul Taylor · « **Reply #17 on:** October 18, 2006, 07:44:33 PM »

Shawn,
What engine are you going to use?

Shawn Kuntz · « **Reply #18 on:** October 18, 2006, 08:08:18 PM »

I'm thinking the Fox 35 you sold me. That should be good enough for the type of flying I do.

Paul Taylor · « **Reply #19 on:** October 19, 2006, 07:32:18 PM »

My plan was to put that engine in a ARF Nobler but that was a few years away for me because of the way I fly.

Keep us posted.

Shawn Kuntz · « **Reply #20 on:** October 19, 2006, 08:48:48 PM »

I haven't bought anything as of yet. I have two other kits to build first. I still may get the Nobler. I will have to wait and see. Too many airplanes and too little time.

Lyle Spiegel · « **Reply #21 on:** October 20, 2006, 11:10:19 PM »

how do the kits from RSM and Brodak compare with regard to building ease and flying performance? Do you end up with the same end result?

Author Topic: Brodak Nobler Kit (Read 7703 times)

Alan Hahn