Cockpit Details

[Dick Fowler]

What has happened to them? When I stopped flying CL in the '70's everyone put a lot of work and details in the cockpits of their stunters. All had clear canopies, seats, instruments, etc.. I got back into stunt in about 2002 and now it's mostly balsa blocks and paint. Tell me again about appearance points and building skills. Most of today's top efforts wouldn't have made the third row in the 60's and '70's.

[RC Storick]

Because it went from 40 to 20 points. Why bother? The worst get 10 and the best gets 19 only a 9 point spread.

[Steve Helmick]

Sad, but that's pretty much exactly right. I have had to 'sell' the other judge, to give a crappy model 8 points, and I don't believe I've ever given less than that, tho I'd like to.

OTOH,  I don't think the cockpit details are that big a deal. Plus one or two points, maybe? The problem is that it can go all wrong real easy...dust inside, warped canopy sides, scraped up top from an inverted landing, pilot comes loose, etc., etc., etc, and the resulting hit on points...maybe minus two? Not that much to gain, for a lot of work and potential grief that is very hard to repair so it looks as good as it once did, or could have looked.

Dyeing canopies isn't as easy as it once was, either. Different materials dye differently, take different amounts of heat, and it's not always easy to find out what the material is. I noticed that the R/C car paints come in transparent charcoal for painting the windows in those plastic bodies. I think this is a better way to go, rather than dye. I also noticed they have color changing paints in small quantities and at reasonable prices. Might be interesting for a trim color, for instance. See the big Tower catalog.  Midnight's nigh.... Steve

[Randy Powell]

Truth is, I'd rather spend the time on a good finish overall than on cockpit details. Unless I'm building a semi-scale or something. The only clear canopies I've done recently are classic planes.

[Dick Fowler]

Because it went from 40 to 20 points. Why bother? The worst get 10 and the best gets 19 only a 9 point spread.

Makes perfect sense... thanks.

[dave shirley jr]

personally i like clear canopies with some detail.
you dont have to go overboard but a pilot and some gauges is fine.
i see 19 point airplanes with painted canopies and i think "are you kidding" sure its harder and takes more work and might get messed up.
well the same can be said for a nice finnish. i personally think a plane should be knocked down for painted canopies. but hey thats me,
or maybe we should make the flyer fly with the same level of visibility on his glasses as he has on his canopy!
now that would be fun
Dave jr.

[Richard Grogan]

or maybe we should make the flyer fly with the same level of visibility on his glasses as he has on his canopy!
now that would be fun
Dave jr.

[Tom Niebuhr]

I agree.

Painted canopies, just don't relate to the spirit of the event. I will never forget the details of the Ballerina  at the "61 Nats, thankfully FM published it a few years ago.. and Gialdini's beautiful Sting Rays.. etc, etc

With the exception of the overall improvement of finishes, and a few craftsmen like Ron Burns, I guess that was a hint of what was coming.. less pride in the airplanes.. enter the Barfs.

[steve pagano]

Best detail i ever seen has got to be Dan Banjock's ''vista''

[linheart smith]

I took this at Brodak last summer.

[john e. holliday]

As stated, spend more time on finish.  I took time to put pilot in the Accentor.  He came loose yesterday while flying.  I guess too many G-forces.  Also I have had planes that got what they deserved as far as finish points(7's & 8's).   I really admire the guys that have the talent and patience to do cockpits.  DOC Holliday

[Randy Powell]

Ty,

Hey, the cockpit in my new Novi is a perfectly accurate representation...of the cockpit of an X-Wing fighter.

[dave shirley jr]

Hey i said pilots and instruments i didn't say they had to be human.
my cobra has a very detailed and scale sized gorilla with one instrument and a pepsi can in a cup holder.
I mean really, how many gauges can we expect the gorilla to pay attention too.
I believe Ted Fancher once said they should have everything a real pilot needs in the cockpit, a newspaper and a cup of coffee.
Dave jr.

[Bob Zambelli]

I still like cockpit detail

Here are shots of my Starlight. 

Note that the stick moves with the elevator and flaps. 

Easy to do, and lots of fun. 

Bob Z.