Ever since I got back into control-line around 12 years ago, I been saying I gotta build me a Ringmaster. Couple of reasons. Frist, our club's name is the "New Orleans Ringmasters". (clubs namesake makes it almost mandatory to have a Ringmaster) Second, like a lot of retreads, that's the model I built the most of as a teenager (probalby 4 or 5) and this was going to be my nostalgia bird. It was suppose to have a McCoy 35 RedHead (that's all I could afford back then). Seeing what Dee Rice and the Brotherhood are doing with Ringmasters these days I opted for Brodak 25 power.
Well today I made the first flights on my latest version, and it performs like none of teenage variants ever dreamed of. Of course I know a little more about building and flying today than I did back then. This one came in at 24.8 oz as you see it in the pictures. Gotta think that the teenage versions were all 35+ (and that's without mufflers). Built it from a Dee Rice / Pat Johnston Gold Label kit. Got all the good scoop from Dee on bench trim and set up and she flew great from the git go. Only mod I made was to hollow out the back side of the kit supplied solid leading edge. Oh yea, one other mod, check out the push rod exit in the last picture.
This is fun stuff, now I have to build another one for the true nostalgia bird and put the McCoy on it.