Plane Holder

[Doug Moon]

Do you think this will work?

I have a 2003 Dodge Ram Quad Cab.  I used to just fold up the back seat and put the plane on its nose and tie it loosely to the folded up seat and drive to the field.  Now my kids are old enough, especially my son, and want to go too.  They are way to small to ride in the front seat. So I had to figure out a way to carry my plane in the bed.  The bed cover was already in place when I got the truck 4 years ago.  It's water tight too.

I fitted the bed with a piece of plywood that matches the beds footprint so it can't slide around front to back or sideways.  Then I attached 2x2 all around where the flight box and fuel box go and the butt up against the tail gate when it’s closed.  Plus a tie down across the back to keep them from tipping over.  I will also have an outline for the 35lbs stooge to sit in to the right of the field box.

The plane holder is made from mostly 2lb foam and is a claim shell around the plane.  Once it is snug down tight like you see here the plane seems very secure. The holder is bolted to the main floor piece of plywood so I can easily remove just it if I need to put regular stuff in there and I don’t have to store the entire huge piece.  

What do you think?

[Tim Wescott]

I just put carpet down in my truck, and put the planes on that.  They don't roll around in normal driving.

Yours will keep the planes undamaged in a fender-bender, though, where mine would have problems even with a panic stop (I should fix that...)

[Steven Kientz]

 Looks good

Steve

[Fred Cronenwett]

I also use the carpeting in the back of my truck. I also have a deck in the upper half of the truck bed, models get stored on the upper deck on a normal basis, but have room on the bottom deck for more models if needed. the only thing I tie down is the tail wheel with a small shock cord. In the lower deck I have a board that slides out easily.

Fred

[Doug Moon]

That looks good.

From the sounds of it I may have gone a little overboard....   

Mine slides out real easy as well to lift the plane out.

[Mark Scarborough]

I don't think you did, I like the blocks to capture the tool box, that's one of the things that bother me ,, I usually drive a fair piece to get to contests through some vigorous traffic,, and having my tubs of tools and portable hobby shop (sic) with me have been a concern, don't want them sliding around getting friendly with my airframes.... so they are on a shelf inside my canopy,, secured by the main wheels to the shelf and a small hand towel over the aft fuse to keep it from tipping on its nose as I accelerate ,, so far so good

[Brian Massey]

I just purchased a used Pontiac Vibe (same as a Toyota Matrix) to try and save a little gas money. I want to build a carrier that will let me carry at least two planes plus the associated gear.
 
I'm thinking the rack needs to hold them nose down at about a 40-60 degree angle. Anyone got pictures of something similar in a smaller car?

Thanks,

Brian

[Dan McEntee]

    In every vehicle I have ever had to haul models in, I ALWAYS put heavy objects like flight boxes and such in front. That way they are already there in case of an accident. Even in a minor accident, you never know where a heavy object is going to end up, and can bounce out of the 2X4 blocks. if in a truck or van, put the flight boxes up front against the seats or the front of the bed.
   I have a Pontiac Vibe and have gotten 5 models in it using the stack method, including a large stunt model like my Shark 45. I fold the seats down, and the Vibe has a very nice, flat deck. I put my large flight box up against the drivers seat. Then I take stock of what models I'm packing. In the "stack method", one model is stacked right on top of another with padding in between. I sstart with the bottom model at kind of an angle, and have it upside down. I'll mention here that I have a moving blanket covering the whole deck. I'll take an old towel, and drape it loosely over the model, and then pick the next model that kist best over that one , but put this one in right side up. Sometimes it faces the same direction, sometimes it's pointing the other way. I continue this until I get to the large model. I have an empty cardboard fuel case box that goes in the back of the car opposite the flight box. I put a piece of foam on top of the flight box and the cardboard box, and the large model goes on top and rests and balances on it's wing tips on the boxes. The big secret is having lots of foam and towels to protech ans stabilize things. I use the foot wells for the back seats to hold jugs of fuel, starter boxes and other stuff. My car has a roof rack, and I have one of those roof top travel bags to hold duffel bags and other stuff for long trips, and bag chairs get tied up there also. With gas the way it is, I have used the Vibe for trips to SIG and Oshkosh that included my friend Bob Arata, or my son Sean. You just have to be creative and make best use of all space.
  I bought a used 2008 Chrysler Town and Country two years ago, and have made a couple trip in it also. I can get anywhere from 1 to 8 models easily in it including three large stunters. It's a stow and go model, and you can make real good use of that storage. It has a trailer hitch, and I have a cargo rack that fits in the hitch, and the same roof top cargo bag I use on the Vibe sits of a custom cut piece of plywood and it holds luggage and what ever. I'll have to take some pictures the next time it's loaded up and post those to best illustrate how I use it. Anybody that was at the SIG contest last year saw it was holding quite a bit and the Minnesota gang pulled up chairs to watch me load it all before we left , or at the Paducah contest last August. I think Sean and I took 8 models there plus luggage and other stuff. It just take imagination, planning and a good eye.
   Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Joseph Patterson]

      Dan, that is sure simple and effective! In looking at Doug's set-up it is hard to beat for a single plane, but I could not tell by the photo if he had the tool box strapped  down. If not, I would sure further secure it.
      Doug   

[Doug Moon]

The tool box is strapped with a tie down to the tailgate.  So it has the wood liner around it and the strap.  I have been using the strap to keep the tool box and fule box in place since I have owned this truck since I used to caryy the plane in the cab I would put them back there. With the strap and no wood liner they have stayed in place.  But in an accident all bets are off.

Lucky for me the field is about 2.5 miles away in mostly residential driving.  But I could keep the boxes and stuff in the cab when there are no kids with me.  That's a good idea.

[Matt Colan]

My grandfather has an F-150, and we transport our planes by getting a long piece of pink foam, then marking out where the wheels are and then burned holes in it with a sauldering iron to keep it in one place.  Then we have places to bungie chord the flight box and fuel to the side of the bed on the truck.  This works well, since he only has to travel a mile to get to my house.  When we went to the Team Trials, we did the same thing and the plane was fine when we got to rest stops to check on it, and when we got to Muncie.

Oh yea, he has a bed cover, just like Doug.

[Brian Massey]

Thanks Dan!

I'm not sure I'll ever need to put 5 models in the Vibe , but cetainly 2 or maybe 3 on occasion . I've been doing all this in a Ford pickup with a shell, and am used to having lots of room. Looks like a stop at our neighbohood Foam R Us store is in order.

Brian

[Dan McEntee]

 Brian;
  I am always on the look-out for pieces of foam. if anything comes into the maintenance shop where I work and has foam packing I make sure it doesn't end up in the trash and goes home with me. Old carpet padding, that egg crate looking stuff that people put on their mattresses,  all sorts of sources foam. You need that and some practice packing things.
   Good luck and have fun,
     Dan McEntee

[john e. holliday]

As stated the heavy tool/pit boxes and extra fuel should be up front.   I usually load heavy plane first with the lighter ones on top.   If I still had my old blue Chevy 1/2 ton, I would show you why the heavy stuff goes up front.   Amazing what my tool box did to the front of the truck bed.  By the way did I say I customized the front bumper on a guy that thought he had another sucker.  I rear ended him while my foot was in the carburator.   As I told the insurance agent we were stopped on the entrance ramp in down town KCMo.   I watched him take off into the traffic.   I looked at the traffic and started to go my self.   When  you have an opening you have to stand on it.   When I looked forward he was sitting there.   Hit him hard enough it put him on the shoulder.  You could lay a straight edge across my bumper.   I drove home then to the insurance office.   His vehicle was towed and he  left in an ambalance.   Was funny when the insurance agent said what he wanted for settlement.  When confronted by a previous accident of the same nature, he signed papers releasing me of all guilt.

[Steve Fitton]

That rig looks alot safer than the way the stuff is piled in the Suburban, especially when Steve is driving.  I do wonder if the toolbox would go flying in a minor crash or sudden braking.  Its a pity it can't go forward of the plane.

[louie klein]

I kinda crumple up a big blue tarp and spread it out in the truck bed. I put the planes on the tarp and they don't go anywhere. I do have a bed cover witch also helps.--LOUIE   

[Will Hinton]

Before I went to a van I had a trailer with a special designed bed for my ships.  The only mistake I made was to bungee the LG down to the plywood base with nothing under the wheels.  When I got to Muncie I had to replace the wheels on that one because the vibration had played eraser with them!!  They were totally flat on the bottom with little balls of foam all over that area.
Doug, your setup looks great to me, I don't think anchoring a ship can be overdone!!  Yours is safe and secure - well done.

[Dan McEntee]

  If i were to have a pick up truck, I would have a bed cover like Steve Smith here in St. Louis has. It is in three or four segments that hinge and so that you can open it up at either end, and the whole works slides for and aft if you need it. Really works well and looks to be tough as nails and has a secure lock. Don't remember the name of the manufacturer though.
   Type at you later,
     Dan McEntee

[Garf]

I have a short wheel base full size van. I load 3 models in the back facing sideways, then pack towels around the wheels. The equipment goes in the front of the truck. The door pockets take extra fuel and starting batteries. If I need to carry a passenger, it can get a little tight.

[Randy Ryan]

I also use the carpeting in the back of my truck. I also have a deck in the upper half of the truck bed, models get stored on the upper deck on a normal basis, but have room on the bottom deck for more models if needed. the only thing I tie down is the tail wheel with a small shock cord. In the lower deck I have a board that slides out easily.

Fred

This is very similar to what I've been doing for years. I started our hauling FF's like this and modified it for stunters. The only problem I have is putting flat spots on the wheels!

[Allan Perret]

That rig looks alot safer than the way the stuff is piled in the Suburban, especially when Steve is driving.  

This works good if you have a Surburban.
I built a shelf using hollow core door construction (1/4 luan skins and light wood 3/4 internal ribs) to keep it light.   Initially was carrying only one plane on the shelf.  Then started thinking how to get 2 planes on the shelf.  By cutting holes in top skin for gears to sit in I gained enough extra height for the 2nd plane.  Hot glued PVC couplings into the shelf for sockets to plug in PVC supports for top plane.  This leaves all of the floor space availabe for flight boxes and other stuff, or more planes.  Inside the gear cutouts, I mounted a pair of wood blocks just inside the wheels.  Drilled 1/4" holes on either side of strut, plug in some dowels with tygon tubing to capture gear.  That keeps it from rolling around and damaging pants.

[Randy Powell]

Mine, like Allan's, is made of PVC and pipe insulation. Works fine.