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Author Topic: Plane transport rack  (Read 1472 times)

Offline JHildreth

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Plane transport rack
« on: February 03, 2018, 09:37:46 PM »
I obviously do not know how to effectively use the search feature of this forum.  I tried searching for posts concerning plane racks for cars or vans.  I got plenty of responses, but none of them on my intended subject.  Some of the responses were really strange!  So I guess I have two questions.  Can someone guide me to information on transport racks for 60 sized stunt ships?  I have a Dodge Grand Caravan and I need a rack that will hold the plane with the nose down and the wing oriented front to back.  I am hoping to find one that will hold 3 ships.

My second question, is there some help article(s) on how to use the search function for this forum?

Thanks.

Joe

Offline Steve Helmick

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Re: Plane transport rack
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2018, 11:35:43 PM »
I think the way to do a search here is to use Google and search for "Stunt Hangar Plane Travel Racks", for example.

Bob Hunt makes his plane racks to carry his planes in the position you desire, cut from slabs of foam. But I've never seen one, so I'm not sure what holds it all together, if anything. If you're not careful, he will email (or post) dozens of pictures and pages of instructions...  ;)   LL~ Steve

 
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Offline Dan McEntee

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Re: Plane transport rack
« Reply #2 on: February 04, 2018, 05:46:15 AM »
  I have a 2008 Chrysler Town and Country (pretty much the same thing as your van) and the main problem with these is that the opening at the rear hatch is smaller than the inside of the van. I played around for a whole Saturday trying to figure something out. I had a big Cardinal that I could not load in the back door in the orientation that you want. My Shark.45 would not fit that way either. The interior of these vans is bigger in the middle, through the side doors. I could flop my Cardinal around every which was inside the middle. I finally came up with a PVC rack that was cut from my old rack that was used in my Ford full sized van. The models go in the rack like Ty described, but with the wings running across the van. I can load three or four larger models that way through the side doors, and smaller models the same way through the rear opening. I can haul 6 or 8 models that way, all behind the two rear seats, depending on the size of the airplanes. I think I have taken pictures, and I think Wayne Wiley has taken some at the last SIG contest as I was loading up to leave. The key with these vans is to have a Stow-N-Go version, so you can tuck the seats away and have the interior completely open. I took the rear seats completely out, and use the area that they folded into for storage of flight boxes and such when traveling, and cover it with a custom cut plywood cover that lifts up easy for access. Load that area first, then load the airplanes. Load airplanes next, then everything else goes between the airplanes and the front seats. If there are more than two of us (I can take two in the back) Then I use the openings for the middle seats as storage for stuff, and I have one of those cargo racks that plugs into the trailer hitch receiver and put luggage and anything else that will fit on that, packed away in a roof top bag that Thule makes and is strapped to the cargo rack. It's water tight and we have traveled in some pretty heavy rains and nothing has ever gotten wet. I have hauled four people,(including me) to Oshkosh and everything we need to live, work and play at KidVenture for 5 or 6 days in that configuration. Bob Zambelli posted photos here of a rack that holds four or five models flat and level that may work for you, and you can use his name and PVC rack for key words. I built one like his, but it didn't work out as well as how I had been doing it with what I have.. I'm going to attempt to load up a photo.
   Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

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Offline Fred Cronenwett

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Re: Plane transport rack
« Reply #3 on: February 04, 2018, 08:32:38 AM »
Damage to the model during transport can come from several sources

1) getting the model in or out of the van
2) bouncing around during the drive (really not to much of a problem with the model in the van)
3) other stuff in the van moving around and impacting the model (I had a flight box tip over and crush a wing one time)

See if you can make a custom PVC rack that holds the three models nose down, put the models into the rack and then load the entire rack with the models into the van. hopefully the vertical height of the van opening is larger than the fuselage length of the models. The PVC rack would have to be designed to fit your models and the van.

I have a small trailer that really bounces around so I had to use upholstery foam to dampen out the bumps to keep the models in one piece. with two road trips last year I had no problem even with the trailer hitting some large bumps in the road. if you ever get a trailer, anything that is not tied down will move and get damaged.

Fred
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Offline Warren Wagner

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Re: Plane transport rack
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2018, 09:18:45 AM »
This is the old design, from Bob Hunt I believe, that has been around for years, but still works well.
Most of the planes that I have used were 40 size, and as mentioned above, 60 size are a bit more
trouble, and loading through the size door is an option.

My rack was made from white foam, and using a color sample, I got a quart of paint that matched
my interior which helps it blend in to the rest of the van interior.

Locally, the guys with multiple 60 size ships, use *stackable* PVC racks which will hold up to at least
three planes.   Sorry, I don't have any pics of that style rack, but maybe someone else will supply
them.  You have to lift out the planes one by one, so if you want the bottom plane, you have to
remove the top two.  Usually you would load the one you are going to fly first on the top rack.

Cheers.

Warren Wagner

 P.S.  The added photo shows a wooden toolbox forward of the plane holder, that holds fuel, tools, etc.
This obviously pushes the plane rack to the rear by some 12-15", and if considering room for
60 size ships, this toolbox can be omitted, and the rack moved forward.   In this case, the second
row of seats are STILL in the van.  The toolbox surves a second purpose, in as much as it SITS on "feet"
that support the bottom of the styrofoam.
« Last Edit: February 05, 2018, 10:02:32 AM by Warren Wagner »
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Offline Tim Chenevert

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Re: Plane transport rack
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2018, 08:30:51 PM »
I really like the way you stack the planes vertically in the SUV! Now if I could borrow my wife’s Highlander! Lol Tim
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Offline Sean McEntee

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Re: Plane transport rack
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2018, 08:08:14 PM »
Joe,

      Here’s a pic of Dad’s van right before a road trip. It’s looking through the passenger-side sliding door towards the rear. Bigger models go in through the side doors and smaller ones are loaded in the back.

Offline JHildreth

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Re: Plane transport rack
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2018, 08:57:42 PM »
I would like to thank everyone for the responses.  Some good information in them.  Dan, thanks for the comment about the side doors being larger.  I knew that, but I hadn't made the connection that the side doors would be the best load point.  I think that now I'll be able to do what I want to do.  Thanks again to all.

Joe


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