Searching for Take Apart Plane Options for Hopeful Junior USA Team Member

[Brendan Eberenz]

The FAI F2 World Championships in Australia are about 10 months away (May 2026). My son (Angstrom age 15) is very interested in competing to be the Junior USA Team member. We think he has a very good chance of making the team given his skill level and sourcing who might attend the trials.

Right now, our biggest obstacle is obtaining/constructing an electric take apart airplane that will allow us to have time to practice before winter here in Pennsylvania. If we have to wait for a model to be constructed in Ukraine or build one from scratch over the next few months, Pennsylvania winter will quickly be upon us with no handle time until the spring. That feels like a recipe for a lousy performance on the world stage.

We are not advanced builders or gifted engineers, so suggestions on how to build our own take apart plane may only be helpful if there is some master builder out there looking to give us significant hands-on help in the next few months. We have some ARF SV-11 kits available if someone has time and ambition to work on it with us and make it a take apart plane. Obviously you would need to live fairly close to us (Pennsylvania 15478) so that we could work together, as Angstrom and I want to assist as much as we can and learn how to do this ourselves in the future. We are willing to do some traveling in order to make this happen; if you live more than 2-3 hours away we could probably arrange to work with you over several weekends.

I know that this post includes a big ask, but given time restraints, we are hoping to find resources that can help expedite the situation. If you have suggestions or leads on how to help us secure an appropriate airplane, please respond or PM me. We thank you for your support.

[Ken Culbertson]

Personally I would scrap the idea of building one and look for something built.  I cannot fathom that somewhere in a garage or basement there is just the plane you are looking for and someone that would part with it.  Angstrom needs handle time and lots of it.  With no BOM or appearance points now is not the time to learn building technique.  Spend that time and travel on a coach. Plead your case on the Monday Get Together.  You might be able to find everything you need.  Just my 2 cents.  Where were you when I was 15!!

Ken

[Howard Rush]

I have seen Angstrom fly. I know he can do well. I agree with Ken. Get ahold of one of the Auroras sitting around on the East coast, get modification and trim advice from Joe Daly, and you’re in business.  See you in Folsom.

[Mike Alimov]

If for some reason Howard's plan doesn't work, give Gabe a shout.

[Dennis Toth]

If you are going to build, do one with a foam core wing, use Paul Walkers Impact take-a-part approach and cover with MonoKote to save time and weight. Tom Dixon may have a suitable kit.

Contact:  Tom Dixon
              Controline Sales, LLC
              315 Santa Anita Ave
              Woodstock GA 30189

Phone:    (770) 592-3279

Best,   DennisT

[Dave_Trible]

If you are going to build, do one with a foam core wing, use Paul Walkers Impact take-a-part approach and cover with MonoKote to save time and weight. Tom Dixon may have a suitable kit.

Contact:  Tom Dixon
              Controline Sales, LLC
              315 Santa Anita Ave
              Woodstock GA 30189

Phone:    (770) 592-3279

Best,   DennisT

Dennis all good ideas BUT things have changed.   The wing has to come apart in the middle these days to be small enough to transport on an airliner.   The rules are very hard to meet.   The max for any box is height + width + length can total no more than 62".  So a 60" length wing can be 1" wide and 1" tall-not including the box itself.   The fuselage also will have to break someplace as well.  It might be possible to ship an airplane by some freight hauling system but that might mean shipping the airplane weeks early and hope it gets where and when you want it and have someone receive it on the other end.  I recall a Polish gentleman coming here for the Nats a few years ago and he shipped the airplane this way.  He picked it up at the Indy airport.   The box was crushed and he spent most the week trying to get the airplane repaired to make an official flight-wasn't real successful.

Dave

[Matt Colan]

I’m with Ken and Howard. I would get in contact with someone who has any of the composite pre built airplanes from Europe (Axioma, Aurora, Shark, Caudron etc.) and see if you could borrow it for the team trials and then try to get one of your own should you make the team. The benefit with FAI in this case is you can fly any airplane and there’s plenty of options out there to be able to use.

[Peter in Fairfax, VA]

> max for any box is height + width + length can total no more than 62".

This varies by airline.  I routinely travel on Southwest with a bicycle case that is way over that.  This case is the standard one for bicycles:

[Brendan Eberenz]

It does seem that airlines will allow oversized items for about $200. That would be $400 roundtrip, but I guess beggars can't be choosers. Thanks for all the perspectives so far. It is really helping us think this thing through.

[M Spencer]

There seems to be quite a variety , from ' up that way ' .
however , some seem to suffer if they ' take a hit ' .

The One Yatsenko flew here last time , had a gear leg shunted ,
next thing the spar lug parted from the spar . In Flight .
Im assuming it was his ' best of the best ' in lightest comonents.
Blah Blah .

https://www.youtube.com/@evgenykhromov5792

This guy run a forum . Periodically ' Take a Part ' planes are advertised on it .
Of several differant manufacturers . Used , as a rule .BUT CHECK THEIR CREDENTIALLS
with him before parting with your loot .

The two links there are for this & that . ive p.m.'d you the politburo's number .   

Might pay to askim who there can suply on ' short order ' , or wots going S.hand .


Dunno if theres are the same or not. The Same . ( liberated from there )

Dunno what thisis  from there too . But it as apart . Looks a bit cheaper .



THE OTHER THING would be to ask here inAus. whos selling what , already here . As long as bob didnt put it under his car , and forgot .
Peter White is in W.A. & has top class models , ands a gentleman . https://sites.google.com/view/vintage-control-line-enthusias/peter-whites-cl-plans
In the past He has sold a top ine Geo XL & a few others , for the usual pittance . Buy Two & youll save twice as much .

[Motorman]

Don't know if this helps but, RSM made a take apart Thundergazer kit if you can find one of those.

MM

[qaz049]

Seeing that the objective here is for the boy to compete at the WC at Perth, another solution may be to see if a (local Australian) experienced stunt flyer were to build him a model similar to the one he has,  and transport it to the competition. There are quite a few such people on this site. Otherwise one of the international  FB pages might be a good place to advertise. This has been done before.

[Dave Rigotti]

BIG question I see is....
"What's your budget?"
Unlimited opens ALOT of possibilities
Limited hints at a take apart Twister....