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General control line discussion => Open Forum => Topic started by: Miotch on January 09, 2023, 07:50:30 AM
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New here. Flew control line as a kid and again as a younger adult, but have been out of it for about 15 years. Decided to build a tribute control-line Starduster Too to replicate the one my dad finished in 1972 when I was a child. My goal is to build a semi-scale replica that will resemble dad's plane and fly. My second goal was to use only stuff I had in storage and spend zero dollars building it. It has a 44" top span and will be heavy so I built it around an old Saito .56. Used two-view drawings of a Starduster and calipers to scale it the best I could, although I had to take some liberties. The cabane struts are actually bamboo chopsticks I found on my workbench (great epoxy stirrers). All of the blocks (nosebowl, rear fuselage top) were from old Skylark blocks I had in a box (why did I have so many Skylark tops, I can't answer, but they were all super-light balsa). Dad made a straight turtle deck on his Starduster rather than the hump, so that is what I am doing. The next to last picture is dad's plane. The last photo is the plane today, residing in Idaho with new fabric and paint. Still have a lot to do and not even sure it will fly. I've enlisted Joe Gilbert to make the test flight when completed.
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Well, the last pic of the plane today was apparently a .png and I'm too stupid to convert it. It's white and green and very shiny, though.
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Wow! Very nice work. I would say it passes the TLAR methodology (That Looks About Right). Having an expert such as Joe handle its maiden voyage should be more than sufficient.
Steve
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Looking good Mitch, that last photo brings back great memories. He is being very humble , his dad Elmo was a great flyer if I am not mistaken he was chief pilot at Spartan School for while and was a national champion in full scale aerobatics. Good on you for building the model you are making progress
Joe Gilbert.
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Love those Stardusters!
What a great project. Really like your progress!
I grew up only a few miles from the tiny airport where Stardusters were born. Visited when I could and often saw the ladies sewing fabric envelopes onto the wings. And then, endless doping....
I purchased a set of plans for the full-sized SA-300 with the intention of one day building a control line aerobatic plane, but as scale-like as possible. I have a 38 Special to finish and fly first as something of a testbed for biplanes.
Looking forward to hearing how yours comes along!
Dave
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WOW! Nothing tops a Starduster!
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Love what you're doing - the plane is beautiful, and I applaud the tribute to your Dad!
Dennis
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Progress update. Got some more pieces on it. Getting close to being ready for final shaping, sanding and covering. 80 percent done and 80 percent to go. Going to have to glass the slip-on cowling or I'll crush it the first time I try to flip the prop.
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That's a really cool project. Great tribute to your dad. Your shapes and construction look great.
Dave Baxter built a Starduster stunter in the 80's I think. Nice looking model, his I only saw in a picture but he went the traditional metallic blue which he does his full scale Stardusters.
Chris...