Super Ringmaster

[Joe Messinger]

Hello,

Anyone have any experience with a Sterling "Super" Ringmaster?  I seldom hear much mention of them.

I built one back in the '60's and never got a chance to fly it.  I let a seasoned pilot fly it (maiden flight) and he crashed it beyond repair.

I built another from plans several years ago but have never installed an engine.  I might do that (engine) and give it a try this fall.

Any advice/recommendations?

Thanks,

Joe

[Bill Little]

Hi Joe,

My son has a Super Ring.  It flies much like a regular S-1.  Weight is a killer with the thin wing, but for sport it is pretty neat!

[Joe Messinger]

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the reply.  Guess no one is too interested in the Super Ring.  I'm not a competition flyer, probably couldn't fly a full blown stunter any better than sport ARF.
I'm having fun though and nostalgia plays a roll in my enjoyment of CL planes and flying them.

The roots of my involvment with CL planes come from a small town in West Virginia in the mid 1960's.  Back then there was only one hobby shop in town and Sterling's Super Ringmaster was thought to be a great performer, at least in relative terms.  As I mentioned in my original post, I never got a chance to fly the Super Ring I built then.  Thought it would be best to let a more experienced pilot check it out before me.  The engine quit while inverted and he tried to bring it back over to land upright.  The plane went straight up about 50' and came straight down.  I carried the remains home in a shopping bag.

I'll stick an OS LA .25 in the Super Ringmaster that I recently built and see how it goes. I hope better than it did 40+ years ago.  Maybe when I fly it I'll feel like I'm twenty years old again, if only for a few minutes?  Maybe not. . .

Regards,

Joe

[John Paris]

Joe,
The Super Ringmaster is a pretty decent sport airplane if kept relatively light.  I had tried to build one from a kit a number of years ago, but was pretty disappointed with the leading edge machining and weight, so ended up building an entire wing from scratch for the same weight of the leading edges alone.  It is similar to the S1A, which has a built up leading edge.  In any case, it is moderately heavy but still a decent flyer if you don't lean on the controls too much in which case it tends to stall a bit.  I am using an FP 25 for power and it seems to pull it around fairly well.  The LA should be a decent match.  One thing that I am not too hot on is the short ground clearance.

Since it sounds like your airplane is already built, focus on trying to get it to balance in the proper spot with the least amount of weight you have to add erring to nose heavy (for proper turning and stability).  Hang it on the front leadout and make sure that the nose points a hair down (for proper line tension).  Then take it out, half tank it or less if you have a clunk style tank and send it up for a few laps to get a good feel for it.  Mine flew pretty well as shown on the plans, but it was a bit nose heavy with the standard muffler.  It was replaced with a tongue style muffler and flew better due to improved balance and less weight.  Again, not a full bore stunt ship, but it flies a relatively decent pattern.
John

Shameless plug:  I have tongue mufflers available for $20 plus shipping for the OS 25s (LA and FP)

[Joe Messinger]

Thanks, John, for the tips on the Super Ringmaster.  I'll follow your recommendations and, hopefully, things will go well.

I guess I'm really only interested in flying the Super Ring enough to satisify my nostalgic interest in the plane.  Don't have a desire to try flying a full pattern with it.  I have a pretty good inventory of contemporary planes I can  do that with.

Thanks again,

Joe

[Phil Spillman]

Hi Joe, The Super Ringmaster got me back to UC flying in 1960 when I got a knee distroyed while playing college Soccer! I went into a hobby shop and saw this really neat model and a McCoy .35 Red Head for $5.95 and couldn't beleive my eyes! I built the plane and absolutely felt it was the neatest thing I had ever seen! It didn't fly as well as I had expected but it flew as well as the profiles of long before did! I flew that plane until I had worn out at least 2 bell cranks! (no bushings anywhere) but those were fun days! This is the neatest model for any person who deosn't care if he or she scores any thing any where!

I agree with John Paris in noting tht the weight you save will be the performance you improve! The LA .25 will fly this plane quite well, as would the Brodak .25. Consider a 9 X 5 or 9 X 4 prop for thrust. Set the needle at 10,200 or so at launch.

Phil Spillman 

[Paul Smith]

I won a kit and assembled it mainly because it was there.

The airplane is inherently nose heavy and squeezing in a fuel tank is a chore.  It flys, but not too well.

If somebody wants to take on a challenge, perhaps a 25-powered model, built with light wood might work.   Even the light wood won't help unless you find a way to deal with the front-end weight.  I eventually got  few ounces of the model, but not enough to help, unless somebody hosts a "Super Ringmaster-only" event.

[dennis lipsett]

For what it's worth RSM made a few new kits of the old Super Ringmaster for VSC XX I obtained one of those kits. It is a serious upgrade over the origional Sterling kit and has the potential to be a very good flyer. Wood is very good and the front end is a big improvement over the origional. Atttention has been given to weight , better landing gear, really innovative method of getting the canopy on. It was strictly a nostalgia purchase for me as I had one of these when I was a lot younger. I'm not sure but it might be offered again in RSM's lineup just to satisfy everyone who had or wanted one when they were young, and/or broke and wanted one.
Dennis

[Bill Little]

If Eric  has made a kit before, I am sure he has the files to make more.   A quick call to him would probably produce a kit for anyone who desires one.

Actually, the one we built woud fly a full pattern.  It took some "finesse" (open up the maneuvers and don't haul on the controls!) but it can be done.

[Howard Rush]

I built one in 1958.  It was pretty heavy, particularly with the batteries and lights I installed for night flying.  My advice would be not to use an OK .29 and 70-foot lines.

[taildragger-j3]

Paul, is that  a rear-needle K&B 29? I've got an OLD Torp 29 I'm putting on an RSM Ringmaster I'm building.

Bill, do you really think Eric would cut a kit for the Super?

[Bill Gruby]

Paul, is that  a rear-needle K&B 29? I've got an OLD Torp 29 I'm putting on an RSM Ringmaster I'm building.

Bill, do you really think Eric would cut a kit for the Super?

Unless that is a "Remote Needle Valve" There is no such animal as a "Rear Intake Green Head K&B" That is the TANK VENT by the looks of it. The first "Rear Intake K&B's" were the "Series 61  15R's.

As far as getting a kit cut, get the Barry Baxter Plans and send it to any one of the "Cutters" and I am sure they will accomodate you. I use Tom Niebuhr of Blue Sky Models for my cutting, he is awesome. Tom is cutting a special set of ribs right now for me for a slightly larger "Super Ringmaster".

"Billy G"   

[Paul Smith]

Paul, is that  a rear-needle K&B 29? I've got an OLD Torp 29 I'm putting on an RSM Ringmaster I'm building.

No, it's just a regular front door Greenhead.  The thing in back is the uniflow vent.

[taildragger-j3]

I didn't know that K&B made a greenhead with a rear needle, but in that small pic, it looked like a needle extension. When I enlarged it, it looked a lot more like a uniflow tube.

I should have known the G-man would know the answer. I've never asked a question about a glow engine he didn't have an answer to.

I really like the way the super looks. I really need to finish my RSM, then do the 526, before I start talking about another plane.

[dennis lipsett]

Of course everyone knows that Pat King sells copies of his 60 sized Ringmaster and Flite Streak on our favorite auction site. Like Bill G I also have a yen for a large Ringmaster. I knew that Eric made a short kit of this so thats what I did, got on the phone and ordered it. I'll get nice wood, lazer cutting and all I'll have to supply is the sheet wood, such a deal. Allright so I'm not completely scratchbuilding it, I can live with it. I'm getting older, time is more important then being able to say I did everything..Now to decide which motor to use on it.
Dennis

[Bill Little]

Paul, is that  a rear-needle K&B 29? I've got an OLD Torp 29 I'm putting on an RSM Ringmaster I'm building.

Bill, do you really think Eric would cut a kit for the Super?

Hi Brother David,

All my dealings with Eric over the past 15 years or so (I guess) have been great.  He laser cuts, so he will have the files.   I would definitely give him a call.  Since I am pretty sure he has the files, he would probably be the cheapest way to go for a good kit.  Another cutter would need to generate the files from the plans.

[Willis Swindell]

Joe
I have flown a 600 sq. in. Super Ringmaster designed by Mike Garmon for about 6 years now , It has a OS 46  and I fly it on 66 ft. lines with a 12x5 prop. That is a Brodak P40 beside it for comparison.
Willis 

[Joe Messinger]

Many thanks to all who responded to my Super Ringmaster question.  Lots of interesting and helpful information.  That 600 sq. inch Super Ring is great.  Must be a good one since it still flying after six years.

I used the modern stuff to build the Super Ringmaster I have now.  CA, MonoKote, etc.  But when I look at it I think back 40 years and remember Ambroid glue, silk span, talcum powder, Aero Gloss dope, Veco wheels and spinner and the high expectations I had for flying my new plane.  I know now not to expect too much out of the Super Ring but re-capturing some of those youthful memories makes the project seem well worthwhile.

Thanks again.

Joe

[Oregon_Flyer]

Hi Joe,

Seems as though there are lots of flyers that have flown the Super RingMaster.  I purchased my plans from
"Bare" Barry Baxter and found a set of Matt Kania's S-6 construction plans and went for it.  I have built two
"Rings" a yellow on white and a tricolor one. My logo is the yellow/white with a McCoy '35 that is a real strong
engine and turn 4.6's on 60' lines.

Marv

[Bill Little]

I know now not to expect too much out of the Super Ring but re-capturing some of those youthful memories makes the project seem well worthwhile.

Thanks again.

Joe

HI Joe,

That is the reason so many of us still do this stuff! Competing is fun, but that feeling of flying is what it's about.

Bill <><