Ugly? Watz a U-Key?

[Ward Van Duzer]

For years now I've heard of the U-Key, and just how wonderful (AND UGLY) it is. However, I've Never seen a picture of this "thing". Not from the manufacturer, not from the folks that sell it, or the builders, the users, or all of the wonderful people who claim how "survivable" it is.

Wat's the BIG SECRET here?

Ward   

[Leester]

Check out the Product review section. Tom Dugan did a 2 part review with pics. If the pics are still there.

[Paul Taylor]

Well this is the only picture I could find. It is the one behind the Tutor 2.

It is a all foam wing. I hear people beef up the fuse a little. If you take 5 min expoxy and package tape to the field you can pound them in the ground most of the day.


I guess they can they can be sprused up.

Paul  

[Alan Hahn]

Here's a photo of one I bought [quite!] a while back from Joe Just. It got me from the Beginner to the Intermediate Category. Other plane, for scale, is a Sig Skyray made for Foxy Hazel Racing.

The yellowish color on the wing root was due to the fact I used Polyurethane glue to glue the wing halves together (there is a wood dowel at that point which goes through the two wing halves ). The expanding polyurethane forced it way up through the foam wingleaving that color.

[Steve Scott]

Here's all 3 varieties of the old JJ offerings.  Bottom to top is the 40, 35 and 15 sizes:

[Warren Wagner]

For years now I've heard of the U-Key, and just how wonderful (AND UGLY) it is. However, I've Never seen a picture of this "thing". Not from the manufacturer, not from the folks that sell it, or the builders, the users, or all of the wonderful people who claim how "survivable" it is.

Wat's the BIG SECRET here?

Ward   

No secret, just buy one and fly it.   And, by the way, "ugly" is in the eye of the beholder.  The "ugly" little "UKey35", with a Fox 29, helped me learn most of the pattern.

Ward...if you look closely, you will recognize the background in the first picture.   The second picture is of "The Boys From Syracuse" where the design is looked upon very favorably.  We even went so far as to declare a "UkeyFest" and had a cake to celebrate the second edition.

I am a little surprised that Jim doesn't advertise more.   Maybe he has all the business he wants.  If they are still available, Jim's workmanship is excellent, and it makes a great stunt trainer.

Cheers.

Warren Wagner

[Bob Disharoon]

Maybe I missed it, but where or from whom can I buy a U-KIE?.....thanx

[Mark Scarborough]

Greetings, sorry shoulda seen that question coming, ,it was mentioned that there is a review in the reviews section on this website, however, knowing sometimes navigating the search can be fun,, well heres a link to the review,
this link has contact info for aquiring a Ukey
http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?topic=877.0
this one is just the rest of the story,,
http://stunthanger.com/smf/index.php?topic=878.0

as for personally, the Ukey, I have one with the big wing,, I fly it with an LA .25 and an APC 10x4 prop. GMA powermaster fuel, somewhere around 54 foot lines and the motor just this side of leaned out so a slightly fat 2 stroke. Plane flies as honest as about anything I have. Squares are a bit tough less "precision" than with a full blown stunter but definetly doable.
for an example of repairability, at a contest last year, I lost my primary plane, in the process of trying to get ready to fly the ukey, I managed to stuff it, breaking the wing clear off the outboard side, some 5 min epoxy and a hald hour in the sun I was back flying again. Then I promptly stuffed it AGAIN, this time the inboard wingsuffered damage. It to was repaired and able to make my competition flights later the same day. (yeah well I dont crash quite so much now, that was my second contest and I was a bit rattled you know?) Its a good one, and will bring you along painlessly.

[Joejust]

Warren Thanks for the pictures of all of us at the Syracuse gettogether.  How I miss Fr. Regis! The picture of all of us is one that hangs in my office. The picture of the cake is one I lost somehow. Perhaps another Ukey Fest is in our future.

Joe

BY THE WAY GUYS, IT IS NAMED A    U K E Y    NOT UKIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!   We named it the Ukey because we felt that this plane was a "Key" to a novices' progress.

[Bob Disharoon]

Thanks, Mark..but those links and pics seem to have expired. At least on my end.

[Ray]

The only "broken" link I saw was to the Glue Dobbers' old web site, and a discussion of redesigning the nose doublers somewhat, and a few other things.  Both of thr links here on this forum still work. 

[Mark Scarborough]

Bob,
If you go to the product review section of this forum, and just look back through the past pages, I think its two pages back, you will find them. Not sure about how to get ahold of Jim Pearson directly, perhaps Joe, "Big Country Joe" can help there, he was partners with the creation of this great trainer and to my knowledge follows pretty close with its goings on. Hes also a great guy in his own right, helped me break my first props when I got back into CL 

[Roger Vizioli]

e-mail Jim @

ModelWings@aol.com

Roger v.