What to build next?

[Maurice Bishop]

I have returned to C/L after 25 years out. Last November (2006), I sat down and built this:

http://tinyurl.com/29rn9f

I had enormous fun with her. She flies like a brick, but I don't mind - she is my design, a design on which I can improve.

Shortly thereafter, I ordered a 1/2A Sig Skyray, painted her with rattle can automotive VW red spray and again, enjoyed the build and flying.

http://tinyurl.com/yrv7pq

In January 2007, I found an old beat up OS Max .15 RC on the Bay and a Sig Akromaster to boot. I was enormously impressed with the quality of the kit and relative ease of build. I haven't flown her yet.

I am struggling with what to build next. Yup, I've got the bug!

I found a Brodak Original Nobler kit on the Bay and bought it for a delivered cost of $99. Now this is a challenge. I see from previous posts on the forum that you don't so much as build an Original Nobler - as carve it. Judging from the contents of the box, this is not far from the truth. The only 'pre shaped' components are the ribs!

Now, here is my problem. Frankly, I don't think I'm ready to build an Original Nobler. I don't have the confidence and I am truly concerned that I will get half way through the build, loose momentum, feel disillusioned and abandon the project. I am aware of my limitations. I will have a go at the Nobler at another date.

I am now looking for recommendations of what to build next. I have two motors in need of a ship; an OS LAS 40 and an OS LAS 46, both blue head. I have a good experience of Sig and quite like the idea of a Twister. However, I would like to try something from the Brodak portfolio. I am keen to stick to a profile fuse to reduce build time and maintain my enthusiasm.

I would be grateful for any recommendations at this point.

TX in advance

Maurice   

[Bill Little]

If you're set on a Brodak kit, then the Profile Cardinal, Profile Oriental, and the Tananger are good planes.  I am not sure, but I think they also kit the Pathfinder which would be great with the LA 46.

[Greg L Bahrman]

Bill beat me to the keyboard.......He has steered you in the right direction.

[Ralph Wenzel (d)]

I'd stromgly recommend a U-Key, by Jim Pearson - - ModelWings at aol (dot) com  You can assemble the URL, right??

Jim makes the U-Key in .15, .35 and .40 size, and they can take you from basic trainer through stunt trainer merely by adjusting the control response. They are very durable, and can be assembled ready-to-fly in 8 - 10 hours.

The price is $50 for the ,15 size, and $60 for the .35 and .40 size; plus $10 for shipping + $10 for a very good metal tank.

Welcome back!

Ralph

[Paul Taylor]

Maurice,
From one retread to another....
It depends on your flying skills.
If you can fly the some type of pattern. Or do the stunts you want to do go with one of the profile Brodak kits. Sig Twister is a good one also.

If you are still playing lawn darts go with the U-Key. Just beef up the fuse a little. I hear they are weak.

Paul 

[Maurice Bishop]

Thanks fellas.

This is a truly amazing forum. I must have made the original post 10 minutes ago. I already have 3 responses.

Well impressed.

Maurice

[Kim Doherty]

Maurice,

I am going to say hold off on the Brodak profiles. I do not think they offer the best performance. I have flown both the the Tananger and the Cardinal and was not convinced that they are better than a plain old SIG Twister. You do not need to modify (Fancherize) the model just use it box stock with the LA 40, an 11x5 Master Airscrew Wooden prop and an idlebar glowplug. Fuel shoud be either 10 or 15% nitro to get an easy setting needle. Lines should be 60'. Make shure the controls are VERY free moving.

Once you get your kit, make a copy of the rib and the other pieces so you can make a few more. Keep flying this plane unitil you can do the complete pattern and can trim the plane properly. (Get the Paul Walker trimming chart and any trimming articles by Brett Buck and Ted Fancher). Moving on to another plane before you are at this point is a waste of time, effort and money. The best flyers take one design and fly it for a long time so they can get to know it really well and trim it to a very high level.

Not that you know who I am talking about but one day about sixteen years ago I watched a flyer named (Arden)Zhang Xiang Dong fly a twister (mine) with just one practice flight. To say that he flew a good pattern would be a monumental understatement. There is nothing short of winning the U.S. Nat's that you could not accomplish with a very well trimmed and practiced Twister. Everything else is just window dressing. (IMHO)

Kim.

[GEOFFREY]

Maurice   hope you haven't committed  yet.  I believe the best buy for the buck for your os engines would be a Tutor II , we  the group at delta have at least 4 retreads that had some  other model and when the tutor came out we had one and it impressed each of us  to relearn with this amazing buy. we all had the best summer with this plane that flys like a trainer and will preform the stunt pattern as well .All of our Tutor made it with little updating . some of us are ordering a new one for next season

[Robert W]

Maurice
Brodak offers a lot of profile kits, do not forget the warbird series. I have built the Cardinal and I am building the Lagg3 for fun now. Brodak kits come with very good instructions with lots of pictures that should help the less experienced builder produce a flyable model. I might suggest a little diffrent tack, in that what model looks good to you. All of the recommendation given will fly good, but what do you really want to look at out on the end of the lines?

If all you want to do is learn the pattern then the U-key would be a good choice. If you want to further your building experience, then any of the kits will produce a plane you can learn with.

Robert

[Joe Gilbert]

Pathfinder and the LA 46 would be killer.

[john e. holliday]

I agree with Joe.  But, if you want to stay in the 40 size planes I say you can't beat the Brodak Series of Warbirds.  I have built and flown several of them and am usually doing the whole pattern on second flight if needle is right.  Of course my grandaughter has staked her claim on my Brodak Mauler with Brodak 25 of all engines.  It does the full pattern with ease.  Have fun,  DOC Holliday

[Leester]

Maurice:

When I first came back to C/L I had a Brodak Hawker Sea Hurricane kit I had started then let set. I got it out and with only the dirrection book built it, I had no computer and no other source for info. I dissagree that they don't offer good performance, mine flys great and a contest flyer at our field flew it and said it flys great. Joe at www.sshobbies is your best bet for kits, he's in the Vendors corner.

[Bill Little]

The Warbird series is great, also.  When Mike Garmon first started desingng these, I had the privilege of building the Zero Prototype.  It flew as good as any plane I have had right off the board with an old, worn OS 35S.

The Cardinal and Pathfinder are both larger planes and suit the LA 46 better.

I agree with what someone else has said, what looks good to you?  I didn't even think of that at first, I was thinking of performance only.

[Will Davis]

Maurice,


I would recommend getting a Brodak Cardinal ARF and a Brodak Cardinal Kit, if you like to build .Fly the ARF while you are building the kit, get your engine , tank , prop stuff sorted out and use that information on your Cardinal Kit plane then go fly your new plane with less headaches .

The Cardinal ARF is a outstanding model and can hold it's own in most Profile Classes of competition . LA46 is a good choice

Will Davis

[Warren Leadbeatter]

Hi Maurice

Welcome back to Control Line.  I only returned to CL last year myself after a break of many many years.

I have built a Sig Twister with a Saito 30 four stroke, a Brodak Cardinal profile with a Brodak 40 and a Brodak Pathfinder MkII with a Super Tigre G21/.46.

I would have to say all three are great fliers, but the best in my opinion would have be the Pathfinder. The way it flies, turns and looks, especially the tricycle undercarriage, really appeals to me and my flying style.

You can see all my airplanes here if you're interested in taking a peek..

 http://users.tpg.com.au/adslfk4u/myplanes.html

Cheers

[Dennis Moritz]

Twisters kit bashed and straight up were mandatory rights of passage before the ARF infestation. I'm on my third. With half ribs and a few inches added to the tail moment you've got a semi-Fancherized bird. Add wing tips, adjustable leadouts etc. and you've got a bird that has taken many a flier into advanced. At least that was true back in the day (four years ago?). People prefer different profile kits and ARFs. ARF P40s have won Expert profile at Brodak the last two or three years. These are straight winged birds. (No dihedral.) An outboard tab bent down compensates for the high cg. Pat Johnson, the designer of the plane, recommends a bit of dihedral instead of the tab. There are descriptions of how to do add dihedral elsewhere in Stunthangar. Looks pretty easy. If you do the kit you'll know the motor mounts are maple. You'll also have the option of stiffer ply for the nose. A kit built plane won't shed its covering either. A prevalent issue for all ARFs that I've seen. Any of the Brodak warbirds should fly well. Like others have said. Tanagers are easy enough to build. Straight wing. They've got more area than Twisters. I'm doing one now. Should fly all right. The tapered Cardinal wing is probably more of a challenge to keep straight. Lots of Cardinals out there flying in contests. I met a few fliers who are big fans of the Pathfinder. Choose your poison. What looks good? Beauty in the eye of the beholder.

[Dennis Moritz]

Another plane to think about is the Profile Oriental. A plane legal in classic, unlike any of the other planes mentioned. A Galaxy, also classic legal, got me through beginner. Even flew it in Intermediate. Would have been mid pack in Intermediate at Brodak last year. An over run killed pattern points and landing points. Looks like you're ready for a more advanced plane. The Galaxy is hard to land smoothly. Also, I often stall the wing and mush corners. Round maneuvers can be pretty tho. Outside of the Brodak brand there's the Primary Force. I've got the ARF. A good flying non flapped plane. The ARF nose on mine was soft. Took a lot of fiddling to finally get my FP40 to run right on the flexi-nosed PF. A smaller engine might not have been a problem. I've got the kit. Will probably build it next. A stiff nosed PF should be quite interesting. The striping came off my ARF Primary Force. No surprise there.

[Rotten]

Put a Vector behind that OS LA 46. You WONT be dissapointed!!!!

[Maurice Bishop]

Merry Christmas All

Can anyone help me with a copy of Paul Walker's trimming chart please?

Kim (as above) has recommended it to me. I have searched the forum, found many entries relating to Paul Walker but not the trimming chart.

TX in advance

Maurice   

[Andrew Hathaway]

That's an easy one.  http://www.control-line.org click resources, then click Where can I find flight trimming chart?

[Maurice Bishop]

Thanks Andrew

Got it!

Maurice