Sentimental P-40

Bob,
I've been thinking of this plane, and my slightly smaller Scientific (22.5"). Then I did some quick Googling, and came across an old RCUniverse thread regarding the Brodak kit in particular.

While Sterling marketed the kit for "then current" .15 engines,the thread indicated newer .15s would add too much weight. The increased wingload apparently ruins a decent kit. The thread goes on to suggest smaller, newer engines with better power in the lighter package.

I always felt my own was too heavy for the wing area (8.5 oz if I remember right). The RCU thread indicated an Enya .09 or a Norvel .074 (both in hand in the Hobby Closet) would be good engines for the 27" airframe.

What size engine is on your original?
Shoot, that venturi-equipped AP .061 I powered my little one with might even fly the Big Brother just swell!

Thanks in advance,

Bob Mears Combat Museum displays of built up planes usually has a kit box included. Many people walking through never had seen (or remember seeing) a completed plane with engine, but almost all remember seeing THAT kit in the hobby shop.

If ever in Lubbock Texas I recommend contacting Bob Mears for a private walk through, even if not "into C/L combat" the displays are well done and Bob and wife Arlene are first class hosts.

Any one interested can contact me for Bob's contact info

RSV1 Bob, never going to happen but the way you collect and display is first class, I dig every one of your nostalgia trips and associated stories

Even with period correct engines, these planes were not terrific performers. The stabs are generally too small and by design most of these planes are too heavy. They were fun to build and look at. Fifteen sized airplanes have to fly fast due to wings with thin airfoils and wingspans too narrow. The Sterling kits of this era were designed around the Fox .15 steelfin which had a short lifespan in terms of production as it was essentially made obsolete by the Fox .15X a few years later. The steelfin was a very low performance engine usually demanding shorter length lines.

It's not entirely impossible to fly planes of this size with the engines you mentioned Jim. Your just not going to be able to do so if you were to obtain a Sterling kit. Brodak does kit this plane but the only thing it shares is the outline. Brodak kits are entirely redesigned. Most Sterling kits used the solid leading edge as the backbone of the wing. These are non existent in any kits today and sadly so, most newer kits are very weak and fragile.

Bob Hunt said one day at the field that if you crash your plane and your able to repair it, it was built too heavy. As funny as that sounds, it's entirely correct.

Ken Cook wrote:
            Bob Hunt said one day at the field that if you crash your plane and your able to repair it, it was built too heavy. As funny as that sounds, it's entirely correct.

Bwahahah...That's me!