Putting a twist on free flight

Ken Cook Wed Mar 16, 2022 6:13 pm

So over the past few weeks, weather has been terrible. I've managed to build two new profiles and one new free flight. The guys at the club were amazed that I'm able to do so with my schedule. I'm fortunate to have my son help and were very organized. We pre plan many tasks and insure we have the needed hardware. This saves a lot of delays. Two of my flying buddies Frank and Dan built this free flight martian space ship design. Roy Clough has many designs, this is one they wanted to try. This was quite a complicated build. The formers are pretty complex and the only thing that holds it all together is the stringers. I wasn't present today due to work, these guys are retired and I missed out. Hopefully, we can get some video soon. Power is a Atwood .049.

https://www.facebook.com/PhillyFliersCL/photos/a.605410626195742/7222852557784816

https://www.facebook.com/PhillyFliersCL/photos/a.605410626195742/7222852301118175 On side note, after almost 2 1/2 years of building and painting, Dan completed his Sammy Mason version bipe. Anderson Spitfire ignition engine for power. Dan has won the Nats two years flying Old Time Stunt. This is his new plane and I wish him luck. Entire plane is Sig dope and ink. Lots of detail on this plane not recognizable from this photo. This is a first for Dan as the finish is two part auto urethane.

firstwordisee Wed Mar 16, 2022 8:08 pm

Ive never seen anything like that spaceship, I have to see that thing fly.

GallopingGhostler Wed Mar 16, 2022 9:25 pm

Plan may be found at Outzone Plan# oz12158 - Martian Spaceship by Skip Ruff, Aug. 1991 Model Builder

Putting a twist on free flight 12158

getback Thu Mar 17, 2022 5:07 am

Very Nice ! Thanks for sharing Ken

Oldenginerod Thu Mar 17, 2022 3:51 pm

Some stability issues!

GallopingGhostler Thu Mar 17, 2022 4:51 pm

Stability issues would be understandable. It is a lifting body, the fuselage has an airfoil shape. Since it has no wings and only empenage for stability, a tendency to roll would be understandable. Seems to be a good candidate for a gyro stabilizer. The RC pilot did a fantastic job keeping it upright and tracking straight to landing.

However, I think that it is really neat to see such fly, so unusual, out of the ordinary for a heavier than air aircraft. Roy Clough, the inventor was a genius.

rsv1cox Thu Mar 17, 2022 6:08 pm

I don't quite know what to think of it. But I know I like it, and that it looks like a lot of fun. Wild in the air but even with those little tires and weird landing gear it handles beautifully on the ground. Kit it and make a million.

Ken Cook Fri Mar 18, 2022 3:28 am

My club members and myself are in the hobby for enjoyment. The problem I see is that many are cashing in on the smalls that make it enjoyable. In addition, I just received a notice from my nitro supplier that as of 3 days ago, nitro and methanol are going to increase 40%. I'm not certain as to why, I will just add that something is going to end this hobby and with the current price of plugs, the simple things will most likely be the demise.

GallopingGhostler Fri Mar 18, 2022 12:43 pm

Ken, I have also noticed the unobtaniums up to recent. Covid didn't help, many small businesses folded, who were helpers in this hobby. Also, there is the hidden inflation factor that is most evident up front in our hobby industry. Rest lags behind. Nitro has become harder to obtain even for the auto racing industry.

Rare earth metal (i.e., platinum) prices have skyrocketed, too, (combination of battery manufacturing and industrial use - catalytic converters for auto, electronics and heating) hence reflected in latest plug prices. Fortunately, I bought a dozen card worth (you know, the Oriental imported stuff) of hot plugs for CL and smaller RC work sometime back when prices were ridiculously low.

At our level there is not much that we can do except to cope. Smaller engines use less fuel, so may mean we downsize our planes a little to continue to have fun. Invest more in electric. Realistically, we focus on what we can do, not what we can't do. If I could foresee where we are now, I probably would not have accumulated all the engines that I did.

Anyway, not being ornery, I am as dumbfounded as you on these issues.

GallopingGhostler Sat Mar 19, 2022 4:20 pm

rsv1cox wrote:I don't quite know what to think of it. But I know I like it, and that it looks like a lot of fun. Wild in the air but even with those little tires and weird landing gear it handles beautifully on the ground. Kit it and make a million.

Gee, I dunno, Bob. Leroy Cox did similar quantities and lost his shirt during the short lived slot car boom and crash back in 1967. I think that to sell these days, you'd have to remove the front mounted engine and add 4 struts equidistant with quad type motors on it, make it into a quadcopter. Add a gyrostabilizer system and camera. Market it through Hobby King. Then it would probably sell. Tired w/ Coffee Read

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