S.M.A.L.L. 2023 The Lazy Bee gets a Medallion .15

We're counting on it

Kim wrote:

getback wrote:This will bee good watching Mark get chased by MAN EATING GNATS just kidding Mark .

Oh...trust me...if that happens, there WILL be video!!!!

Nah... Chase connotes that I will be running. Too old for that foolishness....

The Drag-Challenged Mark

Kim wrote:Yep, just like its owner, Mud Dabber has put on some "Life Ballast" over the years,

I think we all have.

Kim wrote:but the Mk. I is such a good-natured airplane that's it's survived all manner of hijinks thrown at it...including putting on weight.  That thick, wonderful wing will try its best to keep flying if at all possible.

This is why back in the 1990's, I had very good success flying my Q-Tee on 2 channel with Golden Bee power in Gallup, NM at 6,500 feet (1981 m) elevation. The Q-Tee has such a generous, high lift wing.

Kim wrote:I was lucky to have my flying bud, Kevin, help me learn to fly with his Kadet in the 70's, and was what eventually lead me to building Mud Dabber. Kevin's Kadet would meet a spectacular end when we attempted a launch from Olmsted's ball park for a cross-country flight...that unfortunately had a fatal start. [...] It's surviving wing became the base for a scratched "Bonanza" the following Spring.

The guy is talented, that is a very nice sport V-tail. How's he doing these days? Still into model planes?

Kim wrote:Mud Dabber will get it's .35 reinstalled after S.M.A.L.L., though there is a SLIGHT chance that I might get crazy and bolt up two .25's in a Hammer Head configuration, but that crazyness will need to be accompanied by a burst of energy.

Just too bad you don't have two Cox .15 Conquests or other Cox .15's in that configuration. If it flew, it would make for a sensational Cox Engine of the Month candidate!

The Drag-Challenged Mark wrote:Nah... Chase connotes that I will be running. Too old for that foolishness....

Maybe not if you are in one of these all terrain Hummers!

Photo from https://gearscoot.com/hummer-xl-folding-4-wheel-electric-mobility-scooter/

From what I gather with Peter Chinn's R/C Medallion assessments, and this is related to his 1960's write-ups on the oldest throttling system for Medallions that reduced power through recirculating the exhaust gases, the .15 is quite a torquer and can run larger props with ease.

I could understand why the OS .10 Schneurle would be limiting, since the .15 can handle larger diameter and pitched props.

Tonight I lost a bid on one of these older .15 Medallions with the older throttle set-up, (went for $15 over my bid), but somewhat glad as I certainly have enough engines in that displacement category that unless I was able to score one cheaply, would be of no need for anyway. Plus, I was unwilling to fork over more for it.

That aircraft is rather draggy and imagine that the OS turning a 7 inch prop or may be a low pitch 8 inch (8x3?) didn't put enough wind past the fuselage to boost it along. I might have tried from my engine cache, an Enya .19-VI TV or may be my Fox .25 R/C cross scavenge engine. If there is sufficient clearance, those engines turning a 9 or 10 inch prop would definitely put the wind past the fuselage.

Kim wrote:Yeah, the choice of the O.S. .10 was more of a "character thing", rather than anything to do with performance.  I loved its electric motor-like idle, and low puttering, helped along by an aluminum exhaust tube extending to its tail (I've caught a lot of crap for that tube over the years!).

Not sure why others would negatively comment on your long exhaust pipe. If it works, removes the glop and works, why reinvent things? Yeah, sounds like more, "You're not one of us" mantras. This is why for years I preferred flying alone versus with others. I kind of view those flyers (more like spectators) as one of these Mike Reed forum types.

Kim wrote:I'm a big fan of planes with personality, and this Bee set-up has bucket-loads of it. I've got plenty of mid-sized engines that would have turned it into a rocket, but actually enjoyed the challenge of "flying the plane" rather than "flying the engine"...just more of my weirdness.

No, certainly not weirdness, it means you know how to make a plane fly properly under the right power. My Q-Tee on single channel with aux. throttle ring Golden Bee later converted to 2-channel rudder / elevator (removed the throttle ring) was like that. My Minnie Mambo on a 1976 Cox .049 R/C Bee (rudder & throttle only) was like that. Short coupled elevator, I purposely built it light with lightweight R/C. The Bee was definitely sufficient power for it, just right, the ultimate half-A rudder plane. (I like Frank Zaic's 1960 company's terms with their planes calling them "Rudder Class".)

Kim wrote:Around the time of its building, I heard of some flyers in St. Louis, who were trashing the Bee's design for losing its wing during stunts, but figured this to be a case of "High Power and Dumb Thumbs". The little plane is obviously lightly built, and I can see where a hard G pull would break it up.

Oh, that is just more of a L'Enfant Provocateur attitude (hormonal thing). They are clever enough to overpower it without being clever enough to follow-up in strengthening the structure to handle such power. It is one of the few places where "Toxic Male Masculinity" (inasmuch as I hate these new age terms ) might seem appropriate. The heavier engine acts as a lawn dart weight with the fuselage gracefully making short work of embedding itself in the ground whilst the wing severed in half does a flitting helicoptering about soft landing rotating about its axis with such a graceful ending.

Kim wrote:Early on, during its lighter years, the .10 flew the Lazy Bee and its pontoons quite well, just requiring a bit of finesse on the sticks to coax it from the water's surface.  For me, this is MUCH more rewarding than simple "Power On and Gone".

There is a place where a bit of overpowering doesn't hurt if done tastefully. That is under "Rudder Class". Making up for less with more.  

Kim wrote:

Now that photo definitely makes a statement! Nice things can come from Düsseldorf!  

Kim wrote:So, after this year's S.M.A.L.L. Fun-Fly, it will get its .10 back, unless "something weird" comes along that I feel obliged to try!!!      

The milder not wilder Medallion .15 R/C approach definitely has merit to overcome through time, a "gain in girth" (haven't we all?) Or, the mild increase in power with the Medallion .15 makes you want to continue to fly it for a season or two before the switch, with only a minor but thorough wipe down after each day of flight before stowing it. As a "proving ground", perhaps report back best props to use sharing the wealth of knowledge here in CEF?