The Scientific Walt Musciano "Red Devil"? and the stepped Cox Babe Bee

rsv1cox wrote:Anyone notice anything strange about the orange Red Devil?  

Looks good, Bob. About the only thing missing may be a decal of a cartoon Satan or flames along the wing's leading edge or fuselage front after the engine. But, those are only finishing touches, looks good as-is.

This may help.

Father and son project, most likely why there is signs of both. Or just a smart kid. Who knows? Lost to history. I am sure you will make it something fantastic.

Bob, in continuing what Ron is saying, the location of the bellcrank will work, it will fly. It is not in the usual location that Walt Musciano would place it. Usually, it is about one-third of the chord about an inch higher. Also, the lead out on Walt's designs was closer to the wingtip. I noticed a wire tail skid, perhaps the child cut the pushrod short in making the tail skid longer?

And, was short on leadout wire? All in the name of forensics in ancient model airplane history, as archeologists dig deeper into the historical trash layers of an ancient model plane field landfill ... I think my recent Space Bug was found amongst that litter too.

You leave as is, or fix?

Hi Bob, good work as always. Little Devil may be a good sticker for that model

I can draw the devil character on box if you want. Please let me know.

The wing on the orange plane is on backwards, it is also airfoiled making for some interesting flight characteristics.  Also the bell crank is way out of position.  Might explain why the tail section is all beatup.  But I agree George, it would fly but not very well.  Maybe in Ken's hands.










Thanks Levent, I'm working on it.  Thinking about duplicating the box art, an arrow with Red Devil mid section.  Paint it white, then mask it off with streaks on the wing then paint red then decal.  It would be easier to paint it red, then white. But red over white works better than white over red.  The little red pitchfork devil figure might work well on the tail.



Nostelgia doesn't come cheap.  $125.00 OBO on ebay.



 I used to buy them for around $5.50 new.  Probably about seven altogether. Lil Bipe a favorite.

By the way, the orange plane is not mine.  I just found a picture (Worthpoint) to help me ID and build the tail section.

More Worthpoint. A buck fifty. They must have offered these for many years as evidenced by the changes in box design.

rsv1cox wrote:By the way, the orange plane is not mine.  I just found a picture (Worthpoint) to help me ID and build the tail section.

Thanks for clarifying, Bob. The neophyte installed your wing with airfoil on underside, interesting. Almost looks like with judicious and careful block sanding, the top side could be sanded a little to change that from an ultra thin Modified Clark-Y to an ultra thin symmetrical wing. Or, carefully separate fuselage wing joint and flip over.

rsv1cox wrote:More Worthpoint.  A buck fifty.  They must have offered these for many years as evidenced by the changes in box design.  

Interesting that the box contents have odd-n-ends inside, profile fuselage for a jet airline like glider. Other parts don't look like they belong to the Little Devil. It is interesting how they continued to use the same box art although the design of the Little Devil changed, later hardly resembled the former.


Original Little Devil by Walt Musciano.


Later Little Devil design by Walt Musciano.

Thanks George for that, been looking for it. Printed it out. Good old Walt.



Started on the tail section. Broke the elevator in the middle while sanding. CA'd then epoxied a piece of music wire on. Forget the added weight, I wanted it to stay together. Trying something new for the fabric (I hate them) hinges. Using Elmers water based clear. It worked well on the Corsair box but I finish with Min-Wax water based sanding sealer. Hopefully it will not loosen them.

Worked on the tail section today adding the elevator, vertical stab and rudder. I still need to add the rudders extention down to connect with the fuselage. Lot's of detail sanding then over-all sanding sealer and paint.

Made up my mind to drill a 5/16" hole in the firewall and mount the period correct Space bug Jr. The stepped Cox .049 just too new for this Scientific model.

Added the rudder extension and applied a coat of sanding sealer overall with a fifty cent Walmart brush. Not camels hair, more like horses hair. Suits this flea market freeby just fine.

Next a final sanding then paint. Still thinking about the scheme.

Finding dead center.




Definately a "hollow log."




Grooving out a track for the landing gear. Scientific embossed it but it was never deep enough. Took a lot of tools to deepen it. I remember doing this as a kid for my Space Bug Jr's.. Nice tight fit now, before the engine hug out a 1/16" from the firewall.

About the only thing you lack now, Bob is a cheater hole for the engine to truly breathe through the hollow log. In say the Little Bipe or Little Devil, one can use the open cockpit hole for air to get to the Space-Bug Jr. venturi. In this case, the closed cockpit covers that hole.

Thanks George, I used to just punch a hole between the bulkhead and the wing and let it go at that.  Today, perhaps a bit more fancy.  Compliments of CI.



Final sanding this morning.  Thinking about Krylon white primer then color coats, but I have thought about Howards Feed-N-Wax and leaving it as is.  Tail wheel sitting in alcohol hoping to dissolve some of the paint remover crud that got on it.  Control rod bent to shape and a home made control horn, balsa but CA hardnened and coats of sanding sealer which is a little like thinned epoxy.





While the RX-7 sits neglected (actually I could have it running in about an hour - but it's hot out there) I search ebay for interesting stuff.  Found this original boxed Scientific P-40 like I used to buy in the 1950's.  Seller had it priced and a BIN, made a low-ball offer which was accepted.  Eager to get this one.  While Black Hawk models are nice, they are no substitute for the real thing.  

Today.

Added my rinky home made control horn and a lead-out guide.  Kim sent me a bunch of these keepers and this is the first time I tried one.  Works great, better than a collet or a piece of tubing.  Nothing set in stone, needs final sanding and paint before adding the necessities.  





The home-made handle that came with it is interesting, but it has major flaws.  There is no locking mechanism or line adjustment.  Reel it out and that is what you have.  Also it snags easily. Took me 15 minutes to unravel it.  It is pretty thoughtful and points for trying.  It will go in my display case.  I may fool with it, a pin through the handle into the body would provide locking.

Push has come to shove and this thing is saying "Finish me!"

But this is where I fall down. I'm ok on military - normally olive drab, silver, yellow, various shades of blue; and established makes where the paint schemes have already been applied. But these drempt-up models have no guide other than box art, which varies. So, mostly left up to the builder. Not a strong point for me!

I'm still leaning to Red/White (Walt's Red Devil) but I love that matte blue, and silver always calls. Any ideas?




Or, I could just spray it clear showing off all the watts and imperfections. Decisions........

How about a WW2 camouflage scheme with Levent's cartoon devil as nose art?

GallopingGhostler wrote:How about a WW2 camouflage scheme with Levent's cartoon devil as nose art?

Good choice. However a clear on sanded model is best, as Bob stated. Showing a restorated model without any color. Wing and fin decals will be good. Just my opinion

Look what just landed, my fly-away Little Bipe let go free by me some seventy years ago circling out of sight.



I think I have just one partial can of camouflage olive drab aerosal left. But, I'm going to sleep on it. I seriously do not know which way to go on this.

Bob,
I've been lurking and giggling. You are doing a grand job with the Red Devil. Regarding paint colors, I'd say a bright color like yellow and white I'd like to see white flying surfaces with a yellow fuselage and the Red Devil on the white.

Is that BHM Bipe the one that was on eBay just recently? I almost snagged it. Good for you!

944_Jim wrote:Bob,
I've been lurking and giggling. You are doing a grand job with the Red Devil. Regarding paint colors, I'd say a bright color like yellow  and white I'd like to see white flying surfaces with a yellow fuselage and the Red Devil on the white.

Is that BHM Bipe the one that was on eBay just recently? I almost snagged it. Good for you!

Same one Jim.  

Got another problem, pilot or no pilot.  If pilot which one - red or yellow. Leaning yellow after I cut him down to size to fit inside the canopy.  Perhaps I'm over-thinking this thing.  

I had to reposition the original control rod.........again.  Previous owner had it well out of adjustment.  I re-bent the control horn end but got it a little off. Too much down and not enough up.  Other end is a Z bend and I didn't want to fool with that.  I just drilled another hole in the horn and filled the original.  Ken (justifiably) would not approve.  Bet it works just fine though, I built that horn tough.  





Just dawned on me.  Saw this picture and thought, use them both.  Dad taking his son for a ride.  Maybe, maybe not.  

Perhaps I can work white, red, and yellow into the paint scheme.  

Glad your enjoying the thread, I was afraid the only thing it was collecting was dust as I was mostly carrying on a conversation with myself.  Surpirsed that no one commented on that home-built handle.  Guy had a dream.    

rsv1cox wrote:Got another problem, pilot or no pilot.  If pilot which one - red or yellow. Leaning yellow after I cut him down to size to fit inside the canopy.  Perhaps I'm over-thinking this thing.  

I guess it just depends on whether you wanted it to look like a smaller Goodyear racer (yellow pilot), or larger warbird racer (red pilot).

Slept on it.  New plan.

White always bothered me, too clean and dainty for this corruption.  Red over gloss smoke gray with red being the predorimant color.  I painted my HO locomotives with the gray and really like it.  While looking around I found another Cox P-51 razorback, identical to the second but with a damaged right wing. Another flea market find I think.  Forgot that I had it.  



Something like this:



Edit add:

First coat.  Kim's paint stick.  Half moon wing repair is going to need some filler prior to second coat.  Could add a birdcage canopy, a nip here and a tuck there leave as is and have an AT-6 Texan.