balsa slab-wing 1/2A U-Control

roddie Thu Apr 04, 2024 10:42 pm

My 1/2A U-control roots (circa 1970) are with Cox .049 reed-valve (Babe/Golden-Bee) engines.. and Goldberg (Carl Goldberg..) model airplane kits.. particularly the Swordsman 18. My dad was a U-Control modeler of the early 1960's.. the year I was born. I remember him building a Veco Warrior (I have the model now).. but also a Veco "Renegade".. I digress

We (CEF) as a community; should make an effort to promote the benefits of 1/2A U-Control/schoolyard flying activities. It's a "visibility" thing. People haven't heard about tethered model-airplanes for 50 years now. A Cox .020/.049 reed-valve powered 18" slab-wing design can usually be built in an evening or two.. fuel-proofed and flying the day after with the help of CYA glue and 5 minute epoxy.

A "Carl Goldberg" Swordsman 18 hangared downstairs.. is a reminder of a more simple and fun time with this hobby.

cheek-blocks to back-up a plywood firewall...

A stout 1/16" diameter music-wire main-gear in an inverted-V configuration is ready to absorb the shock of landing.. and also provides the scale-realism of a ROG (rise-off-ground) take-off.

roddie Thu Apr 04, 2024 11:12 pm

Glow fuel will continue to be available.. and our little engines don't burn much-per flight. Bench-running is a BLAST.. and helps to familiarize us with tuning our engines. The more "tuning-workshop" threads; the better!

Alternate materials/joinery are always a welcome prospect; seeing the uncertainty of balsa-wood being procured solely for our hobby use. We're seeing more foam-board use.. and carbon fiber. Light and strong is the name of the game.. when it comes to aircraft design.

Here's a CEF Flyer to post..... Let's see if we can attract some new people!