Flying at the churchyard - The Roger Harris Micro Ringmaster

**RknRusty** Tue Jan 24, 2017 7:56 am

Ron Cribbs has been here for the past week, and Saturday we spent the day in the shop playing around and had a really good time despite the rainy weather. I'd been painting the Roger Harris laser cut Micro Ringmaster when the rains came and blushed it. You can't really tell on the white parts and the silver just looks like gray. Thanks, Roger, it was a very nice kit and I still have yet to build the full stunt version you sent me too

Sunday Ron was at work all day at the ANG base while I watched football in the house finishing the last details, sewing the elevator, bolting the engine up, installing the already finished control parts. It was ready to go except for gluing the tank on and cutting my 35' lines in half.

We test ran it and toted it with our flight gear over to the church and let her rip. He did the honors of the maiden. It flew fine right off the workbench, screaming around the circle at about 3 second laps, or maybe even less. Loops were nothing but trouble though, and we both pancaked it trying. I tried to flip it inverted, but the lines slacked and it... uh... landed. Maybe some more tip weight would help that.We finally got the engine too dirty to safely crank again, so we packed it in. There was a group from the kindergarten watching from a safe distance, and Holley was watching through the window in the house.

We got some video after I realized I hadn't started the camera on one of Ron's flights. So I'll get it cleaned up, Ron left me the TD to use, and it's ready if the traveling engine ever gets here. After we came in and rested up and listened to some jams for a while Holley, Ron and I went out for a good flounder dinner and parted ways till next year when he makes his rounds, and comes back to calibrate his nav communications equipment at our two local air bases.

So here's the video documentary of our adventure his afternoon.
Rusty

https://youtu.be/0g__EjayL5g

Kim Tue Jan 24, 2017 12:43 pm

Sounds like you folks had yourselves a big time! I'll get to check out the video here in a while when I get to some WiFi.
Hope we all have a big good year--Control Line and R/C-wise.

getback Tue Jan 24, 2017 1:39 pm

WOW !! I will have to remember to cut my lines to 20' , that was pretty fast for me to turn round . Really good to see you and Ron were able to get together and have some fun time and madian the Micro Ringmaster . I got to get my broken kit from shipping here out and see if i can cut the needed parts , i guess Roger has been too busy to get me another one cut but that's OK . I Love This Forum!

rsv1cox Tue Jan 24, 2017 1:48 pm

Dizzy just watching you guys. Wonderful flights and what a screamer.

Bob

Mark Boesen Tue Jan 24, 2017 5:22 pm

Pret-ty cool!!!!

Marleysky Tue Jan 24, 2017 6:24 pm

Yea, you two are having more fun than allowed ! Beers

I too got dizzy watching Ron.

Kim Tue Jan 24, 2017 6:29 pm

WHOA !! Finally got to check out the video!!!! Puppy was honk'n !!!!

**Cribbs74** Wed Jan 25, 2017 4:38 am

Made it home Rusty, thanks for the good time and hospitality as always. Looking forward to another visit soon, just sneak on base and kick an antenna over, that should do it! lol!

I think narrow the line spacing, smaller diameter lines and a touch more tip weight. Maybe then it'll be able to do something.

Keep the .010 as long as you like, just send it back when you have no use for it anymore. Don't care if that's 30yrs from now. If I croak you can keep it!

Later Bud.

Ron

P.S. guys if you have a couple spare .010 wrenches, Rusty could use a set. I only had two. Kinda feel bad I left him a dirty engine with no wrenches!

**RknRusty** Wed Jan 25, 2017 10:12 pm

Cribbs74 wrote:Made it home Rusty, thanks for the good time and hospitality as always. Looking forward to another visit soon, just sneak on base and kick an antenna over, that should do it!

Now Ron, you know I'd just break a foot if I did that. I better just wait. But thanks for your enthusiasm. Holley enjoys your visits as well.

Cribbs74 wrote:I think narrow the line spacing, smaller diameter lines and a touch more tip weight. Maybe then it'll be able to do something.

Keep the .010 as long as you like, just send it back when you have no use for it anymore. Don't care if that's 30yrs from now. If I croak you can keep it!

Later Bud.

Ron

P.S. guys if you have a couple spare .010 wrenches, Rusty could use a set. I only had two. Kinda feel bad I left him a dirty engine with no wrenches!

Thanks, buddy, that's a really cool surprise. I'll take good care of it, and I'll keep it in a box with your name and number on it.

Yeah, tip weight, line weight and line drag were holding us back. When you were flying, the lines were straight out and tight, but it rolled in as you climbed into a loop. I didn't bother to look at the wing attitude in the flats, but I bet it wasn't enough tip weight for those heavy lines.

Thanks for dropping a word for the engine tool. I already got a PM from one of our generous members who may have one for me.

Looking forward till next time Take care,
Rusty

ian1954 Thu Jan 26, 2017 12:28 am

I would definitely have fallen over! Too spinny for me but i like the calm approaches from the both of you.

**RknRusty** Thu Jan 26, 2017 6:17 am

Calm, shoot, I looked pretty bumbley out there. Trying to fly without looking up. I did reflexively look up when I tried to flip it inverted, but the wings rolled in and it went limp. We had an audience from the kindergarten that thought it was pretty funny.

As Ron mentioned, I didn't use enough tip weight. It wasn't running quite as fast in that flight as it was in Ron's part of the video. At 1.6 ounces it can hardly hurt itself. You can't appreciate how tiny that engine is until you see one laying on your finger. I'm looking forward to building the built-up stunter for it that Roger sent me in the same package.

Thanks Roger, I hope you're seeing this.
Rusty

rogermharris Thu Jan 26, 2017 1:55 pm

fantastic rusty! looks like a real hand full but fun. thanks for shooting me am email. i hope to be able to start making some more kits soon. my laser was down and finally able to get it up and running a couple weeks back. i also purchased a small 3d printer for my some and i to play with and will see about making some parts with that once i get more familiar with running it

roddie Fri Jan 27, 2017 3:22 am

Really great to see you flying Rusty! Too bad the little bugger was so twitchy. I'm with Eric on line-length.. Shocked

Ron's flight was screaming peaked-out.. He was turning pretty fast.. LOL.. Laughing

I used to fly my .049 reed-valve powered airplanes on 26' lines.. but that was 25 years ago. I don't know how it will be.. when I get out there again.

I bought some 15# synthetic-braid.. after buying "overkill" 30#... for the 1st CEF speed contest. I want to try the 15 x 35' with a comfortable model.. and see how it goes.

What line are you using on the Micro? I've always loved your flights at the churchyard Rusty!

**RknRusty** Fri Jan 27, 2017 9:41 pm

30# test Spiderwire. lol!

Too heavy, ya think? Huh...

Ken Cook Fri Jan 27, 2017 9:47 pm

30 isn't too heavy. The diam difference isn't enough to even make a notice in drag which is only .003". I have weighed 30 compared to 012 steel lines and the 012's are heavier. All of my steel lines come from MBS Model Supply due to buying in bulk. I use actual Spiderwire brand synthetics. What I did notice that causes drag is when the synthetics get oil soaked. I fly all Cox powered on 012 steel lines and never had an issue. I used to use .008's steel and they're a pain in the neck to take care of. If one person walked on them they're ruined not to mention I had many line breaks using them.

**RknRusty** Fri Jan 27, 2017 10:36 pm

Ken I detest the steel .008 lines too for the same reason. I have a couple of spools, but when they are done I won't replace them. These lines Ron and I used are the first I ever bought when GSUMP became popular for flying, so they are pretty dirt and oil laden. The tipweight was a buckshot hammered paper thin and trimmed to a 3/8" square. I don't know what it weighs. When Ron was flying at full speed, it was pulling the lines surprisingly straight and tight, but it did roll in when he tried to loop it.

The built-up .010 stunter is considerably larger. I hope I get it built before too long. After I get the wing back in the Twister, my Sterling mustang is my next fun build. Howard Rush made me 4 sets of exhaust pipes on his printer, so the Yak and Mustang will sport the same headers. I hope to show the Yak with its long-awaited exhaust pipes soon.
Rusty

roddie Fri Jan 27, 2017 11:29 pm

It seems ironic that your first flight at the church.. since they trimmed the trees.. (an assumption) is with your smallest airplane. Smile

Must have been a thrill though! I regret not meeting Ron when he came this way last November.

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