Testors Silver Wind...........

Deleted - Double post

Thanks roddie. I did a little research this morning. Found another one for your files. Worthpoint - Starchaser.



https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-1976-testors-gas-powered-1921275932

The engine on the one I have coming looks a little crusty. I love that stuff.

I would like to find the black/red star (Ruski?) Cosmic Wind model.

Thanks Robert! You probably know that some of the Testors Cosmic Wind variants were made in two sizes; the smaller of the two having a 16" wingspan and the larger one having a 22.5" wingspan.

If your watching an auction (eBay etc.) where the wingspan is not specified.. you can tell which version it is, by looking at the model's tail-feathers. The smaller variant's stabilizer and fin are molded into the fuselage.. where the larger variant has separate pieces.



If you can't tell this by the auction's photos; then look at the stabilizer's "shape". The larger variant has much more length (chord) to it.. than the small version.

Very apparent in the below photo of a "large" version.



Cox would later produce the smaller variant from Testor's molds.. but it would have been nice if they produced the larger one.. and put the more powerful "P40" engine in it.

Below; my Cox Cosmic Wind..

Thanks roddie, I always thought my Cosmic Winds added wing was outsized, now I know why.  When I looked up the W/S I must have selected the larger size and used that.  

When I do the new Silver Wind wing I will correct it.  Got it today.  As expected.  Dirty with a badly corroded question mark engine.

 The bottom wing flap forms the wing making replacements easy.  1/16" thick balsa will do the job.  I have seen replacement canopys for these.  The Classic Toy Factory perhaps.  Decals are on foil stock rather than paper, making cleaning easier.  Curious, bottom flap has square access holes where the Cosmic Wind has keyholes.  Almost like places to hang it.  









Nice touch.  Ports for full or 1/2 full, shorter flights.

Proof of what I'd heard; that the "aluminized" finish on these models doesn't hold-up to the exposure of being used as intended. Revell (models co.) supposedly sells a "chrome finish" in the form of an aerosol.. that's excellent for static display.

The black graphics; just forward of the cockpit are another clue that you have the smaller (16" wingspan) "Fly'em" variant.

When you asked about the square openings in the bottom of the fuse.. I automatically thought about the zip-starter system. I had a Kenner "SSP" toy that used a "toothed" zip-cord to spin a weighted gyro-scopic CENTRAL wheel... with a tire for traction.



Kenner made a SSP "Smash-up-Derby" set too.



Too dangerous for today's children....

wow Roddie. that green car with the gyro wheel brings back memories my brother and I had cars like that with the gyro wheel and used to race them on the concrete path in the backyard. goodness, the nemories. we had great times with those xars.

I ran my SSP through the kitchen and it hit my mother in the ankle. It hit very hard causing her to fall over and it did fracture her ankle. She required surgery to fix and never walked correctly again. The stupid things we do as kids. I loved the SSP's. I also had the demo derby versions, I loved the Nomads and I still have a blue door somewhere. I also had one which was purple, I put it in my sister's hair which got so tangled up it had to be cut out. That's when I realized my sister was a amazon. She practically knocked my block off.

great memories and great stories from very different simpler times but maybe not simpler for Kens mum and sister A man after my own heart. well it seemed a good idea at the time

Ken Cook wrote:I ran my SSP through the kitchen and it hit my mother in the ankle. It hit very hard causing her to fall over and it did fracture her ankle. She required surgery to fix and never walked correctly again. The stupid things we do as kids. I loved the SSP's. I also had the demo derby versions, I loved the Nomads and I still have a blue door somewhere. I also had one which was purple, I put it in my sister's hair which got so tangled up it had to be cut out. That's when I realized my sister was a amazon. She practically knocked my block off.

...........My five year older brother WAS an Amazon.  He had two nicknames growing up "Quack" and "Ape-man".  I could tell tales.  

I feel for your Mom.  I broke my ankle about 45 years ago falling off a ladder, snapped it in half when it caught between two rungs on the way down.  Crutches for weeks.  Hurt it again a couple of days ago when this branch fell on it while I was chainsawing one of the smaller branches off.  No blood, and I could still walk on it so i kept on.  Later it swelled up and got black/blue.  Still is.



I started disassembling the Silver Wind (got to get to that engine).  A hot pencil iron to the phillips head screws helped.  I always think of Rene (Marleysky) when I do this as he first mentioned it as a way to remove castor locked screws.  It's a wonder, but the fuel tanks nipple is still in place.  But it could break off if I try to remove the tubing.  I have two options, slightly heat the tubing with a heat gun, and slightly heat the tubing with a heat gun.  There is no third option.  

Some critter got in there and built a nest.  



Oh yes, Forgot.  roddie got me going when he posted all those picture (above) I went looking for a replacement canopy aand found these.  Offers accepted.

Heating the tubing to separate it from the fuel tank would not work, a good thing meaning the nipple isn't broken, so I just pried it off the engines side.




Not a pretty sight.



Painted on Berryman's and let it sit for 15 minutes, rinsed it off and gave it a warm water bath.  All the silver coating is/was gone.  It is now the Ivory Wing.



Notice the bubbles, fuel tank taking on water rinsing out the Berrymans which cleaned the tanks interior.  




Berryman's is great stuff for cleaning any type of oil/grease, works especially well on castor.  Gentle, it's solvent is water.

"Big" Cosmic Wind.

Done except for the wing.  Two intake ports on the cylinder.  Dug all the epoxy out of the fins, cleaned a bit with 400 grit wet/dry and reblued with Brownells.  Burnished with oil and a rough cloth in and outside the cylinder.  Still not pretty but better.  Low time engine, excellent compression.  Rotomatic starter a blessing.







There is a wing in there somewhere.  Debating whether to finish in gloss white or silver.



Edit add:

Enterprise canopy, almost a good fit.  They used to be for sale everywhere, now I can't find them.  



I had to modify a Cox wrench to fit the Testors PB.  Filed a little off the inside of the forks and some off the top to fit the Testor's exhaust ports.  PO had epoxied the glow head on.  Near impossible to remove.  I had to heat and wrench it off.  Sticky stuff, acted like concrete then with heat jelly.  



Still, a whole lot of detailing to do.

I used the newly aquired Black/Red star's wing as a template for the new wing.  I was going to leave it flat, but thought dihedral like the original.  Four hobby sticks on each side equal distant ought to do it.  Cut it in half and glued with carpenters wood glue.  Will back it up when the original glue dries.  I'm not sure about the durabilty, but we shall see.  






Strange things may happen when it is pressed into airfoil shape when the lower fuselage flap is engaged.  Compound curves might not be kind to one another.

Next day, overnight cure of wood glue.  3/4" strip of balsa backup.




I didn't hear any crunching or cracking when I closed the belly flap, so I think we're home free.





I did not see this trim tab on the standard Cosmic Wind.  Maybe just used on the Racer which makes constant left-hand turns around the pylons.  I included it but may remove it while sanding.  




Internet photo shows the tabs on both sides.



Detail sand then three coats of sanding sealer.  Then------------Silver paint and decals...

Cleaned up good Bob , and the wing is a good fit .

Great job, Bob!

I wonder if this is just a bit too late...but...
With the space and tools you have, you may want to try cutting the wing blank top view plan-form from hard wood. Then plane and sand an airfoil shape into the top. Cut and fix/glue your dihedral as required by the model. Then steam and otherwise moisten your next balsa plank and temporarily affix it to the hard wood form.

Someone prominent here did the same for several of the wood-skinned 1/2A balsa kits (example: P-40, Bearcat and.Corsair Top Flite formed fuselages), a balsa-clone Cox Spitfire (or similar), and another I can't remember right now. Keith Morgan? Kim?

SSP's...loved mine. I especially liked the performance of the one that looked similar to a snowmobile. The smash-up derby cars were an absolute hoot to me!

Zip-start Testors...I never liked 'em, and finger-flipped every one I came across. That is, hand-propped...not the "International Symbol" of negative fame.

Wow...memory lane is overwhelming me right now.

Thanks Eric, and happy to help you down Memory Lane Jim.  

 I had thought about making a three-piece wing.  Cut either a triangle from the leading edge to a center point mid-way of the trailing edge or just square/rectangle the center section.  Gave up on that as it was too complicated, and I was not sure what I would have gained.  We will see if the split wing survives my ham-handed sanding and sealing.

I tried using the zip starter in the black CW, works but a bit of a bother.  I much prefer the spring loaded "Roto-matic" starter.  

I'm not sure why, but I really enjoy taking a wrecked airplane or engine and making something out of it.  Building from a kit anymore claims little interest from me.

Being the nut that I am, I have these coming.  Cheap and I need the spinner.





Good fit for the orange big boy? Maybe.



Props too but I think those are paddles.

BTW, I like the over-sized wing on the red,white,blue CW.  Keeping it. But I may make a standard size wing also.

Dihedral makes no difference on a C/L plane, or does it.........................

Another Silver Wind, complete. Cheap like I need another. Not much to do on this one but for pennies.........

Just like my little black cosmic wind. I was surprised at how small it is

The second "Silver Wind" showed up today. I didn't really want it and didn't expect to win it but made a low-ball bid anyway and was surprised when I got it.

It looks better than it is. A repaint that at one time may have looked like my original. And that tail fin, cut out of a piece of plastic glued on and painted. It came with a McCoy propeller, first I have seen. Fishing line wrapped around it and modified to a shorter length. Dacron on the bellcrank so I think the PO probably hung it from the ceiling.

Not love at first sight!





Oh well, live and learn. I sent a PM to Levent to see if he would make me a rendering of the Silver Wind decal.

I like it Bob and will enjoy seeing it being restored…. Running the engines in those has to be a lot of fun too…. I ordered some pieces for a start of a project sorta kin to those you do…. You and Joe been having too much fun… I’d like to try too…. Jim Walker Firebaby…. May be a long road…. Seller’s photo….

rdw777 wrote:I like it Bob and will enjoy seeing it being restored…. Running the engines in those has to be a lot of fun too…. I ordered some pieces for a start of a project sorta kin to those you do…. You and Joe been having too much fun… I’d like to try too…. Jim Walker Firebaby…. May be a long road…. Seller’s photo….

A rare bird Robert and a worthy project.  I have one I made up from a badly bent fuselage and some balsa based on measurements from the real thing.

I have two NIB that I keep well protected.  If you need measurments Let me know.

Thanks Bob, Yes have been thru your Firebaby threads more than a few times and really enjoyed them… …. I have your measurements and drawings saved as well….. Between those and lots of old photos and ads I made some sketches too….I’m going to try for the wood fuse version with the metal brackets and clear canopy…. Will wait for a while to see if anything comes up for sale….. If not will try and scratch the remaining parts out….. Will assess it when it comes in and see what is left to complete…. I’ve got a few old engines from that period too….

rdw777 wrote:Thanks Bob, Yes have been thru your Firebaby threads more than a few times and really enjoyed them… …. I have your measurements and drawings saved as well….. Between those and lots of old photos and ads I made some sketches too….I’m going to try for the wood fuse version with the metal brackets and clear canopy…. Will wait for a while to see if anything comes up for sale….. If not will try and scratch the remaining parts out….. Will assess it when it comes in and see what is left to complete…. I’ve got a few old engines from that period too….

Ah Robert, you pushed me over the edge. I have been looking at the powered version for years. Made an offer which was accepted moments ago. For some reason I have always had a soft spot for the JW Firebaby. Now I can give you accurate drawings for either or both.






Just passing on the good will of Levent. He PM'd me with his intentions of sending me Silver Wind Decals printed on foil like the original. Good people populate this forum.

Thanks for the nudge. - Bob