Last weekend's flying expedition

Last weekend my son Al came home to visit and chill a while. He just finished earning his BS in Chemistry and Math and it's been a long haul, but well worth it. He started college late, so he's just getting his undergrad at 27 and applying to grad schools now. He just started a new job as a lab rat (his title is Chemist) with the USDA. Anyway, I tend to go on about that, but back to chilling and recreating.

After he was born, my modeling turned to scant dabbling, but I always had some kind of plane that I would take out every year or so and play with. He, like me, being a tinkerer from the time he popped out, always enjoyed the planes. He has his own PT-19 and flies it when we get a chance. With the original Surestart we always had to whip it after the sidewalk ran out skimming it across the grass for another 20 feet to finally get it straining into the air like a kite on a still day, only to fly heavy slow circles. Well enough of that already. Last Winter before the Mouse project, I put together a Bernie's parts Killer Bee, only with the Babe crank, and one of those 5 fin high compression heads. I thought the new power plant would make the PT get off the ground while it still had some sidewalk left.

Looks mean, but will it run?
I like the red peeking out from under the cowl. Notice it's a half-woody.


Al wanted to fly the Stuntman23(The Chopper) too, so we grabbed both planes and the gear and headed across the street. The PT had a MA 5.5x3 on it, my favorite utility prop. He let me fly first, with the new engine and figuring I had less rust on my flying arm, so I located myself out in the circle and did the elevator adjustments and I waited while he fueled it up and cranked it. He got the needle set and I gave him the thumbs up. When he let go of the tail, I honestly don't know if it rolled at all. It jumped into the air like it wanted to do a wingover. I'll be damned if I was going to let it do that, and fall on my head, so I coaxed it back down and flew some surprisingly hot laps adding more climbs and dives as I went. I've always talked big about how I was going to loop this thing, but it didn't feel like it had it... not even close. It just didn't have enough up elevator. Pretty soon the 5cc sucked air and the PT19 belly flopped like the brick it is. A nice stumbling thud in the grass. The BP Killer Bee done good.

So we switched places and I fueled it up for him. I diddled with the needle and got it running what I thought was a little smoother, and once again it leaped into the air without a roll on the sidewalk and he was upanddownandupanddown and finally got it flattened out. After a few laps at 6 feet off the ground he hit the devil's triangle, where the wind rolls off the roof of the church building and likes to slam planes into the ground, and whup, nothing but silence and rubber bands. I picked it up and walked it back around to put it back together, and he told me about not having enough Up. So we put another wrap on the line. He assumed the position and I cranked it and launched it. This time he clearly was showing it who's boss, it was busting ass around the circle... for a PT... and he was getting bolder with the climbs and dives. The next thing I knew it was pulling up hard, the Killer Bee screaming with joy, continuing up and over... I've never seen a PT19 flying on its back before... and on around... this boy has never flown a loop in his life, but it had the room, barely. He was going to pull it off. Down it came in a perfect arc, it had the room, it was wheels down and level, the grass was only an inch under the wheels! The ground is not level. WHAPPITYBappity rubber bands fly, the engine cartwheels and the tough old PT19 pilots were once again survivors of of a disintegrated plastic blurr. Oh well. The only noise this time was Al's usual calm voice saying, I think I should have started a little higher. No kidding, maybe an inch or so? I do again believe the PT will do a loop. I think I just saw my first one.



Al decided it was time to take on The Chopper
Looking at the picture, it should be obvious why I call it the Chopper now. Got tired of gluing the fuse back together. This is a serious beater. It has even flown into the ocean, and I punished it last year letting my young nieces try to fly it. As a result, it has so much glue and paint on it the Black Widow will no longer fly it. So now she has a TD and a pressure bladder. All that is new territory for Al, but he caught on to fueling and cranking it by just watching me one time. And damned if it won't go where you point it with that shortened fuse, it's one fun plane to fly. Watch my "Crash" video and the other Stuntman23 videos on my Tube channel if you want to see.




I figured I should fly it first since it can be a bit quirky. Al was manning the hemostats while I flipped the prop. And when the TD lit off with that hair raising SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE... and the prop visibly flexes in and out while you needle it, Al tossed the hemostats and backed off like he'd seen a rattlesnake.

We flew it a few times and this sucker really chews up the air, especially after the PT19. Al had it figured out and decided to try another loop, this time he actually completed it and got back up high but somehow lost it and planted it, breaking the stiff APC prop. I had neglected to pack the allen wrench for the prop screw, so we called it a day. A good day. I hope to do it again soon. We were walking back home, kind of quiet, when Al said, That Tee Dee... it's a whole 'nother animal isn't it. Yep, it sure is.

Sorry no video as I know I've promised, but it'll be a long stretch of late sun, so I'll get plenty of action on the tube soon.