Baby Clown (finished)

I just picked up on this thread. I noticed in an early post that the sheet of balsa that contained the rudder and fin seem to show the parts positioned on the sheet so that the grain runs horizontally, not a good thing. This was also the case on Rusty's Baby Flite Streak. Just a heads up and sorry I'm late to the party.

Yeah it runs sort of diagonal. Not sure why these things aren't cut to maximize the wood strength.

Ron, it just boils down to cost and how much one can get out of a sheet. Most older kit manufacturers kits were only concerned with how to get the kit in the box. Ken

Gnu4FF wrote:I just picked up on this thread. I noticed in an early post that the sheet of balsa that contained the rudder and fin seem to show the parts positioned on the sheet so that the grain runs horizontally, not a good thing. This was also the case on Rusty's Baby Flite Streak. Just a heads up and sorry I'm late to the party.

Good catch, Gnu. I didn't notice that. I did have to make a new one for the Streak. My ribs were the most fragile 1/16" balsa I've ever seen too. But it did turn out to be light as a feather. On the other hand, I'm told the rudder doesn't do much anyway, it'll fly just fine if it gets busted off.

A belated welcome to CEF, we have a pretty cool group of modelers and collectors.

jhaye wrote:Ron,
You have seen clown racers right??? These planes really scoot with a .15 of any sort on them. Have fun with it.

Jim Hayes
AMA 988835

Jim,

I believe most Clown races use a Flying Clown with a .15 in them. I don't believe a Baby Clown could structurally handle a modern .15. Then again, perhaps SOMEONE has tried it.

George

gcb wrote:

jhaye wrote:Ron,
You have seen clown racers right??? These planes really scoot with a .15 of any sort on them. Have fun with it.

Jim Hayes
AMA 988835

Jim,

I believe most Clown races use a Flying Clown with a .15 in them. I don't believe a Baby Clown could structurally handle a modern .15. Then again, perhaps SOMEONE has tried it.

George

That is going on my bucket list!

All put together. Just need to paint and stripe the cockpit. I wish Brodak would come up with some better 1/2A wheels. Luckily I have some nice ones back at home. Just need to figure out the tank/engine combo and away we go!

https://i.imgur.com/I4qMU.jpg


https://i.imgur.com/fwquJ.jpg

Very nice work, she's a nice looking plane and there's plenty of room to hang a bladder. If it's like my Streak, you might have to add a little balancing weight to make up for the absent metal tank.

I got my movie "studio" set up with everything laid out this afternoon for the bladder tutorials. It'll be a two part show: assembly and installation, and cranking and running. I had planned to shoot it tonight, but a pre-supper Jack Daniels on the rocks turned into several , so I figured I better wait until tomorrow. I'll make the movie in the afternoon and have it on the tube before too late.

Do you need for me to put a starter kit of bladder supplies in the mail to you? If so, PM me your address and we'll have you set up to fly by Monday. I can send you the one I make in the video too, so you'll have one ready to fly right away.

And the moral of the story is.......drinking is hard on your bladder!

Thanks for taking the time to help me out. I'll shoot you a PM.

Ron

cribbs74 wrote:And the moral of the story is.......drinking is hard on your bladder!


Ron

Hello Ron, I know exactly what you mean in terms of wheels. I never was a fan of plastic wheels. However, Sig provided a decent wheel that came in the Beechcraft Staggerwing kit. I'm not sure if they still provide the same wheel. The wheel was about 1 1/8" and had raised letters on it that had Sig molded onto the wheel. The wheels were quite durable. Brodak does make a decent wheel that is light and stands up to the test of 1/2 A flying. I use this version from Brodak's http://brodak.com/control-line-parts/wheels/frac34.html My favorite wheel was the Perfect slimline that had the tapered aerodynamic rubber and the aluminum hub centers. These made for terrific and functional wheels. They had a 1 5/8" that just looked correct on most 1/2 A's Ken

Ken Cook wrote: Hello Ron, I know exactly what you mean in terms of wheels. I never was a fan of plastic wheels. However, Sig provided a decent wheel that came in the Beechcraft Staggerwing kit. I'm not sure if they still provide the same wheel. The wheel was about 1 1/8" and had raised letters on it that had Sig molded onto the wheel. The wheels were quite durable. Brodak does make a decent wheel that is light and stands up to the test of 1/2 A flying. I use this version from Brodak's http://brodak.com/control-line-parts/wheels/frac34.html My favorite wheel was the Perfect slimline that had the tapered aerodynamic rubber and the aluminum hub centers. These made for terrific and functional wheels. They had a 1 5/8" that just looked correct on most 1/2 A's Ken

No doubt Ken, I have switched all my wheels to the 1" racing wheels with aluminum hubs that HappyDad has kindly supplied me with. This one will get the same treatment. Thank you for those links.

I decided to go back to original spec on the plans and I moved the cockpit to where it was supposed to be. I felt like I was doing an injustice. I still need to fill the gap where I cut down the cockpit balsa for a sleeker look. Special thanks to Rusty, Happydad and of course Ken Cook (aka Mr. CL) for helping me with this one. You guys are superb gentlemen in my books.

Here is a final product pic. Still need to do some touch up paint though.........

Click on this link:

https://i.imgur.com/JmA33.jpg

cribbs74 wrote:

Ken Cook wrote: Hello Ron, I know exactly what you mean in terms of wheels. I never was a fan of plastic wheels. However, Sig provided a decent wheel that came in the Beechcraft Staggerwing kit. I'm not sure if they still provide the same wheel. The wheel was about 1 1/8" and had raised letters on it that had Sig molded onto the wheel. The wheels were quite durable. Brodak does make a decent wheel that is light and stands up to the test of 1/2 A flying. I use this version from Brodak's http://brodak.com/control-line-parts/wheels/frac34.html My favorite wheel was the Perfect slimline that had the tapered aerodynamic rubber and the aluminum hub centers. These made for terrific and functional wheels. They had a 1 5/8" that just looked correct on most 1/2 A's Ken

No doubt Ken, I have switched all my wheels to the 1" racing wheels with aluminum hubs that HappyDad has kindly supplied me with. This one will get the same treatment. Thank you for those links.

I decided to go back to original spec on the plans and I moved the cockpit to where it was supposed to be. I felt like I was doing an injustice. I still need to fill the gap where I cut down the cockpit balsa for a sleeker look. Special thanks to Rusty, Happydad and of course Ken Cook (aka Mr. CL) for helping me with this one. You guys are superb gentlemen in my books.

Here is a final product pic. Still need to do some touch up paint though.........

Click on this link:

https://i.imgur.com/JmA33.jpg

i hate it when you can't click on the links to see the whole pic without logging in. how lazy am i? i think i like the baby clown better this way. LOL. happydad

If I could figure out how to size images on my Iphone you wouldn't have to log in, so I am partially responsible for your laziness.

Wish I didn't modify the thing in the first place, although the easy road usually leads to destruction, or so I'm told.......

Ron

The beam mount fuse looks much stronger than the one I have with the plastic engine mount, mine will snap in two the first chance it gets.
I did relocate the gear to the fuse, the gear mounts under the engine on the plastic engine mount the way it came from Brodak.

crankbndr wrote:The beam mount fuse looks much stronger than the one I have with the plastic engine mount, mine will snap in two the first chance it gets.

I believe it is the same mount used on the "Basic Trainer" I built to teach kids to fly. Mine broke the fuselage along the mount. My fix was to glue it back together, cut two slits and run popsicle sticks horizontally along the fuselage about two inches past the mount. It worked...and I enjoyed the popsicle.

I did relocate the gear to the fuse, the gear mounts under the engine on the plastic engine mount the way it came from Brodak.

Good move!

Done! Hope to maiden this week sometime. I finally built one that was slightly tail heavy!!!

Click on the link as usual.

https://i.imgur.com/Hqj86.jpg

That's a beauty. Nice job. I hope to see it fly real soon.

cribbs74 wrote:Done! Hope to maiden this week sometime. I finally built one that was slightly tail heavy!!!

Click on the link as usual.

https://i.imgur.com/Hqj86.jpg

nice job. is that the tail wheel in the background? no wonder all your planes are tail heavy. LOL. fly em high. happydad

RknRusty wrote:That's a beauty. Nice job. I hope to see it fly real soon.

With the help you provided it will! Thanks again Rusty.

happydad wrote:

cribbs74 wrote:Done! Hope to maiden this week sometime. I finally built one that was slightly tail heavy!!!

Click on the link as usual.

https://i.imgur.com/Hqj86.jpg

nice job. is that the tail wheel in the background? no wonder all your planes are tail heavy. LOL. fly em high. happydad

Thanks, yep it's my pink 21" tail wheel.