My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!!

Kim Mon Nov 05, 2012 7:15 am

It's silkspan covering is suffering from a bad case of "Age Bursting", but I'm going to at least try to patch it enough to log some flights.

I'll dope on some patches of damp, medium silkspan and see if I can get it to draw up the ancient covering. I don't believe the plane had ever been flown, or very little at the most.

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! 25_10

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! 25_10

As per the original plans, the builder made a removable hatch of the top nose area. This was a constant source of fuel-induced "Airplane Cancer" with my Uncle Wayne's Ringmaster, and I'm going to completely seal all of this to keep the goop out of the plane's unpainted innards.

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! 26_11

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! 26_11

Aunt Jo, posing with Uncle Wayne's Super Ringmaster...about 1967 or so:

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! 28_14

pkrankow Mon Nov 05, 2012 8:40 am

I scored that exact plane, in red, with similar condition issues off Craigslist a few weeks ago. Do you know of a set of plans? I have not located anything identifying it, or helping me with repairs.

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! Air210

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! Air210

https://i.servimg.com/u/f44/17/84/87/39/air210.jpg

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! Air310

https://i.servimg.com/u/f44/17/84/87/39/air310.jpg

I have the inboard wing mostly stripped already, and put it in the garage because it has a funk to it, and I had other more pressing tasks needing done. The seller said it had a .35 on it, I think he said Fox, but I don't remember for sure.

My plane has all kinds of issues because it has been crashed before and the controls are not free moving. I need to finish stripping it down and evaluate the situation.

As for oil soaked wood corn starch and rubbing alcohol will draw oil out. (Some other concoctions are supposed to work better, but I haven't tried them). The alcohol floats the oil out and the corn starch absorbs the oil so it can't soak back in. Takes several treatments to clean saturated wood though. (yes, messy PIA)

Your plane is a much nicer looking example. I was planing on peeling the silkspan and leaving the remnants on the ribs, covering with monokote and go fly. I WILL crash and I know it.

Phil

pkrankow Mon Nov 05, 2012 9:36 am

I found plans through Barry Baxter's plan service
http://www.controllineplans.com/frameset2.htm

It is on the index by designer page if the link doesn't get to the correct page.

Phil

**Cribbs74** Mon Nov 05, 2012 9:48 am

Good find fellas,

I'd say you both did quite well. I always wondered what a full fuse Ringmaster would look like. Now I know!

Ron

Kim Mon Nov 05, 2012 11:56 am

Yeah, I've got a short-kit by fast Eddie, and an original kit, still in it's box. Guess I'm gonna try my hand at getting money FROM Ebay for a change !

**Cribbs74** Mon Nov 05, 2012 12:32 pm

Kim wrote: Guess I'm gonna try my hand at getting money FROM Ebay for a change !

Wow! You can do that? lol!

It too bad the covering went awry they both looked to have been finished out quite well at one time.

pkrankow Mon Nov 05, 2012 1:26 pm

Silkspan does this. I have seen it happen on quite a few airplanes...some of my Dad's are in similar condition after 20 years in the attic. Some of his are nice, tight, and perfect too.

I might beg an engine off him instead of buying an engine.

Phil

Kim Mon Nov 05, 2012 1:36 pm

Yeah, comes with the territory I guess. The father of one of my flying buds has several that were covered in the late 1970's, but they were always stored in a basement, and while fragile, are all still intact with no bust-outs !

Good deal on reviving one of your Dad's engines !!

Kim Mon Nov 05, 2012 1:59 pm

[quote="pkrankow"]I scored that exact plane, in red, with similar condition issues off Craigslist a few weeks ago. Do you know of a set of plans? I have not located anything identifying it, or helping me with repairs.

I have the inboard wing mostly stripped already, and put it in the garage because it has a funk to it, and I had other more pressing tasks needing done. The seller said it had a .35 on it, I think he said Fox, but I don't remember for sure.

Looks like a nice project from here!

I think I've got the original "Plan Sheet" which is more of an instruction sheet because the kit parts notched together. If you'd like, I'll try to find it and run it to Staples for a copy at cost.

That, along with the Baxter plans service, ought to get you going.

Good luck, and don't cash in the Ringmaster yet...it might turn out to be a long-term flyer !!!!!

P.S. CHECK THE LEAD-OUT CABLES AT THE BELLCRANK !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

pkrankow Mon Nov 05, 2012 2:49 pm

Right now a "study plan" of a hi-res photograph of the plans might get me going with the needed information. I might take you up on the copy though. I don't know what the going price is.

I am simply guessing how the inside of the fuselage is put together right now, but I haven't taken the hatch off or anything yet.

The plane has a certain funky smell to it when I bring it inside, and I can't place it, it went straight back to the garage! It isn't tobacco, might be animal, but I can't place it and it doesn't start having an odor till it is warmed up for a while. Attacking the silk span in the garage is next. Rancid castor just came to mind, that is an awful kinda smell.

Phil

Kim Mon Nov 05, 2012 3:07 pm

FEBREZE !!!!

pkrankow Mon Nov 05, 2012 3:55 pm

Kim wrote:FEBREZE !!!!

LOL!

I peeled the rest of the wings, and the couple sections that were completely closed smell like pipe smoke or incense, still quite potent. Still in the garage. 3/4 of the way to ready for recovering. Just need to lightly scrape and sand, and check the repair at the tail.

The inside of the fuel tank hatch is painted too!

The lead outs had a couple bends (not kinks) in the wire, and the inside of the brass lead outs tubes had some stuff caked in them. A bit of finger straightening, a drop of oil in each tube and the controls are free now!

Phil

Kim Mon Nov 05, 2012 4:52 pm

I'll try scanning chunks of the instruction sheet. Working my way toward the house now, will see if I can find it.

pkrankow Mon Nov 05, 2012 7:40 pm

Thanks!
Phil

gcb Mon Nov 05, 2012 11:36 pm

Often the reason silkspan gets brittle is that the final coats of dope did not have enough plasticizer. I have a couple of ships that currently have "hangar rash".

Good luck with recovering...and remember the plasticizer. Smile

George

Kim Tue Nov 06, 2012 5:54 am

Fumbling around in the shop this morning, and while my brain isn't quite up to start patching my Ringmaster's covering, I DID check out the engine compartment. My Fox .35 dropped right in, and I spent a few moments in Flashback Land...could almost hear my Uncle Wayne asking me and Bobby, "OK...which one of you boys are gonna fly next?" !

The builder of this plane was no slouch, everything is lovingly fitted together, and apparently straight with the plans.

Will still have to cut a passage to dump the castor out of the bottom and also widen the needle valve trough, along with sealing the area behind the engine.

Gonna have to do some Ebay cruising to get myself an old-school cone-shaped spinner for this classic bird...or at least one of those big Higley prop nuts.

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! 31_11

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! 31_11

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! 29_12

pkrankow Tue Nov 06, 2012 11:17 am

That looks nice, a nice aluminum spinner would be extra sweet!

Spraying an airframe down with Febreze is one of the more odd things I have done now. Well...not really. Garage smells nicer.

I sprayed the unfinished Voodoo like wing I scored with the ringmaster too, just in case that one also has funk to it.

Phil

Spinner?
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXPRZ2&P=7

SuperDave Tue Nov 06, 2012 11:34 am

Phil:

Ditch the silkspan and go with a modern synthetic covering like UltraCote:

UltraCote Tips & Tricks | Horizon Hobby - Radio Control R/C Planes, RC Airplanes, RC Helis and Helicopters, RC Cars, RC Trucks

SuperDave Tue Nov 06, 2012 12:00 pm

Phil:

Once you price modern butyrate dope, thinner, retarder etc. you'll "jump ship" for modern synthetic coverings and they look WONDERFUL with very little practice.

Kim Tue Nov 06, 2012 3:37 pm

pkrankow wrote:That looks nice, a nice aluminum spinner would be extra sweet!

Spraying an airframe down with Febreze is one of the more odd things I have done now. Well...not really. Garage smells nicer.

I sprayed the unfinished Voodoo like wing I scored with the ringmaster too, just in case that one also has funk to it.

Phil

Spinner?
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXPRZ2&P=7

Hey Thanks,

I really like old stuff, and so was thinking about going retro with a spinner like this that's on Ebay right now:

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! Spinne10

My Swap-Meet Ringmaster ! Smack Down!!!! The Resurrection Begins!! Spinne10

Also, the kid at Staples told me they could scan my ancient (and brittle) Ringmaster plan in sections and then use software to hook up the pieces. They're gonna put the whole thing on a flash drive as a PDF, so I could send you a copy that way if it would work for you. I can also have them print out a sheet too. Figure it couldn't cost more than 4 or 5 bucks...

I'm heading there right after work, and then hoofing it home to (hopefully) start slinging some dope !!!

I was kidding about the Febreze...but if it works, good enough !!!!

andrew Tue Nov 06, 2012 4:25 pm

SuperDave wrote:Phil:

Once you price modern butyrate dope, thinner, retarder etc. you'll "jump ship" for modern synthetic coverings and they look WONDERFUL with very little practice.

Gotta' disagree with you here, Dave. A nicely done silk/silkspan/dope finish looks about as classy as you can get. Buying dope from aircraft suppliers (I generally use Aircraft Spruce) holds the cost down and there are no hazmat fees on quarts. A high-grade lacquer thinner/reducer found at auto finishing stores will normally give a good finish.

Kim has a decided advantage since he works at an airport and likely can pick up a pint or two of dope very cheaply from one of the A&P's.

That Ringmaster is old school and really deserves an old school finish.
andrew

SuperDave Tue Nov 06, 2012 5:05 pm

Andrew:

That's assuming one is willing to devote the expense, time and have the paticence to apply a top-quality butyrate finish while you stink up the house with noxious fumes from a spray gun.

"Windy" from Brodak's is a master of the dying art. Like an alchemist he "brews" his own mixtures of components paying special attention to the air temperature, humidity and other climatic facors. "Windy" works in climatically-controlled workshop.

pkrankow Tue Nov 06, 2012 6:32 pm

Mine is getting a shrink film. I have pink and white Monokote on hand already. Picking up red and maybe yellow is no bother next time I am at the not so local hobby shop. SURE I will be there several times before spring.

I am just getting comfortable with Monokote and don't want to switch products right now...maybe later.

I have a slight inner preference for dope and silk span because of the finished appearance. I don't have a source for colored product, so I am not sweating the issue.

Can Rustoleum go over aged dope without problems?

Phil