re: balsa spook build

happydad Sun Apr 28, 2013 10:04 pm

Phil: for the prototype the length of the fuselage is just about right for the CG per plan based on my pee wee .020 and no fuel tank.
edited 8:14p.m. PST - NOTE - i started with the CAD drawings which were for the plastic parts and made the balsa parts exactly the same to start with. hd

Rusty: same answer as above as far as the engine mount being as close to the leading edge as possible for the .020 version. before i glue anything into place i will measure the CG with a .049 engine, babe/black widow type, held in place with tape or rubber bands. i expect the nose to be a little shorter.

happydad Small Cox Logo

happydad Sat May 18, 2013 8:05 pm

I have had some time to work on the pee wee .020 balsa version of the Cox Spook again. I attached a bent 1/16in. piano wire for the landing gear to a plywood mount with waxed string like that used in the old days to tie off wire bundles. the ties were epoxied for additional strength and the landing gear mount was epoxied between the fuselage pieces for additional strength behind the engine mount.

bottom view of the fuselage showing landing gear mount
"Spook" can it be done? - Page 3 Spookf10

"Spook" can it be done? - Page 3 Spookf10

note: the pee wee .020 is only shown in position when relative CG was measured.

top view of fuselage showing fuel tank area
"Spook" can it be done? - Page 3 Spookf12

"Spook" can it be done? - Page 3 Spookf12

elevator assembly
"Spook" can it be done? - Page 3 Spooke10

happydad

**Cribbs74** Sat May 18, 2013 9:19 pm

That's a good idea on the landing gear. It should hold up well. Is that the amount of offset you plan to use? Or is it just placed that way for now.

The only reason I mention it is because it would probably keep tension with much less. Not critiquing at all.

Looks like it's coming along nicely! Good job. I need to get off my duff and make one soon.

happydad Sun May 19, 2013 3:14 pm

Ron: this is the 1st prototype, so everything is rough until it actually is flown. that's where you come in. hd Small Cox Logo

edited 6-15-2013 3:20p.m. PST - also the engine slipped from it's temporary rubber band mounts while shooting the pics. happydad

**Cribbs74** Sun May 19, 2013 3:35 pm

happydad wrote:Ron: this is the 1st prototype, so everything is rough until it actually is flown. that's where you come in. hd

Cool!

I can pretend I am Chuck Yeager. I'd be happy to maiden it. I am also good at making repairs. Thanks HD.

Ron

Edit: repairs if I crash.....which doesn't happen much anymore Wink

happydad Sat Jun 15, 2013 5:18 pm

here are pics showing the bottom landing gear area with sheeting completed and the top fuel tank area with and without the cover installed. the 1st prototype is almost finished and ready for covering. p.s. as I covered the tank and engine mount areas I covered the areas with at least 3 coats of fuel proofing.

bottom landing gear to engine mount area.
"Spook" can it be done? - Page 3 Spookl10

"Spook" can it be done? - Page 3 Spookl10

top showing fuel tank area to engine mount, covered.
"Spook" can it be done? - Page 3 Spookf14

top showing fuel tank area to engine mount, cover removed.
"Spook" can it be done? - Page 3 Spookf15

current weight without front wheel, or engine and uncovered is 4.3ounces.

that's all for now.

happydad Small Cox Logo

**Cribbs74** Sat Jun 15, 2013 10:36 pm

It's looking real good!!!! Fun times ahead! Need to figure out a way to launch the thing though.

Ron

sdjjadk Tue Jun 25, 2013 10:31 pm

Cool build. Smile

Any chance someone here could send me a tracing of the wing ribs? I've always liked the Spook and I wouldn't mind making some templates for a future foam core Spook build.

**Cribbs74** Wed Jun 26, 2013 12:16 am

sdjjadk wrote:Cool build.
Any chance someone here could send me a tracing of the wing ribs? I've always liked the Spook and I wouldn't mind making some templates for a future foam core Spook build.

If you can wait a bit I can provide a whole set of plans in PDF form. Please remind me though as I have a lot on the brain at the moment.

Ron

batjac Wed Jun 26, 2013 3:30 pm

happydad wrote:I have had some time to work on the pee wee .020 balsa version of the Cox Spook again. I attached a bent 1/16in. piano wire for the landing gear to a plywood mount with waxed string like that used in the old days to tie off wire bundles. the ties were epoxied for additional strength and the landing gear mount was epoxied between the fuselage pieces for additional strength behind the engine mount.

happydad

No, no no! Right thrust! Riiiggghhtt thrust!

The Aligning Mark

happydad Wed Jun 26, 2013 9:06 pm

as noted, the engine mount was rubber banded in place to check the CG and balance. during the taking of the picture the engine/mount slipped. the plan is to use 1 to 2 degrees of right offset.
sorry for no updates lately, but I have had problems with a hot water leak, then a noisy water heater. I have finished the engine mount, covering the bottom of the fuselage and almost finished the fuel area screw-type cover. more pictures to come as I have time. happydad Small Cox Logo

happydad Wed Jun 26, 2013 9:13 pm

sdjjadk wrote:Cool build.
Any chance someone here could send me a tracing of the wing ribs? I've always liked the Spook and I wouldn't mind making some templates for a future foam core Spook build.

sorry I must have missed your posting. I have the full size drawing and a template of the spook rib as cut, (not as used). during the course of building Ron Cribbs and I decided to use a hard leading and trailing edge instead of using thin balsa over the leading edge and trailing edge of the wing to add strength. i'll try to dig up the drawing and template and send a photo after dinner, (it's 7:12p.m. PST here in So. CA). happydad Small Cox Logo

pkrankow Wed Jun 26, 2013 9:28 pm

cribbs74 wrote:
sdjjadk wrote:Cool build.
Any chance someone here could send me a tracing of the wing ribs? I've always liked the Spook and I wouldn't mind making some templates for a future foam core Spook build.

If you can wait a bit I can provide a whole set of plans in PDF form. Please remind me though as I have a lot on the brain at the moment.

Ron

I too am looking forward to a PDF of the images.

Please put scaling reference lines so I can tell if my printer is printing properly. A vertical and a horizontal "this line is X units long" goes a long way.

Phil

happydad Wed Jun 26, 2013 11:41 pm

pkrankow wrote:
cribbs74 wrote:
sdjjadk wrote:Cool build.
Any chance someone here could send me a tracing of the wing ribs? I've always liked the Spook and I wouldn't mind making some templates for a future foam core Spook build.

If you can wait a bit I can provide a whole set of plans in PDF form. Please remind me though as I have a lot on the brain at the moment.

Ron

I too am looking forward to a PDF of the images.

Please put scaling reference lines so I can tell if my printer is printing properly. A vertical and a horizontal "this line is X units long" goes a long way.

Phil

I included a ruler showing the length of the rib. also on the drawing showing the hard LE and TE we used on the prototype. also a drawing for you showing 1/2 of the wing. PM me if I can help more.

ribs.
"Spook" can it be done? - Page 3 Spookr10

"Spook" can it be done? - Page 3 Spookr10

enlarge print so the ruler is correct.

wing.
"Spook" can it be done? - Page 3 Spookw10

hope this helps.

happydad Small Cox Logo

sdjjadk Thu Jun 27, 2013 7:16 pm

Cool Thanks. Smile

COXSWAIN Sat Jul 13, 2013 3:25 pm

Hi, I got two Spooks with engines from Toy-R-Us about 1967. About $4 apiece. Built one and taught myself to fly inverted AOK. Nice plane, ran great and was sturdy. Never built the other, a collector heard me talking about it and made offers at every Collecto we went to. Finally sold it for $225 about 1998. Seemed outrageous at the time but ya know collectors.
I had replaced it about 1970 with a Sterling 1/2 A wildcat that flew even better! Still got it. It has an old Cox RR-! on it. Got tired of em running backwards all the time.

batjac Sun Jan 19, 2014 1:40 am

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but did any .pdf plans get made up for this? I'd be interested in a copy if possible.

The Re-animator Mark

getback Sun Jan 19, 2014 9:31 am

I no I no but if its knot toooo much trouble I also would like a copy of the plans? got to much going on right now but would like to spook'em to later, tring to lean away from the planes w/out wheels so far getting one to come out of the chair just ant working for me Very Happy

nice build HD Smoking

LOOKING GOOD !!

ekitten2 Sun Jan 19, 2014 9:48 am

indeed a full size set of plans/pdf would be gr8!

**Cribbs74** Sun Jan 19, 2014 10:38 am

I have the CAD file and PDF still somewhere.

If anyone wants it let me know and I will send it to your email. Shoot me a PM if interested.

Ron

duke.johnson Sun Jan 19, 2014 11:03 am

found this the other day

http://www.ebay.com/itm/THE-WOODEN-SPOOK-STUNT-CONTROL-LINE-AIRPLANE-NOT-A-KIT/261377955397?_trksid=p2050601.m2372&_trkparms=aid%3D111000%26algo%3DREC.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D207%26meid%3D4230911071590070544%26pid%3D100085%26prg%3D1112%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D261377955397%26%26clkid%3D4230917262412929071&_qi=RTM1562569

happydad Sun Nov 01, 2015 3:59 am

sdjjadk wrote:Cool build.
Any chance someone here could send me a tracing of the wing ribs? I've always liked the Spook and I wouldn't mind making some templates for a future foam core Spook build.

did you ever get the rib template?

happydad RC Plane

ekitten2 Sun Nov 01, 2015 4:30 am

im still interested as well

Ken Cook Sun Nov 01, 2015 6:17 am

That long nose not only prevents tight turning but it appears to be very fragile in the event of a crash. It wouldn't take much to snap that nose off. Big Otto suffers the same problem and both planes are extremely similar. As for flying characteristics, it seems to me that it flew relatively better than the currently available RTF planes of the time but I certainly feel that it wasn't stellar. For the thickness of the wing, I would imagine that the engine was certainly in need of more dilithium crystals. Ken

happydad Sun Nov 01, 2015 1:54 pm

ekitten2 wrote:im still interested as well

Ekitten2: I still have the original rib template and can send a picture of the template or better after lunch I will take a picture with the rib template next to a ruler and post it here. I did post some pictures during the build back in 2012-2013, seems like yesterday. I'll also look up the original post and post the link here as shown above. More later.

happydad RC Plane

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