Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!!

Kim Sun Mar 31, 2013 9:04 pm

After a rainy morning, the skies broke into a beautiful day with manageable winds, so........I chucked the Shark into the van (it has been neglected lately) along with a couple others and headed to the airport.

Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!! 1_19

Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!! 1_19

I also packed the kitchen mat I'd purchased, intending to do an imitation of Rusty's launching stooge design.

Patrick also came along, and after we successfully launched my Combat Kitten a few times, he wanted to take a turn with his Sig Skyray.

Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!! Dsc00210

Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!! Dsc00210

Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!! 20130310

Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!! 20130311

Thanks for the inspiration Rusty !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**RknRusty** Sun Mar 31, 2013 10:10 pm

You're quite welcome Mr. Kim. Don't forget to stake a guy wire on the outboard side of the stooge so you don't tip it over when you pull the plane free. And Dude... you really need a brick.
lol!

Seriously, set behind and along the edge of the TE it really keeps the plane from being able to rotate in the mat.

Glad it worked. I shoulda' patented this thing.

Kim Wed Apr 03, 2013 5:34 am

More photos of my "Rusty Launching System"...this time in my front yard, flying my old Top Flite "Combat Kitten". I'm using self-tapping wood screws with dimpled washers to hold the mat in place on my "Shooting_Flying_Crowded Holiday Emergency Stand-In Dining_General Utility Table". This new set-up allows me a work area next to the plane, with everything at elbow height....something I appreciate more and more as the years roll past...

Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!! 4_12

Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!! 4_12

Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!! 5_12

Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!! 3_17

Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!! 1_124

Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!! 2_20

A little balm to make "Ringmaster Repair Time" go a bit easier !!!!!

andrew Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:20 am

Are you guys starting up with the plane in the stooge or starting first then inserting the plane?

Kim Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:27 am

With mine, I'm fueling it, inserting it into the sleeve, THEN starting and adjusting it.

WingingIt74 Wed Apr 03, 2013 7:42 am

Kim, does that tank work alright on that Combat Kitten being horizontal? I know with the firewall shape, you can only put the backplate sideways. Mine is the same way....

Ya I know... I have planes but don't know how to fly CL yet....

**RknRusty** Wed Apr 03, 2013 10:34 am

I like the height too. I fuel and crank with it in the stooge. It's nice not to have to get on my knees to fiddle with it. And it's a good test stand when you want to test run a plane. That big table makes it nice and stable too. Glad to see you've refined it.

andrew Wed Apr 03, 2013 11:13 am

RknRusty wrote:I like the height too.

I hadn't really thought about it until Rusty mentioned the height, but it does give you a bit more wiggle room when it first comes out of the stooge.

Kim Wed Apr 03, 2013 12:42 pm

WingingIt74 wrote:Kim, does that tank work alright on that Combat Kitten being horizontal? I know with the firewall shape, you can only put the backplate sideways. Mine is the same way....

Ya I know... I have planes but don't know how to fly CL yet....

So far, it's been real good, as it lets me land the thing inverted with no damage if I get caught upside-down with a dead engine. I just loop the pick-up around to the top of the backplate, and tuck it into the "cup" that is formed between the plate's webbing and the needle-valve body.

I DO cap the lower vent so that fuel cannot run out of the tank with it on it's side.

Kim Wed Apr 03, 2013 1:51 pm

RknRusty wrote:I like the height too. I fuel and crank with it in the stooge. It's nice not to have to get on my knees to fiddle with it. And it's a good test stand when you want to test run a plane. That big table makes it nice and stable too. Glad to see you've refined it.

I STILL managed to smack the ground a couple of times before getting some finesse going! But, yes, this table has come in handy for several projects. The sleeve launcher is almost insulting in it's simplicity...you should have seen the Rube Goldberg "Semi-Catapult" design I was mulling over before you came along and solved everything !!!

pkrankow Wed Apr 03, 2013 3:08 pm

I took an old towel and some clamps to make up Rusty's design. Since I have a very heavy steel table I don't worry about staking it down. (My table is the inside frame of a trash compactor)

I use up angle of about 20-30 degrees with planes heavier than thrust, and level for planes lighter than thrust.

For slab wing planes with a rib on them I use some thin foam board insulation to make the plane slide out easier since the terrycloth pile is quite grabby on surface features.

Phil

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Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!!

Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!!

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Re: Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!!

Re: Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!!

Re: Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!!

Re: Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!!

Re: Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!!

Re: Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!!

Re: Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!!

Re: Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!!

Re: Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!!

Re: Kudo's to Mr. Rusty for his Launching System !!!!!!