I ordered a Baby Flight Streak for a TeeDee!

That's why I ordered one! I am sick of trimming and trimming and trimming only to not have an excellent flying machine. (or a broken one)

I'll have a look for Rusty's thread.

Phil

Phil,

The biggest tip I can pass along to anyone is to make sure the wing is razor straight. Your elevator can be a tad crooked or you rudder a bit off, but if the wing is even the slightest bit warped then it will fly like dung. Especially on 1/2A!

Of course you probably knew all that anyway Phil. Just wanted to share in case anyone else is reading.

The BFS has a good amount of squares and I am sure that helps the flyability a bunch. Looking forward to another BFS build thread.

Ron

Phil, if you choose to use the landing gear provided, I would certainly sweep it slightly forward as to the way it's built on the plans. The gear configuration allows the plane to trip over it's own gear. Prior to installing the wing, glassing the rear of the cutout is highly recommended. The tail acts like a fly swatter and snaps off directly at the point the flaps meet the fuse. Ken

The only time mine has ever crashed was 2 minutes into a tail heavy maiden flight, and my fuse broke just under the stab. After fixing that and balancing, it's the best 1/2A I've ever flown. It's an absolutely wonderful plane and will do anything you input. A 5.25 MA prop and 45 foot lines is perfect with the Tee Dee. Mine has a Tee Dee .051 too. I have another with a Big Mig .061 at 7.2 ounces and it's a dream flyer too. Someone else built it.

I'll try to find that build thread. Click on the Youtube button under my avatar to see it fly.

Enjoying this , thanks.
Here's the link to Rusty's build thread.
https://www.coxengineforum.com/t2293-baby-flite-streak-build-thread_it-flies
Keep us posted Phil.
Bob

I just changed the title in case that breaks Bob's link.
https://www.coxengineforum.com/t2293-baby-flite-streak-build-thread#33145

RknRusty wrote:I just changed the title in case that breaks Bob's link.
https://www.coxengineforum.com/t2293-baby-flite-streak-build-thread#33145

Should be saved in "Models and Modeling" or somewhere, for ease of access.
Bob

I just perused it. It's a long thread, but some good info in there. Pay no attention to my clunky over complicated bladder. It's gotten much simpler with a little experience. And I can fly it much better now too. I can't believe how bad I looked in that maiden video. But... that was the only crash this plane has ever had, and it has a lot of flights on it now.  It's a fine little plane. Tighter on the lines than any other 1/2A I've flown. Same with my other one with the Norvel, which I refer to as BFS II.

Phil, I'm excited to see another one being given life and looking forward to the build thread.

I read that thread through last night.  Probably going to read it again.

So...

build the wing straight

glass the fuse at the end of the wing

make sure it isn't tail heavy, especially for the maiden

Is there a better way to run bladder?  Inside the wing maybe?

Phil

I got overnight serviced! OK, PA to OH isn't that far, and it was ground, and I ordered before noon...BUT I GOT OVERNIGHT SERVICE FROM BRODAKS!!!

Can't start on this till I have a bathroom tiled though.

Phil

The bladder swells up just a little bit too large to fit inside the wing, unless you want to give it a way to bulge out of the top. If you leave off all the junk hanging behind the early attempt in my picture, it tucks under the wing pretty inconspicuously. I usually put it under the outboard wing, unlike the picture. The back of the bag is tied to the fuse or boom with dacron string colored with a Sharpie. Make sure it doesn't constrict the inflated bladder.

Here's what one looks like on my Li'l Satan. Since there are no wheels, I put it on the top, which some would consider aesthetically unappealing. But you can hide it pretty well on the Streak.

You can clip the zip tie and change to a new bladder in a minute or two.  Here, I just have the filter stuffed into the bladder front end, but on the planes with more room for hardware, I use a Texas Timers bladder fitting to a 1" piece of medium thick fuel tube to the filter. The bladder pictured will easily hold an ounce.

EDIT: The TT fitting is conical and prevents burps from air until it's almost time to land. I like the warning.

pkrankow wrote:I got overnight serviced!  OK, PA to OH isn't that far, and it was ground, and I ordered before noon...BUT I GOT OVERNIGHT SERVICE FROM BRODAKS!!!

Can't start on this till I have a bathroom tiled though.

Phil

Don't lay the tiles crooked!

I built that kit not long ago, the way the leading edge went together is kinda Micky Mouse.
Had to resize the the leading edge pieces to make it work. They give you jig pieces to glue it up, did not fit the ribs well.
A solid leading edge would be nice.

I botched my LE. I didn't quite understand the instructions. After I sanded to get the shape right, had to do some gap filling with Titebond, but it came out looking fine and seems sturdy enough.

One thing to WATCH OUT FOR is the booklet tells you where to locate the CG and it's different from the plans... by a lot. The plan has it right on the money. USE THE CG ON THE PLANS. I'll look at the booklet this evening to make sure I back up my statement. They might have changed the book since last year.

Yea, getting there
Phil

RknRusty wrote:I botched my LE. I didn't quite understand the instructions. After I sanded to get the shape right, had to do some gap filling with Titebond, but it came out looking fine and seems sturdy enough.

One thing to WATCH OUT FOR is the booklet tells you where to locate the CG and it's different from the plans... by a lot. The plan has it right on the money. USE THE CG ON THE PLANS. I'll look at the booklet this evening to make sure I back up my statement. They might have changed the book since last year.

I've had two Brodak models and the booklets left alot to be desired in both instances. Plans were great but it's like the booklet was written in a foreign language and then poorly translated to English. Also the photos didn't necessarily match the corresponding text. Great planes though, just a bit confusing if you don't have a ton of building experience.

Jim

They threw extra pictures of OTHER airplanes in, confusing, yes.

They used generic pictures of a different airplane for certain steps, confusing, yes.

The book states 1 1/2 inch from LE for CG, and the plans measure about 1 inch (15/16, but I'll check again later)

I will be using Elmer's wood glue, primarily , unless my gallon has gone bad (then I'll get a small bottle of some type of PVA wood glue like Elmer's or TightbondII. I don't use glue like I used to anymore). I will use epoxy, Testors wood and metal cement, and CA for certain steps that these other adhesives are superior for.

This is a D-tube LE wing. I have been wanting to build/study one of these because I am considering a DLG/TLG for RC (Discus/Tip launch glider)

The built up LE appears to be a fairly standard assembly. Most of the plans I have looked at recently have been asymmetrical airfoils, so the LE is shaped differently, and frequently 3 pieces.

Phil

Yeah, that 1-1/2" is way too far back. Your plans are right on the money. 15/16" is about where both of mine fly. That's just about touching the front leadout tube, and hangs slightly nose down. You're gonna love this plane. It's a superior airship.

RknRusty wrote: You're gonna love this plane. It's a superior airship.

I second that. It's not a Baby Flite Streak, but here is a pic of me flying my Flite Streak at one of my clubs annual community days.





Shawn

Very nice.

Phil

BAM!


No, I haven't started the plane.
Phil

Aw mannn! Well, nice tile work anyway.
Are you planning to go with the traditional color scheme on the Streak, or have you even thought about that yet? When I built my Baby Streak I was determined to do the original colors. I thought the dark part was blue, so that's what I bought, but I think it's actually supposed to be black. I like the Navy blue though.

Shawn, do you consider your big Streak to be as superior of a stunter in its class as the Baby Streak is? I'd really like to have one some day. I thought maybe an ARF, but I've heard they're flimsy. I'd like to be able to survive at least a moderate crash or two.

No, I'm not going to do the whole scheme, but I have white and red, and I can paint blue or black. eh...ask me when I get a real build thread going.

Phil