New Comet Laser Cut Kits

[Bill G]

Originally Posted by mmartin55

The Aeronca is completed, CAD and nested, parts gated and ready to go. Walts got them for cutting and I ordered four to start with and should be shipping in a few days.

Tom

Maybe I can redeem myself and get the Aeronca kit?

When I was around age 12, my dad had built a Sterling Peashooter. I wanted to build a balsa model, so with what little money I had, I bought the low cost printed sheet Aeronca. I didn't read the box and thought it would be die-cut. I hacked the hell out of the parts.

Also, there are so many Pipers and Cessnas, that I would much prefer the less built Aeronca. Assuming it will be more of a "short kit", there is much satisfaction in building them. I recently completed a Rake Bristol M1c, and the satisfaction of making all the detail parts, spinner, etc, is worth the effort. Makes you feel like a real builder, versus modern kits where folks want every single part.

I did slightly redeem myself however, by converting the Peashooter to electric and flying this summer.

[deckape]

Originally Posted by mmartin55

I've got the 54" span Taylorcraft cut and shipping and will start work on the Aeronca next week. Anyone have some pictures of theirs to share here or to show some good ways to strengthen the structure for landing gear, battery packs and servos?

Happy New Year!

Ahoy
I am new here and like to get involved with model Aviation, Being a ship modler and retired Naval vet for 30 years of my country I always had a love of airplanes. I am happy someone out here is makeing new kits from the bygone age of model airplane building. Here in cluded is a build I am doing of my 1957 issue kit of the Comet Aeronca Cheif I also have the Taylor Craft kit to same year. I paid 25 cents a peice for these kits with my paper route monet I was 17 years old in 1957. I am enterested also in obtaining another kit of this aircraft, Here are my pictures.

Franklyn day
retired U.S. NAVY BMC

[kenchiroalpha]

Originally Posted by deckape

Ahoy
I am new here and like to get involved with model Aviation, Being a ship modler and retired Naval vet for 30 years of my country I always had a love of airplanes. I am happy someone out here is makeing new kits from the bygone age of model airplane building. Here in cluded is a build I am doing of my 1957 issue kit of the Comet Aeronca Cheif I also have the Taylor Craft kit to same year. I paid 25 cents a peice for these kits with my paper route monet I was 17 years old in 1957. I am enterested also in obtaining another kit of this aircraft, Here are my pictures.

Franklyn day
retired U.S. NAVY BMC

Hi Franklyn
Welcome aboard
Im very pleased to meet you
Thank you for your service
23 year retired master chief US Navy here
Your build looks fantasticsplendid work
Take care dear friend
Yours Hank

[mmartin55]

Franklyn,

Nice work indeed! You can find laser cut versions of the 54" Taylorcraft, Aeronca Chief and K plus the 40" Piper Super Cruiser over at the Aerosente web pages. Here are a couple of photos of how they build out as electric parkflyers using micro RC set ups and GWS motors and ESCs.

Tom

[deckape]

Originally Posted by mmartin55

Franklyn,

Nice work indeed! You can find laser cut versions of the 54" Taylorcraft, Aeronca Chief and K plus the 40" Piper Super Cruiser over at the Aerosente web pages. Here are a couple of photos of how they build out as electric parkflyers using micro RC set ups and GWS motors and ESCs.

Tom

Ahoy
very nicely done I wished on my my kit i should have made a removable cowl. but at first durring the cinstruction my thoughts were on a jumbo power aircraft, but at the last moment it came to me in a rush, go electrict power But i have another way of installing the motor, the priniciple will be the same but a diffeent installation, when i get another areonca Cheif I will have a removablbe cowl I will make a vacuform cowling. you done a swell job there is nothing in the world then these old comet kits. along with Cleveland designs there Americas favorite of the WW11 baby boom. HARDY WELL DONE.

fRANKLYN

[E-Challenged]

It seems kind of overkill to laser-cut models like Comet 54" T-Carts and Chiefs since there are so few parts, mostly wing ribs. It would be an improvement to redesign wings as one piece with ailerons instead of two-panels per original Comet plans. Side stringers and scale tail structure would also be nice. Keep rear fuselage/tail weight down to minimize problems getting CG right. My Comet chief was quie tolerant of minor changes in cg.

[mmartin55]

Originally Posted by E-Challenged

It seems kind of overkill to laser-cut models like Comet 54" T-Carts and Chiefs since there are so few parts, mostly wing ribs. It would be an improvement to redesign wings as one piece with ailerons instead of two-panels per original Comet plans. Side stringers and scale tail structure would also be nice. Keep rear fuselage/tail weight down to minimize problems getting CG right. My Comet chief was quie tolerant of minor changes in cg.

I always thought that they were such well-designed kits that little was needed to improve them. They fly really well with just the rudder and elevator control. Converting them to a one-piece wing can be done by not cementing on the two ribs at the fuselage and incorporating them into the wing build at the correct spacing.

What I've done is to simply enhance the buildability of the kit and adaptation to e-power by adding notched full-height spars in the cut file to make the wing build more accurate and stronger for the extra few ounces of weight in the RC gear and provide cowls to make motor installation simple.

Now I need to go back and draw the lite ply firewall and motor mounts for the GWS gear and show its location in the structure. Then show Bill Rossman's adaptation of the kit for mounting the gear and wing and jury struts which was very well thought out and executed.

I think I should notch the tail parts for the 1/8 square to add a little strength to the joints too. If you have drawings of the scale tails I'd like to see how that can be improved too.

What I need to do is write an article for Model Aviation showing Bill's build and draw a one sheet addendum to the plan illustrating his great work on bashing them into great little parkflyers.

By the way, I've uploaded all of the kits to the http://www.gliderworkshop.com/sam-vi...ic-power-kits/ and the plans are listed too.

I'll keep working on this and would like more suggestions!

Tom

[mmartin55]

Franklyn, what's your biplane model? From which kit?

Tom