And now for something mostly different.

[pd1]

I used to fly glow planes, I used to fly a lot.
After a year or two the balsa got oil soaked and the plane was scrapped.

But just prior to scrapping, some good ones got a slight reprieve.

I used them for equipment checks.

A lot of times , after drilling a hole in the ground, I needed the equipment checked to make sure there were no new problems.
So the old soaker's got used for this, and they did their job well.

Electric is so clean, I don't get the worn out junkers anymore.
What to do?

Last winter I built a plane specifically for this, but it came out too nice.
Couldn't bring myself to using it as a test plane.

So now I wanted something with no time invested and very little money wasted.

So here it is a plane that cost about $5 and took two hours from start to first flight.

It's one of them styro chuck gliders.
I added a 1/8 sheet tail, 1/8 ailerons, Popsicle sticks for servo mounts and part of an orange crate for a lite ply firewall.

That's it, and it flew great. Just gotta stop the wings from flexing so much.

[pd1]

Since last night I've covered the wing with some 4 inch wide clear packing tape.
It stiffens the wing a lot.

By the way, this thing would probably make a good aileron trainer.

I'll probably test it this afternoon.

[CitaFly]

Looking forward to a flight report - I saw this at a lhs and almost bought it, but I'm "planed up" - could change my mine though - great price.

[BcBasher]

I used that same chuck glider for my first and second atempt at RC flight. I used fiberglass filament tape to reinforce the wing. I thought the tail moment to short so I built a balsa fuselage. This pic is S*** Hawk 1 it lasted all of 6 flights till I bounced it off the inside of a discus cage. It actualy flew pretty good. I was the weak link, I'd like to build something sporty using the foam cores from one.

[pd1]

Flew it again, It flys much better with the tape on the wing.

Funny thing, I can show up with a scratch built scale or pattern plane and nobody takes notice of me.

I pulled this out, and everybody had to get a close look.
Go figure.

[pd1]

If anyone is interested in making one of these them self, I can post the changes and mods.

This thing has practically no adverse yaw, it really would make a good aileron trainer.

[USAPatriot]

I kinda like it, PD -Rod-

[Bill G]

And now for something mostly different.

Were you a Monty Python fan?

Actually, it was "completely", but close enough.

I like the plane. No hassles routing the elevator pushrod, eh?

Originally Posted by pd1

Flew it again, It flys much better with the tape on the wing.

Funny thing, I can show up with a scratch built scale or pattern plane and nobody takes notice of me.

I pulled this out, and everybody had to get a close look.
Go figure.

Exactly! That's why I'm gonna show up at the field with this:

[pd1]

Hi Bill, you like my elevator push rod?

As I said I didn't want any time or money invested in something that was going to crash anyway.

No, I'm not being negative, my point is to use this to check suspect radios.
Sooner or later the suspect radio will be bad.

By the way I do like British comedy,I think it is far better than the stuff Hollywood puts out.
If you want something with good writing try the British version of, "Coupling, Chef, or Black Adder".

I think you're right, a simple,cheap, ugly airplane has a quality all it's own.

[CitaFly]

Originally Posted by pd1

If anyone is interested in making one of these them self, I can post the changes and mods.

This thing has practically no adverse yaw, it really would make a good aileron trainer.

I'd like to see this - thanks!

[pd1]

Originally Posted by CitaFly

I'd like to see this - thanks!

Here's a quick build explanation so you can duplicate this plane.

1. Cut nose off fuselage at 5 1/4 inches, measured from forward edge of wing cut out. See picture 1.

Trace nose on Lite ply, 1/8 approximate. I used ply from orange crate.
Glue ply to fuse,I used Gorilla glue, Titebond or epoxy will also work.

2 Wings. Sand leading edge to round shape, my glider came through with a flat leading edge.

Cover wing with packing tape. I used wide clear tape.

Cut servo openings, glue popsicle sticks to wing for servo mounts.
see picture.

3. Glue wing to fuselage, I used GWS glue, but Gorilla glue or epoxy will also work.

4. Place yardstick along bottom side of wing, mark line at rear of fuselage. See pictures.

Mark up from line 3/8 and 1/2 inch and draw parallel lines. This is for stab opening. Cut open, I used a band saw, but a hacksaw or knife should also work. See pictures.

5. Cut stab from sheet of 1/8 thick balsa.
Mine is 19 3/4 long, that's the piece I had laying around, a little shorter should be OK.

See drawing.

I cut leading edge back to give leading edge a sweep. I took the pieces I cut off and turned them around and re glued them back on the leading edge.

6. Glue stab to fuselage, I used epoxy.
Elevator is 1 inch wide 1/8 thick balsa. hinged at 4 places.
I used GWS hinges, with GWS glue. CA hinges will also work.

7. Ailerons, 1 inch wide by 24 1/4 long 1/8 balsa. That was the size piece I had. a little shorter would still work. see pictures.

8. Hinge ailerons, I used 3 hinges per side, GWS hinges with GWS glue.

CG, the balance point is at 2 inches back from the leading edge at the side of the fuselage.

[alienx]

That's awesome!! And it's huge ...says so right on the package!

Pretty sure I'm going to have to try this!

[pd1]

Andy, make one and we can do slow speed combat.

[Grasshopper]

That's pretty cool Paul. Maybe I missed it, but what motor and battery did you use?

[pd1]

Tom, the motor is an E-Max CF 2212, $15.00 the battery is a 900 MAH 3 cell$22.00, both from Blackdogrc.

Plane fly's over 15 minutes at half power,
and with a little wind it thermaled.

[Figure.N9ne]

very tempted to build this... time to hit up the toy stores for the glider

[pd1]

Maybe we should have a contest to see who can build one the fastest.
It took me all of two hours start to finish, and I wasn't trying to go fast.

[Figure.N9ne]

Originally Posted by pd1

Maybe we should have a contest to see who can build one the fastest.
It took me all of two hours start to finish, and I wasn't trying to go fast.

i'd definately be in last place or end up with a paper weight

[alienx]

Originally Posted by pd1

Andy, make one and we can do slow speed combat.

Haha, I see two planes following each other at exact opposites sides of a big wide circle and moving slooowly!!

Where do you get one of these babies??

[Balil]

anyone thought of putting wing spars in the wings?! that would solve the problem of the wing flex... im deffinatly gonna give this one a try

[pd1]

Andy , my wife picked it up at "Big Lots", it's a chain of stores with low priced stuff. Cost was $5.00.
That would be funny, two planes circling and not being able to close on the other.

In actual fact, with full power it climbs quite steeply.
I haven't gone fast in level flight because I was having so much fun I didn't think about trying to go fast.

Balil, with the tape on the wings the wing flex is gone.
I don't think it needs spars.
At least for the flying I do it won't.
I'll save the aerobatics for the other planes.

[alienx]

Originally Posted by pd1

Andy , my wife picked it up at "Big Lots", it's a chain of stores with low priced stuff. Cost was $5.00.
That would be funny, two planes circling and not being able to close on the other.

In actual fact, with full power it climbs quite steeply.
I haven't gone fast in level flight because I was having so much fun I didn't think about trying to go fast.

Balil, with the tape on the wings the wing flex is gone.
I don't think it needs spars.
At least for the flying I do it won't.
I'll save the aerobatics for the other planes.

Oooh ...I have a big lots out on the highway! To be perfectly honest, I've wanted to try covering a foamie, and Tom has given me some cool cloth to test too, so maybe this plane will be it! And you have to love the viturally unlimited CG adjustability (not to mention the fact that everything flush mounts on the outside!). How can you go wrong here!?

[Grasshopper]

Originally Posted by pd1

Andy , my wife picked it up at "Big Lots", it's a chain of stores with low priced stuff. Cost was $5.00.
That would be funny, two planes circling and not being able to close on the other.

In actual fact, with full power it climbs quite steeply.
I haven't gone fast in level flight because I was having so much fun I didn't think about trying to go fast.

Balil, with the tape on the wings the wing flex is gone.
I don't think it needs spars.
At least for the flying I do it won't.
I'll save the aerobatics for the other planes.

Thanks Paul! Now you've made me go look for another plane. We have a Big Lots about 5 minutes from home. I have a spare 2908-10 and a 3S 2100 pack. Think that would pull it?

[pd1]

Tom, that motor would pull it just fine.

[Balil]

pd1 you think a himax 2812-1080 with a 3s 2200mah pack with a 10x8 pack would pull it?