Learning From Model Aviation & New Challenges

I was really overwhelmed by the number views (700) to my last blog post about my Wilbur rubber model, the repair was finished and I flew the plane last weekend. I covered the center section with ¼ mil Mylar with tissue over top; this kept the tissue tight in really humid conditions.

Dewey Bird Control Line

Wilbur Flying in the Fog

After the Free Flight Nats was over I wanted to try control line flying again, last fall I was flying an electric powered control line that worked well after initial problems. This year it flew fine but I have been hesitant to try any stunting other than wingovers because it seems rather fragile. So last winter I had ordered a simple ½ A glow powered control line the Sig Dewey Bird. Construction went well but then I was hesitant to install blind nuts because of the challenge it has been for me in the past. This time it went worse in that I got epoxy inside of the threaded area and twisted off a bolt. I tried drilling out the bolt but my drill bit barely scratched the surface. I started asking questions to a free flight listserve group and I received a lot of good suggestions although most were what to do before I twisted the bolt off, like heating the epoxy or plugging the hole before the epoxy. At the local hardware store I bought a cobalt drill bit which did drill through the metal and I tapped it for 2-56. 

Piston and Cylinder Cox Baby Bee .049

Someone gave me a Cox Baby Bee .049 that would not turn over with a rather large wood propeller. I figured the propeller over heated the engine but in asking questions I found out that people run even larger propellers on reed valve Cox .049 engines in the Texaco event. When I took the engine apart the bottom of the piston that connects to the connecting rod looked like it exploded. From my stash of old engine parts I found another piston and pushed out the old one. After putting the engine back together it ran great after a short time, it will be used in the Dewey Bird. With my electric control line I added tip weight that I never put in, it really helped the tension on the line; for the Dewey Bird I used a nickel for tip weight. 

Assembled Sofa

Model Kit Instructions

Furniture Assembly Instructions

A couple of weeks ago I helped a friend assemble some furniture, it went pretty well for me but I have to believe that having built model airplanes was a real help. I have lots of experience reading directions and diagrams with model airplanes. With so much purchased online being able to assemble anything can save a lot of money compared to paying someone to do it. I found this quote from Business Insider about “spatial reasoning ability” interesting:

 https://www.businessinsider.com/spatial-ability-predicts-future-success-2013-7

 “It's no surprise that high verbal and math SAT scores at a young age might predict future success, but when you add a test for spatial reasoning ability to the mix, you get an even better predictor of someone's future accomplishments, creativity, and innovative potential, a recent study found.” 

G-12 Catapult Glider

This week I finished up building the G-12 catapult free flight glider which will be used in Dick Bertrand’s Free Flight Rescue Program. It went together really well as most parts are designed to lock together. In doing some hand launches with the glider it appeared to be really stable. Look for more to come about this glider. 


Bill Kuhl 
http://www.ideas-inpire.com

Related Links

http://scienceguyorg.blogspot.com/2017/11/adventures-in-electric-control-line.html Electric U-control