Plane for .049 or .051

I would prefer something like a trainer or a biplane. 2 to 3 channels.

Trainers generally have tricycle landing gear, would that suit you? Biplanes are tail-dragers and require more skill than a trainer.

As to RC radio, provided you have the equipment a three channel would be more suitable than a two.

Back to you.

May I suggest

Jr. Falcon

Little Esquire

Minnie Mambo

I have had all three.. All excellent flyers/trainers... I think the Minnie Mambo was my favorite...

http://www.selecthobbies.com/kitdata.htm#Early%20RC%20Kits

SuperDave: I would be capable of doing tail dragger or tricycle. My dad would be there with me and he has been doing this twenty years. He hasn't done anything with cox motors but he has done the bigger planes.

Cz10: I have actually been to that website and seen their planes. I wanted to get the Schoolgirl. I currently have th eStar Cruiser although I didn't buy it from there.

The Schhol Girl (as well as the other boys and girls) are planked wings . Ribs covered with balsa sheeting as opposed to a covering material, so the tend to be heavier and therefore don't fly as well. I had a School boy once and that was the case... Of course that was about 40 years ago and radios were a LOT heavier and less precise. I think I only had rudder control and not proportional - it was all or nothing - and no throttle.

You could also build your own. At the bottom of the page are Ace foam wing cores. I used to use those to build a Half-A-Stick . Similar to the Baby Stick at the bottom, use sheet balsa for a box fuselage and tail feathers, cover it all in shrink covering. Quite fun, durable, but might be a little hot of a plane or you at this point. But something o kep in mind for the future.

godsey:

.049 & .051 are in the i/2A category requiring light planes and light radio gear including micro servos due to weight considerations. Further light planes are difficult to fly in any wind present; being light they get tossed about like fallen leaves.

Yes, Select Hobbies is an excellent source. I've done business with Steve Adams and can only speak well of him. CZ's suggestions reflect ones that I would make.

Herr Engineering makes a very wide variety of kits that are all designed around Cox power but might be a bit heavy for a reedy.

I will be building a stick built schoolyard scale citabria I have blueprints for, 39" wingspan, throttle, rudder, elevator.

The lighter the better with a tank engine but a plane this type is possible for a Black Widow I should think.

I would stay with a high wing. All the low wingers seem to be all built for speed.

SIG Rascal - http://www.sigmfg.com/IndexText/SIGRC80.html

A very nice looking plane and a great flyer.

http://www.fmkmodels.com/flutterbug-cox-049-speed-400-rc-trainer-power-glider-kit-model-plane-balsa-laser-cut-kit-fmk-models-19-p.asp.
those are very easy to fly and rather slow.
http://www.fmkmodels.com/dipstick-049-or-400-radio-control-small-model-aeroplane-balsa-kit-2-or-3-channel-laser-cut-by-fmk-17-p.asp
that one there is a bit sportier but a good intermediate plane.

What would my options be for a scale plane? Also would my .051 be too much for any of these. I will probably end up getting a carb for it but that is a ways off. They are a little expensive for me.

Scale planes are very hard to find in small scale. Ace Simple Series kits are around on ebay what seems to be a monthly basis. Those are kinda neat. You can still buy the foam cores also. I'll try and find a list or pics.



Surfing for pictures online showed me theres a hobby shop here and there that still carry one or two of them. This advert states that Ace had re-issued them, but I think only a few in the series.

There were also two types of foam wings. What type you got depended on which plane.

About your throttle. A Cox throttle sleeve performs about as well as any carb for these will (Cox or Tarno) and will be lighter, cheaper and easily available.

They won't idle as low as the carb but an 049 stalls on power so high up it doesnt matter. Thrust is lost really easy and quickly from wide open.

If you or anyone else is more interested I will take a few pics of what I have from that series.

if you like biplanes, here's a nice control line model i was thinking of getting myself as my first plane:
http://miniglowplanes.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=453
looks like a nice and challenging build.

GermanBeez wrote:if you like biplanes, here's a nice control line model i was thinking of getting myself as my first plane:
http://miniglowplanes.com/index.php?l=product_detail&p=453
looks like a nice and challenging build.

I think he meant rc because he said 2 or 3 channels.

oh, whoops.
but do look around the site. they also have rc kits for 049 and 051.

if you are up to it you could convert a rubber powerd plane to rc.
http://www.modelmaniacsonline.co.uk/products.php?ProductID=5394&CatID=7&SubCatID=405&Title=West+Wings+Piper+J3+Cub&ManCode=WW25

jetpack wrote:Scale planes are very hard to find in small scale. Ace Simple Series kits are around on ebay what seems to be a monthly basis. Those are kinda neat. You can still buy the foam cores also. I'll try and find a list or pics.



Surfing for pictures online showed me theres a hobby shop here and there that still carry one or two of them. This advert states that Ace had re-issued them, but I think only a few in the series.

There were also two types of foam wings. What type you got depended on which plane.

I mentioned the foam wing blanks above at the bottom of this page

http://www.selecthobbies.com/kitdata.htm#Early%20RC%20Kits

They also have the simple series (but really lacking ANY details on the planes).

Scale planes also tend to not fly as well. Though they are usually not exactly to scale, compromises are made in aerodynamics to achieve a scale like appearance. Better suited to sometime after you have built your skills.

ThecAce Whizard is reputed to fly well and be a good trainer. I have 4 or 5 NOS Ave blanks and was thinking of building one of those to have around.

Cz10 wrote:
Scale planes also tend to not fly as well. Though they are usually not exactly to scale, compromises are made in aerodynamics to achieve a scale like appearance. Better suited to sometime after you have built your skills.

Very good advice.

The compromises noted by Cz10 tend to result in a plane with higher wing loading and a tendency to be "twitchy".

Secondly, you must remember that without a throttle, you're going to fly at full throttle until you run out of fuel or dirtnap the plane. I can assure you that flying an out of trim model or one that is outside of your comfort zone will not be much fun.

Finding a light, high-wing trainer that flys slowly enough for you to stay ahead of the plane until you get used to glow is likely your best bet for a good experience.

When I first started in RC, I had aspirations of flying a low-wing T-tail design similar to a Rivits. Luckily, I had a mentor that guided me to something else. It was a scratch built that I had scaled up from 1/2A to .15 sized and remains possibly one of the ugliest planes ever built -- I put that plane through the ringer, but eventually became proficient in the air.

Many of us started with expectations beyond our skills -- start slowly and you'll have the chance to get where you wish to be. Otherwise, keep the trashbags handy.

Since you already have the Star Cruiser, why not just start with it -- it's an excellent trainer.

nitroairplane wrote:if you are up to it you could convert a rubber powerd plane to rc.
http://www.modelmaniacsonline.co.uk/products.php?ProductID=5394&CatID=7&SubCatID=405&Title=West+Wings+Piper+J3+Cub&ManCode=WW25

nitro:

I've yet to see a rubber-power plane suitable for RC conversion without considerable modification; the Guillow's series being an example. Those modifications add weight very likey beyond the airframe's carrying capacity.

Sure, the plane will fly but how well and for how long are major considerations. One hard landing can destroy the plane in short order.

Been there, done that.

SuperDave wrote:

nitroairplane wrote:if you are up to it you could convert a rubber powerd plane to rc.
http://www.modelmaniacsonline.co.uk/products.php?ProductID=5394&CatID=7&SubCatID=405&Title=West+Wings+Piper+J3+Cub&ManCode=WW25

nitro:

I've yet to see a rubber-power plane suitable for RC conversion without considerable modification; the Guillow's series being an example. Those modifications add weight very likey beyond the airframe's carrying capacity.

Sure, the plane will fly but how well and for how long are major considerations. One hard landing can destroy the plane in short order.

Been there, done that.

I have built a west wings kit for rc it went well I used 9g servos andand a speed 400 can that was heavier than a .049 not to mention the cumbersome nicad pack.
I'm sure you could take 2 ounces off that weight with a 1s lipo receiver pack.

A new project on the worktable. This is a FunAero RC Super jake that I ordered from FunAero. a .045 to .074 listed plane. They have several 1/2A kits to choose from. This will be 5 channel and flown with a RC .061 or .074

SuperDave wrote:

nitroairplane wrote:if you are up to it you could convert a rubber powerd plane to rc.
http://www.modelmaniacsonline.co.uk/products.php?ProductID=5394&CatID=7&SubCatID=405&Title=West+Wings+Piper+J3+Cub&ManCode=WW25

nitro:

I've yet to see a rubber-power plane suitable for RC conversion without considerable modification; the Guillow's series being an example. Those modifications add weight very likey beyond the airframe's carrying capacity.

Sure, the plane will fly but how well and for how long are major considerations. One hard landing can destroy the plane in short order.

Been there, done that.

And they are NOT easy builds to begin with because of the light construction.

Pay attention guys, he wants/needs a simple, easy to build (and repair) TRAINER!

Easy to build (and repair) Trainer is this.

And this.