Shoestring flights - I brought it home! Now, can I do it again?

Easy decision, Uma or Olivia... Uma!

I met up with Wayne for one last practice for both of us. It was pretty windy, 12-20mph out of the NE according to weather.com. He wanted to wait a while to let the sun get higher, so I put the SS in the air. I sure wouldn't have gotten many points for my level flight, but I did open up my loops more consistently I might have been a little too far to the right on them though, because when I pulled out inverted, instead of coming on down and leveling off, the damn thing kept going up! Wayne said it looked like a wingover, only the wrong way into the wind. I had to fight for that one. I came on around and wound up the outsides a bit but not as bad as I used to. I blew the square, too close to the ground so I flew on around. H8s were decent and tall, not sure how round. For the OH8 I blew the first one and kept trying, about 3 or 4 times. I got the loops wide enough on the last one, but on the last outside pass I got so wide I hit the friggin' dirt, pancaked inverted.  Lots of dirt and a cracked rudder, about the 3rd time I've busted the rudder.

I removed the engine and washed it off and hosed dirt out the venturi upside down. The nose was clean, so I dared turn the prop and it felt smooth so I bolted the engine back on. That was it for the SS today. I have to glue the rudder before I crank the engine, so I hope its internals are clean, but I guess I better open it up... again. I had just removed and cleaned the venturi and spraybar last night, so I'll do that again too.

It's not what I had in mind for today, so I'm going to patch it up and blow off re-covering and replacing the leadouts and just go fly this weekend. Wayne put one flight on the Cardinal. It's a nice plane with an OS .40. Every time it flew past the edge of the field where there's a hill it fluttered like a wounded bird. Same place I almost planted mine on the level laps. He decided it was too risky to fly any more, so we called it an early day. I was hoping to polish my act and get a good pattern in, but it wasn't going to happen. The forecast for Hville is 4 mph winds. But then the forecast for Columbia today was for 6 I think. We'll see.

Here are some phone pics of Wayne's Cardinal:

The wind does funny things. Sorry to hear you pancaked it. Especially this close to go time.

The Cardinal is a sweet flying plane. I'd love to have one, but need to start thinking about full fuse at this point.

Good luck in Hville we are all cheering for you!

Ron

"Paint and Chrome... Don't get you Home"...   Better safe than sorry... I was glad when I read that you're tearing the engine down for cleaning. Why chance it...

If you can fly reasonably well in extra-windy conditions, Rusty... you'll be ready for anything! Good luck!

Yeah, it was more me than the wind, I just bonked it. The rudder is setting now, the engine is apart with a pack of new bearings about to go in, and tomorrow it'll look just like it did yesterday. I was just hoping to show Wayne how much I'd improved since the last time we flew together. I would liked to have gone to the contest with a little more success behind me, but it's about more than that. I'll represent CEF proudly!

Rusty

Mercy. I didn't do myself any favors when I practiced Tuesday. Wayne had me talked out of re-covering the wings and just fly it like it is. But what the heck, it's quick and easy, so I set out to do it this afternoon. Just the outboard wing had patches and tape on it, and maybe it'll fly better with some nice tight new Monokote.

So when I removed it, wood and metal fell out. Oh crap. The triangular brace in the wingtip where the weight was glued had broken in my inverted landing. The good news is, I fixed something that would have been a sick surprise in Huntersville. The bad news is I've been in the shop scattering tools and generally making a mess out of my equipment. It took me about 3 hours after supper which I had to cook tonight, but it's all fixed with a nice Monokote job, new numbers, and an as yet un-tested engine since I replaced the bearings.

But I think it's ready to fuel and go as it sits now. I even painted the spinner with a shiny coat of black, since My LHSs have every color spinner but black. So it'll probably take an hour to organize my junk so I can load the car when Holley gets home from work. And then...I'm Outta' Here!

I'll check in briefly tomorrow before I go. See y;all in the funny pages.
Rusty

Whew! I thought you wrecked it and no longer had a shoestring!

I always put some cloth or thread around the weight. Even good glues do not hold to metal very well, so some fabric reinforcing goes a long way to making it stay put...learned the hard way too.

Phil

Oh, sorry to scare you, but nah, she's ready yo fly once again. After I go win the prize, the SS is going to be semi-retired. I'll be coming home with two planes that are much better suited for PA type flying, a Skyray and a self-designed plane of some sort, both .35s. I don't know if they'll have engines or not.

When I started this adventure I assumed a Shoestring Stunter was... well, a competent stunter. But it's not. Not only have I been fighting the engine which is a bit too aggressive for the SS, but I've been fighting a plane that I'm told was never competent to do precision patterns. My engine will do nicely on a bigger plane too. Maybe now that I can occasionally manage the pattern with a balky plane, I'll look like a pro with a real stunter. I can only hope. I thought I was a better pilot than I've been so far.

Okay, back to bed.
Later,
Rusty

Rusty,

I agree that the Shoestring is not a precision stunter. However, it can fly the entire pattern in an Old Timey kind of way. I have seen Joe Gilbert wring one out and made it look very pretty. Of course that was Joe Gilbert.... He runs a Fox .35 with a chicken hopper tank. I think with time you can get it to do what you want.

I also agree that the TT is too powerful for it. You might consider stepping it down to a Fox and perhaps changing tanks as well. My Shaw trip is moved to January (Gov Shutdown delay) If you are willing I can bring an engine and tank and we can experiment a little. Save the TT for the bigger Skyray perhaps?

Ron

Cribbs74 wrote:Rusty,

I agree that the Shoestring is not a precision stunter. However, it can fly the entire pattern in an Old Timey kind of way. I have seen Joe Gilbert wring one out and made it look very pretty. Of course that was Joe Gilbert.... He runs a Fox .35 with a chicken hopper tank.  I think with time you can get it to do what you want.

I also agree that the TT is too powerful for it. You might consider stepping it down to a Fox and perhaps changing tanks as well. My Shaw trip is moved to January (Gov Shutdown delay) If you are willing I can bring an engine and tank and we can experiment a little. Save the TT for the bigger Skyray perhaps?

Ron

January is good, usually jacket weather at worst.
Maybe the planes I bring home this weekend will have engines. By January I'll be flying the Yak too. If the SS isn't retired by then maybe we can tinker with it. I've been thinking about trying a Sullivan clunker just to see what happens. As long as we get to fly, I'll be happy. No more pressure. We can burn some 1/2A circles too, you'll love my Baby Streak. I'm sure there'll be another contest in the Spring that I'll want to fly, and this time I'll be better equipped. We'll keep in touch about your visit, I'm looking forward to it.

Rusty

Good luck Rusty,

You'll do well, don't stress, you're a good pilot, have fun and relax. I'd take a couple extra bucks with you as there's always someone there with a extra ship they wanna peddle.

If your think of building a second ship for the TT, I'd look at a Sig Twister or Banshee, Ted Fancher did a great article 20 years ago on modifying them, it would be a great match.

That's another plug for the Twister which was what was recommended to me. I think the Twister in it's original form is hideous. I was given a kit as I wouldn't buy one. I think once I modify it then it will be an OK looking plane. What really counts is it does fly well. I flew one once and it does respond well. Brett Buck likes the Skyray as a Beginner/intermediate trainer which is another design that I am not keen on. I suppose it could be modified as well.

Anyway in a round about way what I am trying to say is Mark's suggestion is what I hear from many who currently fly or who have flown CL competitively.

Ken Cook likes the Banshee.

Best of luck Rusty! Fly a couple victory laps for me since I was unable to compete this year.  

I've built four Banshees over the years and i love them, if you bob the nose and build light Rusty's TT.25 would be ideal. The other thought would to build a Cardinal and pick up .46 LA cheep.

My first nose heavy Banshee, from jr. high days:

Yeah, nose bob or wing forward would do the trick for sure. I do like the Banshee. That was going to be my compromise until I was given the Twister.

Nice Banshee Mark. That's a tiny tank on there!

Ron

Yep, probably a 3 oz.? All I had for advice back then were the local experts that hung out at the new hobby shop in town, none flew well, if at all. Don't remember if that's was what the plans called for or went small for less nose weight. I don't recall an issue, the flight times were longer than my 1/2a's.

I used Sig dope as a filler, if you look close you can see the stab already warpped.

Looking back, I remember a lot of questionable advice i had to learn to overcome: using large ez-just handle, 70' lines, setting up bellcrank/horns for sensitive throws, ...that way so you can get out of trouble fast, i even remember buying a gallon of Missile Mist!

Good Luck Rusty!!!! 

No time to read all of your posts right now. Lots to tell, most fun with people as far back as I  can remember. Holley's having a blast too. She was riveted to combat and carrier all day. I flew the best patterns I have ever flown in practice. Some of the big dudes came over and told me so too. I'll make it official tomorrow at 9:00am.
The Philly Flyers are the coolest dudes ever!

Roddie, thanks for the good luck text.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rockin' Rusty

Way cool Rusty!!!!!

Let me guess... You are coming home with way more stuff then you left with  

So I take it that your faith in the S.S.'s capabilities (as well as your own) has been restored...  
The T.T. was obviously happy with it's bearing change... COOL!!!

It was WINDY up here in RI yesterday... but you had plenty of practices in those conditions. Was it windy in Huntersville?

I wish I was there!! I was... "in spirit" 

Rod

Well Hot Dog!!!!!!!!

Super proud of you man! I sure hope you have one of your usual write ups along with pics and vids.

Dang I'm jealous.... Not in a bad way though. Thanks for putting a smile on my face Rusty. Wooooooooo Hoooooooo!!!!!!!

Here's a greenie for ya!!!

Ron

 good job rusty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   im looking forward to you showing me your flying skills