Shive Specialties (Penn Valley Hobby) Quaker 54

[CashRC]

Here's a quick pic of what I've been working on for the past few weeks, it's a Shive Specialties Quaker "54". Been hammering on it a couple of hours every other night and some early weekend mornings. Need to add some gussets and a little fuse work and she's ready for covering, radio and engine install. I'm not sure what engine I'm putting in her, I want her to be "A" LMR ready, and I have 2 of the new Magnum 15 XLS that turn a 8-3 at around 19,000 on the second tank with sport fuel. Figure that will make her climb like a rocket, just don't want to rip parts off her on the way up..second choice is a decent running Thunder Tiger 15. I also want to putt her around the field at low throttle..any ideas, remarks?
Here's a pic of the bare bones..

[Demon-Leather]

NICE work there!,.. can't wait to see it finished! :D I love Penn Valley Hobby, Shive Specialties has picked up and continued a lot of the old kit likes that were discontinued, Comet, Burd, Peerless, RN, & others.. AND they are Quite reasonably priced!
You won't need much to get her into the air,.. I was going to use a ThunderTiger R/C .07 to put My 50" span 1939 Scientific Mercury Jr. up, but decided on a geared 400 electric system. The first Merc Jr. I built, I Put an .09 diesel in the nose and it was a bit too much for it unless I ran it rich. Have you decided on the colors yet?

[CashRC]

Colors? Hmmm...I'm thinking mebbe monokote transparent red with ultrakote aluminum/silver trim, or orange and dark blue, or I might, just MIGHT do a USAAF pre-war blue and yellow with the star in circle insignia, kinda like a liason "hack"..Most of my covering is military colors for my WWII combat planes, I'm slowly starting to lay in a stock of "civilian" colors. Right now most of what I have is also Monokote, Ultrakote and Econokote, plus I have a few sheets of Silkspan, which is something I haven't used in years, but I'm thinking about doing up a winter project in that later this year. A good buddy of mine suggested going to Wal-Mart, or a craft or fabric store, and just covering it in whatever polyester I like, using Balsarite to adhere it and shrinking it with an iron. Just gatta watch that, might end up looking like a leisure suit with wings... :p
Cash

[CashRC]

BTW, Thanks for the compliment!! Didn't mean to be rude, just kinda locked on the color subject and went from there..sorry about that..
Cash

[aeronca52]

Gee oh whiz, Cash, where do you find the time??? Maybe I spend too much time on the computer...should be downstairs at the workbench. Speaking of which, I also build on 2" thick blue foam, but my pieces are about 8" by 24". Once a wing, fuse half, or tail piece is pinned and glued down I simply put that board on a shelf for the pieces to dry and start with another board. It's easy to build 3 or 4 structures at a time like that. But I still can't build as fast as you. (CA's make my eyes tear). Sigh.....I'm going downstairs now....

[Demon-Leather]

I didn't even begin to think of it as rude,.. I've been fighting trying to upload a video here for hours & hours (the beauty of dial-up! :rolleyes: ) Transparent red, with siver sounds fabulous,.. I can even see it! :eek: (looking into the future) I see.. a black pin strpe separating them, in a tastefully done trim pattern! Heh,.. I've got my psychic ability geared up almost to .05! (which means you'll probably be going with Air Corps training colors.. :rolleyes: hehehe :D

[johnvb]

Here's a quick pic of what I've been working on for the past few weeks, it's a Shive Specialties Quaker "54". Been hammering on it a couple of hours every other night and some early weekend mornings. Need to add some gussets and a little fuse work and she's ready for covering, radio and engine install. I'm not sure what engine I'm putting in her, I want her to be "A" LMR ready, and I have 2 of the new Magnum 15 XLS that turn a 8-3 at around 19,000 on the second tank with sport fuel. Figure that will make her climb like a rocket, just don't want to rip parts off her on the way up..second choice is a decent running Thunder Tiger 15. I also want to putt her around the field at low throttle..any ideas, remarks?
Here's a pic of the bare bones..

Looks great! I think the Magnum 15 with 8*3 will move it like a rocket. I would be putting shear webs on the wing spars. That seems to the weakest part of the design, not that it's really bad, but I think that's where it will break under stress.

Other threads have talked about extending the LE or TE of the fin down into the fuse, pointing to that as a weak-point.

[CashRC]

Transparent red monokote can :censored: :censored: :censored: :mad: :censored:
I had seen some posts about how some of the newer batches of Monokote don't seem to shrink as well as they should, especially the transparent colors. Some of the posts were a few months to a year or so old, so I went about my merry way and started covering the wing tonight with, you guessed it! Transparent red monokote...would've done a better job with a towsack. I had the iron cranked to somewhere between the surface of Mercury and the lowest level of Hades, and it still would not come out right...and I am NOT a picky person, trust me..I'm a bit of a hack, and I get in a hurry, but this was just not the Monokte I've known for 20+ years or so..and, it stunk to high heaven. SO...the wing is now Ultrakote silver, with a band of Ultrakote bright red from the spar forward. It's gonn look nice, i think, kinda like a thirties charter or something along those lines.

John, I've shearwebbed the main spar about 3/4s of the way to the tip, plus gusseted the dihedral joints, and added dihedral bracing/webbing on the BACK of the spars in addition to the braces in the kit. Still, I'm a little nervous about the Mag 15, might downgrade to the Thunder Tiger just in case I get forgetful about the throttle..I still fly a lot of RC combat also, and I've been accused on more than one occasion of using the left stick as an on-off switch. :D

Aeronca, right now I can still use CA, but have you ever tried the foam safe stuff? Not near as much fumes, dries a bit slower, but it works good..a bit more expensive though. Actually, if I switch some of my glues to Titebond or Testors Brown (they still make that?) my building might slow down but I think it would get better. Only reason I can get as much done as I do is a loving, patient wife, a 2 and a half year old daughter that hits the hay at 830 pm, and the fact that I can still live off of 6.5 hrs of sleep without driving my car up a tree in the morning..I'm a little hyper, even at 47, but I'm starting to feel it.
Demon, that black separation trim is starting to sound good....hmmmm....

Ya'll have a good night, will report back soon. :)

[toesup]

Transparent red monokote can :censored: :censored: :censored: :mad: :censored:


I would have to agree with you...
Transparent red indeed...:mad::mad::mad:

These are finished in 'antique' Solartex from Britain... Try it, you WONT go back to the US rubbish covering material ;)

[Demon-Leather]

I didn't see that coming in my premonition!! :eek: I did a SIG Kadet Senior in Trans red and black trim, (just like the boxtop) back in the mid 90's.. worked great then. Has it really gotten that bad?! Being a cheap-bugger, I use mostly Econokote now..BIG rolls,.. cheap prices!(they don't make anything transparent though.) I haven't bought Monokote for years...I have a roll of 90's trans red,.. guess I should hold onto it for that "must-do" transparent covering job,.. if it ever comes around.
On the small-stuff, I use Solite,.. but their trans red,.. is more like a pink.. :( Does SolarTex make transparent colors?

[barry wilson]

English solarfilm transparents have been available for years. A little harder to come by sometimes. I have used and liked them in the past.

The complaints about monocoat seem to be increasing. I just ordered four rolls of solarfilm transparents at 5 meters long each from hobbycity. Under fifteen usd a roll plus a mailing charge of course.

Still cheap by my standards. Roughly a dollar and small change per running foot delivered in four roll lot. Price depends on quantity ordered.

The more rolls you order up to ten rolls the cheaper. Mailing will vary by country as well I suppose. Sixty four centemeters wide is the roll width. Solid colors are a couple of dollars cheaper per roll. Translucents are in the middle. I always considered there product a little lighter than monocoat and tough enough for my flying needs. About 50 grams per square meter for the transparents. Perhaps even a little less.

[Demon-Leather]

:D I LIKE it!... :D I'll have to use up these 4-5 rolls of 7.6 meter Econokote first (unless I just GOTTA have transparent) but I'm in! I've used Nelson Litefilm/Solite (which is English) and have had GREAT results with it! Lets hear it for the Britts! Pipp-Pipp, Cheerio, Here, Here, and all that good rot! :rolleyes: :D Bob

[Pat Daily]

Toesup

Outstanding--love the color scheme! How much does the electric version weigh?

[johnvb]

I maidened mine yesterday. Flew great, just a little left trim on the glide and that was it. Balance on the spar.

Covering is all Profilm - cream, trans orange & blue. Black pinstripe tape from a car place

[CashRC]

Absolute beauty, John, love the color scheme!! If you don't mind, what's the all up weight, and what size engine? I see you shear webbed the for and aft spars, I just did the forwar spars, but I went about 2 bays further outboard, and doubled the dihedral braces, with gussets at the breaks.
Pretty bird dude, you should be proud!!
cash

[Chad H]

How about finding a old OS 20 four stroke for power Cash, would be perfect power but maybe too heavy huh.................but sure would sound nice..........putt, putt, pop, putt, kachoof, bbrrriip, putt,........lol.........Chad.

[CashRC]

Hmm...old os20 4 bangers seem to have appreciated in value, kinda outa my price range right now. I have a 26 Surpass that needs a home, but it's a might too big for this bird. Still not real sure what engine to install, the Mag .15 would just freak out most of our club members, as most of 'em haven't ever seen a serious LMR ship fly, and I ahven't either, for that matter. Be kinda cool to watch their expressions as I rocket up for 18 seconds and then just cut the motor and soar. I'm installing a 3 or 4 ounce tank so I have the option to throttle back and just putt around, that's where the 4 stroke would be cool, love the sound.
Wish I still had my HP21 4 stroke, sold it about 6 years or so ago.. :o

Gonna try to get a kitchen pass do covering tonight, will post pics if I get the chance.. :)

[williame3590]

I have a real nice one Cash......if your OS 26 is just as niice I would make you an even trade, regards Bill

[CashRC]

Nice HP21 or OS20? Either way, I might be interested..PM me.. :)

[CashRC]

Well, here's what I've got accomplished so far, did the wing the other night, and the fuse tonight. Thinking about putting a black separation stripe between the red and silver on the wing, then some black trim on the fuse. Right now I just need to go to bed :eek:

What you see weighs 9,5 ounces, of course no tail feathers, landing gear, radio, engine, ad infinitum..

[Demon-Leather]

Always makes any shade of red more defined,.. splitting red & silver, I imagine a black stripe would give it almost a 3-D effect,.. but, that's just my opinion.. Bob

[johnvb]

Looking good Cash!

[CashRC]

Well, it's been a few days, here's how she looks so far..tail feathers installed, pushrods in, land gear installed (no spreader yet though) engine in place, 22 ounces sofar..here's the pics..

[Demon-Leather]

Well, it's been a few days, here's how she looks so far..tail feathers installed, pushrods in, land gear installed (no spreader yet though) engine in place, 22 ounces sofar..here's the pics..

Looks sweeeeeeeeeeEEEeet!.. :D

[johnvb]

Looks great! Nice wheels, Williams Bros?

[CashRC]

Thanks guys..yes the wheels are Willam's Brothers, found them on Ebay. I had to bus out the axles with brass tubing to get the diameter right for the axle holes, and don't ask about the first (cold) solder joint..been a long time since I soldered up a gear....or used silver solder. :eek:
I want get her done soon, as I'm itching to test fly her, and I have some other projects waiting in the wings. BTW, I removed the TT.15 and installed an OSLA15, as it weighs a bit less and I think she's going to be nose heavy..now all I have to do is install the radio, wing hold down dowels, tail skid and (shudder) windshield and window glazing..urk.. :D

[CashRC]

Quick update. The AUW came in at around 30.5 ounces, just shy of 2 pounds. I maidened it Sunday, with the winds 10-15 gusting to 20 at times. It flew nicely, but a little different from my Triangle..seems to want a little less wind than the Triangle, and I really think that this bird will want to roam around the sky more than float, even though it weighs a bit less than the Triangle. Good fling ship, though, and I'm itching to get her up on a calm day to see what she can do in still air, and to putt her around for some good, close in pics..seems like it climbs well, but I swear the Triangle climbs faster on a bit less power with roughly the same wing loading, and about 2 ounces heavier than the Quaker..am I missing something here, or do i need to take them both out on a calm afternoon and see which plane does what best?
Cash
PS..already started a new project... :D

[johnvb]

Don't know what a Triangle is, other than geometrically, but you might be finding the builtin drag of the Quaker is slowing it down a bit. Mine climbed well with a KMills 1.3 diesel on a 9*4, but it wouldn't have been as quick as yours with a .15 glow.

I also found my Quaker to fly reasonably quickly, relative to, say, a Lanzo Bomber with its huge undercambered wing. The flat bottom section on the Quaker is what causes that I reckon. I was able to slow it down a bit when the fuel ran out, but not 'park' it in the sky.

[CashRC]

John, the Triangle is an old Frank Ehling design, HUGE lifting stab, and relatively clean for its time (1938)..if go back a page or so you'll find my build log and some pics, it's not real well known but I like it. Like the Quaker too...shoot, I might just have to "collect "em all!!" :D