Originally Posted by cpc625

Chip,

That's why I didn't recognize it. The Lil T wing threw me off. I started gliders with a Lil Tee back in '72. What a lead sled I built. I still have 2 unbuilt kits somewhere.

The Doodler still rests in the same unfinished state it was in when my wife lost interest.

Charlie

I'm guessing that was soon after seeing how the wing went together

The wing on the Lil' T is quite nice. I've built a couple (with/without tapered ends) to use for replacements on broken ARFs. The fuse seemed to be easily converted into a Viking Ship,...keel and all

Try the T's wing on your wife's Doodler and you won't go wrong

Here's my Paragon which is a super floater! I did make up a ballast system for it so I can fly in higher winds. I can add up to 12 Oz of lead with the current plates I've made up. As a rule I only add enough weight to smooth out the flight for the conditions that day.

some one please tel me what a ballast is. i looked it up online and came up some electrical reduction mumbo jumbo. that doesn't sound right. im guessing its just removable weight?

Originally Posted by jnmardister

some one please tel me what a ballast is. i looked it up online and came up some electrical reduction mumbo jumbo. that doesn't sound right. im guessing its just removable weight?

Ballast is nothing more than extra weight centered on the CG to increase the planes wing loading. Ballast is added to a plane when wind conditions are such that if not added the plane would have little or no forward ground speed. So net result is it makes the plane fly faster.

Kurt

Chip, where did you get that Sagitta 900? I think I used to own it! It has top and bottom spoilers?

Al

thanks for that, i have been seeing the term thrown around a lot and just wanted to make sure. are they hard to install?

Originally Posted by jnmardister

thanks for that, i have been seeing the term thrown around a lot and just wanted to make sure. are they hard to install?

Not at all. Effort has to be taken so that it doesn't move around during flight or landing. I had a glider where buy I would bolt the ballast (in this case, lead bars) through the bottom of the fuse and into a tee-nut pressed into the bar. By cutting various different lengths I was able to add weight in increments to get the desired flight characteristics.

I’ve tapped a lead strip to the top of a Gentle Lady one afternoon when the wind kicked up. I’d say it was about 4-6 ozs. Worked out great, clocked a 30 minute flight then my daughter out did me with a 45 minute flight.

You will also see very clever methods of ballast mounting especially in the F3B/F3J gliders. Ballast is typically mounted in a tube with spacers so it doesn’t change the CG.

Kurt

thanks again. i havent built my first plane yet but i plan to this winter when i get home. i was thinking about the BOT but people kept warning about that one. you can read all about it in the thread i made (also new to forums). so i am think about the chrysalis 2 meter. i know there are better builds but i dnt want to spend over 100 bucks on my first one. is a ballast a necessity?

Originally Posted by jnmardister

thanks again. i havent built my first plane yet but i plan to this winter when i get home. i was thinking about the BOT but people kept warning about that one. you can read all about it in the thread i made (also new to forums). so i am think about the chrysalis 2 meter. i know there are better builds but i dnt want to spend over 100 bucks on my first one. is a ballast a necessity?

A BOT built correctly is typically very lightly loaded, meaning having a very light wing loading. You will also find that it is a rather involved building effort. I would suggest you make provisions for ballast so you have the ability to add it when the time comes. I would not suggest flying in conditions early on in your learning effort until you start to become aware of how the plane handles. When you achive a level of comfort being able to handle windy conditions then at least you have the latitude to fly in those conditions.

Ballast tubes can be added in the wings or in the fuse. My latest Viking has ballast tubes in the wing. I had an Aquila Grand that had a ballast box in the fuse. It is all a matter of ease of access.


Finally it is all a matter of learning how to build, fly then master thermaling.The latter may take more time than you first think. By planning before the build will allow you greater lattitude in the future.

Best of luck on your build.
Kurt

Depending on how much wind you have, the Chrysalis carries ballast well, but in our experience rarely needs it. It floats essentially the same as the older "gasbag floaters", but penetrates and ranges much better. One of our customers described it as having "the same float as a G.L., but twice the range." I've flown my electric with a 7S 2000 mah nicad that added ten and a half ounces. It tore up the sky with that added weight. Thermalling ability was off by a small but noticeable bit, but still quite respectable.

My favorite floater the good 'ol Grand Esprit!

OK, here you go.... pic one of her in happier times. Pic 2, her final launch. Pic 3, her spectacular demise in front of hundreds of witnesses in Visalia.....

Ouch!

Originally Posted by alstrahm

Chip, where did you get that Sagitta 900? I think I used to own it! It has top and bottom spoilers?

Al

Yeah Al,

I think it even has your name in it or on the wing bags that came with it. Barndoor
'split' flaps, beautiful. Dean (RCDude01) posted it for sale and my friend Mark (FreeGlide) bought it. I eventually acquired it from Mark and my survivors will have to move it on, after me.

Originally Posted by chip.greely

Yeah Al,

I think it even has your name in it or on the wing bags that came with it. Barndoor
'split' flaps, beautiful. Dean (RCDude01) posted it for sale and my friend Mark (FreeGlide) bought it. I eventually acquired it from Mark and my survivors will have to move it on, after me.

how kewl is that, the Xmas Sagitta in great hands Built by Ralph Smith from Visalia, he passed, I got it in a silent action from his wife, who donated it to the club, flew it a lot and sold it to Dean, I am happy it's in the right hands!

Al