Originally Posted by prodjx

Hi Ray. Is it possible to get just a wing kit for the Big Bird? I have a repaired fuse but sadly the wing is beyond repair. And if so how much? Dave

Dave, send an email to Skybench@Comcast.net

What diameter size is the wing rod ?

Thank you for your timely response. It has a 5/16th id. tube going through the fuse. BTW this used to be an e version and this is the second time I've repaired as the guy who used to own it obviously couldn't handle it.

Originally Posted by Ray Hayes

Greg and all ...

This time it is going to happen, Bill Grenoble and I are all set to fly Max Patch.
We will arrive in Newport, TN, Monday, Oct 1st during the afternoon. We are booked at the Red Roof Inn thru Wednesday night ( check out Thursday am ).
We will be flying winch in the nose, hand launch and Hi Start if needed.

Join us ..... ???

Ray
Sky Bench ... Woodys Forever
WWW.Skybench.com

The Weather forecast for flying the Max Patch is looking great :

http://www.usairnet.com/weather/fore...ort,tennessee/ Newport, Tn

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenda...+USTN0363:1:US Newport, Tn

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenda...+USTN0196:1:US Gatlinburg, Tn

Ray,
I just finished my Oly-IIs electric and test flew it today. I'd forgotten to set the ESC to brake the prop and the wing incidence/washout wasn't thoroughly checked preflight but even so she flew wonderful in the calm morning air before the storms rolled in here. I have a mini-build log on my home page here on RCgroups.

Now I can start the Gulf Coster!
-Skye

Originally Posted by skye8070

Ray,
I just finished my Oly-IIs electric and test flew it today. I'd forgotten to set the ESC to brake the prop and the wing incidence/washout wasn't thoroughly checked preflight but even so she flew wonderful in the calm morning air before the storms rolled in here. I have a mini-build log on my home page here on RCgroups.

Now I can start the Gulf Coster!
-Skye

Skye,

I don't want to hold you back from the Gulf Coaster build , but when you get a chance, could you post the motor/ESC/battery combo your using in the OLY llS on this thread ? Many viewers will appreciate the info.

My 2M Lil Bird launches straight up with the same motor the Radian has (E-flite Park 480 and 30 amp ESC ), but with a 13-7 folder. Battery is 3 cell Thunder Power 1350 ma..

I'll check out your OLY llS Mini Biuld.

Ray
Sky Bench ... Woodys Forever
WWW.skybench.com

Skye,

I have an OLY llS without motor that weighs 46 oz covered entirely with Monokote plus 1oz for a carbon wing rod or 2-1/2oz if I use the Steel Injector Pin wing rod.

My 2M Electric Lil Bird weighs 26 oz

I'll figure the wing loading for both and post it later, gotta go now.

Ray
Sky Bench ... Woodys Forever
WWW.Skybench.com

Originally Posted by Ray Hayes

This is what is going on after the wind storms in Indiana ... my back yard. I'm fortunate REMC is my electric service provider. They had electric service repaired within 3 hours of our phone call to them.

Sorry, the photo I wanted to post exceeds the RC Groups size limit.

Hats off to all the Rural Electric Service Companies.

Ray
Sky Bench ... Woodys Forever
http://www.skybench.com

Try IrfanView for resizing your photos. It's free, easy to install and you can resize and save a photo with about half a dozen clicks of the mouse. Just open the software and choose which file you want to work on. Click on "Image" in the toolbar and choose the resize function. Pick a size. Then save modified image. Done!

Ray, One of your many fans here....Posted some picts of your Big Bird and Oly III under "Getting a woodie", I couldn't cover up the fuse.....

Originally Posted by edfmaniac

Try IrfanView for resizing your photos. It's free, easy to install and you can resize and save a photo with about half a dozen clicks of the mouse. Just open the software and choose which file you want to work on. Click on "Image" in the toolbar and choose the resize function. Pick a size. Then save modified image. Done!

Thanks for the tip

Ray
Sky Bench ... Woodys Forever
WWW.Skynchech.com

Originally Posted by Mr Smith1

Ray, One of your many fans here....Posted some picts of your Big Bird and Oly III under "Getting a woodie", I couldn't cover up the fuse.....

Nice pics

On my web site is a pic of Corky Miller with his Sky Bird, a past LOFT club member transferred to Scottsdale, Az., hope you meet up with him, he is a great guy. We sure miss him, he is a Woody builder.

Ray
Sky Bench ... Woodys Forever
WWW.Skybench.com

And he is just starting his flying season now that it is "cooling off" (which means below 100f)

Originally Posted by prodjx

Hi Ray. Is it possible to get just a wing kit for the Big Bird? I have a repaired fuse but sadly the wing is beyond repair. And if so how much? Dave

Dave, send an email to Skybench@Comcast.net

2nd request, will use it to send the price info on wing kit.

Ray
Sky Bench ... Woodys Forever
WWW.Skybench.com

In the interest of keeping this as light as possible, I'm considering creating built-up tail surfaces for my OLY II SX. This is the electrified version. I'm not trying to imply that the wood supplied in the kit is in any way inferior, I'm just curious to see if a built-up version might be lighter? Also, since I have the wood, I thought it would be an interesting exercise.

With this in mind, on the plans it shows a 1/8 x 1/4 spruce piece of wood that is to be laminated to the back edge of the 1/4 x1/4 leading edge piece. I assume that this is for strength and rigidity of the LE. I'm wondering if I could replace the spruce with some CF, and would that be a good idea? I'm thinking that the CF would probably be lighter and still have the required strength. I've got some CF TOW that I could laminate, but I also have some CF rectangular stock - something like 3/16 x less that 1/16 (sorry, I don't have it handy at the moment to give exact dimensions). Thoughts on this idea?

Also, if I do go with the CF I'd laminate it with a very thin layer of epoxy to the back of the leading edge balsa piece. Would going this route then require me to use epoxy when joining the "ribs" of the built-up stab also to the back of the leading edge that would be surfaced with CF? - I don't believe that Gorilla Glue for wood would work for a balsa to CF bond? In that case, I'd be adding more weight than maybe I want, but I could try to keep the amount of epoxy to a minimum.

I may be creating a mountain out of a molehill here...maybe I should just stick with the original plans and use the supplied solid surfaces? I guess that I could always add a few additional lightening holes to go with the ones already there?

Any and all ideas and suggestions on how to keep the tail as light as possible, so I can keep the gear up front to a minimum weight, are greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Rob
P.S. A shot of the rough nose sanding so far, and thanks Ray for such a great kit!!

Good question Rob, good subject.

These are related questions:

Have you actually weighted the stab and the corresponding pieces you are considering to replace the kit stab with for comparison?

Have you determined/considered the weight saved by cutting additional holes drilled in the kit stab ?

Have you determined/considered how the plane will balance after installing the RC and Electric components ?

Generally, the kit stab is light weight to begin with.

Probably more benefit can be gained by sanding a slight symmetrical airfoil shape to the kit stab. Use a Perma-A Grit sander, they are much faster than paper, etc.. The source link is on my web's "Links" page.

Ray
Sky Bench ... Woodys Forever
WWW.Skybench.com

Rob,

You are going to love the Oly IISX. I was going to build the Oly II SX,but at the time I was ready to build ,the IIsx wasn't available yet. So I built the Oly III,electrified it and made build up tail feathers for it. When I finished them I weighed them against Ray's solid tail feathers,they were almost exactly the same. In fact Ray's might have been a slight bit lighter,if I remember right. But I went ahead and used my build up tail feathers because I liked the looks and seeing how I went to all the work to build them,why not use them.

Ray's kits are the best,bar none. The wood,the lazer cutting,the plans and of course the service. I highly recommend anyone who want's to build a woody,get one of Ray's kits.

I have one big problem with them.................I can't decide which one to build next they are all great. I'm thinking of the Big Bird or Big Bird XL for something different.

I love the way the Oly III flies,and I get many complements on it. Your going to love your Oly II SX.

Eddie