This won't be so much a build log as it will as nearly as possible be a duplicate of the one built by Frank Jaerschky, who did an amazing job on the model and his build log as well.http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1311713 So lets call this a "Progress Report". Yes I know I'm a shameless copycat, but if you read Frank's thread and watch the flight videos, you'll see why. I love biplanes, and the Jungmeister is one of the best looking I've seen. The shape of the fuse, big round cowl, and especially the swept wings does it for me.

I've been looking for something to attempt my first scratch build, and this probably won't be the simplest I could have chosen, but Frank's build log has already been a big help and will continue to be. So if it's already been done why another thread? I don't know, it just adds to the fun for me, and hopefully I can get some constructive criticism along the way. Subscribe if you have a lot of patience, this may take a while.

Here's where I'm at so far. I ordered the plans and fiberglass cowl from Traplet in England, took less than 2 weeks to get here. I have to tell you though, I've seen better plans, guess I'm just spoiled by CAD. The cowl looks great though. Got a box o' balsa from Balsa USA and started making parts. I do have a small benchtop bandsaw which helps a lot, but this is still several days work.

Frank made a lot of modifications to the plans to lighten the ship for electric, I plan to do the same (told you I was shameless). Hey Frank, see anything familiar in this pic? Hope I haven't infringed on any copyrights.

Doug

Color me subscibed.

Originally Posted by dglo

Hey Frank, see anything familiar in this pic? Hope I haven't infringed on any copyrights.

Doug

He does have a copyright on using the cowl as a helmet, but we have yet to see you in that photo.
Bill

Hi Doug
Is this the 'old' plan range that Traplet have been selling since the 'Year Dot'? I can't get onto their site to check, but recall those plans as 'mature' when I first got into RC!

They are solid lumps structurally - a buddy of mine built their Gloster Gladiator many years back in my early RC years, it was a tank structurally, but flew well in the end.

Okay, he spent two years finishing the compass up for the full cockpit, flew it twice, gave up aeromodelling and took up golfsticking instead

I wish you better!

A hand drawn plan is never going to be CAD good - been there, sharpened the pencil!

Can appreciate the urge to create balsa dust, but suggest you take a deep breath, and possibly as deep a coffee, and look seriously at how you're going to adapt the structure around an electric drivetrain - much easier to figure out lightening and battery access now than when you're wondering how wide to make the trim stripes on the wings

Good luck, will be following you closely here. This is a good looking and well undermodelled biplane indeed.

Dereck

Dereck,

I think if its the same plan that Frank built from, its one of the old Complete a Pac plans, so very long in the tooth and built like the proverbial outhouse!

Mike

Did one of those once; thought I had done a thread, but can't find it. All I can find is my log/photo loose leaf binder.

My logo pretty much says it.

Les

Hi Mike
CAP - that's the one. Yes, real ancient stuff. What I've seen of them back in England, would keep the outlines and the complicated parts. Recall that Gladiator my buddy built was like a tank back to the lower wing TE, then had a fairly light tail end that was barely fastened to the front structure - asking for a major break in a 'heavy arrival' situation.

Weight was never discussed

D

Just found this now. Looking good!!! As far as the plans go, that's just the way things were back in the day. Yes, you've been spoiled by CAD!

I'm looking forward to watching your progress. Help is only an e-mail (or phone call) away!

Nice (and sufficiently brave to be rewarding) choice Doug.
Anyone daring to expand his expertise deserves support! - Count me in!

I reckon everything will need adjusting/altering/lightening if it's from Complete-A-Pack! I've been designing for electric fifteen years now and thought I'd pared the material down to the bone, but guys are STILL putting four-strokes in my cast-offs!

Follow Frank and you'll be okay!

OK everyone, I fixed the link in my first post, now you can look at how Frank did it and follow along with me to see how close I can come. The plans as printed are quite amazing. I think I could have gotten most of the materials from Home Depot; plywood, oak timbers, carriage bolts etc. After seeing them up close, I'm even more amazed at how well Frank's model turned out. Derek, take a look at Franks thread, you'll see there isn't much I'll have to figure out

Doug

Have you decided on a power system yet Doug?

I'm no good at selecting power systems, just too lazy to learn, that's why I usually go with what's been proven. So I imagine the Scorpion 4020-10, since you say it's just about perfect. (copycat, remember?) Which have you decided you like better, 3S or 4S? Seems like the 4S would put it in the realm of 3D, then I'd have to triple the size of all control surfaces, and then I could bug the sh*# out of all the other guys at the field by hovering in their faces. Oops, sorry, not trying to start anything. Anyway, if you still like the scorpion that's what I'll use, found one for a 100 bucks, is that a good price? Probably go with a phoenix ice 75 to go with it. Not sure which prop you settled on either.

Doug

For scale like flight, use a 5000mah (or larger) 3S battery and an APC 16X10E prop. For performance more like a Pitts Special, go with a 4S battery and an APC 15X8E prop. It's a real hot rod on 4S. I only flew it that way once, and I'm quite happy with the performance on 3S. With 3S and a big prop, the power system is drawing quite a few amps to make the watts, so flight time is a little short, around 8-9 minutes or so. But that's with lots of close in aerobatics and full power vertical climbs, and there's still some reserve electrons in the tank at the end of the flight. I'd actually like to up the battery capacity some more, but I would need to add some weight to the tail to keep the CG from getting too nose heavy. That all means more weight, so I am just as happy to keep things as they are.

Thanks Frank, was just looking again at color schemes, and although not fully decided, I'm leaning towards YR-PAX's "alter ego" and doing the Bevo Howard version, even though all that tiny red chckerboard on the fin/rudder scares me a little, not to mention all the tiny black pinstriping. But, no guts no glory, I've never picked a color scheme because it was "easy".

I may try polyspan too, but dope fumes in the house are not good, I've read where some use polycrylic instead, may try that.

Doug

Originally Posted by dglo

Thanks Frank, was just looking again at color schemes, and although not fully decided, I'm leaning towards YR-PAX's "alter ego" and doing the Bevo Howard version, even though all that tiny red chckerboard on the fin/rudder scares me a little, not to mention all the tiny black pinstriping. But, no guts no glory, I've never picked a color scheme because it was "easy".

I may try polyspan too, but dope fumes in the house are not good, I've read where some use polycrylic instead, may try that.

Doug

I like that! It does look like a lot of work.