Cannot believe there was a surreptitious, angry/vengeful targeted shooting of 3 Cosmetic's Sales Women in the Macy's department store at the large mall in the next county over!?
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ocial-facebook

I considered going there to watch a movie tonight at the adjoining multiplex, too!?

PoS is still at large...

Every 10th or 11th person in this country now seems to feel they have the 'right' to solve their personal gripe or spurned affections with gun violence!

Wherever you go this weekend and this whole fall season approaching the Elections, please be on your toes and 'Situationally Aware'...of your surroundings AND of those milling around you!

Finally scored some necessary additions to my bagging set-up:

-A gauge, down to -30 mm Hg... $8 bucks!

-A proper-sized & ported, brass 'Tee'...to accommodate it and the compression fittings that accept my tubing size...$4 bucks.

At least 3 bags I can run simultaneously. Now to actually clear table space for dedicated resin & 'lay-up' prep, instead of shuffling my sundry 'junk' around with each task!

After having read thru the "Electrifly/Great Planes 'deHaviland Tiger Moth" thread from 2010 - 2014, I see it was a kit prone to brittle foam fractures!

Mine happens to be immaculate, but I've reviewed how its flight handling tolerates 'weight gain' well.
I want to give it's thin, undercambered wings some CF spars and a 'veil-weight' glass cloth-skinning...along with the fuse and tail.

This to fly it outdoors and mod it for disassembly the way others did.

Anyone have a direct link to 'light glassing' tips for micro-size planes?

Between running errands, household repairs and car do-dads, I haven't touched my J-3 Cub....which I fear might become more involved than just mounting a replacement prop adapter.

However, my browsing of the 'F/S Forum' pages and eBay connected me with sellers willing to part with these beauties below!

The DH Moth came from a gentleman in N.C. and the Aerobird-3 resulted from a generous transaction courtesy of 'Stanbur', out of TX, here on RCGroups!

For 6 and ~8 year-old kits, respectively,--N.I.B.-- they are both pristine...and reveal design and materials/construction indicative of this hobby from that time.

My QA Director, 'Erhlah Greye' and her son and my Security Chief, 'Halley', helped perform the Receiving Inspection and 'Bill of Lading' inventory.

They are actually eager for me to construct more 'Bird toys' for them to chase, as they're not sure what to make of the Cub taxiing along the driveway.
...Its small AND it DOES fly, though?......Continue Reading

While I take a break from crafting my biplane fuselage plug, I now focus on creating my first vacuum bagging system.
I found a sufficient, cheap/used Chinese-made pump on craigslist last fall and it has gathered dust all year until now.

Over that same span of time, I've slowly studied 'DIY vacuum system' tutorials, including:...the incredible "Telos Build" & "$10 Aquarium Pump Conversion" thread...'what works/doesn't'-discussions from slope & sailplane crowd and composite fabbing.
Then, if I couldn't source accessory parts from Home Despot or the excellent composite suppliers nearby--at least at bargain cheap pricing--I'd scour thrift stores, salvage yards and garage sales for the remaining odds and ends, tubing, diaphragms and plastic connectors.

No hurry...time to wrap my head around this while pursuing other projects.

So...
I'm finally ready with:
-Chinese RS-1, 3 CFM pump for $10, craigslist.
- 4 mil. plastic sheeting roll from the Orange Store: $9.00
- Tacky caulk from Fibreglass Supply, near Bayview/Burlington Regional Airport.: $5.45
- 1/4" plastic tubing from a CPAP kit in a thrift store; 25 ft for $2.00!
-Assorted lengths of extra tubing, plastic & brass connectors, nipples & tees
from Commander's Salvage Yard for $7.00
-One 3.2 Gallon steel reservoir tank from a discarded water purification system @Skagit Salvage Warehouse: $10.00

= $43.45...call it $50 after sundry Dollar Store and mocha latte stops.

I don't have a pressure gauge or vacuum switch to monitor my system yet; I haven't researched if there are cheaper, 'DIY alternatives'...versus a new unit from the Fibreglass Shop for $44!

I'm open to recommendations...

I've always been fascinated with biplanes and more recently the 1930's era military biplanes:
the Hawker Hart & Fury series...the Fairy 'Fox' and 'Fantome'...Gloster family ...Curtiss, Arado, Heinkels, Koolhovens, WACOs, Bleriot-SPADs, Czech Avias and lesser-known Japanese Aichi and Yokosuka-types.

Instead of picking a known, scale subject to model, I decided to 'approximate' the look and feel of one. Combine some of their most appealing aesthetic character in a 'made-up' design...like the drawings I made in my school notebook margins. Epic air battles that '..may have taken place..'.

I also let this be my opportunity to try a construction approach that has been on my mind for a long time:
Could I use generic, household items to form a crutch, over which I could create a proper model fuselage?

Something with more character than a combat SPAD or slope soarer--the simple plastic, 'Whiffle Bat' & cartoonishly simple proportions.

After looking through web images from various companies and countries that built prototypes and actual production aircraft, I sketched up something that took advantage of some of the shapes I had lying around the house.
Detergent & toiletry bottles and beverage cups.

The goal is a stable, solid plug that I can detail, wax and create 'layered-up' monocoque shells with vacuum molding/bagging...something light, attractive and 'potent-looking' when done.
In an Imperial War Museum way...[..see profile diagram..]

It...Continue Reading

High time I posted in my blog space!

Having started and stopped 4 different airplane projects since last summer without completion, I decided I couldn't let THIS ONE go by without enjoying SOMETHING FLYING!

I've managed to get my 'fix' with an E-Flight/Horizon UMX - AS3X 'J-3 Cub' for the last 3 months. Well...2 months or so, between repair downtime--both for my car, residence AND the R/C model!

Resilient...smooth...pretty to look at and full of wonderful performance for its size & price-point, it is my first NIB, aileron plane! A BIG help cutting my teeth on becoming a skilled R/C pilot.

I recommend this plane for just about anyone, including ambitious beginners with good intuition for model flying.

Flying models is 'pleasure' I've put off many times over the years, while 'real life' & USN duties got priority!

I have to thank 'E-ZoneMag/RCGroups' for "..being there.." this past 20+ ...for modeling community, innovation, education and endorsement of this amazing hobby & science.
I was a scratch builder of static and free-flight since childhood, but I only seriously considered R/C when I learned electrics had become viable in the late 90's.

The articles, forum discussions and build threads...and collective wisdom of dozens of other enthusiasts and professionals has given me the confidence to keep pushing ahead.
...and finally mature my own builds, methods and projects, now that I have shop space! You've helped keep me SANE!

Aiming to have two, home-brew gliders and a biplane RTF by the end of winter.