I have been having fun this year enjoying building some of the old Comet models. I cut my teeth, or should I say fingers, building these models in my very distant youth. This time around I have redrawn the plans to take advantage of the accuracy of CAD and to allow me to print the parts for transfer to my own wood.

My most recent project has been the Comet 25” Stinson Reliant SR-7. This particular model in the Comet line is a known flyer. Thanks to the suggestion of Lee Campbell (Campbell’s Custom Kits) I increased the wing incidence from the kit plan by lowering the trailing edge 1/16”. A few other minor structural modifications have been incorporated in my version of the plan. They include a 1/16” wing top spar addition, use of piano wire in the landing gear assembly, balsa rather than paper on the cowl, some 1/16” balsa sheet filler where the landing gear legs meet the fuselage, and a removable nose plug for stretch winding.

The finished model is covered with ink jet printed domestic tissue. It has two coats of 50/50 clear dope applied to the tissue. Overall weight without a rubber motor is 34 grams. This model is close in size to my reproduction Goldberg Ranger 28 and that model flies great on a single loop of ¼” Tan Super Sport rubber using the same 7” plastic prop. The Ranger weight less the motor is 42 grams. As a result I am hoping the Stinson will do well when the wind stops blowing and I can get in some flights.

My plan package for the Comet Stinson SR-7 is available from my web site as a free download. The link is http://www.parmodels.com. Use the downloadable plans link.

Paul Bradley

very nice!

I'm working on a P-40 from your Comet plans right now. Once I reload on materials, I might have to give this one a go.

What plans are you looking to redo next? Are you taking suggestions?

-des

THAT IS GORGIOUS ! ! ! !

You deserve the sore arm you've likely given yourself for patting yourself on the back!

It is also one of my favourite designs.

I certainly do appreciate your kind remarks regarding the Comet Stinson. This has been a fun project.

Des - I have not yet decided on the next Comet project. There are so many to choose from. So far I have been building the models I either built badly in my youth or wish I had built. I'm not sure when the next Comet model will make it to my building board. I have several other projects that need attention and have been waiting patiently while I have been having fun with the Comet models.

Paul Bradley

Paul, thanks for updating these and providing the color sheets. You have done a fantastic job on all the the Stinson is no exception. Well Done.

D-Rock

Oh wow. My first really good Comet model was this one, yellow wings, gray fuselage, all the cowl bumps, few wrinkles.

Now, how in the world do I get that printed off correctly? PM me if I'm the only doofus at this.

Thanks again.

howell,

Howell...

When you go to print them (from Adobe Reader, cuz that's what I've used though I bet similar functionality exists in other pdf readers), you'll see a boxed area labeled "Page Handling". Make sure the Page Scaling drop-down menu shows "None" (as opposed to "shrink to fit" or something else). Also take note of what the paper sizes are. The sheets in this file are either 8.5"x11" ("letter" or "A4", (right???)) or 8.5"x14" ("legal" or "A-somethingelse").

At work, where I print these things, they don't load the printers w/ 8.5"x14". So I will enter the pages the list of pages that are 8.5"x14" in the "Page Range" box, then deselect the "Choose Paper Source by PDF page size". With this done I go through the advanced settings to set the printer to use 11"x17" sheets. After they print, I go back and (re)select "Choose Paper Source by PDF page size" and enter the page numbers that were letter-sized. To be safe, don't change the page scaling from "None"...if you do, it'll come out at ~96% of the actual size...not ideal cuz all the ribs and formers are on those pages!!

hope this helps

-des

Mr. Bradley, Thank you for providing a free plan.

Kev

As stated before, I truly appreciate all of the kind remarks regarding the Stinson. I do enjoy building these models and sharing the plan packages.

Des - Thanks for providing the nice run down on printing the tissue layouts. Your review of the process is spot on.

Paul Bradley

Originally Posted by PaulBrad

I certainly do appreciate your kind remarks regarding the Comet Stinson. This has been a fun project.

Des - I have not yet decided on the next Comet project. There are so many to choose from. So far I have been building the models I either built badly in my youth or wish I had built. I'm not sure when the next Comet model will make it to my building board. I have several other projects that need attention and have been waiting patiently while I have been having fun with the Comet models.

Paul Bradley

No worries..I only got into model building in the last ~9 months and already the "Want to build.." list quite long. But I don't need to tell you that (you yourself just fessed up to those same tendencies ). Rest assured, though, when you post another one it will probably trump many things my list.

-des

Paul, great work on the Comet Stinson. Most of my freeflight models have been using either cut-out colored tissues or air brush for painting and markings. Have yet to try inkjet print-out tissues.

Wondering which particular brand of inkjet printer you'd normally use or current inkjet printer brand/model in the market now that suits this kind of job?

I thought the inkjet colors would run upon application of dope (50:50 with thinner)? How did you apply the dope?

I'd saved your P40 pdf file for my coming build, and looking forward to more of your Comet builds, especially of the WW1 & 2 warbirds.

Tks,
hklam

Beautiful model! Probably the finest rendition of that particular model in it's 60+ year design history!

The changes in this hobby over the last few years...CAD-drawn plans...laser-cut parts...printing markings directly onto tissue... You'd think that nothing could be more timeless than the construction of a stick-and-tissue model airplane. Yet, every time I log into this forum I learn something new, and almost every new thing improves this particular aspect of the hobby in some way.

You've definitely got "The Touch." Whatever your next project is, I'm sure it will turn out equally well!

Originally Posted by PaulBrad

My most recent project has been the Comet 25” Stinson Reliant SR-7.....
....My plan package for the Comet Stinson SR-7 is available from my web site as a free download.

Perhaps the best model you published on your web site in my opinion! Thanks for shearing such valuable plans!

Paul,

That SR-7 is beautiful. I've been looking for an SR-7 to build for awhile, for no other reason than it was the plane my father got his first ride in. Thanks for the plan!

Kim

The Comet Stinson SR-7 was my first Comet model.
My neighbor and childhood friend Richard was selling the kit at his front yard rummage sale for $.25! I had never seen a Comet kit before, only Guillows, and was disappointed to find I had to cut the formers and rib parts out.
I built it anyway and it flew OK but it was different and I wanted more. I still have the plans, all tattered and torn, along with three other kits.

Oh what fun it is to fly an old Comet kit like mine!
(sung to the tune of Jingle Bells)