I guess this is the right forum for this. I'm scaling up Gene Rock's .pdf file of the Minnie Mambo to 252 squares (from around 225) to fit the Skatty power systems I have on hand.
I took the original .pdf file, converted it to a .jpg, then traced the outline and scaled it up to 252 sq. in. (7/4 sq. foot). After that, I redrew the innards, using a 1/32" sheet balsa over a 1/8" sq. balsa framework. I also replaced the Hallco sheet aluminum LG with built-up LG.
First shot is a picture of the plans.

Next, I framed up the horizontal and vertical stabs on a flat board, then I did the fuselage on my trusty Ajusto-jig (I've been using it since 1982).

The black dots on the pins are Rocket City pin vises; the red dots are pieces of red lid, cut out with a punch and used as a pin vise.

She's going to come out light like a rubber power model. That thing will fly with almost no power consumption! ! !

You must be working off a late model set of plans. For my early 1960's model (which I still got) uses a different landing gear system. This was mentioned at a competing web-forum/site.

Wm.

The set of plans came from Dave Fritzkie's web site,
http://my.pclink.com/~dfrit
Those plans show a Hallco aluminum LG. I don't have a gear of the right size, and I don't have the facilities to bend a set. Besides, I like using an aluminum tube sewn to bulkheads to hold my gears - It's light, easy to attach after covering, and easy to remove when I add floats.

Not much progress today. I framed up the wing yesterday, and put in shear webs today. The wing now has an 'I' beam spar, with sheeting on the top LE and the entire center-section.

My target weight for the model is 14 oz, with a Skatty brushless, two S-55-sized servos, and a HK 1250 3S pack. I do intend to cover it with Micafilm, as I still have almost a roll each of the old yellow and blue. I was going to cover it with Litespan, but I doubt that Litespan is waterproof.

CD

Hey Bill..what size gear do you need? I'll look and see what I have.
Cash
PS..put a diesel on that bird!!

double post..sorry

Too late, Cash, the tubes are already sewn in!

Diesel? Bite your tongue! A diesel would shake it to death (as would a glow engine). Besides, you didn't hear the static I got when I suggested putting a 1/2A engine on the Mach None. Micki will NOT allow it in her home!

CD

P.S. I get to run our club's Warbirds meet this Sunday. It should be interesting -- I'll send you pictures!

Originally Posted by Captain Dunsel

Too late, Cash, the tubes are already sewn in!

Diesel? Bite your tongue! A diesel would shake it to death (as would a glow engine). Besides, you didn't hear the static I got when I suggested putting a 1/2A engine on the Mach None. Micki will NOT allow it in her home!

CD

P.S. I get to run our club's Warbirds meet this Sunday. It should be interesting -- I'll send you pictures!

Cool!! Love to see 'em!! BTW, Teresa bought me a PAW .15 for Christmas..I kinda went on a bender, now I have 5 diesels total..and the garage smells WONDERFUL
Cash
PS..that Mambo's looking good, keep up the pics, please..

Well, we were supposed to run a Warbirds meet this morning, but with the winds at 10 gusting to 25+ and TSTMS on the way, we decided to postpone it until 12 JUN. So, I had some time to work on the Mambo 252.

Thursday, I glued in the shear webbing and let it dry. I prefer to put my shear webbing between the spars, forming an "I" beam, not glued to the rear of the spars in a "C" configuration. Not per the original design, I admit, but I prefer it for strength.

After that dried, I sanded down the tops of the shear webs. For this, I use a length of 1/4" wide spruce stock, with a strip of sandpaper glued to it.

After that, I glued on the top sheeting.

Even with all of the changes I made in the design, this little beastie is coming together quickly. It could go faster, I supposed, except for what you see in the last picture.

My workshop is in the garage, which is also where we keep my wife's Ford Ranger (strange place for an American to keep a car, isn't it?). In the winter, her truck provides a nice heat source to keep the workshop cozy, but in the summer, it's just too hot. She's volunteered to leave the truck outside, until I'm done, but then I have to lock it up and remember to bring it in, later. It's easier to just pause my building.

So, if you wonder why my building time is so erratic, blame it on the weather!

CD

Not much progess since Sunday. The wing is off the jig and ready for sanding and center-section tape.

I did get the main gear built today, whilst rebuilding our number two laptop. The idea is that the gear is in two parts, held together with a rubber band. If I need to remove it, all I need to do is remove the rubber band and pull out the wires.

If I remember, the Sterling 48" Mambo had a single piece of wire landing gear. I'm watching your build and have been itching to build an electric-powered 36" w/s version to look like my late 50's 48" version. May build it with a lightened framed fuselage and one or two microservos. Not sure it will be exciting as the original, no wondering if the escapement will stick or the rubberband will unwind due to the "sensitive relay" points sticking or bouncing. It'll still be fun brushing up on single channel techniques and attempting loops, rolls and dead stick spot landings.

Had a hard time getting back to the building board, thanks to my day job. Then, when I fitted the horizontal stab, I found that the tail was twisted. So, I jigged it up and straightened it by putting in the diagonals shown on the top and bottom of the fuse. Normally, I don't bother with top and bottom diagonals, but this time, they were just the ticket.

Sorry about the darkness of the picture, but it was the only way I could avoid the picture being washed out.

Here's a family photo of the enormous parts pile, ready for covering. I have some old yellow and dark blue Micafilm I plan to use.

CD

Did a marathon covering job last weekend. It wouldn't have been so bad, but Micafilm requires paint-on glue (I used mostly Balsarite, with a little glue stick on parts). The yellow and blue are Micafilm; the white is Econokote.

So, she's done and ready for her test flight. Hopefully, it'll be this weekend (weather permitting). I'm not allowed to test fly it until my wife finishes taking pictures of it, and she wants to be there for the test flight. All-up weight is 16 oz., with a Skatty motor on a 3S 1250 lipo, putting out around 80 watts. I think that's enough.

The Mambo 252 decal is courtesy of scan by KindSir47. I edited it in Paint, re-sized it, and printed it onto a clean laser label. That label I then put on top of a panel of white Econokote.

CD