Just purchased a set of plans for a Keil Kraft Falcon on e-bay. 8ft span - wow
It should be interesting when they arrive.

Anybody have any photos or comments about the Falcon?

Ian

Ian-I believe thats the same Falcon as kitted by Ben Buckle. It should be one interesting build. Jim

Originally Posted by Blazer

Ian-I believe thats the same Falcon as kitted by Ben Buckle. It should be one interesting build. Jim

Is this the one?

http://www.benbucklevintage.fsbusine...its.htm#falcon

tim

It would appear to be this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=5908402578

The auction listing uses the same photo of the completed model as the one on the Ben Buckle site.

Yup, that's the one. I didn't know it was sold as a kit. I think it's a beauty!

Ian

Does anyone know if this was designed as a free flight model originally or has it always been RC?

I think you'll find that all of the vintage models were designed built & flown in their original form as free flighters. The flying Quaker was from 1936 i believe, as was the Falcon. I have a 1.5x SCRAM, at 108" span, & powered by an SC91 fs, it was a 1934 design, but it now fut fut's by, quite sedately. Its a joy to fly. As is my Flying Quaker, with the OS 60, early open rocker motor in it, (the first succesful production four stroke i believe). It looks & sounds as though it's steam powered. Oh, you will need to buy up a South East Asian rain forest to get enough balsa to build the Falcon, You will give yourself a hernia trying to pick up the kit box of Ben Buckles Kit, there is so much wood in it. It's A beautiful model, & flies wonderfully too ! Ray

Hi Ian... I agree with everything djindivik said. I flew vintage models exclusively for many years back through the late 80's/early 90's the boom years of vintage in England.

Two of my club mates always built the same design... their pair of KK Falcons were magnificent. We typically flew duration events, then called Class 3 and Texaco. Engines were the old .60 OS 4 stroke as above... wish I still had mine, that was back when 4 strokes were gentlemanly things.

I flew a Playboy Senior of 84" span and although lighter I had a hard time staying with the Falcons. I could oh so easily get back into vintage... you will love it Ian.

Graham

The plans arrived yesterday and they're terrific. I'll give you guys a heads up and tell you that you better start buying stock in balsa companies for this one! That's not insider trading is it? I'd better ask Martha Stewart

Ian

I forgot to mention; the plans don't show any RC equipment or movable control surfaces so they must be copies of the original KK FF design (which I'm really pleased about).

Ian

So - electric or IC what should I do? I have a 52 fourstroke that I would like to put in it; what electric set up would fly this behemoth?

Ian,
That .52 4-stroke would certainly be a neat way to go, although it seems like it may be a little light for a model of that size. I really don't have any experience with models like this though, and I know lots of people powered the big Quakers with 2 stroke .40s and loved them. If you built it light (is there any other way?) it would probably be a great floater. Have you cut any wood yet? Personally I'd like to build a scaled down version of that bird for IPS power, but that's mostly because smaller models are better suited to my flying area. It is a good looker, that's for sure. Good luck and hurry up with some build pictures !

Jim

.52 4 stroke isn't really that much of a powerhouse - probably well under a horsepower.

Big geared brushed motor is pobably the cheapest way to go. Tom hunt has some interstng combos in that area - I like belts conceptually anyway - quiet and whirry rather than whiny. If you see what I mean. And noseweight from a big ferrite lump is probably easier than climbing up on the church roof to nick the flashing...

http://www.modelairtech.com/belt.html#h1000fw

Choice of single, or twin de Walt motors drives, or astro 60 geared ....

Although i am an avid electric fan (pardon the pun), I think i would be putting a large 4 stroke or a big petrol (gas) sparker in the Falcon. Purely to 'conform' to the era. Alternatively I think you will need a very big brushless to power it, something like an AXI 4130. Ray

Outrunners would need to be geared anyway - these things presumably swing big props slow.

The spirit of the age would be a sparker. And no radio. Covered in silk, made of split cane...how far do you want to go?

I simply like light slow models and whatever it takes to get them in the air