Ok, I'm in. I'll be entering in the amateur division, single engine.

I have been debating whether or not to enter this contest. I've never designed a plane from scratch before. I've mainly built from kits. I did, however, build a heavily modified Terminator HLG from plans off the Charles River RC site I affectionately called "Terminator II", of course. That was a fun adventure in composite building. I learned skills such as vacuum bagging and mold building I would not have learned had I just bought a kit. So, the main appeal for me is to push my building skills even further.

However, much as I want to expand my building skills, I have been reluctant to enter this contest. Admittedly, I am the world's biggest procrastinator. It's been a life-long struggle. So, here I am formally announcing my entry in the hopes that going public with help me to get going and to stay going on my project.

So, here's my project, the Bellanca Aircruiser. I found this plane at the Tillamook Air Museum last month when I had convinced my wife and her best friend that it would be fun to take the kids. I had never heard of the Aircruiser before, and here in Oregon is the last flying example of one. It has a fairly interesting history, and I think it's within my building skill level. But not so within it that I won't have to stretch to achieve something that looks decent, and more importantly, flies well.

One of the things that I plan on is learning TurboCad. (Don't want to shell out the bucks for Autocad.) I'll be learning this over the next 2-3 months going into December 1st. I don't know if I will have the plans draw up by then as it'll be all new to me, but if I'm not ready for Dec. 1st, I'll have some time to work on it over the Holidays.

I think the design of the Aircruiser is fairly straightforward but yet with some challenges, such as the lower W shaped wing which sweeps forward and then back. Also, I will have to decide which variant to build. Should I go with the existing Tillamook version? go with C-27? go floatplane? go bushplane? what scale? Challenges, challenges!

Anyway, you all have gotten me jazzed up for this contest! ( And I answered, "probably not" on the survey!)

Jump in boys; the water is fine!

Glad you made the plunge Kato! Best of luck to you and your interesting subject.

Mike

Ah the Tillamook air museum... I haven't been there since I was 12. That was one of the most humbling experiences of my life walking into that giant wood-framed blimp hanger. I bet it would seem a bit smaller now though. Of course, I'm sure you musta went out for fresh ice cream and cheese at the factory there, planes and ice cream man, it don't get much better than that!

Very interesting subject to model, I've seen that plane before online, and always wondered how much good that lower wing actually does. I'm sure it's there for a reason, but it doesn't seem like it would produce that much lift with such a severe dihedral. Well very interesting nonetheless, really looking forward to seeing it come together!

~irish

Good going, Kato! The big Bellanca is a great subject.

Irish, there used to be two blimp hangars in Tillamook, but one burned down some time back. My father was one of the workers who built them.

Thanks, Mike. It's great to join in the fun. Just hope I can keep it together to "getter done."

Irish, I have the same thoughts on the lower wing. Apparently, it has a way to put baggage in it so there was some functionality to it. Of course you have to have ice cream when you're in Tillamook. That's part and parcel with the experience, right? And, yes, that big old building is huge! They should have indoor electric tournaments in there! The inside of that building is bigger than some fields I've flown at. Maybe, I should call them and suggest it.

Geoff, thanks. I think it's pretty cool, and not modeled very often.

Here's another plan for inspiration before you start the perspiration: http://www.theplanpage.com/Months/2008/Aircruiser.pdf

Originally Posted by Geoffinpdx

Here's another plan for inspiration before you start the perspiration: http://www.theplanpage.com/Months/2008/Aircruiser.pdf

Thanks so much, Geoff.

I love this forum! I've received two sets of plans/drawings in just a few hours of posting my intention to build the Aircruiser. One from Geoff, and one from Zephyr41.

Thanks to both of you, I have an excellent staring point.

Ok, I guess I order the TurboCad tonight.

Best regards,
Kato

Kato,

Glad you signed up for this, I will be watching. I am in the same boat as you. I have no Cad experience and have been looking at classes this fall. Tell me more about Turbo Cad, affordable sounds good? We do have one seat of AutoCAD here at work but getting time on it is difficult.

I guess I should start a thread and "make it Public" I wonder if there will be a married with three kids category.......and Procrastinators unite! well maybe next week, or the week after,

Mark

Originally Posted by milesperpound

Kato,

Glad you signed up for this, I will be watching. I am in the same boat as you. I have no Cad experience and have been looking at classes this fall. Tell me more about Turbo Cad, affordable sounds good? We do have one seat of AutoCAD here at work but getting time on it is difficult.

I guess I should start a thread and "make it Public" I wonder if there will be a married with three kids category.......and Procrastinators unite! well maybe next week, or the week after,

Mark

Mark, loved the Tempest Build. Beautiful job! I'm putting one of those Vario props on my Aircruiser.

I don't know much about TurboCad outside of I can find a version 14 copy on eBay for about $30-40 whereas a comparable copy of AutoCad is about $150 on up. I'm looking at versons 2 or 3 removed from the current versions.

It seems comparable in features to Autocad, but not as user friendly, or perhaps not the "industry standard" that Autocad is. But, it will export in DWG format so that Charlie can cut the files for me. I don't think I need too much more than Turbocad 14 Deluxe, but maybe some of the old hands around here will chime in and set me straight.

As far as married with 3 kids and procrastinators....I'm in both those groups!!!

Originally Posted by katobaggins

As far as married with 3 kids and procrastinators....I'm in both those groups!!!

May I join the procrastinators group? Only spawned two offspring, but as for procrastination, I'd do it even more, but I keep putting it off!

Slow Geoff

Uh, took me a while to respond. Yea I was going to research the Cad thing today but just did not get to it, maybe tomorrow. Thanks for the initial research. Gives me a better idea on what's out there.

You will like the Vario and it will look the part quite nicely on this bird.

Geoff, too funny, What you just haven't gotten around to that third offspring yet?
When you do finish some of those projects you will have quite the hanger. keep at it. the builds that is.

M

Originally Posted by milesperpound

Uh, took me a while to respond. Yea I was going to research the Cad thing today but just did not get to it, maybe tomorrow.
M

Now, that's funny.

Ok, so it took me a couple of days to get around to ordering TurboCad, but somehow I managed to pull if off. Hopefully, I won't wait until May to learn how to use it. If I remember to check my mail next week, I may even open the TurboCad box and see what the deal is, and if I'm feelin' really ambitious I may even install the program on my computer.

Been working through the landing gear design mentally. I think I have to go with those funky old wheel pants. That way I can go with skis and floats without too much modification. Here in Oregon, you may need either of those options to fly at all during the winter. And to be honest, I think it may be the simplest way to attach the landing gear.

Did you get the instructional CD along with the TurboCad CD? I have it, and if you need to borrow it, you're not that far away. It doesn't help brain-damaged me, alas.

Geoff

Hi Geoff,

Thanks for the offer, but I did get a little package from ebay that had a 400 page manual and 2 instruction CDs. I hope they're any good. If not, then there are a ton of books, CDs and other "after market" stuff.

Good luck Kato!

Lovely plane. I've never got around to learning CAD. Scratchnhover and W@cco made incredibly impressive contributions with it last year. Unbelievable!

And thanks for you rhelp with my Starship.

Cheers

Nick