new modding idea...

21 February 2005, 11:33 PM

OK, so I was going to tweak my dear old Tiggy to look like a WW1 bird but, I have decided against that. I'm going to leave it as an aerobatic model to rip up the sky, now that it has lipos and a dual IPS. It's been smacked around so much it's amazing it still flies.

Anyway, so I plan to aquire a Wattage Sopwith Camel and make a tripe out of it. It's way cheaper than a Kavan or some such and poses some entertaining challenges to surmount.

Like most Wattage planes, the SC is too heavy for it's powerplant and adding a 3rd wing won't help that. However, I'll see what I can do to work around that. This will be my "pretty plane" so, it doesn't have to be a 3d machine.

I love the adaptibility of foam, I tell ya.

F=MA

PeterL · 21 February 2005, 11:44 PM

I've always liked the La Fert Alais "Albatros-Moth". Pardon my ignorance, but isn't there a Pup you could work into a Tripe? It would be much simpler.

22 February 2005, 06:21 PM

Well, the Camels are cheap, and the tailfeathers are closer to Tripe style on the Camel, in the bargain.

F=MA

Brown Baron · 22 February 2005, 11:31 PM

F=MA--

How scale correct are you trying to get? I'm thinking that you could get away with using the formers on your plans as templates for hot-wire cutting the fuselage out of foam. Tail group can be made in a few minutes out of 3mm Depron foam.

Just a thought. You can see what I'm working on on the "What's on your building board" thread. I'm going to post some photos now.

23 February 2005, 07:43 AM

Not massively so, I plan to decamber the wings somewhat to solve a problem with the camel design and to narrow the chord to make it look more tripe-like. I bet 1/2 inch off both LE and TE would do that.

It'll look like a tripe when I'm done, as this is my "pretty plane" but, it'll still have to fly. ventually I'll dump the stock garbage motor and gearbox for GWS 350 but, for the moment, lipos on the stock powerplant will have to do.

The fuse, I think, is quicker to modify rather than make again, as the Camel setup with this plane isn't particularly scale to begin with. A little lengthening of the nose at the firewall, cut down the "hump" and we are good to go, as I see it.

I was going to make a DR-1 out of this but, figure this might be a little less trouble...

F=MA

Brown Baron · 23 February 2005, 10:03 AM

I was helping a friend last week maiden flight his Firebird (they Flyzone models RTF pusher) when I noted that the wings were pretty nicely made. I saw replacement sets for sale at my LHS (over an hour away!) for $6-$8.00. Undercambered but strong as they use no spar. You might do well taking a look at those wings as possible candidates for modification for your Tripe.