RBCKits F9F-6 Cougar 90mm Balsa EDF kit

[Kloverzero]

At least the flaperon mod caught your attention prior to the wing being completely sheeted :Whew:

I decided to order new servos, instead of using "Gently Used" ones, or it would have been. Ordering them tomorrow.

[Kloverzero]

man that box -o - bulsa remends me of the old Royal kits...open one up and its a box of blocks u make into a airplane...
man that some nice work there...I love the f9f myself but way too much work for me;;;

I build a fair amount of balsa kits. When I got started in the hobby in the late 70's and 80's, there was no such thing as an ARF, not to mention a PNP Foamy. It is cathartic to take that box of sticks and create something that will fly, and it give you endless modification possibilities to create a unique, scale model. I enjoy the process. I find it calming and zen like.

[RCjetdude]

I love my foamies... I love my foamies... I LOVE my FOAMIES! LOL

[fhhuber]

Actually ARFs date back to 1930's and FF models.

Up until the late 1990's almost all ARFs were junk.

The Sure Flite series (early 1970's to mid 1980's) wasn't too bad but the glow engines would always vibrate the plywood engine mount out of the foam and with the oil from the fuel soaked into the crevices you could never get it to stay glued together more than a couple of flights at a time without major surgery on the model. The oil might be over an inch deep in the foam and you had to cut out ALL of the contaminated foam.
If e-power had been as practical then, those planes might still be made now, just in EPO instead of EPS.

[RCjetdude]

I learned to fly on an oil soaked high wing foam trainer like that. I know exactly what you are talking about. It had rudder and elevator only and on one flight the control horn pulled loose from the rudder. My buddy who was flying it said, "I can't make it turn". He tried to do loops over the field until it ran out of fuel but it kept drifting further away until it quit and so he had to just let it go. We jumped in the car and headed in the direction we thought it went with no sight of it. Ended up stopping at a church where a guy was mowing the grass to ask if he might have seen it. He pointed to a wheat field next to the church and we thought, "We will never find it". Long story short, about the third pass there it was.

[Evoman]

It's looking great so far! Even though I have the skills to take on a balsa build project I also I have to agree it's too much work for me.
The main concern I have had with balsa kits is what happens in the event you crash it? Can it be rebuilt or is it a total loss at that point?

[Kloverzero]

Actually ARFs date back to 1930's and FF models.

Up until the late 1990's almost all ARFs were junk.

The Sure Flite series (early 1970's to mid 1980's) wasn't too bad but the glow engines would always vibrate the plywood engine mount out of the foam and with the oil from the fuel soaked into the crevices you could never get it to stay glued together more than a couple of flights at a time without major surgery on the model. The oil might be over an inch deep in the foam and you had to cut out ALL of the contaminated foam.
If e-power had been as practical then, those planes might still be made now, just in EPO instead of EPS.

Okay, I shall redact my statement, and say this in it's place. There were no ARFs that I was aware of back then.

[fhhuber]

It's looking great so far! Even though I have the skills to take on a balsa build project I also I have to agree it's too much work for me.
The main concern I have had with balsa kits is what happens in the event you crash it? Can it be rebuilt or is it a total loss at that point?

Any crashed balsa model can be repaired if you want to take the time and don't mind the weight.
You can avoid a lot of the weight by cutting away badly splintered wood and replacing it.

I had one model that by the time it crashed badly enough that I didn't fix it the only original wood was the carved solid balsa wingtips. I still have the wingtips because they were the only parts that didn't splinter into toothpick size bits.

another model I snapped the fuselage in half and glued it back together 3 times in one Fun Fly contest. (I got better at flying since, really.. they don't hide under the tables when I take off any more.)

[Kloverzero]

(I got better at flying since, really.. they don't hide under the tables when I take off any more.)

LOLLOLLOLLOLLOL

[Kloverzero]

My lights came in yesterday, so I got some work done last night. All of the lights have been routed to their locations, but until sheeting starts, and I can get the leading edges and wing tips on, I can't mount them. I may go ahead and tack some strips so I can go ahead and do it in the wings. The fuse lights are a different need altogether. Next step is main gear wells and the creation of hinge points for the gear doors. I got the top of the intakes sheeted, and then I stuck it all together (unglued, of course) to see the magnificence!!
















So, now I am pretty much in a holding pattern until the servos get here next week, so I started on the F-100!! I didn't do the research on it that I should have, and was disappointed to see that it is only big enough for 4S... Sigh









It should also be noted, there is not a drop of glue at this point!!

Cheers guys!

[Prowler901]

Nice progress on everything. Very interesting builds for sure. :Cool:

[RCjetdude]

It all looks fabulous Michael. Nice work so far.

[fhhuber]

I wish I had "before" pics of how bad it was broken.

This plane had 4 inches in fore-aft of the fuselage shattered just behind the wing.
It took 4 hours to repair the fuselage then 6 hours to re-cover the whole airplane.

https://imgur.com/y2bfVgx

Another of the same ARF, rebuilt at the same time. This one had the nose destroyed to just forward of the wing and cowl crushed fore-aft to 2 inches long.
that is the original fiberglass cowl, stretched back out and repaired.

https://imgur.com/CMkCHnG

Black and red one owned by a friend. (OS.91 FX)
Won first in Sportsman Pattern AFTER the repair. competing vs 6 guys with years of experience.
My friend had been flying 9 months from first buddy box lesson. (we teach them right)

Red/white blue is mine.and electric (AXi 4120/18,
Jetti 60 Opto used 6S 5000 mah and used in Pattern competition before electric was popular for Pattern)


You CAN rebuild. Just how much work are you willing to do?
Note that it is now cheaper to buy a new ARF than the COVERING for the rebuild. such as on these.

[Drill Sergeant]

Hey Mike, Freewing and Alpha needs to get U more involved in building some EPO Jets for them. You know keep it in the family.:Hug:LOL:):Cool: DARN good job on your Jet !!!

[OV10]

Since Mike has already has his hand in the scratch build of one of my favs he certainly could give them a booster shot in the arm on the :ov10 :) 1600-2000mm would suit me and Boots and a grunch others ;)

[ALara]

Hey. What is the status on the Panther??