maverick

My Feedback: (12)

Has anybody built anything from plans purchased and featured in Model Airplane News?

I am thinking of buying a set of plans from them and was wondering what they were like to build from.

I am only building my first kit now (Sig Somethin' Extra) but I have a few others in the pipeline before I try 'scratch building'.

I bought the book 'Scratch-Building R/C Airplanes' by Rich Uravitch yesterday and it is a very good reference for the beginner builder.

I have my eye on a set of plans for a future project and was wondering if I should get them now.

Any comments?

Walt-RCU

The kit your building was once a scratch building project.
A kit hopefully has everything needed to complete the model and now that it's finished you have a set of plans with which to build another plane but you must buy wood, hardware, covering, wheels and all the rest of the goodies. That makes you a scratch builder.

Next you design something, draw your own plans, and build it. Design Engineer
Most of us are not engineers and your design uses a lot of TLAR and that is a fun part of this hobby
Sometimes it ever flys.

Walt

Robert Bauer

My Feedback: (1)

I have used RCM Plans for quite a few birds and found both the plans and instructions to be good. Go for it. Remember it is cheaper to order multiple plans at one time so look over the selection before you order. If you don't have their catalogue I think it is worth having.

KevinSheen

Building from plans isn't any more difficult than building from a kit. It helps to have a little experience building from a kit first because the directions that come from MAN plans service aren't anything more than the construction article that was printed in the magazine, but it sounds like you have that. It will take more time because you will be making all the ribs and bulkheads and cutting sheets to the proper size.

Several years ago, I finished my first build from plans and you would not believe the incredible rush that I experienced seeing a plane that I put my all into, fly. It is also cool to show up at the field with something that (normally) very few other modellers are flying.

good luck,

Kevin

G.F. Reid

My Feedback: (1)

Which plans are you thinking of? It really depends on the designer and most every planset in MAN is from a different designer. Some are regulars, like Uravich.
I've got several sets of plans from MAN and RCM. Altogether, I'd say they are typically good plans. The key to deciding, I think, is to read the original construction article and study the published plan in the magazine. If after that, you can pretty much understand everything that needs to be done, buy them. You won't have a problem. It's also very satisfying to build from plans.

rcalfred

I've built several models from MAN plans. Worked fine. Just remember though, always check to make sure that the parts templates are the correct size. Sometimes the draftsman makes mistakes on these and other details. As an example: A Duellist Mk II had one wing 3/4"longer than the other. A good feature from MAN is the photocopy of the construction article that accompanied the publication of the plans. Regards.

Tommy Meisel

Maverick:

Building from plans is no big deal. You just spend the first evening or two cutting out your own kit. After that is just like building a kit except you have to think and plan ahead more. Then you have an airplane that is not the same as all the others and you built it from scratch, which many in the hobby liken to magic and superhuman powers.

One comment: If you are planning to build several more kits before starting your plans built plane, wait a while before you buy the plans. Between now and then your tastes may change and you may wish you had bought some other plans instead. Most of the plans will be readily available far into the future.

maverick

My Feedback: (12)

Greg,

It is the A-10 Thunderbolt built with a flat-bottom trainer wing and 2 x OS .25FX's.

See it here:

http://www.modelairplanenews.com/plan/fsp0701a.asp

I thought it would be a decent project to start with. I was also thinking about modifying it to accept retracts.

The reason why I wanted to get it now is that the designer is offering the vacuum formed plastic parts for sale and I don't know how long he is going to do it.

rcalfred

Maverick: Should be an interesting project. It's small enough so there aren't any major complications and it could be a good twin trainer. Some say "two engines, four times the trouble..." don't believe them. The sound of two 2Cs in sync is music to the ears. The retracts may be a bit ambitious but okay if they don't boost the weight too much. Keep us posted. Regards.

maverick

My Feedback: (12)

Yeah the A-10 project is something I have in the back of my mind for the future. Not necessarily something I am going to do tomorrow.

One complication I know of with retracts, would be that the forward nose gear actually retrtacts forward on the prototype and is offset to allow for the gun under the nose to be on the centreline to stop the massive recoil having any yaw affect on the airframe.

See here:

http://www.a-10.org/Photos97117/p.as...2907c023%2Ejpg

But I am very interested in doing this.

DIsaacks

I am going to build a F-18 by Mike Pastro feature some time ago in RCM. I read somewhere that a few laser places will take your plans and cut the whole kit. I stumbled across a site that already has the A-10 cut for you. Not sure if this still constitutes scratch building, but I think that would be the hardest part.

here is the page:
http://www.ajtlaser.com/index.html

maverick

My Feedback: (12)

Hey Slacker,

Thanks for the tip. I will have to go and investigate what they supply and for what price.

RGM

My Feedback: (5)

Kevin's right about the "having a little something different at the field" thing. Theres a gazillion plans out there, available for all interests and skill levels. You need not be an "expert" to build from plans. You're basically building from plans when you build a kit. Its just that somebody else cut the kit for you. A kit or two is a good beginning. Just be prudent in your selection of the plan you want to build. Match the plan with your abilities. Save the high dollar, ego building stuff for later when you have a better chance of success. The couple of MAN plans I've done over the years were pretty good.

G.F. Reid

My Feedback: (1)

Looks like a fairly straightforward build maverick.
One of the nice things about MAN plansets are the level of difficulty ratings they give them. I think they are a nice feature.
Here's a bit of plan trivia some may find useful. The plan number for MANs plans indicate the issue that the original article appeared in. 0701 means that they first appeared in the July 2001 issue.

maverick

My Feedback: (12)

Yeah, I thought it would be a reasonably good project to start with and something quite different from the usual planes een at the field.

I am a huge fan of the A-10 too, which helps!

budcop

My Feedback: (23)

Hi Maverick, let me know where I can get the Urivich book that you purchased, I want one, Have not seen the man plans, but here they are good, I am currently building the Cessna T-50 twin from Don Smith plans, it is going togather better than I thought it would, I would like to build the big bronco that Urivich has out next.........Bud.

G.F. Reid

My Feedback: (1)

Go to Model Airplane News' website store; https://www.rcstore.com/index.asp
Type "scratch building" (two words) in the "search" window and it'll come up. It's Item #2012

maverick

My Feedback: (12)

Greg already answered the questions. The online store is certainly one place you could buy it, but I personally bought it from my LHS. (Sheldon's)

http://www.sheldonshobbies.com/

I also bought the Covering R/C Airplanes Part 1 and Part 2 written by Faye Stilley. These are excellent books too.

Texan

My Feedback: (10)

I had good luck building a 1/4 scale Monocoupe 90A from MAN plans. The only problem that I discovered was that the plane was designed in the '70s to be powered by a FOX .60 engine. I decided not to try and fly a 15lb 96inch WS plane on a 60 size engine. So, I beefed up the wing and airframe to handle a G38. After all, IKON NW quarter scale Monocoupe 90a uses a G38 for power. The plane flies great!

flying2bill

My Feedback: (2)

Hey Texan, nice loking 'coupe, a lot of years ago there were a couple of guys in our hood building these things, I bought the plans so I could repair one. nice plans. They have tried all kinds of variations, around here from chopping the wing, to flaps, I've seen versions from 76" to full span with flaps, engines from .60 glow to 38cc gas. Appears the best set up is 85" span with 1.20 four stroke. Lots of power, fully aerobatic, looks good, even makes a good flat plane.