Conference vmszoo::rc

    Bob,
    
    I've got one - needed something for the 40 I had hanging around.
    
    Bought it last Tuesday and in about three evenings of work, I've
    got the entire thing framed.  It really goes together fast!
    
    Well engineered, I'm impressed with the quality of the kit, a couple 
    pieces of wood were iffy, but all-in-all it's pretty good.  Looks like
    it should be as strong as a baseball bat (but not as heavy!).
    
    Hope to be ready in another week or so to fly it....
    
    Chris

    Chris,
    	Mine arrived just last night. I probably will start building over
    the weekend. My plan is to get my first 4 cycle for it. Probably around
    50 size. I will read instructions tonight and see if anything jumps out
    at me. Keep in touch.
    
    Bob G.
    

     How much does this kit sell for? I've seen the advertisement in RCM,
    but as usual, no price givin. Looks like a nice sunday sport flyer or
    fun fly craft.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Bernie

    From a Hobby Shop (where I got mine) the high $50.00 range,  Not
    sure about mail-order - Bob?
    
    Chris

    	I must have got took. I paid $69.95 direct from Sig. I did not see
    any advertisements from Tower, ect.

    Bob,
    
    Don't think you got "took", seems as though you paid list price
    though.
    
    I'd also think that the major discounters have the kit in stock
    and could quote a price, but, with the lead-times it takes for the
    ad's in the magazines we may not see a discounted price for a couple
    more months.
    
    By the way, mine is covered and should get the radio and engine
    this week (schedule permitting).  Hope to have a flight report by
    next week....
    
    Chris

    
    Bob,
    
    My Four-Star finally took to the air about two weeks ago.  So far,
    I've got about 10 flights on it.  Flies like a dream...very responsive
    and aerobatic - and very easy to take off and land.   It's fast,
    but by no means a "screamer".  I've got an O.S. 40 SF in mine.
    
    I'd say it's a good sport-plane value for the money.  I now see
    them being advertised in the low $40 range via mail-order.
    
    I hope Sig brings out a bipe version, I think it'd be a real winner!
    
    I can also see Panic-stricken Dan Snow stuffing a 1.2 into one!
    
    Chris

    
    Chris,
    	Sounds like a winner. I fell behind in my building but I was away
    on vacation. Just last night I was talking to club members about the
    4-star. I want to put my first 4-stroker in it. Enya makes a .53 which
    the specs call for. However they also make a .60 and an .80 that they
    say fits in the .60 mounting holes with very little weight gain.
    What do you think? Is there room in the nose? I have at home a 
    0.S. 40FP and an older .45 FSR ABC. Which would you use?
    
    Regards,
    Bob G.

    Bob,
    
    An Enya .53 4-stroke would be a real good combination in this model.
    I personally wouldn't put anything larger than a 4-stroke .60 in
    it.  If your older (.46?) FSR runs well, that would be a nice
    combination as well.
    
    It's really not designed to be a "rocket-ship", but as I mentioned,
    it has a nice flight envelope with a decent .40 in it.
    
    I may experiment and put my .48 Surpass in mine and see what
    characteristics that combination has.
    
    Chris

    Chris,
    	Finally started building. Where there any pitfalls or things to do
    better? I started with the fuse, looks straightforward. For the landing
    gear I used 3 (1/4-20) nylon bolts into the gear block, not the 6-32's
    they suggest. I like them to snap off rather than tear the block out of
    the plane. I then trimmed the ends off flush with the block so they
    don't pertrude.
    	In the wing instructions I don't like how they put in the leading
    edge dowel into the wing. In the Goldberg Skytiger the center ribs
    aalready had a cutout to slide the dowel into then glue the rib in. I
    may cut the dowel hole out first rather than as instructed.
    	Keep in touch.
    
    Bob G.

    
    Bob,
    
    I can't think of too many things that will trip you up when your
    building your four-star.  It really does go together pretty easily.
    
    A couple of mod's I did make
    
    1) Thicker Firewall (thought the kit's was too "flimsy")
    
    2) Better bracing on the tail surfaces.  I put a balsa "fairing"
       on the top and bottom of the horizontal stab for more rigidity.
       In a rough landing I had, the fairing held, but the fuse in 
       front of the stab cracked.  So you might want to think about
       what the plans call for her, at the expense of a slight weight
       gain.
    
    3) Some of the hardware you may or may not want to use.  The Ny-rods
       are especially flimsy.  The hinges will work, but aren't my first
       choice.
    
    4) Could just have been my model, but the blocks that hold the torque
       rods for the ailerons were significantly oversized.  Had to do
       quite a bit of surgery to get the wing to fit properly in the
       wing saddle.
    
    
    Have fun, let me know if I can help...
    
    Chris

    Chris,
    	I am still in the process of building. I did add 1/4 triangle
    stock to the foremers for strength. A guide line I use is if I can see
    light at the joint, it needs reinforcement. I used the plan to
    cut out balsa from the w1 ribs as I said I would in the previous note.
    Just don't like drilling into wing after its built. I also did not put
    on sheeting until I joined wing halves. I like to use clothespins to
    clamp dihedral brace to spar for better fit. I also redid the shear
    webs so that they glue to spars top and bottom. I didn't like that the
    instructions say to glue to bottom spar then center on cutout line in
    ribs and place top spar on. To much room for error I thought.
    
    Keep in touch,
    Bob G 

    
    I just finished my second 4 Star 40 and have a minor suggestion:
    
    THROW THE TAILWHEEL ASSEMBLY AWAY!!!  Go and buy an ACE tailwheel
    assembly, about $1.89. and use it.  It has a nylon/plastic piece
    that you epoxy to the fuse and a 90 degree bend that goes into the
    rudder.  The kit supplied unit will not withstand a hard landing.
    It bends and breaks the rudder balsa.  (I can't figure out why
    designers expect a 1/4" piece of balsa to withstand any type of
    landing.  
    
    Well, that's my 1.89 suggestion.
    
    :-)