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Conference vmszoo::rc

Title:Welcome To The Radio Control Conference
Notice:dir's in 11, who's who in 4, sales in 6, auctions 19
Moderator:VMSSG::FRIEDRICHS
Created:Tue Jan 13 1987
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1706
Total number of notes:27193

1464.0. "Albatros DI anyone?" by SSDEVO::LUNT (HSC Engineering) Fri Oct 23 1992 17:41

    Anyone ever heard of a Albatros DI kit?  That is the first plane that 
    the Red Baron flew in combat during WWI.  Later he flew the Albatros
    DII.  He almost died in the faulty designed DIII (Immelman died when 
    his wing broke apart in a DIII).  And later he flew his famous red
    Fokker tri-plane at the end of his short lived (80 kills career).
    
    Might be kinda fun to fly the Albatros model DI - piece of history!
    (don't think I'd like to try the tri-plane - heard bi-planes are hard 
    enough to fly as it is).  
    
    Thanks,
    Dave
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
1464.1Haven't heard/seen the Albatross but...HANNAH::REITHJim HANNAH:: Reith DSG1/2E6 235-8039Mon Oct 26 1992 07:456
The Triplane flies fine

The wheel base is a bit small so it's interesting on the ground but once airborne
it flies fine. One of my club's instructors has one and I'm always trading 
sticktime with him on something wierd I've brought along. Spins nice and flat 
inverted 8^)
1464.2Biplanes Don't GlideDV780::BEATTYMon Oct 26 1992 11:586
    I don't think biplanes are that much more difficult to fly, however,
    they glide like a brick and dead stick landings take on a whole new
    meaning!
    
    Will
    
1464.3can a rusty flier safely land a bi-plane?SSDEVO::LUNTHSC EngineeringWed Oct 28 1992 15:155
    Thanks for the tip about dead stick landings - you care to elaborate on
    that?  (ie - so how do I land one when its out of petrol?)  I'd kinda
    like to hear that before I fly one.
    
    Dave  (whos last stick time was 7 years ago)
1464.4Keep the speed upHANNAH::REITHJim HANNAH:: Reith DSG1/2E6 235-8039Wed Oct 28 1992 15:3513
Well, the easiest thing is to keep the nose down and keep the speed up and 
flair when you get close to the ground. The hardest thing to convince yourself 
to do is to put in some down elevator to keep the plane moving. Elevator 
becomes your throttle and down elevator makes you go faster. Most planes 
fly more efficiently at higher speeds and a plane that gets going too slow may 
snap and spin or it might just mush along and you get nowhere but down fast.

My Panic (bi-plane) reminds me of this each time I deadstick land. You also 
should avoid tight turns since the added drag will slow you down more and get 
you into trouble. Many times I've tried to haul the Panic around real tight 
only to bleed off all my airspeed and start mushing in. You then need to trade 
altitude for speed and this can be difficult if there isn't a lot left when you 
finish the turn.
1464.5Somthing to Compensate ForDV780::BEATTYFri Oct 30 1992 13:0011
    I had a marks funscale pitts with jedelsky style wings.  It would
    literally glide at about a 35 or 40 degree angle of descent.  The previous 
    comment about turning was somthing I'd forgotten about.  For example if
    I was in the downwind leg of a landing and the power died I would have
    to land straight on.  A regular airfoil may not be quite as severe but
    I remember a friend with an ACE 4-40 Biplane and it too came down fast
    if the power died.  Its just somthing to keep in mind.  I eventually
    changed my landing patterns to a high downwind and base and just cut
    the power on final to drop it in.
    
    Will
1464.6thanksSSDEVO::LUNTHSC EngineeringMon Nov 02 1992 15:273
    thanks for the tips.
    
    dave