DESIGNED BY JOHN FERRER
AND BOB HATCH
TEXT BY BOB STALICK
Time Machine co-designer Bob Hatch holds Bob Stalick’s
version of the model at Harts Lake Prairie WA in 2005.
Bob Hatch preps the original “Red Airplane” for flight sometime in
the late 1980s at Harts Lake Prairie.
18 MODEL AVIATION
The author launches the Time
Machine FF Power model.
07sig1.QXD 5/23/07 1:37 PM Page 18
I FIRST SAW the Time Machine fly in the
early 1990s, when I attended an FF contest at
Harts Lake Prairie, Washington. Bob Hatch—
one of its co-designers—was putting up flight
after flight and max after max with it.
The pattern was flawless, with a loose
right turn in the rapid climb and a smooth
right turn into the glide. And what a glide! It
seemed just to soar. Thermaling was a cinch.
Then on one of the max flights the model
did not DT and was in another thermal. It
moved downwind and climbed higher and
higher. The field at Harts Lake Prairie is
surrounded by trees and creeks—not a good
place for a fly-away. Bob and others took off
running after the airplane, but it was gone!
I asked Bob about the Time Machine and
he filled me in on how it was designed, with
two people at different corners of the West
Coast putting their heads together to come up
with the model. He said:
“The late John Ferrer was a member of the
Balsa Bugs and was very active in promoting
building and flying, especially with new
people, both in and outside the club roster. He
said his major problem was convincing people
competitive models could be built in a
relatively short time.
“To prove his point, he designed the wing
and stabilizer for the model that would
become the Time Machine and led building
sessions during regular club meetings. He said
his goal was to have people complete a wing
and stabilizer during a club meeting, and it
happened often.
“I flew at the USFFC [US FF
Championships] at Taft [CA] sometime in the
late 1980s, and I lost my 1/2A Hydro Star in a
boomer. There was a contest coming up at
Harts Lake Prairie (in Washington), and I
needed an airplane.
“During a business trip to Los Angeles, I
was able to procure a built-up
wing and stabilizer combo
from one of these club building
sessions. I covered it, built a fuselage,
mounted a Tee Dee .049, finished up the
model, and four days later test flew it at
Sepulveda Basin. Thanks to John’s
contribution, the airplane built up faster than
anything I’ve done before or since.
“During the airplane’s tenure in my
hangar, it performed well, but did not take
home a lot of hardware, usually due to my
ineptitude. It did win a first at a Harts Lake
Prairie event where it DTed downwind, and I
could not find it. Later, the model was
returned to me by another flier who happened
If the 1/2A Time Machine does not do what is described in the text, you have
some work to do. Following are the most likely problems.
1) It goes to the left as soon as you launch it. Add one washer between the
left engine mount and the firewall and/or add a thin shim under the stabilizer TE.
Make only one of these adjustments at a time.
2) It veers to the right upon launch. Add one washer between the right engine
mount and the firewall and/or add a thin shim under the stabilizer LE. Make
only one of these adjustments at a time.
3) It climbs to the right upon launch, levels out until it picks up speed, and
then continues its right climb. Place a thin shim between the front stabilizer
mount and the stabilizer. The shim should span the full width of the stabilizer
mount.
4) It climbs to the right and continues in an upward direction until just before
the engine cuts out, when it veers to the left. Add a small tab of balsa to the right
side of the fin. This tab is made from 1/8 x 1/2 TE stock with the tapered end
facing the front of the model. This tab should be roughly 1/2 inch long. If you
have already added such a tab on the left side of the fin, remove it.
5) It dives after the engine cuts and takes a long time to settle down into the
glide. Add a 1/64 plywood shim between the stabilizer TE and the stabilizer
mount.
6) The glide has a stall after the model has transitioned. Make the glide
circle tighter by adding a shim between the stabilizer and the stabilizer mount on
the right side. (Raise the right stabilizer tip.) Or you can add a bit more weight to
the nose or add a thin shim between the stabilizer mount and the stabilizer. Make
one of these adjustments at a time and test-fly between each. MA
—Bob Stalick
July 2007 19
TroubleShooting A design
partnership
that went to
the max time
after time
07sig1.QXD 5/23/07 1:45 PM Page 19
20 MODEL AVIATION
These patterns were used to cut ribs and other components from 1/16 plywood.
After the ribs and tip plates are glued in, a straightedge is used to mark the ribs for a
notch to accept the top spar.
The stabilizer under construction. Notice that all ribs that have been installed face one
direction. The opposite-direction ribs go in next.
Bob Stalick with the Time Machine article
prototype. The design’s return to Harts
Lake Prairie was a proud moment.
across it as he was retrieving his lost model.
“The original model was lost in a boomer
thermal in the 1990s at Harts Lake. I was
tracking it with binoculars, saw it DT, and
watched it continue up and out of sight
heading southwest. It was the best AMA
model I ever had.”
Time went by and I continued to think
about Bob Hatch’s model, which he had been
calling the “Red Airplane.” As FF
competition models became more
sophisticated and full of gadgets, the Red
Airplane seemed an anachronism.
However, the AMA Free Flight Contest
Board had a better idea. Its members acted
upon and approved a change in the FF rules
several years ago and instituted the Classic
Gas event. This allows models without
variable surfaces to be flown in their own
classes. The Red Airplane became a candidate
for competition once more.
When the AMA Classic Gas rules went
into effect, I began harassing Bob Hatch for a
set of Red Airplane plans. After some
procrastination I received a set of rough-draft
plans and an extensive set of drawings and
commentary from him. It was all I needed to
build the model.
Bob got an early start on his new airplane
and had it constructed, without covering,
before Christmas. I started mine in January.
I was surprised by how well the model
went together. It built quickly, and the result
was a light, stiff airframe. I covered mine with
Microlite—a material that was new to me—
and Bob covered his with Japanese tissue.
The final plans were drawn by John
Anderson, who once owned Engineering: the
company that kitted the Geodetic Galaxie in
1/2A and A/B sizes. John used the three-views,
07sig1.QXD 5/23/07 1:45 PM Page 20
July 2007 21
Ready for covering, the finished airframe looks like a work of
modern art. It’s light, strong, and accurate.
This view of the fuselage’s left side shows the Tomy toy-style
homemade timer.
The stabilizer in the DTed position on its mount.
Bob Stalick’s Time Machine shows the tubing-tank installation inside
the fuselage, with fuel line running through the timer to the engine.
Photos by Bob Hatch, Al Likely, Bob Stalick
Type: FF
Wingspan: 45.75 inches
Weight: 190 grams without fuel
Wing area: 295.75 square inches
Length: 39.625 inches
Engine: Tee Dee .049
Construction: Balsa with plywood reinforcement
Covering/finish: Japanese tissue or equivalent
07sig1.QXD 5/23/07 3:38 PM Page 21
22 MODEL AVIATION
Full-Size Plans Available—See Page 215
07sig1.QXD 5/23/07 1:49 PM Page 22
notes, and drawing Bob provided to produce
CAD plans for our perusal.
I built my model from the Anderson plans,
with changes and errors noted during
construction. I sent all those modifications to
John for inclusion in the final plans copy. The
plans presented here were “flight tested” by
being used for the construction of a contestlevel
FF model.
It is tempting to start the “glue part A to
part B” process too soon, but you need to
decide a couple things first if you want to
build and compete with the 1/2A Time
Machine.
What engine, engine mount, and fuel
system do you want to use? This model has
been built and flown with the Cox Tee Dee
.049 and .051 engines and the Stels .049. It
can be flown with the Norvel (AME) .049 or
any of the current Russian or Chinese .049s.
Once you decide on the engine, you need
to determine how you want to mount it. For a
tank mount or long beam mount, as shown on
the plans, the firewall needs to be placed
immediately in front of and below the wing
LE and pylon. If you use a Hayes-style mount
or a Texas Timers backplate mount, you will
need to extend the front of the fuselage
forward by .6 inch.
Also decide whether you intend to use a
hard tank for fuel or a pressure system.
Gather all these parts and set them aside
for now.
What timer and DT system do you plan to
use? The current timer of choice is by Texas
Timers, but several are available.
If you want a timer with a built-in DT
system, you may want to get a Texas Max III.
If you are going to use a fuse or viscous timer,
a Texas Mini will do the trick (and allow you
to build the model lighter in the process).
In the photos you will see that I used an
old-style Tatone timer. This relic was still in
good condition and does the trick. Bob Hatch
used a homemade timer constructed from a
Tomy toy. Don’t bother with these; buy an
excellent Texas Timers product and use it.
Now that you have made those important
decisions, take a good look at the full-size
plans. In particular, study the wing and
stabilizer construction details. Notice the
difference.
Nearly all the ribs are diagonals. This is a
lightweight and sturdy structure. I had never
built a model with this kind of wing structure,
and I was interested in it. I recall seeing the
original Red Airplane fly and knew this
structure held together, but I didn’t realize
how light and warp resistant it was.
Gather all the materials you need to build
the model. All the sheet balsa should be
lightweight. I try for 6-pound-density C-grain
wood for the wing and stabilizer ribs. I use C
grain for the fuselage as well, but I look for 7-
to 8-pound density.
The pylon can be heavier still, but just a
bit. The fin is 3/32 C grain and lightweight (6-
pound stock). Bulkheads and formers can be
sturdier stock, as can the LEs of the wing and
stabilizer.
Once you have collected the wood, cut the
patterns for the wing and stabilizer ribs. I use
1/32 plywood for my patterns. Trace the
pattern directly from the plans onto the
plywood using carbon paper. (See your local
stationery store for this exotic, old-style stuff.)
Cut the patterns carefully with a sharp #11
X-Acto blade. Sand the rough edges off the
patterns. Cut the wing and stabilizer ribs from
lightweight C-grain balsa as indicated on the
plans.
CONSTRUCTION
Stabilizer: This is the perfect place to begin
building because the stabilizer is a smaller
version of each wing panel.
Roll the plans out on your building surface
and secure them with tape or thumbtacks. Put
waxed paper over the plans for the stabilizer.
Pin the LE in place as shown.
Trim a piece of 1/8 x 1/2 TE stock down to
3/32 x 3/8 by cutting 1/8 inch off the thick part
of the TE stock. Pin this piece in place on the
plans.
Fit all the S-1 ribs in place where shown
on the plans. If the ribs are too long, trim the
TEs down so they are a snug fit. If the ribs are
too short, move the TE closer to the LE to
accommodate. Glue the ribs in place using
Sig-Bond.
Dry-fit four of the geodetic ribs in place
with each rib at the same angle along the span
of the stabilizer. Sand an angle on each rib so
you get a good joint with the LE and TE. Glue
all the ribs in place.
When the glue on those angled ribs is
completely dry, sand the LE and TE on the
remaining four geodetic ribs so they are a
snug fit. Cut a slot in each rib from the
underside where it intersects the rib glued into
place. Cut a matching slot in each glued-inplace
rib on the top camber where it intersects
the yet-to-be-glued rib.
When you are satisfied that you have a
snug fit with the LE and TE and the ribs fit
completely into each other without warping or
bending any of the ribs, glue them in place
with Sig-Bond. Apply adhesive where the two
ribs intersect and at the LE and TE.
When these ribs are completely dry, and
before you unpin the stabilizer from the plans,
fit and glue the angled stabilizer tip in place.
Notch the geodetic ribs to accept the 3/32 x 1/8
top main spar. Glue the spar in place.
Adhere the S-2 ribs. Glue the 1/16-inch
diagonal gussets in place as shown. Notch the
ribs and glue the 3/32 x 3/32 front top spar in
place. Allow the stabilizer to set overnight
before unpinning it from the board.
When you unpin the stabilizer, notch the
ribs to accept the main spar on the underside.
Allow it to dry and then shape and sand the
LE. Use extremely fine sandpaper to carefully
sand down any rough spots. When you are
satisfied that the stabilizer is ready to prepare
for covering, set it aside.
Wing: Build the wing exactly as you did the
stabilizer. Think of each of the four wing
panels as a wide stabilizer.
Cut the LEs and TEs to size, and pin in
place on the plans. Notice that the place
where the wingtip panel and the main wing
panel join is angled. Make sure this angle is
built as shown; it will provide the appropriate
amount of washout to each wingtip after
covering.
Fit the straight ribs (W-1) as shown and
glue in place. These ribs are canted at the
dihedral joints. Use the template shown on
the plans to arrive at the correct angle to cant
these ribs. To do so, carefully trace this angle
onto 1/16 balsa sheet.
When gluing in the ribs where the main
and tip panels join, use this angled sheet of
balsa to determine how much angle each W-1
rib must have while gluing in place. Do the
same, using the center rib angle, to measure
the angle for the center W-1 ribs. Allow these
ribs to dry.
Fit the diagonal ribs. Glue in only those
that are in one direction. Fit the remaining
diagonal ribs, notch as needed to fit over the
diagonals glued in place, and glue them in
place. Fit the tip pieces and glue in place.
Notch the ribs, and glue in the top main
spar and the front turbulator spars on all wing
panels. Glue the W-2 ribs in place and add
gussets as indicated. Allow to dry overnight.
Remove each wing panel from the
building board and match the tip panels to the
main panels. You will probably need to sand
the spars, LEs, and TEs a bit to get them to be
a snug fit.
When you are satisfied with the fit, pin the
main panels to the building board. Using
blocks of wood or dope bottles, block up the
tip panels so each has a dihedral angle equal
to 2.6 (25/8) inches.
Apply Sig-Bond or epoxy to all surfaces
that mate, and pin in place. Allow to set for
eight hours.
When cured, fit the two main panels
together, sand the surfaces so they mate well,
and block up one panel so it has a dihedral
angle equal to 2.6 (25/8) inches. Glue together
and let cure for at least eight hours.
Remove the wing structure from the plans,
notch the underside of the ribs to accept the
bottom spar, and glue in place. The centersection
has doublers that extend
approximately a half rib bay past the centersection.
These doublers are made from 1/8 x 1/4
spar stock and are tapered. Notch the center
ribs to accept these doublers and glue in place.
Add any remaining gussets and then glue
in the 1/32-inch vertical webs as shown. These
add terrific strength to the wing for nearly no
weight. I glue them in place using
cyanoacrylate and use microballoons to fill in
any gaps.
When the wing is fully cured, shape the
LE and sand out any bumps and lumps. Set it
aside while you work on the fuselage.
Fuselage: This is basically a box structure
made to hold the wing and stabilizer in place
during flight. When I build fuselages I like to
kit all the parts so the assembly can proceed
without delay once I start. Following is how I
do it.
Cut the firewall parts as indicated. I
face the front of the firewall with
magnesium or aluminum sheet, which
allows thrust adjustments to be solid. If you
don’t have magnesium or aluminum, a piece
of 1/16 plywood will have to do.
When you have cut all the parts, notch
one to accept the 1/16-inch-diameter landing
skid. Bend the skid as shown. Use epoxy to
adhere all the parts with the landing skid in
place, clamp tightly, and set aside to cure.
When cured, locate the engine mount you
plan to use and clamp it to the firewall. Drill
holes through the firewall to match the
mounting holes in the engine mount.
Put 2-56 bolts in each hole in the engine
mount and through the firewall. Attach 2-56
blind nuts to the bolts and snug them up
tightly, using epoxy to adhere them solidly
to the back of the firewall. Allow to cure.
Cut the fin to shape using lightweight 3/32
C-grain balsa. Glue basswood strip (1/32 x
3/32) to the LE, the TE, and the tip. Let it dry.
Sand the fin to a symmetrical airfoil shape,
thinning it slightly as you near the tip.
Cut the pylon pieces from mediumweight
3/16 C-grain balsa. Glue the pieces
together as shown. Sand the LE to a round
cross-section and taper the TE.
Cut the wing platform from 3/32 balsa.
Glue the pieces together with the grain
running side to side. Glue the 3/32 hard balsa
or spruce runners on top of each side of the
platform.
Cut the fuselage formers from firm balsa.
Label them as you cut them so they don’t get
mixed up.
Find a nice piece of straight-grain 1/16
balsa for the fuselage sides. It should be 7- to
9-pound stock (and should weigh 12-15
grams). Trim this sheet so it is straight on
each side. Draw the fuselage sides on it, with
the top of the fuselage even with the sides of
the sheet.
The bottom of the fuselage is two cuts.
From the fuselage to the rear of the pylon is
a straight line, and from the rear of the pylon
to the back of the fuselage is another straight
line at a slight angle, tapering to the rear.
Pin the fuselage sides to the plans
bottom/
top view, with the top down onto the
building board. Block the fuselage off the
plans by using 1/16 balsa scraps. Make sure
the sides are lined up straight and that the
front and rear are exactly as shown.
When satisfied that this is the case, epoxy
the firewall in place. The landing gear
should be pointing up and away from the
building board.
When cured, glue in formers F-4 through
F-8. When cured, remove from the plans.
Glue formers F-1 through F-3 to either
side of the pylon, as shown on the plans. Slip
the pylon in place where shown on the plans.
Make sure it fits closely and does not warp
the fuselage when in place.
If you want to lighten the model, you can
remove some of the pylon material between
ribs F-1 and F-2 and between F-2 and F-3. If
you are mounting a hard tank or plan to use
space to install a tubing tank, the pylon
between F-1 and F-2 needs to be removed.
Make sure you leave enough material to
support the formers.
When satisfied with the fit, use Sig-Bond
to adhere the formers to the inside of the
fuselage. Pin the formers in place, making
sure the pylon has the same height above the
fuselage at the LE as it does at the TE. Set the
structure aside to dry.
It is critical to be careful when you glue
the fin in place. Make sure it is lined up with
the pylon so it gives no left or right turn; it
must be straight. It must not lean to one side
or the other. When you are satisfied that it is
positioned correctly, use cyanoacrylate to
glue the front of the fin to the center/back of
F-8.
Use Sig-Bond to adhere scrap tail blocks,
which should be 1/8 inch thick, in place on
either side of the fin/fuselage side joint. Pin in
place, sighting down the fin to assure
alignment before it cures.
Using 1/32 medium balsa, glue the top of
the fuselage in place with the grain running
from side to side across the fuselage.
It is time to install the 1/16 plywood rear
stabilizer mount. Cut the piece from plywood
as shown. Drill a 1/8-inch-diameter hole in the
center of the stabilizer mount, and glue it in
place immediately in front of the fin.
Insert a Nyrod-brand yellow tube into this
hole, with the excess exiting the bottom of the
fuselage as shown on the plans. Bend the
Nyrod to a shallow angle and have it exit the
left side of the fuselage. This tube can be
heated with the soldering iron to make it
easier to shape. Use cyanoacrylate to secure
everything.
Fuel Tank: Skip this part if you are using an
external tank or tank mount. If you are using a
hard tank mounted in the fuselage or a tubing
tank, which is installed inside the fuselage, it
is time to install it.
If you are using a hard tank, mount it so
the fill tubes exit the right side of the fuselage
and the pickup tube exits just in front of the
timer or just beneath it. Mount the tank
directly behind the timer between formers F-1
and F-2, in the area where portions of the
pylon should have been removed.
I normally use epoxy to secure the tank
and fuel lines. You can also use silicon
adhesive (tub caulk).
If you need a space to install a tubing tank,
it’s located in the area between F-1 and F-2.
The tubing-tank fuel line should exit the
underside of the fuselage. I usually cover the
inside of the fuselage in this location with
several coats of clear epoxy paint for fuelproofing
purposes.
The exit hole needs to be reinforced to
keep it intact. I typically use some form of
hard plastic with an interior opening diameter
of roughly .5 inch.
Covering the Fuselage Bottom: Cover the
bottom of the fuselage with cross-grain 1/32
balsa, just as you did the top of the fuselage.
Use Sig-Bond and pin it in place, being
careful not to warp the fuselage.
If you are using a tubing tank, you may
want to reinforce the area under the tank
location. I added a piece of 1/64 plywood that
runs the width of the fuselage and from the
firewall to former F-2. This is the area where
the hole for inserting the fuel tank is located.
Once all this assembly has cured, carve
and sand the fuselage top and bottom flush
with the fuselage sides. Get rid of any lumps,
excess firewall sides, fin area, etc. Glue the
wing mount onto the pylon, making sure it is
centered, aligned with no slanting. Install the
wing hold-down dowels.
Place the TE on the rear stabilizer mount.
Use a pen to mark the stabilizer LE’s location
on the top of the fuselage. Put the front
stabilizer mount in place according to the
mark you made. Make sure the stabilizer
shows a bit of right tilt (its right tip should be
higher than its left tip) when you put it on the
mount.
The amount of stabilizer tilt will vary
between models, but a rule of thumb is that it
should be approximately the same angle as
the main panel of the wing. When satisfied
that it is correct, glue the stabilizer mount in
place.
If you are like me, you will rubber-band
the pieces together and pretend as though you
are launching and gliding the model. When
you are done with this bit of fantasy, it is time
to cover your masterpiece.
Covering: Decide what material you will use.
If it is Microlite or similar plastic covering,
the task is simple. Follow the directions on the
package, which is what I did, and it will work
fine.
The only difficulty I had was applying the
AMA numbers. This went better when I
spritzed water onto the wing, which kept the
adhesive from grabbing the covering material.
If you are going to cover with Japanese
tissue, you have a couple choices. If you are
using the standard dope, thinner, and tissue
system, as Bob Hatch did, you need to put
clear nitrate dope on all structures that will be
touching the tissue.
Sand between each coat of dope and then
apply another. Before covering you should
have at least three base coats of clear nitrate
sanded between coats.
Apply the tissue using thinner for
adhesion. Spritz water on all open structures
and allow it to dry. Apply two coats of
thinned nitrate dope. Trim with tissue AMA
numbers, apply three or four more coats of
clear dope, and then add a coat or two of
AeroGloss Fuel Proofer or an equivalent.
Many FFers cover their models’ fuselages
with tissue, as I do. Many do not. If you
decide not to cover it, the fuselage needs to be
fuel-proofed with at least two coats of epoxy
paint. If you cover with tissue, the final coat
needs to be clear epoxy for fuel-proofing.
Final Assembly: The last steps include
installing all the wire pieces in the stabilizer
and fuselage.
Notice that the stabilizer has a hold-down
hook glued in place (use cyanoacrylate) on the
center rib after covering. The DT line runs
through the yellow Nyrod, through the hole in
the rear stabilizer mount, through a similar
hole drilled into the stabilizer TE, and is
looped around the hold-down hook.
The DT line is held in place when the
rubber band is attached to this hook. A similar
hook is mounted on the top of the fuselage in
front of the stabilizer mount and is used to
assist with raising the stabilizer under DT.
The hook alongside the fuselage under the
pylon is the other end of the DT line. The line
has a wire loop at this end. This is where the
rubber band is placed to put pressure on the
line so the rear of the stabilizer is held down
when the line is taut.
Notice where the DT line is. You can see
that a snuffer tube is located there underneath
the rubber band, which holds the line taut.
Mark that spot and drill a 1/4-inch-diameter
hole all the way through the fuselage there.
Cut a piece of 1/4-inch OD (outside diameter)
aluminum tubing to size and cyanoacrylateglue
it into this location.
You will not need to install a snuffer tube
if you use a DT timer, but the DT line needs
to align with the timer arm. When it is fully
attached it should be taut enough to hold the
stabilizer securely in place.
The DT line should be set so that when
the timer or fuse releases the line, the
stabilizer TE pops into place at
approximately 60°. Use a small washer or
knot to limit the amount of line released so it
approximates this angle.
The wing should be aligned with the wing
mount so it fits in the same place flight after
flight. I use a 1/4-inch-diameter dowel, split in
half, for this purpose. The dowels are
approximately 1/2-3/4 inch long and are lined
up with the wing placed exactly as desired on
the wing mount.
Turn the model upside down with the
wing rubber-banded in place. Carefully place
one of the dowel halves on the wing
immediately next to the wing mount. Adhere
the dowel to the wing using a minute amount
of cyanoacrylate. Repeat with each dowel.
When you are finished, remove the wing.
(This should be easy if you haven’t glued the
wing to the wing mount.) Cyanoacrylate-glue
the dowels in place securely and apply a coat
or two of fuel-proofer to keep them sealed.
Complete an AMA model-identification
sheet and adhere it to the model in an obvious
place. (Not under the wing, where someone
Flight Preparation: Assuming you have
finished your Time Machine and strapped it
together, and you have the engine and timer
mounted with a propeller on the engine, you
are ready to prepare for flight.
Make sure the model is balanced. The
plans show the balance point at 80% (51/4
inches from the wing LE). Using a felt-tip
pen, mark this location on either side of the
pylon. Hold your fingers up under the wing
platform at this location.
Does the model nose down or slip
backward? It probably does one or the other.
Add weight to the nose if it is tail-heavy or
add weight to the tail if it is nose-heavy.
This airplane will probably be a bit tailheavy.
If it is within 1/4 inch of balancing on
the CG, don’t do anything; that is close
enough. If it is way off, you will need to add
weight. To add weight to the nose, move the
engine farther forward by installing one or
more rings of aluminum sheet cut to the size
of the engine mount. Do this until the model
balances. This procedure is a bit tedious, but it
does the trick and does not add a bunch of
weight.
If the model is nose-heavy, add lead to the
tail by installing flat lead sheets inside the
fuselage behind former F-8. Use
cyanoacrylate to adhere the lead in place. I
have also used a penny for weight and
adhered it to the fuselage with cyanoacrylate.
Test Flights: Find an area where some grass
is 6 inches or taller. Hold the model above
your head, face into the wind, and launch it
with a slight downward glide angle aiming at
a point roughly 25 feet away.
The model will probably dive. The
solution is to put packing material under the
stabilizer TE. Start with a strip of 1/64
plywood adhered to the rear platform with
cyanoacrylate.
Glide again. If the model looks like it is
gliding, you are ready for the next step. If it
still dives, add more 1/64-inch strips until it has
a floating-type glide, nearing a stall.
The original models took a bit of
shimming to the stabilizer rear platform to get
the glide right. The amount of shimming
ranged from 1/64 to 1/16 inch.
You want the model to have a floating
glide and turn to the right. Check to see that
the stabilizer right tip is higher than the
left. In fact, the right side of the stabilizer
should be approximately equal to the angle
on the right main panel of the wing.
If the model does not glide with a slight
bit of right turn, add more stabilizer tilt by
cutting a small piece of 1/64 plywood and
gluing it on the right side of the front
stabilizer mount. Glue it at the edge of the
mount so the stabilizer has more tilt to the
right. Test-glide again.
The plans show two small trim tabs on
the left side of the fin, which would keep
the model from climbing too tightly to the
right. Wait until you have put in a powered
test flight or two before adding these tabs.
They may be unnecessary.
Power Test Flights: Before you head out
to the flying field, make sure the engine
runs, the timer shuts it off, and that when
you put a fuse in the snuffer tube and light
it or when the DT function on the timer
works, the stabilizer actually pops up into
DT mode.
When I am testing a new model I like
to go out to part of the field where I am
not apt to hit someone else—in case my
airplane doesn’t fly right. I also want to be
away from the well-wishers so I can
concentrate on the task.
Assemble the airplane using plenty of
rubber bands to hold everything together.
Start the engine, but do not peak it out. Set
the timer for a short flight of two to three
seconds and light the fuse (or set the DT
timer for no more than 30 seconds).
Launch at an approximate 45° angle
into the wind. The Time Machine should
climb out and away quickly. If it does and
it looks safe, increase the engine run times
and lean out the engine. If all continues to
be well, increase the engine run to the full
seven seconds allowed in Category III
Classic Gas.
The model should climb to the right in
a loose spiral, making one turn on the way
up. When it gets to the end of the engine
run it should transition into a floating right
glide with circles of roughly 200-plus feet.
If it does, you have done everything
right. All you need to do then is work on
improving power by choosing more
efficient propellers, increasing the fuel’s
nitromethane content, etc.
The Time Machine is an extraordinarily
competent 1/2A Gas design that can and
should be built as lightly as possible. The
available power choices are excellent; any
strong 1/2A engine can be employed.
In the newly approved Classic Gas event,
the rules allow any model as long as it is not
equipped with auto surfaces. The Time
Machine meets this criteria. It can be flown in
Category II or III events and will be
competitive in either.
All of us involved in bringing you this
design are interested in your experiences with
it. We hope you enjoy it and that it puts
you in the winner’s circle. Just put it in a
thermal and wait until it DTs. Good luck
from all of us. MA
Bob Stalick
[email protected]
Sources:
Support your local hobby shop to find
most materials needed to build the Time
Machine. If you are unable to find what you
need or live far away from a hobby shop,
contact the following.
Timers, engine backplate mounts, fuel
fittings, tubing tanks:
Texas Timers
3317 Pine Timbers Dr.
Johnson City TN 37604
(423) 282-6423
www.texastimers.com
Engines, timers, covering materials,
propellers, DT fuse, balsa, FF accessories:
Campbell’s Custom Kits
31 Fletcher St.
Anderson IN 46016
(765) 683-1749
www.campbellscustomkits.com
Balsa, hardwood, aircraft plywood, Norvel
engines, covering materials, nitrate dope:
Sig Manufacturing Co.
Box 520
Montezuma IA 50171
(641) 623-5154
www.sigmfg.com
