Placing the e’SinBad next to the transmitter
provides a better feel for how small it actually is.
The Retro RC e’SinBad the Sailor
is nostalgic for some, especially
those of us who built models
in the 1940s. The original Sinbad
came out as a kit in 40- and 50-inch
wingspan versions by Berkeley Models.
The company, headed by Bill Effi nger,
was started in 1933 when a $1.80
ad, promoting the mail-order supply
house, was placed in Model Airplane
News magazine.
The business was located on
Berkeley Place in Brooklyn, New York.
The company produced its fi rst kit in
1934. Its fi rst gas design was the Buhl
Pup followed by the Buccaneer 88.
Sal Taibi joined Berkeley in 1938,
prototyping and producing gas designs.
Henry Struck came in next and the
American Ace, New Ruler, Sinbad, and
Flying Cloud were kitted. Berkeley
produced more than 200 designs, most
in the Scale category, but many contest
designs were created by Henry Struck,
Woody Blanchard, Dick Korda, Ben
Shereshaw, Bill Winter, Walt Good,
Ron St. Jean, and Don McGovern. Do
any of those names sound familiar to
you older modelers?
The Super was the last of the Sinbad
gliders by Berkeley and did not come
out until the company had been sold.
Bill Effi nger later went into the plans
business, known as W.E. Technical
Service. He was inducted into the AMA
Hall of Fame in 1986.
The Retro RC SinBad is an original
design by Mark Freeland, Retro RC’s
owner. Mark does his own design work
and laser cutting and has an enormous
passion for small airplanes. His wife,
Barbara, helps out when needed. It is a
small business and new on the scene.
The SinBad is a laser-cut kit with a
fully built-up, diamond-section, crutch
fuselage, based on the 1940s Berkeley
Sinbad the Sailor. The power pod is
included when you order the e’SinBad
the Sailor 36.
The Retro RC SinBad is a versatile
glider which can be built for RC, FF,
towline, hi-start, or Slope Soaring;
however, the most popular version is the
RC park fl yer
The kit comes in a plastic slip with 147 laser-cut parts on 14 sheets of wood. The necessary hardware, the laser-cut, plastic windshield, and an assembly and flying instruction manual are included.
These are the completed airframe parts before sanding. The parts were sanded with 220-grit sandpaper and then with 400-grit sandpaper before covering.
Small plastic guide tubes for the pull-pull linkage are placed to provide exit points in the covering. Sheet four of the instructions explains the routing of pull-pull lines and location of the tubes.
The kit comes in a plastic slip with 147 laser-cut parts on 14 sheets of wood. Also included are the necessary hardware, a laser-cut plastic windshield, and an assembly and flying instruction manual. The laser-cut parts are self-aligning, but not interlocking. A small set of plans, with reference part numbers, is included and is a big help.
The wings plug together on wire joiners before being banded to the top of the fuselage and the tail group can be built to disassemble from the fuselage. The model can be broken down and stored in a small box for transportation or storage.
The optional electric power pod, included when you buy the e’SinBad the Sailor 36 kit, is inserted on the wing joiner wires and sandwiched between the wings, transforming the SinBad into a docile park flyer.
Construction
The parts numbers are not individually marked on the sheets. It is worth your time to compare the laser-cut sheet parts with those shown in the instructions and mark the parts.
I removed each part by cutting the little sprues holding them in place using an X-Acto knife. Don’t try to pop them out; you will break them. If you do break or lose one or more parts, Retro RC will replace a limited number for free. A larger number of parts can be obtained for a nominal charge.
I started constructing the fuselage first. I laid down the kit’s plastic slip material on the building board to prevent glue from sticking. Pinning down the crutch, I began by placing the parts on the crutch, and using thin Mercury M5T CA.
I cut the laser-cut parts from the sheet as needed and installed them. They fit together well. The nose parts were laminated then sanded to shape. I used white glue for laminating the parts that required it.
After all of the parts were installed, I removed the bottom half from the building surface and began installing parts on the top half. The fuselage quickly took shape; this is not a very big airplane. Be careful when handling it. I broke some stringers in the fuselage.
The front hatch is made from several laminations and then sanded to shape. It is held in place with two dowels in the rear and a magnet in the front. A short dowel pin, located aft of the magnet, keys it in place to keep it from wandering.
I sanded the hatch until the lamination lines began to disappear and it took shape. It was slightly more work, but rewarding when completed.
The tail parts quickly came together. After removing the parts from the sheets, they can be arranged, aligned, and glued together. The elevators are part of the stabilizer’s TE and can be sanded along with the stabilizer. Cut those later in order to maintain thickness and flatness.
Laser slots were precut in the rudder and elevator to install the plywood control horns for the pull-pull linkage. Again, the parts fit together well, promoting fast building. After completing this build, I sanded the parts with 220-grit sandpaper and put them aside for covering.
The wings were easy to build with all of the parts precut. The TE parts and bottom center sheeting were glued together and pinned down. The main spar, with notched rib locations,
Installing the
radio shows
how little room
is available.
Removing some
of the bulkheads
in the hatch
provides room
for the battery.
The optional electric-power pod, included when you buy the e’SinBad
the Sailor 36 kit, is inserted on the wing joiner wires and sandwiched
between the wings.
With shaping completed
on the hatch and nose of
the fuselage, the hatch
is held in place with two
dowels in the back and
a magnet in the front.
A short dowel keys it in
place.
was located with three or four ribs and pinned down.
After gluing the ribs in place, the LE was next, followed by
the top spar. Before installing the top sheeting, I installed the
aluminum tubing for the wire wing joiners in the end of the
wing with 30-minute Mercury epoxy and capped it off with a
plywood rib.
The top sheeting was laser cut to shape and was applied
with Mercury M5T CA. This is how I built both wing panels.
Leave them fl at until the glue cures to prevent warping. The
parts fi t well and the assembly was straightforward.
With only a few laser-cut parts, the power pod
assembled quickly. I had a problem getting the
motor in far enough to lock it in place with the
front rings. I routed out some of the material
from the back end of the mount to help move
the motor further aft, and this did the trick.
After assembling and sanding, I trial-fi t the pod
between the wings and mounted the wings on
the fuselage. Now it was on to fi nal sanding and
covering.
Space for the receiver,
ESC, and battery is
tight in the SinBad and
the instructions don’t
help. I left the fuselage
uncovered until I
fi gured it out.
I used the new
Spektrum AR400 sport receiver, which fi t well in the space
ahead of the servos. The 300 mAh, two-cell battery will fi t
in the hatch, but you have to carefully remove some of the
bulkheads in it to do so. My ESC was 1.0 x .5 x .4 inches in
size. I added an extra shelf below the servos
and located it there, using Velcro to hold it in
place.
The receiver had a 7-inch antenna, so I
embedded a soda straw along the side of the
fuselage, under the covering, to hold it. The
servo and ESC wires were folded neatly to
shorten the leads and tucked in gently.
I covered the SinBad with Solite to keep
the weight down and to prevent the airframe
from warping. If you have never used Solite, you need to know
how to get the backing off and how to deal with the static
electricity that causes it to adhere to itself after the backing is
removed. It is diffi cult to get apart. Aside from these “sticking
points,” it is wonderful stuff to work with.
I covered the top half of the fuselage fi rst. This allowed me
to easily install the pull-pull leads to the rudder and elevator.
Then I covered the bottom half. I set my iron for 300° and
used an iron sock, which required a higher temperature
setting. I have a heavy covering iron sock that uses double layer
T-shirt material. It is $5, including postage (see “Sources”).
The graphics in the SinBad kit are slide-off water decals, but
I bought an identical vinyl set from Callie Graphics for $9.
Flying the e’SinBad
Before fl ying the SinBad, I checked out the CG. Setting it up
on my Great Planes CG Machine I found it was slightly nose
heavy and added .2 ounces to the tail, increasing the fl ying
weight to 4.7 ounces. After setting the control throws (easy on
the elevator), it was ready to fl y.
On a perfect day at the fi eld, I hand launched it into a
light wind. A slight warp in the left wing caused a left turn.
I corrected this with the rudder for the rest of the fl ight. I
removed the warp and trimmed the elevator up slightly and
fl ew out a battery.
SPECIFICATIONS
Model type: Nostalgic park fl yer
Skill level: Intermediate builder; intermediate pilot
Wingspan: 36 inches
Wing area: 127 square inches
Airfoil: Flat bottom
Length: 20 inches
Weight: 3 to 5 ounces
Radio: Four-channel radio with two microservos
ESC: 5-amp brushed ESC
Battery: Two-cell 300 mAh
Motor: GWSEPD/50XC
Price: $69.99
TEST-MODEL DETAILS
Radio system: Spektrum DX8 radio; Spektrum AR400 receiver;
two HobbyKing 3.7-gram servos; GWS 100C ESC;
300 mAh 2S battery.
Ready-to-fl y weight: 4.7 ounces
Flight duration: 10 minutes (if you fl y it high and let it glide)
Construction: Laser-cut balsa and plywood
Finish: Solite covering material
PLUSES
• Accurate, laser-cut parts.
• Plug-in wing panels.
• Easy to transport.
• Scalelike outline.
• Good written instructions.
MINUSES
• Instruction pictures too small.
• No radio installation information.
• Propeller is hard to mount on motor shaft.
• Required tail weight.
AT A GLANCE ...
The e’SinBad exhibits docile flight characteristics
in the air, yet it is responsive to control inputs
using rudder, elevator, and throttle.
The e’SinBad
fl ies moderately
fast and is not a
fl oater. You have
to keep your eye on it. When banking, don’t let one wing get too
low or it will tend to dive in, which is typical of an airplane with
this much dihedral. However, it is docile, the controls are effective,
and it can be slowed down in the air by keeping a little power on.
Because it is short coupled, it doesn’t take much elevator in fl ight.
After getting used to its habits, I found it enjoyable to fl y.
Conclusion
The SinBad is a small glider and will test your building skills. It
starts out simply, but as you progress, things such as installing the
electronics become more complicated and require patience.
The laser-cut parts fi t together well. The instructions left you
on your own at times, with small pictures, but were (for the most
part) understandable. My fi nished e’SinBad was a joy to see and fl y.
Fans of small airplanes will enjoy putting the SinBad together
and watching it soar. It’s a bit of nostalgia wherever you take it,
and the older crowd will say, “I remember that airplane. I had one
when I was a kid.”
—Jerry Smith
[email protected]
MANUFACTURER/DISTRIBUTOR:
Retro RC
(248) 212-9666
www.retrorc.us.com
SOURCES:
Horizon Hobby
(800) 338-4639
www.horizonhobby.com
Du-Bro Products
(800) 848-9411
www.dubro.com
HobbyKing
www.hobbyking.com
Toni’s Iron Cover Sock
(770) 917-4928
[email protected]
Mercury Adhesives
(678) 513-4450
www.mercuryadhesives.com
Callie Graphics
(505) 228-2692
www.callie-graphics.com
Hear from the designer!
Watch a video of Jay Smith talking with the
designer of the e’SinBad in our tablet app,
or online at www.ModelAviation.com/sinbad.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2013/04
Page Numbers: 67,68,69,70
Edition: Model Aviation - 2013/04
Page Numbers: 67,68,69,70
Placing the e’SinBad next to the transmitter
provides a better feel for how small it actually is.
The Retro RC e’SinBad the Sailor
is nostalgic for some, especially
those of us who built models
in the 1940s. The original Sinbad
came out as a kit in 40- and 50-inch
wingspan versions by Berkeley Models.
The company, headed by Bill Effi nger,
was started in 1933 when a $1.80
ad, promoting the mail-order supply
house, was placed in Model Airplane
News magazine.
The business was located on
Berkeley Place in Brooklyn, New York.
The company produced its fi rst kit in
1934. Its fi rst gas design was the Buhl
Pup followed by the Buccaneer 88.
Sal Taibi joined Berkeley in 1938,
prototyping and producing gas designs.
Henry Struck came in next and the
American Ace, New Ruler, Sinbad, and
Flying Cloud were kitted. Berkeley
produced more than 200 designs, most
in the Scale category, but many contest
designs were created by Henry Struck,
Woody Blanchard, Dick Korda, Ben
Shereshaw, Bill Winter, Walt Good,
Ron St. Jean, and Don McGovern. Do
any of those names sound familiar to
you older modelers?
The Super was the last of the Sinbad
gliders by Berkeley and did not come
out until the company had been sold.
Bill Effi nger later went into the plans
business, known as W.E. Technical
Service. He was inducted into the AMA
Hall of Fame in 1986.
The Retro RC SinBad is an original
design by Mark Freeland, Retro RC’s
owner. Mark does his own design work
and laser cutting and has an enormous
passion for small airplanes. His wife,
Barbara, helps out when needed. It is a
small business and new on the scene.
The SinBad is a laser-cut kit with a
fully built-up, diamond-section, crutch
fuselage, based on the 1940s Berkeley
Sinbad the Sailor. The power pod is
included when you order the e’SinBad
the Sailor 36.
The Retro RC SinBad is a versatile
glider which can be built for RC, FF,
towline, hi-start, or Slope Soaring;
however, the most popular version is the
RC park fl yer
The kit comes in a plastic slip with 147 laser-cut parts on 14 sheets of wood. The necessary hardware, the laser-cut, plastic windshield, and an assembly and flying instruction manual are included.
These are the completed airframe parts before sanding. The parts were sanded with 220-grit sandpaper and then with 400-grit sandpaper before covering.
Small plastic guide tubes for the pull-pull linkage are placed to provide exit points in the covering. Sheet four of the instructions explains the routing of pull-pull lines and location of the tubes.
The kit comes in a plastic slip with 147 laser-cut parts on 14 sheets of wood. Also included are the necessary hardware, a laser-cut plastic windshield, and an assembly and flying instruction manual. The laser-cut parts are self-aligning, but not interlocking. A small set of plans, with reference part numbers, is included and is a big help.
The wings plug together on wire joiners before being banded to the top of the fuselage and the tail group can be built to disassemble from the fuselage. The model can be broken down and stored in a small box for transportation or storage.
The optional electric power pod, included when you buy the e’SinBad the Sailor 36 kit, is inserted on the wing joiner wires and sandwiched between the wings, transforming the SinBad into a docile park flyer.
Construction
The parts numbers are not individually marked on the sheets. It is worth your time to compare the laser-cut sheet parts with those shown in the instructions and mark the parts.
I removed each part by cutting the little sprues holding them in place using an X-Acto knife. Don’t try to pop them out; you will break them. If you do break or lose one or more parts, Retro RC will replace a limited number for free. A larger number of parts can be obtained for a nominal charge.
I started constructing the fuselage first. I laid down the kit’s plastic slip material on the building board to prevent glue from sticking. Pinning down the crutch, I began by placing the parts on the crutch, and using thin Mercury M5T CA.
I cut the laser-cut parts from the sheet as needed and installed them. They fit together well. The nose parts were laminated then sanded to shape. I used white glue for laminating the parts that required it.
After all of the parts were installed, I removed the bottom half from the building surface and began installing parts on the top half. The fuselage quickly took shape; this is not a very big airplane. Be careful when handling it. I broke some stringers in the fuselage.
The front hatch is made from several laminations and then sanded to shape. It is held in place with two dowels in the rear and a magnet in the front. A short dowel pin, located aft of the magnet, keys it in place to keep it from wandering.
I sanded the hatch until the lamination lines began to disappear and it took shape. It was slightly more work, but rewarding when completed.
The tail parts quickly came together. After removing the parts from the sheets, they can be arranged, aligned, and glued together. The elevators are part of the stabilizer’s TE and can be sanded along with the stabilizer. Cut those later in order to maintain thickness and flatness.
Laser slots were precut in the rudder and elevator to install the plywood control horns for the pull-pull linkage. Again, the parts fit together well, promoting fast building. After completing this build, I sanded the parts with 220-grit sandpaper and put them aside for covering.
The wings were easy to build with all of the parts precut. The TE parts and bottom center sheeting were glued together and pinned down. The main spar, with notched rib locations,
Installing the
radio shows
how little room
is available.
Removing some
of the bulkheads
in the hatch
provides room
for the battery.
The optional electric-power pod, included when you buy the e’SinBad
the Sailor 36 kit, is inserted on the wing joiner wires and sandwiched
between the wings.
With shaping completed
on the hatch and nose of
the fuselage, the hatch
is held in place with two
dowels in the back and
a magnet in the front.
A short dowel keys it in
place.
was located with three or four ribs and pinned down.
After gluing the ribs in place, the LE was next, followed by
the top spar. Before installing the top sheeting, I installed the
aluminum tubing for the wire wing joiners in the end of the
wing with 30-minute Mercury epoxy and capped it off with a
plywood rib.
The top sheeting was laser cut to shape and was applied
with Mercury M5T CA. This is how I built both wing panels.
Leave them fl at until the glue cures to prevent warping. The
parts fi t well and the assembly was straightforward.
With only a few laser-cut parts, the power pod
assembled quickly. I had a problem getting the
motor in far enough to lock it in place with the
front rings. I routed out some of the material
from the back end of the mount to help move
the motor further aft, and this did the trick.
After assembling and sanding, I trial-fi t the pod
between the wings and mounted the wings on
the fuselage. Now it was on to fi nal sanding and
covering.
Space for the receiver,
ESC, and battery is
tight in the SinBad and
the instructions don’t
help. I left the fuselage
uncovered until I
fi gured it out.
I used the new
Spektrum AR400 sport receiver, which fi t well in the space
ahead of the servos. The 300 mAh, two-cell battery will fi t
in the hatch, but you have to carefully remove some of the
bulkheads in it to do so. My ESC was 1.0 x .5 x .4 inches in
size. I added an extra shelf below the servos
and located it there, using Velcro to hold it in
place.
The receiver had a 7-inch antenna, so I
embedded a soda straw along the side of the
fuselage, under the covering, to hold it. The
servo and ESC wires were folded neatly to
shorten the leads and tucked in gently.
I covered the SinBad with Solite to keep
the weight down and to prevent the airframe
from warping. If you have never used Solite, you need to know
how to get the backing off and how to deal with the static
electricity that causes it to adhere to itself after the backing is
removed. It is diffi cult to get apart. Aside from these “sticking
points,” it is wonderful stuff to work with.
I covered the top half of the fuselage fi rst. This allowed me
to easily install the pull-pull leads to the rudder and elevator.
Then I covered the bottom half. I set my iron for 300° and
used an iron sock, which required a higher temperature
setting. I have a heavy covering iron sock that uses double layer
T-shirt material. It is $5, including postage (see “Sources”).
The graphics in the SinBad kit are slide-off water decals, but
I bought an identical vinyl set from Callie Graphics for $9.
Flying the e’SinBad
Before fl ying the SinBad, I checked out the CG. Setting it up
on my Great Planes CG Machine I found it was slightly nose
heavy and added .2 ounces to the tail, increasing the fl ying
weight to 4.7 ounces. After setting the control throws (easy on
the elevator), it was ready to fl y.
On a perfect day at the fi eld, I hand launched it into a
light wind. A slight warp in the left wing caused a left turn.
I corrected this with the rudder for the rest of the fl ight. I
removed the warp and trimmed the elevator up slightly and
fl ew out a battery.
SPECIFICATIONS
Model type: Nostalgic park fl yer
Skill level: Intermediate builder; intermediate pilot
Wingspan: 36 inches
Wing area: 127 square inches
Airfoil: Flat bottom
Length: 20 inches
Weight: 3 to 5 ounces
Radio: Four-channel radio with two microservos
ESC: 5-amp brushed ESC
Battery: Two-cell 300 mAh
Motor: GWSEPD/50XC
Price: $69.99
TEST-MODEL DETAILS
Radio system: Spektrum DX8 radio; Spektrum AR400 receiver;
two HobbyKing 3.7-gram servos; GWS 100C ESC;
300 mAh 2S battery.
Ready-to-fl y weight: 4.7 ounces
Flight duration: 10 minutes (if you fl y it high and let it glide)
Construction: Laser-cut balsa and plywood
Finish: Solite covering material
PLUSES
• Accurate, laser-cut parts.
• Plug-in wing panels.
• Easy to transport.
• Scalelike outline.
• Good written instructions.
MINUSES
• Instruction pictures too small.
• No radio installation information.
• Propeller is hard to mount on motor shaft.
• Required tail weight.
AT A GLANCE ...
The e’SinBad exhibits docile flight characteristics
in the air, yet it is responsive to control inputs
using rudder, elevator, and throttle.
The e’SinBad
fl ies moderately
fast and is not a
fl oater. You have
to keep your eye on it. When banking, don’t let one wing get too
low or it will tend to dive in, which is typical of an airplane with
this much dihedral. However, it is docile, the controls are effective,
and it can be slowed down in the air by keeping a little power on.
Because it is short coupled, it doesn’t take much elevator in fl ight.
After getting used to its habits, I found it enjoyable to fl y.
Conclusion
The SinBad is a small glider and will test your building skills. It
starts out simply, but as you progress, things such as installing the
electronics become more complicated and require patience.
The laser-cut parts fi t together well. The instructions left you
on your own at times, with small pictures, but were (for the most
part) understandable. My fi nished e’SinBad was a joy to see and fl y.
Fans of small airplanes will enjoy putting the SinBad together
and watching it soar. It’s a bit of nostalgia wherever you take it,
and the older crowd will say, “I remember that airplane. I had one
when I was a kid.”
—Jerry Smith
[email protected]
MANUFACTURER/DISTRIBUTOR:
Retro RC
(248) 212-9666
www.retrorc.us.com
SOURCES:
Horizon Hobby
(800) 338-4639
www.horizonhobby.com
Du-Bro Products
(800) 848-9411
www.dubro.com
HobbyKing
www.hobbyking.com
Toni’s Iron Cover Sock
(770) 917-4928
[email protected]
Mercury Adhesives
(678) 513-4450
www.mercuryadhesives.com
Callie Graphics
(505) 228-2692
www.callie-graphics.com
Hear from the designer!
Watch a video of Jay Smith talking with the
designer of the e’SinBad in our tablet app,
or online at www.ModelAviation.com/sinbad.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2013/04
Page Numbers: 67,68,69,70
Placing the e’SinBad next to the transmitter
provides a better feel for how small it actually is.
The Retro RC e’SinBad the Sailor
is nostalgic for some, especially
those of us who built models
in the 1940s. The original Sinbad
came out as a kit in 40- and 50-inch
wingspan versions by Berkeley Models.
The company, headed by Bill Effi nger,
was started in 1933 when a $1.80
ad, promoting the mail-order supply
house, was placed in Model Airplane
News magazine.
The business was located on
Berkeley Place in Brooklyn, New York.
The company produced its fi rst kit in
1934. Its fi rst gas design was the Buhl
Pup followed by the Buccaneer 88.
Sal Taibi joined Berkeley in 1938,
prototyping and producing gas designs.
Henry Struck came in next and the
American Ace, New Ruler, Sinbad, and
Flying Cloud were kitted. Berkeley
produced more than 200 designs, most
in the Scale category, but many contest
designs were created by Henry Struck,
Woody Blanchard, Dick Korda, Ben
Shereshaw, Bill Winter, Walt Good,
Ron St. Jean, and Don McGovern. Do
any of those names sound familiar to
you older modelers?
The Super was the last of the Sinbad
gliders by Berkeley and did not come
out until the company had been sold.
Bill Effi nger later went into the plans
business, known as W.E. Technical
Service. He was inducted into the AMA
Hall of Fame in 1986.
The Retro RC SinBad is an original
design by Mark Freeland, Retro RC’s
owner. Mark does his own design work
and laser cutting and has an enormous
passion for small airplanes. His wife,
Barbara, helps out when needed. It is a
small business and new on the scene.
The SinBad is a laser-cut kit with a
fully built-up, diamond-section, crutch
fuselage, based on the 1940s Berkeley
Sinbad the Sailor. The power pod is
included when you order the e’SinBad
the Sailor 36.
The Retro RC SinBad is a versatile
glider which can be built for RC, FF,
towline, hi-start, or Slope Soaring;
however, the most popular version is the
RC park fl yer
The kit comes in a plastic slip with 147 laser-cut parts on 14 sheets of wood. The necessary hardware, the laser-cut, plastic windshield, and an assembly and flying instruction manual are included.
These are the completed airframe parts before sanding. The parts were sanded with 220-grit sandpaper and then with 400-grit sandpaper before covering.
Small plastic guide tubes for the pull-pull linkage are placed to provide exit points in the covering. Sheet four of the instructions explains the routing of pull-pull lines and location of the tubes.
The kit comes in a plastic slip with 147 laser-cut parts on 14 sheets of wood. Also included are the necessary hardware, a laser-cut plastic windshield, and an assembly and flying instruction manual. The laser-cut parts are self-aligning, but not interlocking. A small set of plans, with reference part numbers, is included and is a big help.
The wings plug together on wire joiners before being banded to the top of the fuselage and the tail group can be built to disassemble from the fuselage. The model can be broken down and stored in a small box for transportation or storage.
The optional electric power pod, included when you buy the e’SinBad the Sailor 36 kit, is inserted on the wing joiner wires and sandwiched between the wings, transforming the SinBad into a docile park flyer.
Construction
The parts numbers are not individually marked on the sheets. It is worth your time to compare the laser-cut sheet parts with those shown in the instructions and mark the parts.
I removed each part by cutting the little sprues holding them in place using an X-Acto knife. Don’t try to pop them out; you will break them. If you do break or lose one or more parts, Retro RC will replace a limited number for free. A larger number of parts can be obtained for a nominal charge.
I started constructing the fuselage first. I laid down the kit’s plastic slip material on the building board to prevent glue from sticking. Pinning down the crutch, I began by placing the parts on the crutch, and using thin Mercury M5T CA.
I cut the laser-cut parts from the sheet as needed and installed them. They fit together well. The nose parts were laminated then sanded to shape. I used white glue for laminating the parts that required it.
After all of the parts were installed, I removed the bottom half from the building surface and began installing parts on the top half. The fuselage quickly took shape; this is not a very big airplane. Be careful when handling it. I broke some stringers in the fuselage.
The front hatch is made from several laminations and then sanded to shape. It is held in place with two dowels in the rear and a magnet in the front. A short dowel pin, located aft of the magnet, keys it in place to keep it from wandering.
I sanded the hatch until the lamination lines began to disappear and it took shape. It was slightly more work, but rewarding when completed.
The tail parts quickly came together. After removing the parts from the sheets, they can be arranged, aligned, and glued together. The elevators are part of the stabilizer’s TE and can be sanded along with the stabilizer. Cut those later in order to maintain thickness and flatness.
Laser slots were precut in the rudder and elevator to install the plywood control horns for the pull-pull linkage. Again, the parts fit together well, promoting fast building. After completing this build, I sanded the parts with 220-grit sandpaper and put them aside for covering.
The wings were easy to build with all of the parts precut. The TE parts and bottom center sheeting were glued together and pinned down. The main spar, with notched rib locations,
Installing the
radio shows
how little room
is available.
Removing some
of the bulkheads
in the hatch
provides room
for the battery.
The optional electric-power pod, included when you buy the e’SinBad
the Sailor 36 kit, is inserted on the wing joiner wires and sandwiched
between the wings.
With shaping completed
on the hatch and nose of
the fuselage, the hatch
is held in place with two
dowels in the back and
a magnet in the front.
A short dowel keys it in
place.
was located with three or four ribs and pinned down.
After gluing the ribs in place, the LE was next, followed by
the top spar. Before installing the top sheeting, I installed the
aluminum tubing for the wire wing joiners in the end of the
wing with 30-minute Mercury epoxy and capped it off with a
plywood rib.
The top sheeting was laser cut to shape and was applied
with Mercury M5T CA. This is how I built both wing panels.
Leave them fl at until the glue cures to prevent warping. The
parts fi t well and the assembly was straightforward.
With only a few laser-cut parts, the power pod
assembled quickly. I had a problem getting the
motor in far enough to lock it in place with the
front rings. I routed out some of the material
from the back end of the mount to help move
the motor further aft, and this did the trick.
After assembling and sanding, I trial-fi t the pod
between the wings and mounted the wings on
the fuselage. Now it was on to fi nal sanding and
covering.
Space for the receiver,
ESC, and battery is
tight in the SinBad and
the instructions don’t
help. I left the fuselage
uncovered until I
fi gured it out.
I used the new
Spektrum AR400 sport receiver, which fi t well in the space
ahead of the servos. The 300 mAh, two-cell battery will fi t
in the hatch, but you have to carefully remove some of the
bulkheads in it to do so. My ESC was 1.0 x .5 x .4 inches in
size. I added an extra shelf below the servos
and located it there, using Velcro to hold it in
place.
The receiver had a 7-inch antenna, so I
embedded a soda straw along the side of the
fuselage, under the covering, to hold it. The
servo and ESC wires were folded neatly to
shorten the leads and tucked in gently.
I covered the SinBad with Solite to keep
the weight down and to prevent the airframe
from warping. If you have never used Solite, you need to know
how to get the backing off and how to deal with the static
electricity that causes it to adhere to itself after the backing is
removed. It is diffi cult to get apart. Aside from these “sticking
points,” it is wonderful stuff to work with.
I covered the top half of the fuselage fi rst. This allowed me
to easily install the pull-pull leads to the rudder and elevator.
Then I covered the bottom half. I set my iron for 300° and
used an iron sock, which required a higher temperature
setting. I have a heavy covering iron sock that uses double layer
T-shirt material. It is $5, including postage (see “Sources”).
The graphics in the SinBad kit are slide-off water decals, but
I bought an identical vinyl set from Callie Graphics for $9.
Flying the e’SinBad
Before fl ying the SinBad, I checked out the CG. Setting it up
on my Great Planes CG Machine I found it was slightly nose
heavy and added .2 ounces to the tail, increasing the fl ying
weight to 4.7 ounces. After setting the control throws (easy on
the elevator), it was ready to fl y.
On a perfect day at the fi eld, I hand launched it into a
light wind. A slight warp in the left wing caused a left turn.
I corrected this with the rudder for the rest of the fl ight. I
removed the warp and trimmed the elevator up slightly and
fl ew out a battery.
SPECIFICATIONS
Model type: Nostalgic park fl yer
Skill level: Intermediate builder; intermediate pilot
Wingspan: 36 inches
Wing area: 127 square inches
Airfoil: Flat bottom
Length: 20 inches
Weight: 3 to 5 ounces
Radio: Four-channel radio with two microservos
ESC: 5-amp brushed ESC
Battery: Two-cell 300 mAh
Motor: GWSEPD/50XC
Price: $69.99
TEST-MODEL DETAILS
Radio system: Spektrum DX8 radio; Spektrum AR400 receiver;
two HobbyKing 3.7-gram servos; GWS 100C ESC;
300 mAh 2S battery.
Ready-to-fl y weight: 4.7 ounces
Flight duration: 10 minutes (if you fl y it high and let it glide)
Construction: Laser-cut balsa and plywood
Finish: Solite covering material
PLUSES
• Accurate, laser-cut parts.
• Plug-in wing panels.
• Easy to transport.
• Scalelike outline.
• Good written instructions.
MINUSES
• Instruction pictures too small.
• No radio installation information.
• Propeller is hard to mount on motor shaft.
• Required tail weight.
AT A GLANCE ...
The e’SinBad exhibits docile flight characteristics
in the air, yet it is responsive to control inputs
using rudder, elevator, and throttle.
The e’SinBad
fl ies moderately
fast and is not a
fl oater. You have
to keep your eye on it. When banking, don’t let one wing get too
low or it will tend to dive in, which is typical of an airplane with
this much dihedral. However, it is docile, the controls are effective,
and it can be slowed down in the air by keeping a little power on.
Because it is short coupled, it doesn’t take much elevator in fl ight.
After getting used to its habits, I found it enjoyable to fl y.
Conclusion
The SinBad is a small glider and will test your building skills. It
starts out simply, but as you progress, things such as installing the
electronics become more complicated and require patience.
The laser-cut parts fi t together well. The instructions left you
on your own at times, with small pictures, but were (for the most
part) understandable. My fi nished e’SinBad was a joy to see and fl y.
Fans of small airplanes will enjoy putting the SinBad together
and watching it soar. It’s a bit of nostalgia wherever you take it,
and the older crowd will say, “I remember that airplane. I had one
when I was a kid.”
—Jerry Smith
[email protected]
MANUFACTURER/DISTRIBUTOR:
Retro RC
(248) 212-9666
www.retrorc.us.com
SOURCES:
Horizon Hobby
(800) 338-4639
www.horizonhobby.com
Du-Bro Products
(800) 848-9411
www.dubro.com
HobbyKing
www.hobbyking.com
Toni’s Iron Cover Sock
(770) 917-4928
[email protected]
Mercury Adhesives
(678) 513-4450
www.mercuryadhesives.com
Callie Graphics
(505) 228-2692
www.callie-graphics.com
Hear from the designer!
Watch a video of Jay Smith talking with the
designer of the e’SinBad in our tablet app,
or online at www.ModelAviation.com/sinbad.
Edition: Model Aviation - 2013/04
Page Numbers: 67,68,69,70
Placing the e’SinBad next to the transmitter
provides a better feel for how small it actually is.
The Retro RC e’SinBad the Sailor
is nostalgic for some, especially
those of us who built models
in the 1940s. The original Sinbad
came out as a kit in 40- and 50-inch
wingspan versions by Berkeley Models.
The company, headed by Bill Effi nger,
was started in 1933 when a $1.80
ad, promoting the mail-order supply
house, was placed in Model Airplane
News magazine.
The business was located on
Berkeley Place in Brooklyn, New York.
The company produced its fi rst kit in
1934. Its fi rst gas design was the Buhl
Pup followed by the Buccaneer 88.
Sal Taibi joined Berkeley in 1938,
prototyping and producing gas designs.
Henry Struck came in next and the
American Ace, New Ruler, Sinbad, and
Flying Cloud were kitted. Berkeley
produced more than 200 designs, most
in the Scale category, but many contest
designs were created by Henry Struck,
Woody Blanchard, Dick Korda, Ben
Shereshaw, Bill Winter, Walt Good,
Ron St. Jean, and Don McGovern. Do
any of those names sound familiar to
you older modelers?
The Super was the last of the Sinbad
gliders by Berkeley and did not come
out until the company had been sold.
Bill Effi nger later went into the plans
business, known as W.E. Technical
Service. He was inducted into the AMA
Hall of Fame in 1986.
The Retro RC SinBad is an original
design by Mark Freeland, Retro RC’s
owner. Mark does his own design work
and laser cutting and has an enormous
passion for small airplanes. His wife,
Barbara, helps out when needed. It is a
small business and new on the scene.
The SinBad is a laser-cut kit with a
fully built-up, diamond-section, crutch
fuselage, based on the 1940s Berkeley
Sinbad the Sailor. The power pod is
included when you order the e’SinBad
the Sailor 36.
The Retro RC SinBad is a versatile
glider which can be built for RC, FF,
towline, hi-start, or Slope Soaring;
however, the most popular version is the
RC park fl yer
The kit comes in a plastic slip with 147 laser-cut parts on 14 sheets of wood. The necessary hardware, the laser-cut, plastic windshield, and an assembly and flying instruction manual are included.
These are the completed airframe parts before sanding. The parts were sanded with 220-grit sandpaper and then with 400-grit sandpaper before covering.
Small plastic guide tubes for the pull-pull linkage are placed to provide exit points in the covering. Sheet four of the instructions explains the routing of pull-pull lines and location of the tubes.
The kit comes in a plastic slip with 147 laser-cut parts on 14 sheets of wood. Also included are the necessary hardware, a laser-cut plastic windshield, and an assembly and flying instruction manual. The laser-cut parts are self-aligning, but not interlocking. A small set of plans, with reference part numbers, is included and is a big help.
The wings plug together on wire joiners before being banded to the top of the fuselage and the tail group can be built to disassemble from the fuselage. The model can be broken down and stored in a small box for transportation or storage.
The optional electric power pod, included when you buy the e’SinBad the Sailor 36 kit, is inserted on the wing joiner wires and sandwiched between the wings, transforming the SinBad into a docile park flyer.
Construction
The parts numbers are not individually marked on the sheets. It is worth your time to compare the laser-cut sheet parts with those shown in the instructions and mark the parts.
I removed each part by cutting the little sprues holding them in place using an X-Acto knife. Don’t try to pop them out; you will break them. If you do break or lose one or more parts, Retro RC will replace a limited number for free. A larger number of parts can be obtained for a nominal charge.
I started constructing the fuselage first. I laid down the kit’s plastic slip material on the building board to prevent glue from sticking. Pinning down the crutch, I began by placing the parts on the crutch, and using thin Mercury M5T CA.
I cut the laser-cut parts from the sheet as needed and installed them. They fit together well. The nose parts were laminated then sanded to shape. I used white glue for laminating the parts that required it.
After all of the parts were installed, I removed the bottom half from the building surface and began installing parts on the top half. The fuselage quickly took shape; this is not a very big airplane. Be careful when handling it. I broke some stringers in the fuselage.
The front hatch is made from several laminations and then sanded to shape. It is held in place with two dowels in the rear and a magnet in the front. A short dowel pin, located aft of the magnet, keys it in place to keep it from wandering.
I sanded the hatch until the lamination lines began to disappear and it took shape. It was slightly more work, but rewarding when completed.
The tail parts quickly came together. After removing the parts from the sheets, they can be arranged, aligned, and glued together. The elevators are part of the stabilizer’s TE and can be sanded along with the stabilizer. Cut those later in order to maintain thickness and flatness.
Laser slots were precut in the rudder and elevator to install the plywood control horns for the pull-pull linkage. Again, the parts fit together well, promoting fast building. After completing this build, I sanded the parts with 220-grit sandpaper and put them aside for covering.
The wings were easy to build with all of the parts precut. The TE parts and bottom center sheeting were glued together and pinned down. The main spar, with notched rib locations,
Installing the
radio shows
how little room
is available.
Removing some
of the bulkheads
in the hatch
provides room
for the battery.
The optional electric-power pod, included when you buy the e’SinBad
the Sailor 36 kit, is inserted on the wing joiner wires and sandwiched
between the wings.
With shaping completed
on the hatch and nose of
the fuselage, the hatch
is held in place with two
dowels in the back and
a magnet in the front.
A short dowel keys it in
place.
was located with three or four ribs and pinned down.
After gluing the ribs in place, the LE was next, followed by
the top spar. Before installing the top sheeting, I installed the
aluminum tubing for the wire wing joiners in the end of the
wing with 30-minute Mercury epoxy and capped it off with a
plywood rib.
The top sheeting was laser cut to shape and was applied
with Mercury M5T CA. This is how I built both wing panels.
Leave them fl at until the glue cures to prevent warping. The
parts fi t well and the assembly was straightforward.
With only a few laser-cut parts, the power pod
assembled quickly. I had a problem getting the
motor in far enough to lock it in place with the
front rings. I routed out some of the material
from the back end of the mount to help move
the motor further aft, and this did the trick.
After assembling and sanding, I trial-fi t the pod
between the wings and mounted the wings on
the fuselage. Now it was on to fi nal sanding and
covering.
Space for the receiver,
ESC, and battery is
tight in the SinBad and
the instructions don’t
help. I left the fuselage
uncovered until I
fi gured it out.
I used the new
Spektrum AR400 sport receiver, which fi t well in the space
ahead of the servos. The 300 mAh, two-cell battery will fi t
in the hatch, but you have to carefully remove some of the
bulkheads in it to do so. My ESC was 1.0 x .5 x .4 inches in
size. I added an extra shelf below the servos
and located it there, using Velcro to hold it in
place.
The receiver had a 7-inch antenna, so I
embedded a soda straw along the side of the
fuselage, under the covering, to hold it. The
servo and ESC wires were folded neatly to
shorten the leads and tucked in gently.
I covered the SinBad with Solite to keep
the weight down and to prevent the airframe
from warping. If you have never used Solite, you need to know
how to get the backing off and how to deal with the static
electricity that causes it to adhere to itself after the backing is
removed. It is diffi cult to get apart. Aside from these “sticking
points,” it is wonderful stuff to work with.
I covered the top half of the fuselage fi rst. This allowed me
to easily install the pull-pull leads to the rudder and elevator.
Then I covered the bottom half. I set my iron for 300° and
used an iron sock, which required a higher temperature
setting. I have a heavy covering iron sock that uses double layer
T-shirt material. It is $5, including postage (see “Sources”).
The graphics in the SinBad kit are slide-off water decals, but
I bought an identical vinyl set from Callie Graphics for $9.
Flying the e’SinBad
Before fl ying the SinBad, I checked out the CG. Setting it up
on my Great Planes CG Machine I found it was slightly nose
heavy and added .2 ounces to the tail, increasing the fl ying
weight to 4.7 ounces. After setting the control throws (easy on
the elevator), it was ready to fl y.
On a perfect day at the fi eld, I hand launched it into a
light wind. A slight warp in the left wing caused a left turn.
I corrected this with the rudder for the rest of the fl ight. I
removed the warp and trimmed the elevator up slightly and
fl ew out a battery.
SPECIFICATIONS
Model type: Nostalgic park fl yer
Skill level: Intermediate builder; intermediate pilot
Wingspan: 36 inches
Wing area: 127 square inches
Airfoil: Flat bottom
Length: 20 inches
Weight: 3 to 5 ounces
Radio: Four-channel radio with two microservos
ESC: 5-amp brushed ESC
Battery: Two-cell 300 mAh
Motor: GWSEPD/50XC
Price: $69.99
TEST-MODEL DETAILS
Radio system: Spektrum DX8 radio; Spektrum AR400 receiver;
two HobbyKing 3.7-gram servos; GWS 100C ESC;
300 mAh 2S battery.
Ready-to-fl y weight: 4.7 ounces
Flight duration: 10 minutes (if you fl y it high and let it glide)
Construction: Laser-cut balsa and plywood
Finish: Solite covering material
PLUSES
• Accurate, laser-cut parts.
• Plug-in wing panels.
• Easy to transport.
• Scalelike outline.
• Good written instructions.
MINUSES
• Instruction pictures too small.
• No radio installation information.
• Propeller is hard to mount on motor shaft.
• Required tail weight.
AT A GLANCE ...
The e’SinBad exhibits docile flight characteristics
in the air, yet it is responsive to control inputs
using rudder, elevator, and throttle.
The e’SinBad
fl ies moderately
fast and is not a
fl oater. You have
to keep your eye on it. When banking, don’t let one wing get too
low or it will tend to dive in, which is typical of an airplane with
this much dihedral. However, it is docile, the controls are effective,
and it can be slowed down in the air by keeping a little power on.
Because it is short coupled, it doesn’t take much elevator in fl ight.
After getting used to its habits, I found it enjoyable to fl y.
Conclusion
The SinBad is a small glider and will test your building skills. It
starts out simply, but as you progress, things such as installing the
electronics become more complicated and require patience.
The laser-cut parts fi t together well. The instructions left you
on your own at times, with small pictures, but were (for the most
part) understandable. My fi nished e’SinBad was a joy to see and fl y.
Fans of small airplanes will enjoy putting the SinBad together
and watching it soar. It’s a bit of nostalgia wherever you take it,
and the older crowd will say, “I remember that airplane. I had one
when I was a kid.”
—Jerry Smith
[email protected]
MANUFACTURER/DISTRIBUTOR:
Retro RC
(248) 212-9666
www.retrorc.us.com
SOURCES:
Horizon Hobby
(800) 338-4639
www.horizonhobby.com
Du-Bro Products
(800) 848-9411
www.dubro.com
HobbyKing
www.hobbyking.com
Toni’s Iron Cover Sock
(770) 917-4928
[email protected]
Mercury Adhesives
(678) 513-4450
www.mercuryadhesives.com
Callie Graphics
(505) 228-2692
www.callie-graphics.com
Hear from the designer!
Watch a video of Jay Smith talking with the
designer of the e’SinBad in our tablet app,
or online at www.ModelAviation.com/sinbad.