Building and tether flying the 600, 700, 900 series

[simpleflyer]

The Guillows build-by-numbers series 600 and 700 consist of eight models: #601 Cessna 180, #602 Piper Super Cub, #603 Javelin, # 604 Lancer, #701 Fairchild 24, and #702 Arrow.

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Apparently, a third series #800 was envisioned consisting of #801 Taylorcraft and #802 Harpoon. We found these on a catalog sheet in a Guilllows kit that we bought in the 1960's but we never saw these in the model market. Does anyone know if the 800 series were ever produced?

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We started our first 600 series, a Javelin about 20 years ago but it was never finished because of more pressing issues such as working and establishing a household at the time. More recently in 2007 we built the Piper Super Cub kit #602.

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[simpleflyer]

It was a quickie-build for rubber powered backyard flying and flew well. Early flights revealed that a larger flight area than our back yard would be needed, so the Cub was put aside and we tinkered with smaller backyard models.

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Before long, we got into swing control models and the Cub was refitted for tether flying.

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Swing control allows the Cub to be an excellent back yard flyer.

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[simpleflyer]

The Cub became a frequent flyer.

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After many flights and some modifications the Cub begins to show wear and tear.

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Even in this condition it flew well.

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[simpleflyer]

The Cub's life was extended by rebuilding it as a profile model. It was fitted with a profile fuselage patterned after the TG-8 version of the Piper Cub.

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This version of the model also flew well.

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And often. It remains in our current fleet of 'swingers

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[regular guy]

flyer

i caught on that there were 'build-by-numbers' in

600 and 700 series.

the stage one and stage two are news to me.

that's the order i had them in already to build

just going by wingspan.

Have A Nice Day!

[Wildpig]

The Stage 3 models are news to me. The fine print says: ** Ready fall of '67 So, I guess they just didn't make production.
34" span, that Harpoon is a large model.I wonder if Guillow has archives of these. The 801 and 802 kits are now the Sopwith Camel and Cessna 172. Not sure when they were released.

[simpleflyer]

** Ready fall of '67 So, I guess they just didn't make production.

I kinda figured that and I agree with you. The Harpoon is an interesting model. It appears that it would have been a good model for tether flying.

To continue with the 600 series that we have converted for tether flying. Next was the Javelin. We strengthened the fuselage and made the wing and tail surfaces removable for ease of transport and storage.

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Then we covered it in green and yellow tissue. We refer to it as the 'John Deere' Javelin

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It flew well from the start.

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[simpleflyer]

A few flight pics of the Javelin. The first is a winter flight during one of the rare snow events here on the Texas gulf coast.

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Next it is 'guerrilla flying' in the company of one of our favorite aircraft, the F-105D. This F-105D is at the England Airpark in Alexandria,LA. We had the opportunity to go to electronic tech school for this aircraft while in the USAF. The quiet, simple, unintrusive nature of tether flying allows for these kind of flight opportunities.

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Here the Javelin flies in the company of a F-101 at a roadside park in Beaumont, TX.

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[simpleflyer]

Then we built a much modified Lancer. The nose was strengthened and and reshaped. Wing was reshaped and simplified and made removable, the tail surfaces as well.

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The modified Lancer ready for cover.

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Covered with red and green tissue, AKA the 'Christmas Lancer'

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[simpleflyer]

A few flight pix of the Lancer.

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The Javelin and Lancer continue to fly as members of our 'swinger fleet'.

[simpleflyer]

It was a bit windy today, but we took a couple of models to try out the weather, anyway. One of the models flown was the profile Super Cub.

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On one of the landings the wing struck the ground and broke one of the wing's 'capture strips'.

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The repair was quick and easy.

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[simpleflyer]

Underside view of the model to see how the removable wing and tail surfaces are attached.

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Platforms are attached on the top of the wing and at the bottom of the slot where the horizontal tail fit. Strips are attached to the wing and horizontal tail spaced the width of their corresponding fuselage mounting platforms. Then a wider strips are glued to the narrow strips so that the pairs of strips can capture their corresponding platforms. A little bit of extra work, but the convenience of easy transport and storage of the models is worth it to me. A secondary advantage of this mounting system is that it is a structural 'weak link' and separates before severe damage to the fuselage and flying surfaces in the event of collisions and hard landings.

[simpleflyer]

Our newest addition to our fleet of 600 series swingers, the Cessna 180. Horizontal tail and fuselage sides framed.

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[simpleflyer]

Some time ago the horizontal tail of the Javelin was broken during a flying session. So, it is time for repair.

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The Javelin and Lancer were built at different times and the tail mounting methods were different. Now-a-days, we try to standardize the mounting of flying surfaces as much as possible to allow more flexibility and utility in flying. While we repair the Javelin tail we shall also modify the Lancer tail so that the parts will be interchangeable.

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[simpleflyer]

Rainy weather is providing us the opportunity to rebuild the tails of the Javelin and Lancer. We've rebuilt the horizontal stab of the Javelin and reinforced the leading and trailing edges. Also the tail mounting platform on the Lancer has been narrowed to match that of the Javelin. And the capture strips on both stabs have the same spacing.

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The stabs fitted to their respective fuselages.

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The stabs switched with each other.

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Now we need some flyable weather and see how the modifications will fly.