CloudBuster and Flyboy - an evolutionary experience.

[simpleflyer]

After a season of flying, two of the FlyBoy wings and a CloudBuster wing are in need of repair.

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Patches are cut from some left over Guillows tissue to cover the damaged areas that were cut away.

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We use thinned white glue to attach the patches. First one edge of the patch is applied to the damaged area.

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This attached edge is allowed to set up a bit before completing the attachment. This allows tightening up the tissue a little before final gluing in place. After a few coats of thinned glue over the patched area, the wing is ready for flying.

[simpleflyer]

After repairs, the Cloud Buster and Fly Boy wings are ready to fly again.

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The two Fly Boy wings fly well during a late afternoon test flight.

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[simpleflyer]

The Cloud Buster also flew well.

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After the photo op we flew the planes just for fun, trying various flight operations. One of these was making touch and go landings on the concrete slab at the back door. On one of the T & Gs the Cloud Buster hit an obstacle with this result. A broken capture rail on the wing.

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This is one of the unintended consequences of the slide on removable wing system. The wing capture rails become a weak point and breaks loose when the the model collides with an object, often allowing the wing to separate from the fuselage without more damage. This has happened numerous times allowing a crash to be a minor issue.

A little Elmers wood glue and some time with a clamp, the Cloud Buster will fly again.

[simpleflyer]

After a rainy day, it dried enough for some late afternoon flights. Here are our flying equipment and most of our current CloudBuster/FlyBoy fleet.

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The modified CloudBusters and modified FlyBoys ready to fly.

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Our next construction project is to build some more stick fuselages for the extra wings.

[simpleflyer]

The old reliable modified CloudBuster #1 still likes to fly.

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As does the #3 FlyBoy wing with its stick fuselage.

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[simpleflyer]

A couple of days ago we had a still afternoon with blue sky. An excellent time for flying a couple of FlyBoy wings attached to stick fuselages.

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I have these two Comet Meteor kits.

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The Meteor is a Fly Boy with a cabin fuselage. Before long, I am going to cannibalize them for the wing parts. If anyone is interested in the kits, I would be willing to trade them for rib sheets from the Cloud Buster and Fly Boy. PM me for more details,

Al

[simpleflyer]

T'was overcast, a bit chilly and breezy, but we decided to fly anyways this afternoon. We had trimmed back the Pear bush a couple of weeks ago, but one of our FlyBoy wings managed to find the bush and lost one of its outer panels.

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So we shared the remaining wing among the fuselages for the rest of the flying session.

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I have noticed some interest in the Comet Meteor on this forum. The offer mentioned in the prior message of a trade for the Meteor kits pictured above is offered to the end of this year. I will trade the kit that you select for 4 Guillows Fly Boy rib sheets,
http://www.guillow.com/4401lasercutsheeta.aspx

If interested, contact me by this forum's PM and give me your mailing address(US only) to where to send the kit. It will be mailed parcel post w/delivery confirmation. I will respond via PM where to send the rib sheets. First come-first served, until Jan 1, 2014. After that, the kits will become a parts source for our CloudBuster/Flyboy fleet.

[simpleflyer]

A closer look at the FlyBoy wing reveals that the damage is not that severe.

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Damaged tissue was cut away, also old glue around the joints. Bevels filed at the ends of the broken spars where new wood will be glued. While removing the damaged material we discovered a couple of splices from a previous repair

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Glue joint broken at the trailing edge are reglued and new wood spliced in to replace the spar breaks.

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Sunny weather should return on wednesday, just in time for a test flight of the repaired wing.

[simpleflyer]

While repairing the FlyBoy wing we found a CloudBuster wing in need of repair.

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By this afternoon we had three repaired wings ready for a test flight.

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[simpleflyer]

The weather forecast was correct and we had a clear sunny but cold afternoon with some wind. So we took a short line and did some test flights. The CloudBuster and FlyBoy wings did well.

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[simpleflyer]

T'was overcast today with forecast of showers later in the day. But morning was a tad chilly and very calm. So we decided to rake some leaves in the backyard and reward ourselves with a flying session with one of our modified CloudBusters, afterwards. As we were raking leaves, we noticed a Cessna making practice approaches into Lane Airpark which is a couple miles away.

While flying the CB we managed to capture this pic.

[simpleflyer]

While testing the Guillows Mini Model F6F, had to take advantage of the great weather and fly some of the CloudBuster family. First the modified Gold Wing.



And the old much patched CloudBuster that started this thread.



Finally #3 CloudBuster fuselage mated with #2 FlyBoy wing. The Sycamore in the background provides most of the fallen leaves in our back yard

[simpleflyer]

Yesterday, we had the nicest day for model flying in a long time. Clear sky , cool, and the air wasn't too breezy so we took some of our older swingers for some 'air time'. Here are a few pix of the 'old timer' of the CB fleet - Cloud-Buster #1. Much repaired, but flys great.

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[simpleflyer]

Another pic of Cloud-Buster #1.

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A couple of pix of Cloud-Bustr #2. Notice the unusual attitude of the flight string in relation to its wingtip attachment location. A cool way to visualize the effect of relative wind(air) to an airplanes path in flight.

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[simpleflyer]

After a break of a few months in our model flying activities. I took the trusty old original Cloudbuster for some flying. It was good fun to get in some flying time with this old bird.

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Another model flown was Flyboy wing mounted on an extended modified Clodbuster fuselage. It too, is an enjoyable flyer.

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An enjoyable fall afternoon.

Al