Build thread Bird Dog Rubber FF

[davidchoate]

I'm doin a nice cheap build and I see on u tube the Bird Dog looks like a good FF flyer.White tissur though.. So I Got to paint it. I might get green Esaki if its too heavy.

[WIDDOG]

Definitely my Favorite kit of all time. I will be following this build with interest. Good luck and good flying to you.

[Mitch]

Before you buy Esaki, you can try some domestic tissue from easybuiltmodels.com, they have 4 different colors of green, or maybe find some green tissue at Michael's.

[davidchoate]

Thanx.I hope you guys help me along, and if you see me doin somethin that can be improved, or stop Me from using an inferior part that will prevent my flight success I'd appreciate it. I got my tissue problem taken care of. Luckily I have some Dark Green, and ass. color domestic tissue I got awhile ago at A.C. Moore. Because I did a 300 Cub that came with white tisue. I have Grey, and Dark Grey From another kit that I did to RC and used different covering.It tells you directly on the Guillows Plan that if you are building to fly it;do not paint it. and to buy 48" of FAI .03"x3/32" Tan Motor at LHS. Now this is copywrighted1967. I can see the possible difficulty in even getting glue that would hold the airframe together then, but its 2014,and not only is colored tissue and tan rubber easy to acquire and put in a non laser Cut, but still expensive (competitively priced with Laser Cut, FAI motor inc. and colored tissue kits. IN 1983 I started with Guillows kits. I was a Paperboy, and all I could afford was a little plane,and My 1st one was a Bipe. no more than Peanut size, and I think it was under $5. with the Glue and Dope.(Colored Dope).And it flew nicely ! Even though I was running the prop backwards. I remember being upset that it flew, but not as good as I thought. Then I figured out the proper rotation, and it would float around the old Church Yard for a many good flights. I Recently did the 900 series Cub. I bought colored tissue,and it weighed in good enough,but it just dont fly like I see the other 900's on utube. I mean a 8sec fly outta the 900 Cub was a good day. I want this plane to do what I've seen alot of them do on utube. And that is Fly FF for what seems like a minute or more. I endedup installing a CO2 in the 1984 Biplane, and it was amazing. I recently gave my Co2 stuff I got on EBay to a guy workin at the LHS. It was worth it. He will go the xtra mile 4 Me now. Like put aside all the good wood when it comes,so I get 1st dibs, and etc....

[davidchoate]

Now I said I dont got all Negatives,and so heres what I like about it. THe decals are nice. They have U.S, Air Force, or U.S. Army versions. I suppose (I have'nt read the little history on the box yet)It was used in Korea, and I've seen it on Vietnam film. The wood is excellent. I ordered the kit from Guillows directly, and I think I got the newer, better wood used for Laser cut. But its not, and thats ok. It has the lstest catalog so I know it was packed around when they sent us the Laser kits to check for flaws.(reminds Me; I have to finish mine still.I did the Stearman PT=17) .Very nice. All Laser Parts fit perfect. I just got the motor and stuff recently,and a bunch more servos. I'm finish the Stearman next. Bill Gaylord says its a good flyin RC conv. A nice slow floater. Thats what I need. Alot of plastic though. Honestly, thats why I been puttin it off. But anyway, I really enjoyed My 900 Cub build,and My Mustang too; I hope this is as well designed as those. As you can see I chose tinted windows. I dunno, I just like it . Speaking of plastic; They use very little of it on 900 series. My 1st 900 was the P-51, and I thought it ws not even going to resemble a p-51,but by the time I was done, I thought it was Guillows best designed scalep-51. Just depends on youre patience to sand,fil,and sand and fill.etc...Seriously. it was a display plane, ane aside from the decals extremely close to scale looks. Thee builds go fast too. If I wasnt on here so long tonight; I'd probably be close to done!!

[davidchoate]

I had a little time to get started. So far I have been following the plan except for adding strenghth to th Landin Gear.

[davidchoate]

Started on wing. I saw a Utube of a guy flying one of these around an indoor Gym for a good 1 1/2 min. I will succeed .

[davidchoate]

So far so good, but they dont mention anything about what to use for ,the side window frames. I'm assuming paper cut from a template taken from the side view? Ifanyone knows let me know.

[Bill Gaylord]

So far so good, but they dont mention anything about what to use for ,the side window frames. I'm assuming paper cut from a template taken from the side view? Ifanyone knows let me know.

Some kits call for balsa stringer stock for window framing. I have a feeling that some of the kits like the Storch and Robin were taken off the kit line, since people tend to avoid kits with tedious framing, such as window framing. There's no easy way to frame in Storch windows.

[tail spin]

I am enjoying watching your Bird dog come together ! Being that it is one of my favorite small aircraft. Perhaps some day I may attempt this build using your build to guide me along if you don't mind. A good friend of mine used to service the Bird dog's in Nam. He has told me stories about how they would come back all shot up & he would patch them back together for the next mission. The only armor they had was a small steel plate under the pilots seat & generally shot to heck needing replaced often. The movie I remember a Bird dog in was "Bat 21" with Danny glover & Gene Hackman. But then it was the Cessna pusher puller prop twin tail. Sad that I cannot remember that model's # being I live where they were made by Cessna Wichita. Great thread

[davidchoate]

Yes, I've seen them on real footage too;circling around above the battle to call artillery, and no faster than a chopper. Takes alot of courage. I like that there are both sets of decals, which means at some point, I could build a second version. I'm doing the Army 50's decals and making it Green. Not a perfect match, but I dont want to paint as I intend it for rubber. I decided to use paper cutouts for the windows,and used carbon rod I bought to make control rods from for the "V" braces.I checked out a few old Bird Dog threads before I started. Sciggs has a nice one a few pages back.

[davidchoate]

Started covering, but its so humid, but I'm taking advantage of it by correcting the warp issues I have wiyh the 600 kits. After I tissue, And lightly wet, I use a hairdryer, apply dopr,and wait for the humidity to wrinkle tissue, and then clap or weight it flat til the humidity drops. I dont have Ac in My work Area. Also the stringer locations are vague on the plan. One place says(pointing to front V brace area "run stringers to what seems like The Inst. Panel. I didnt even see a wooden piece for the inst.Cluster, so I cut scrap to shape and glued it inside paper cutout. worked fine, and if youre not careful, note before you notch ; The not darkened notches do not get cut. They are where stringers are to butt.

[davidchoate]

If you R planning to use this as a build guide,here are some easy mistakes to make. !st its (IMHO) easier to set the 3/4" recomm. dihedral by not just the built in F1 slanted rib, but to make a square from the plan, and like on other guillows planes, add a stringer to hold it. I made kindof a one piece wing that fits,and aligns perfect with the fuse. Be sure to put the stringer under the top part that is covered.

[davidchoate]

I' will show the wing dihedral set, and as noted on plan; there will be small triangle shaped openings easier to fill before gluing and or tissuing wing. Oh, and thatCessna 180 600 kit came with a brochure so old, It has some100 series ww1 planes. 18" Ws. I'm sure these are what I put a Co2 motor in 35 yrs ago.

[davidchoate]

Bottom view of stringers.And front view of plane. This thing better fly, or I dont know what to do next. I just saw a video of a little girl launching one and it circled a field like 3 times.