May 23, 2002

Due to the nature of my primary business, I'm on the road and away from home allot. During the past couple years I've always taken profiles along with me when on the road. It seems like for the last couple years I've flown more away from home than at home. So for 2002-2003 season I decided to make a couple 40 sized full fuse ships to take with me.

The Cardinal Evolution was started a couple months ahead of the Tsumani 40 and here it is just loosely assembled after buff out. She took to the air on May 20 ( our only day of spring in Calgary so far. )

Some of the project details.

Using a Thunder Tiger 46 engine and Macs muffler combination. I have extensively reworked the Tiger 46 to tame it down. Port timing is close to accepted stunt timing. Transfer ports raised for lower blow down numbers, liner dropped for better stunt timing and the squish band on head widened. Boost port ( everybody asks ), have left as it. All these efforts provided a very user friendly engine ...so far. With the Mac's muffler combination it allows me to operate more in a piped configuration and if I change the muffler to a Big Art Tube muffler I can operate in the classic 2-4 mode. It'll be an interesting year for the final engine touch ups that may be needed.

Controls/Fuel Tank/Gear

Belcranks, horns are all Windy's components. The belcrank is his 4" split finger bellcrank. I've been using these on all my ships since Stuntress. Simply bullet proof.

Fuel Tank. Right now I have one of Windy's 5 oz carbon fiber tank. I've also got a 4 oz which I think at our elevation will be okay. ( I haven't tried out the 4 oz yet ). The reason for using the carbon fiber tank is it allows me to slap on that big honking Mac's muffler all 56 grams of if without really effecting the CG of the ship. Speaking of the MAC's muffler, I spent quite a few hours removing that ugly black backed on paint that they use and polishing up the aluminum. Saved 3.6 grams of weight.

Landing gear is Windy's carbon fiber units. Light and strong. I have yet to finish the gear and the pants. Wheel cowls aren't a priority cause the bulk of my flighing is off baseball diamonds and soccer fields all over the province Alberta. More than likely I'll end up using 2 1/2" wheels as well.

Finish

What else could it be but Brodak and silkspan. This ship buffed out fantastically well and very quickly. The secret is just before your last final coat of clear, lightly wet sand with 1500. Then the final coat of clear. ( Thin this coat just a bit ). You'll find it lays out real flat. Then set the model aside for at least a couple weeks. Then start the buff out. As the clear hardens/ages, it will buff out to a sparkle with little effort. Buffing compound used .... hate sounding like a Windy record .... but ..... just save yourself some pain ... "just use Gorhams".........

The paint job wasn't fancy. I wanted to try experimenting with a few things. The finish colors selected were Miss Ashley Red, Candy Royal Purple, and I made Candy orange/copper from mixing Candy Red, Yellow and micro pearl pigment. The lettering is gold and hand brush painted on. ( One of these days it'll get freehand better ). On the nose I tried an experimental with Brodak Black. In the Black I used interference blue pigment. ( This is a lead up to my Gee Bee Project ). The results were quite stunning and changes with sunlight.

Another tip I'll like to past on is applying clear over Candy Colors. If you just randomly hit the Candy with clear, they will wash out. Basically what is happening is the clear is lifting the toner out of the Candy. Here's the deal. Consider all your Candy as one big decal. Only when the Candy has fully dried and gassed out do you clear coat. I wait about a week. When you mix up that clear. Never more than 50%-50% ( Thinner to Clear ). And shoot on the first couple coats of clear on over the Candy very dry and light. The objective is to build up some clear over the candy before you start hitting it with thinned wet coats. Royal Purple is the worst. So I strongly recommend the above advice.

On the Evolution I have just about 5/8 of a quart of clear on the ship. During buff out, she lost 3/4 oz of weight. And yes with this amount of clear, I had my fair share of buff through.

 

 

Total ready for first flights weight less fuel - 47.75 oz.  ( That's with the Mac's muffler / CF fuel tank ) and 1.5 oz tip weight ( I dropped this down to 1 oz after first few trim flights ).

 

Tsumani 40 - Update

The Tsumani 40 project was started back in November when I discussed with Elliot Scott, a 40 sized version would be a great stable mate for the Evolution and Strega 40 sized ships. .... And she'd be a great stable mate for my 60 sized Tsumani.

Anyhow here's the update. ....Sorry no photos.... You'll just have to wait..... But I will tell you she'll have a completely new Tsumani paint scheme with lots of Candy Blue and shades of blue.

I'm planning on using a Stalker46RE. I've never tried a rear exhaust ( other than pipe ).

All wood work is done. Molded top and bottom blocks. Wing/flaps and tail group in final silver. Actually assembly of wing and tail group into fuse is ready to go.

If your winter keeps up. I think I'll have it done pretty some. For you quys down south. Its the end of May .... and we still have snow on the ground. We already had summer and spring this year. It lasted for May 20. One day. That's it.

Some Happening Events - Winter of 2001-2002

Back in March. Had a very pleasant visit with Will Reeb ( Calgary ) and Chris Cox ( Vancouver ). Chris had some great photos of his and Allans Gee Bee Sportsters. Simply awesome. The hi light of the night was greeting Chris at the door. ....Think Popscycle...... March was a brutal month weather wise and Chris arrives in Calgary with his spring coat. After Chris thawed out he was an endless source of CL news and expertise .... which I lapped up.

MVVS49's arrive. Have a couple in stock. I've bench run one and they sound like stronge stronge runners when fully broken in. Nice clean, high quality engines. More on them this summer.

I have Chris to thank for this. I purchased a small Taig lathe this winter and have quite a stock of delrin for venturis. Have already turned a few for myself. To date made up a few for the DS-40 of various sizes ( they actually work ) and several for my TT42's and 46 and my almost free LA46. I'm finding it to be a handy toy to have on hand. I'm not wishing to become a venturi supplier, but if any of you guys in Alberta wish something done and I can work it into my schedual I maybe able to do something for you.

DS40's .... still have a couple in stock.

Brodak 40's. The plans are to have these released towards the end of May. We have six on the Brodak order list. Three are already spoken for. The word is they are great motors. I've been following there development via Windy vidoes and they do look promising. So if you are looking to something new. Give me a hollar and I'l set one asie for you.

Paint Sprayers. Last fall I picked up ( actually was given ) a DeVilbiss, low pressure gravity feed gun. Well ... I'm tickled pink at the quality of spray and finish that they provide..... Its amazing how little paint one needs for coverage. On the Evolution just about 1/2 pint of Miss Ashly red was used.

Gee Bee Z update. Beleive it .... she finally got covered and is ready for color coats. She has become a daunting task. But progress is beeing made.

Tsunami and the Pond.

Its been a few years since these two have crossed paths ( in real life ).

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and of course Tsunami and Stuntress
both with them killer GMA Jetts.
Tsunami - Jett 60 RE Pipe
Stuntress - Jett 50 RE Pipe

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Anyhow I have many people to thank .......

Thanks a million Windy for all your help, advice, control products and the flow of those SAITO'S .... and those endless supply of video tapes.

Elliot Scott for the development of both Tsumani and Evolution 40 sized ships.

John Brodak, for all those great Brodak products. The candy colors are simply fantastic !!!!!!!

Thanks for Visiting this web site

A little Brodak in Western Canada you say...