40% Turbo Laser (scratch built)

[jack strickland]

Did not read the informative link Roger posted previously about aluminum strength. It tell the story better than my explanation.

[askforplanes]

Great explanation! ($0% what's that?, just messing with you.)

JP

[tonyc9075]

	Quote: Originally Posted by forgues research
	Thanks Jack for the information, I beleive one company is making 2024 landing gears and they machine away some material to keep them light, which in my opinion is way better then carbon fiber landing gear. Just my opinion. Roger

Roger, you may be thinking of TNT Landing gear, they do make nice gear but its not 2024. Its 6061, they tried 2024 and had problems doing the radis bend.
Jack is the master of bending 2024 and I need to upgrade by Laser with a set of his landing gear.

[forgues research]

Just assembling some contest grade balsa, 3/32*3*36 so I have lay them out like brick work not the have the joint s lined up, also I made sure the joints are in the middle of a rib .

Roger

[forgues research]

	Quote: Originally Posted by tonyc9075
	Roger, you may be thinking of TNT Landing gear, they do make nice gear but its not 2024. Its 6061, they tried 2024 and had problems doing the radis bend. Jack is the master of bending 2024 and I need to upgrade by Laser with a set of his landing gear.

Really hmmm, my mistake, I thought for sure they were doing 2024 but you're right, if they don't adapt to radius bends its not going to work.

Let Jack do it , he's the master and his prices are good.

Roger

[BTerry]

	Quote: Originally Posted by jack strickland
	Sorry to be bitter, but I feel the moderators should respond better to all the negative people on here, and I am not talking about constructive comments, just the ones with the "I have not seen this therefore it cannot be the truth". Don't know of any one who cannot learn from others, its called ignorance, which can be fixed with education, but "You cannot fix STUPID."

Well stated Jack. This is the reason so few honest, upright, moral, honorable, and capable people become politicians. People with the qualities we apply to the "Statesmen" of the past see politics isn't worth the effort and personal attacks caused by naysayers. The modern George Washingtons, Thomas Jeffersons, John Adamses, Patrick Henrys, Daniel Websters, and Benjamin Franklins (among countless others...) of today don't want to sully their reputations and trade away their souls for power in that cesspool, and prefer to remain anonymous.

Roger, I need to tell you that the construction pictures and your build threads are immensely enjoyable and even inspiring. Seeing the systematic construction steps convinces me that I can scratch build a plane like this myself someday. I plan to build a 40% Laser in the next few years based almost exclusively on watching the progress on your build threads.

I grew up building those horrible Guillows and Comet kits and absolutely loved them. However in the last 15 years I have only built a couple of small sailplanes and an electric pylon racer from kits, although I have assembled a bunch of big ARFs or purchased used planes ready to fly.

In the same time, however, I scratch built a few electric race boats and a couple of 1/2A rc planes. These scratch built models in many ways are much more enjoyable than even flying my big planes because I "brought them to life" with my own two hands.

When I was in High School I wanted to build a full-scale plane, maybe a Christen Eagle or even a Falco (an Italian, drop-dead sexy airplane), but quickly realized it would be an extremely time-consuming process. As I grew older and gained more responsibilities (wife, kids, job, etc) I also grew a larger "fear of death" because so many people depend upon me for sustenance and support. Also some medical complications precluded me from obtaining a medical certificate so my dream of becoming a pilot vanished and in many ways broke my heart. However RC flying came to replace the dream.

I was able to see Leo Loudenslager fly several times but the performance at the 1996 Reno Air Races sticks out in my mind. An anonymous stranger gave us a stack of corporate pit passes so we sat in the pit bleachers are were able to walk around the pits and talk to the pilots. Leo was enormously entertaining with his intense performance. However he was also a down-to-earth guy despite the rockstar aura surrounding him. Sadly seven short months later he was in the motorcycle crash that eventually took him.

That tiny little plane with the tiny little engine was just astounding to me. Compared to the fire-breathing Extras and Edges with nearly twice the horsepower, the Laser just seemed so much more nimble and "fun" to fly. The home-built aspect of the full-scale plane also lent an organic, barnstorming feel to Leo's plane when compared to the factory-produced, extensively-corporate-sponsored Extras and Edges on the circuit today. Further, the Laser is universally recognized yet is simultaneously extremely rare at the flying field.

Having seen Leo's Laser 200 in person at the Udvar-Hazy Museum as well as Joann Osterud's Stephens Akro at the Boeing Museum of Flight I am continually drawn back to the simple lines of the plane.

I am looking forward to this build thread and can't wait to see the final outcome (as well as the process along the way). I am trying to find a way to fit a table saw, drill press, and maybe a bandsaw into my garage along the way. Then hopefully I can follow your lead as it were.

Please continue!

Brett

[BTerry]

Wow, that was a long post. Sometimes I start down a line of thought and the ideas just keep flowing. Sorry!

[forgues research]

	Quote: Originally Posted by BTerry
	Wow, that was a long post. Sometimes I start down a line of thought and the ideas just keep flowing. Sorry!

Thanks Brett,
Well said and thank you for sharing you're love of aviation.

As for building this laser, I assure you, although bigger then a guillows, it is a lot easier to build .

Don't let the size scare you. And when you do decide to build one, there are many guys here that are willing to help you along the way. Jack Strickland of course, is the designer of this particular model and has built numerous models. Scott MOrgan, Tony, and myself ...plus I'm sure many others that might not have surfaced but would be willing to help, so go for it.

Roger

[forgues research]

Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?
- Abraham Lincoln

[TeamFlatout]

Hopefully craftsmanship looks a lot better on this plane than pictures of planes on your site.

[RTK]

That's not called for

[RTS.readytosoar]

These are airplanes, supposed to be fun. When did ^&(*^*&%(*holes start flying airplanes. Seriously bashing the guy for building?lol

Keep up the ggod work, would be cool to see a laser that big!

Dan
RTS.