This Chief I purchased from the original builder. It was in a terrible state, but did a sympathetic restoration on it as well as converted it to 2 channel radio control. Flies beautifully.
Thanks for this video. I've got an original Chief that my dad bought when he retired in the 90s. He cut all the pieces out but didn't get around to building it. I've been meaning to build it but I didn't like the idea of free flight, so it's been on the back burner for 25 years. It's now my next build and I will be following your rc conversion. Thanks again
Watching the aircraft takes me back to the less complicated world of my childhood. Nice restoration and keeping with the feel of that era with the colours. Hope to see many more flights.
loved the vid, I’m in my 60’s and going to build a small balsa kit I was given…. I built the Chef in the early 70’s, followed by Caprice, Chief had a bad crash smashing the wing brace and never flew straight again! I don’t have the planes now but still have the original plans tucked away in the loft, your vid wants me to build it again👍
Glad you enjoyed the video. I have a vintage Caprice also, which I hope to fly this year. It's older than me! The Chief is a challenging build from scratch with lots of intricate parts to cut. This one was built in 1968, not by me, and was a joy to give it a new lease of life....
I didn't want to spoil it with anything inappropriate. Glad you like it and yes great to give something almost as old as myself a new lease of life and see it flying. I've contacted the original builder to let him know. Hopefully he's still with us. Someone locally has given me a rather nice competition glider that was built before I was born and is in amazing condition! Watch this space...
That airplane really wants to fly. Excellent build, covering, and flying. I like clear coverings for models of this kind. I covered my Lanzo Bomber with clear on the fuselage and top of the wing, with semi-transparent bright orange covering underneath and on the tail surfaces. It glows in flight like an electric light with sunlight streaming through the wing. I can always see it in the sky, even when it's very small. I have used long wooden dowels for pushrods which were fine in heavier R/C models. However, where every gram counts, I use thin carbon fiber rods with small balsa guides in the fuselage to keep them straight. Big weight savings and works just as well. I also use bits of carbon fiber to reinforce stress areas with little added weight. Great job.
Glad you like my KK Chief. I went for the dowel pushrods to keep the vintage look, as this glider was built way back in 1968. I also covered it with a clear (non coloured) film to show the old wood and patina. It does fly beautifully too 😄👍 Those Lanzo Bombers are great vintage flyers too. Yours sounds very nice by how you describe it 😄👍
@@RCSoaringUK It is a nice flying airplane and looks gorgeous in the air, like going back in time. I understand about the dowel pushrods. When you can see into the fuselage and are going for "vintage", it makes sense. I entered the Bomber in a few contests. The other contestants all had modern, sleek designs, and they paid no attention to my "old-fashioned", semi-transparent airplane when it was sitting on the line before flying. The events I entered consisted of 1. A timed power climb, 2. Timed duration and, 3. A timed landing. As you know, these events require an airplane that will perform reliably and constantly. The Bomber is exactly such an airplane. The Bomber performed so well that it won all of the contests I entered. You can bet that it got a lot of attention after I landed.
@@RCSoaringUK Thank you, but I deserve little credit. That incredible airplane did all the work. All I did was get it into the air and leave it alone much of the time. It's like a kite on a string and never wants to come down. The other contestants certainly learned to respect it. I eventually retired it from contests because it wasn't fair to the others. Yes, the so-called "old-timers" are, indeed, works of art.
Great video format Carl, I like the history and a look at the glider before restoration and of course the finished article!! And then to see it flying, excellent video and I think your on to a real winner with the format of this video!! Well done you👍😄
Thanks very much for your positive comments Ian 😄 and glad you enjoyed it 😄 I have a string of projects lined up, so there will be more of this sort of thing featured over time. To give something new life and see it flying is a special feeling. But having said that, I also have some newer modern gliders lined up too.
I remember building the same model but fitted it with a Cox glow engine. After over fuelling it she eventually landed in a very large pool at Sutton park in Birmingham England after drying out all was fine .
Beautiful. I keep looking at the map and thinking you cant be that far from me (valley of the rocks/ Lynmouth). Coastline look so familiar. Keep up the good work
Thanks for the video, that’s a nice restoration. I’m returning to aeromodelling after 50 years, just built a Caprice (lost two of them back then), and have just done my first r/c conversion - nightmare working in that slim fuselage, especially as I didn’t really know what I was doing. Don’t know what to build next, maybe a Chief (more room!), again with r/c, so your tour ‘inside’ was especially helpful. Would it take ailerons? I can see it didn’t need them, but I need the practice.
This story quickly becomes addictive... Each video has its own idea. Planes are piling up at my house, some have been waiting for the maiden flight since the covid lockdown.🙄
@@RCSoaringUK I would have to look at the prices for these balsa gliders... For the Lightninbug I managed to find a PDF plan. I will give it a try on my cnc machine if I find some balsa near my house. It becomes difficult to find simple balsa in France. The drone has killed aeromodelling...
Here's where you can buy the Pug DLG: Direct: www.angelwingdesigns.co.uk/products/pug2 Hyperflight: www.hyperflight.co.uk/products.asp?code=PUG2&name=pug-2-mini-dlg-slope-soarer-80-cm Both ship internationally. These kits are good value, as you don't have to find or make all the little parts. You can make your own judgement as to whether the price of buying a Pug kit is good value compared to building from scratch the Lightning Bug 🤔
@@RCSoaringUK everything depends on the capacity, the desire... My financial means are limited and my experience is minimal for piloting, it is more advantageous to build myself. I have the experience, the time and the desire to build. I am very handy and nimble with my hands. The work of finesse I like that. My Bayraktar TB2 drone took me 1 month to build and it's a great experience. it lacks more than the video of the flight to have a total pleasure. The projects jostle in my head, the list is long and every day I find a new plane or glider that I like. No1 Drone AKINCI TB2, then will come the Lockheed U2, A Discus glider, an F3k glider, Pitts Biplane, The PUG 2... Oh yes I forgot the three planes awaiting their maiden flight in September. An aliexpress 50cm glider and an identical glider in 1 meter. and I'm building the NIEUPORT IV a small WW1 single wing. You have come across a guy who has a passion and sickness for airplanes. And I've never been on a plane in my life and finally I bought a SU27 fighter jet 1 channel for 20€. I appreciate your channel for its interactivity, and you take the time to explain things. At the start we ask ourselves a lot of questions and it can slow down the desire in us. I learned that I have to put gliders in competitions to focus on simple things and within my budgets. Sorry for the long comment. I'm not boring you, I hope... In France I have the impression of being the only guy who likes model aircraft, the only guy who posts videos of gliders and a "semi pro" and another good RC3DGeek guy, however none of them share his experience. TH-cam is a sharing platform let's not forget it! It's not just saying "come see my video, subscribe, like the video and go to sleep"
You have done a half decent job on that . The conversion is also very good i think you just need a little more weight up front otherwise should be a very good flyer in the right conditions. Well done 👍
Thanks Stephen. I was experimenting a little weight. At first it was a little nose heavy, so took some out and flew nicely in the light breeze, but could have done with a little more again when the breeze strengthened a little.
That must have been a challenging first build! Hopefully you enjoyed many good flights with it. This summer I want to launch it from a flat field to see how it performs.
This Chief I purchased from the original builder. It was in a terrible state, but did a sympathetic restoration on it as well as converted it to 2 channel radio control. Flies beautifully.
Thanks for this video. I've got an original Chief that my dad bought when he retired in the 90s. He cut all the pieces out but didn't get around to building it. I've been meaning to build it but I didn't like the idea of free flight, so it's been on the back burner for 25 years. It's now my next build and I will be following your rc conversion. Thanks again
Watching the aircraft takes me back to the less complicated world of my childhood. Nice restoration and keeping with the feel of that era with the colours. Hope to see many more flights.
Thanks for your comment Allen. It was nice to fly something that is almost as old as me - very special. I too am looking forward to many flights.
loved the vid, I’m in my 60’s and going to build a small balsa kit I was given…. I built the Chef in the early 70’s, followed by Caprice, Chief had a bad crash smashing the wing brace and never flew straight again! I don’t have the planes now but still have the original plans tucked away in the loft, your vid wants me to build it again👍
Glad you enjoyed the video. I have a vintage Caprice also, which I hope to fly this year. It's older than me! The Chief is a challenging build from scratch with lots of intricate parts to cut. This one was built in 1968, not by me, and was a joy to give it a new lease of life....
@@RCSoaringUK “Vintage” Caprice…… makes me feel very old as I remember buying the kit with my pocket money😂
Love the rod pushrods Carl very 'period', what a great project, very nice 👍
I didn't want to spoil it with anything inappropriate. Glad you like it and yes great to give something almost as old as myself a new lease of life and see it flying. I've contacted the original builder to let him know. Hopefully he's still with us. Someone locally has given me a rather nice competition glider that was built before I was born and is in amazing condition! Watch this space...
Lovely restoration and fly's beautifully.
Thanks Kev. Hoping to launch this on my 50m hi-start in my local field soon....
Lovely work
Great work, and lovely location too! Made my day.
Glad you enjoyed it! It one I need to fly again this year....
What a beautiful place to slope soar. Ideal model for that.
It certainly is Jim and I'm lucky to live so close. It's my favourite spot for my lightweight gliders 👍
That airplane really wants to fly. Excellent build, covering, and flying. I like clear coverings for models of this kind. I covered my Lanzo Bomber with clear on the fuselage and top of the wing, with semi-transparent bright orange covering underneath and on the tail surfaces. It glows in flight like an electric light with sunlight streaming through the wing. I can always see it in the sky, even when it's very small.
I have used long wooden dowels for pushrods which were fine in heavier R/C models. However, where every gram counts, I use thin carbon fiber rods with small balsa guides in the fuselage to keep them straight. Big weight savings and works just as well. I also use bits of carbon fiber to reinforce stress areas with little added weight.
Great job.
Glad you like my KK Chief. I went for the dowel pushrods to keep the vintage look, as this glider was built way back in 1968. I also covered it with a clear (non coloured) film to show the old wood and patina. It does fly beautifully too 😄👍 Those Lanzo Bombers are great vintage flyers too. Yours sounds very nice by how you describe it 😄👍
@@RCSoaringUK It is a nice flying airplane and looks gorgeous in the air, like going back in time.
I understand about the dowel pushrods. When you can see into the fuselage and are going for "vintage", it makes sense.
I entered the Bomber in a few contests. The other contestants all had modern, sleek designs, and they paid no attention to my "old-fashioned", semi-transparent airplane when it was sitting on the line before flying. The events I entered consisted of 1. A timed power climb, 2. Timed duration and, 3. A timed landing. As you know, these events require an airplane that will perform reliably and constantly. The Bomber is exactly such an airplane.
The Bomber performed so well that it won all of the contests I entered. You can bet that it got a lot of attention after I landed.
Well done for winning the contests 😄👍 Never underestimate the performance of an older design 👍 and they do look like works of art in the sky 🥰
@@RCSoaringUK Thank you, but I deserve little credit. That incredible airplane did all the work. All I did was get it into the air and leave it alone much of the time. It's like a kite on a string and never wants to come down. The other contestants certainly learned to respect it.
I eventually retired it from contests because it wasn't fair to the others.
Yes, the so-called "old-timers" are, indeed, works of art.
Great video format Carl, I like the history and a look at the glider before restoration and of course the finished article!! And then to see it flying, excellent video and I think your on to a real winner with the format of this video!! Well done you👍😄
Thanks very much for your positive comments Ian 😄 and glad you enjoyed it 😄 I have a string of projects lined up, so there will be more of this sort of thing featured over time. To give something new life and see it flying is a special feeling. But having said that, I also have some newer modern gliders lined up too.
I remember building the same model but fitted it with a Cox glow engine. After over fuelling it she eventually landed in a very large pool at Sutton park in Birmingham England after drying out all was fine .
Not heard of one with an engine. Great story!
@@RCSoaringUK
Yes I fitted an Cox 049 Golden Bee
Beautiful. I keep looking at the map and thinking you cant be that far from me (valley of the rocks/ Lynmouth). Coastline look so familiar. Keep up the good work
Thanks Jon for your positive comment. As the crow flies I'm not too far away as I'm a little way past Westward Ho! Do you ever fly Codden Hill?
Thanks for the video, that’s a nice restoration.
I’m returning to aeromodelling after 50 years, just built a Caprice (lost two of them back then), and have just done my first r/c conversion - nightmare working in that slim fuselage, especially as I didn’t really know what I was doing.
Don’t know what to build next, maybe a Chief (more room!), again with r/c, so your tour ‘inside’ was especially helpful. Would it take ailerons? I can see it didn’t need them, but I need the practice.
This story quickly becomes addictive... Each video has its own idea. Planes are piling up at my house, some have been waiting for the maiden flight since the covid lockdown.🙄
And I have a pile of kits to build.....
@@RCSoaringUK I would have to look at the prices for these balsa gliders... For the Lightninbug I managed to find a PDF plan. I will give it a try on my cnc machine if I find some balsa near my house. It becomes difficult to find simple balsa in France. The drone has killed aeromodelling...
Here's where you can buy the Pug DLG:
Direct: www.angelwingdesigns.co.uk/products/pug2
Hyperflight: www.hyperflight.co.uk/products.asp?code=PUG2&name=pug-2-mini-dlg-slope-soarer-80-cm
Both ship internationally. These kits are good value, as you don't have to find or make all the little parts. You can make your own judgement as to whether the price of buying a Pug kit is good value compared to building from scratch the Lightning Bug 🤔
@@RCSoaringUK everything depends on the capacity, the desire... My financial means are limited and my experience is minimal for piloting, it is more advantageous to build myself. I have the experience, the time and the desire to build. I am very handy and nimble with my hands. The work of finesse I like that. My Bayraktar TB2 drone took me 1 month to build and it's a great experience. it lacks more than the video of the flight to have a total pleasure. The projects jostle in my head, the list is long and every day I find a new plane or glider that I like.
No1 Drone AKINCI TB2, then will come the Lockheed U2, A Discus glider, an F3k glider, Pitts Biplane, The PUG 2...
Oh yes I forgot the three planes awaiting their maiden flight in September. An aliexpress 50cm glider and an identical glider in 1 meter. and I'm building the NIEUPORT IV a small WW1 single wing.
You have come across a guy who has a passion and sickness for airplanes. And I've never been on a plane in my life
and finally I bought a SU27 fighter jet 1 channel for 20€.
I appreciate your channel for its interactivity, and you take the time to explain things. At the start we ask ourselves a lot of questions and it can slow down the desire in us.
I learned that I have to put gliders in competitions to focus on simple things and within my budgets.
Sorry for the long comment. I'm not boring you, I hope...
In France I have the impression of being the only guy who likes model aircraft, the only guy who posts videos of gliders and a "semi pro" and another good RC3DGeek guy, however none of them share his experience. TH-cam is a sharing platform let's not forget it! It's not just saying "come see my video, subscribe, like the video and go to sleep"
Really lovely
Yes, it's a lovely glider.
You have done a half decent job on that . The conversion is also very good i think you just need a little more weight up front otherwise should be a very good flyer in the right conditions. Well done 👍
Thanks Stephen. I was experimenting a little weight. At first it was a little nose heavy, so took some out and flew nicely in the light breeze, but could have done with a little more again when the breeze strengthened a little.
I guess it was never designed for penetration being a free flight model.
You're absolutely right Jim. It's happier floating around and is a delight to fly.
Would have looked nicer in coloured tissue IMO....Kudos for rescuing The Chief....Filming aspect ratio is very inappropriate though...😏😳🇬🇧
the first plane i built i an 67
That must have been a challenging first build! Hopefully you enjoyed many good flights with it. This summer I want to launch it from a flat field to see how it performs.
Necesito con seguir un carrete de Liga 6 m. m o de
3 m. m estoy en México
DF 0k