Bowman Spatman

[Ron Gray]

?

[Stuphedd]

Reading this months RCM&E I saw the Spatman and thought it looked remarkably like a few planes I flew in the 70s, It started in 1976 , thats the date on the back of the enclosed photos, and it was built from a plan in the American mag RC modeller , Still have it !!

It was called a Quickie, then the Quickie Bipe , both very aerobatic even without ails ,rudder rolls were very axial  but the last bipe has ails fitted but it made very little difference .

I just wonder how close to the Spatman  they were ???  Veco 19 powered!!

Edited August 21, 2021 by Stuphedd
to add info

[Piers Bowlan]

Yes, Quickie & Spatman are the same model I think. There is reference to it earlier in the thread if you care to trawl through. Both plans available on Outerzone.

[Roy Thompson]

Can’t deny it, they must have been cousins.  I do like the steerable tail wheel on the quickie, same that wasn’t duplicated on the Spatman.

[Stuphedd]

I thought they looked very similar ! 

The blue bipe you could put into a true flat spin after performing 3 tight loops where upon on the third it flicked into the spin which I never worked out how to get out off .

It always landed flat on its wheels with no damage ! I even put a ST 45 up front to power it out of the spin , that did not work either !!  and it bent the UC on the "landing "

 

but great planes , There are 2 more I built in my photo album so I must have liked them !!

enjoy the Spatmen !! 

[Stuphedd]

Could not resist the opportunity to dig out the original mag that featured the Quickie plan and write up October 75 . Only because in those days the cover always featured 2 models  , one to build  but both to swoon over !   Usually !  

[Roy Thompson]

Stuphedd I assume you mean the boat and the Glider. ? 

Classic front covers a true work of art

[Stuphedd]

In this PC world        do I have an option ???

 

or should I say ""What boat "??

 

Im ,off flying !! 

cheers

[Roy Thompson]

Well, I couldn’t help my self when this appear on EB. I did hold out for bit as it was collection only and an 8hr round trip away, that was until the seller agreed to posting. So that’s what happened and the next day there it was on the doorstep, mostly intact except for the tail which had taken a hit though the packaging. I was half expecting that anyway.

 

On closer inspection the hit had neatly punched out the horizontal stab out of its slot, showing up the weak glue joints. In fact its done me a favour save me the trouble of removing it, as looking at the standard of workmanship and ware and tear, I would have wanted to replace it anyway during the refurbishment.

 

So now the plan is to strip it back to bare wood, then refurbish from the ground up, keeping her as a glow powered example to go along side the electric one.

[Roy Thompson]

The new arrival and my old trusty electric version. This one seems to have a much taller undercarriage, it looks original but the difference in size from my original?

[jeff2wings]

That is the same as the one supplied in my original kit ,I opted not to use it and made a shorter one that I also mounted further forward 

[Roy Thompson]

29 minutes ago, jeff2wings said:

That is the same as the one supplied in my original kit ,I opted not to use it and made a shorter one that I also mounted further forward 

Thanks Jeff I'm thinking of doing the same, it just looks a bit odd otherwise.

Good day yesterday got it all strip down cleaned and new tail parts made.

[Roy Thompson]

Not going as quickly as hoped, something to do with shopping for this Sunday!! 

Any how the rebuild is under way new servo mounts are in as are the new servos. New pushrods coming along & fuel tank cleaned and refitted.

New Horizontal stab and top decking under the fin is now glued in place. One mod thats going in is, a steerable tail wheel (Idea taken from the Quickie).

 

As for power, I was tempted to try my OS10Max again, but decided to take the advice I had before and fit a 15.

 

Can’t wait until Christmas Day, and that lovely look of surprise on my wife’s face when she see what she brought me for Christmas 🎄🎁 🤣

 

[Roy Thompson]

Took some time out yesterday from wrapping and shopping, do some more of the rebuild. Top deck on, both control rods finishes. I've also installed the steerable tailwheel and added "T" nuts for the undercarriage. Don't understand why the original owner offset the bolt hole in the undercarriage or used such large bolts, but hay it will do the job for now.

So she's just about ready for covering.

[jeff2wings]

Looking good Roy,will you be using film or something else for the fuselage? Thought I'd be clever and painted mine, if only the fuel proofer that I used was actually fuel proof !! 😜 

[Roy Thompson]

On 28/12/2022 at 18:34, jeff2wings said:

Looking good Roy,will you be using film or something else for the fuselage? Thought I'd be clever and painted mine, if only the fuel proofer that I used was actually fuel proof !! 😜 

Hi Jeff, we are keeping it simple and sticking to film, not literally you understand! 🤣 I have a colour scheme in mind so hopefully I’ll make a start on that today.

Santa was good to me, so we have the engine for it. It’s second hand but new in box. Started making a test stand for it yesterday, it needed a good amount of 3in1 to free it up from its years of sitting. I was a bit worried by how stiff it was at first, but having let the oil do its work it feels nice now, ready for a couple of tanks of fuel before being fitted.

 

Happy New Year 🥳 

[Ron Gray]

I see Santa even initialled the box for you too. Ho, ho, ho.

[jeff2wings]

An SC15 !? Hope Santa left some bicycle clips as well lol 😆 👍

[Roy Thompson]

A little bit more done, been busy with the ironing, and getting the control surfaces fitted and hinged.

[Roy Thompson]

Well me second Spatman is already to fly. The OS 10 Max has come out of hibernation after the best part of 30 years, or since it was last in a Spatman!

We put a tank of fuel through her today, so the only thing stopping aviation is the weather. Once she flown a few times with the 10 then the plan is to swap it out with the SC 15. This way I’m going find out Just how much more fun they are with a 15, of course bicycle clips will be on standby.

[Ron Gray]

You've made a right nice job of that Roy.

[Roy Thompson]

Maiden my glow powered Spatman this week, fitted currently with my old OS 10Max. I just wanted to confirm to myself what she flew like with the 10, as I remember trying to flying my original with the OS10, but not successfully flying it. Well I can confirm she flew with the 10 ok, not sparkling performance anywhere near that of my electric version. Tried a couple of different props on the 3 flights I had, that didn’t make a lot of difference. So as mentioned on here some time ago it needs the 15, at least Ive proved it to myself. She did glide nicely though when the motor cut.

 

It’s going to need some extra down thrust, that the other thing I learned, plus those long legs on the undercarriage have got to go. Every time I landed on our soft mossy grass, now mater how gently I tried, the moment the wheels touch it flipped her over on to her back. Same with trying to ROG. None of this was doing the fin and rudder any good.

 

Next time out then an SC 15 upfront and modified undercarriage, or I could just leave it off for now, the undercarriage that is.

 

 

Edited February 10, 2023 by Roy Thompson

[Ron Gray]

Mine goes well on its OS15LA Roy.

[Alan Gorham_]

Much later to this party than I wanted to be but have finally started my Spatman build. Really, there were three main reasons that were putting me off starting but they have all been resolved, so here we are.

 

Firstly, I was struggling to achieve acceptable results when cutting foam wings on my own. I have solved that by enlisting the help of a clubmate, Mark, who has helped me to solve the problem.

 

Secondly, I was finding it hard to find suitable veneers until last year, when a PSS flying buddy gave me some old stock Obechi veneers. Problem two solved!

 

Lastly, I was debating putting either an SC.12 glow or a PAW 249 diesel in, but I had bought both those engines for other models. I managed to find an older but new-in-box SC.15 glow on Ebay a few weeks ago, so all systems go!

 

See below for my kit of parts and the powerplant. The fuselage went into the jig last night, so we should be good for more progress this week.

 

 

[Roy Thompson]

Welcome to the party Alan 👋 buy the time your reading this I expect you've almost got it finished 😄

 

There must be a lot of SC15 out there on eBay as that's how I found mine. Which I need to finish running in and fitting to my IC version.

 

The SC15 should go well, you didn't fancy going electric?

 

Looking forward to seeing how you get on.