A Rubber Powered Miles Sparrowhawk for Indoor Flying

This video documents my build and test flights for a Miles Sparrowhawk built for flying indoors. Extra care was taken to keep the weight to a minimum. The 21 1/2 inch span model weighs 22.10 grams without the rubber motor. Quite pleased with the results. The model was built using old-school nitrocellulose glue and covered with very light Tuttiro Japanese tissue. Here's links to help you find those items.
Glue can be found at: volareproducts...
Tissue can be found here: hummingbirdmod...
The plans I used can be found here, they were reduced down to a 21 1/4 inch span. store.flying-m...

[@bbayerit]

Beautifully built, master craftsman on the airscrew, and trimmed to perfection. Well done, John!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you, Robert. One of my favorite builds. This ship is a great flyer.

[@willgraves5288]

Another stellar build, John, and a great flier to boot! Congratulations.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you Will. This model was one of my favorites this past year. A pleasure to build and no headaches with trimming. Thanks for watching.

[@markmclaughlin6222]

Stunning. I built--but never flew--a downsized version of Larry's plans (20"), too. Great learning experience for me. You have inspired me to build it again. And fly it this time, too.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you Mark, Yes! Give it another go. I've build the plan full size and flew it outdoors. It's a great layout for a model and trims out pretty quickly if everything is straight. Have fun!

[@alansiegel4081]

Superb build and presentation. Bravo!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you. And thanks for watching.

[@jeffmurphree2937]

What a beautiful plane and model! I hope to see it in person at a future event. Thank you for sharing!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you, Jeff. Yes, by all means visit us at Glastonbury. We'll be starting up our next indoor season in the Fall.

[@howardmetcalfe5293]

Beautiful on all counts, thank you, Howard Metcalfe

[@Watchingthevideos99]

You're welcome and thank you for watching Howard.

[@darrellsellers1853]

Thank you for sharing your build! Flight at the gym made me feel at home when I heard someone say, "oh wow!" for me. You do inspire.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you Darrell. My hope is to inspire more builders like yourself.

[@bentonbee1]

It flies amazing. Your experience of trimming the flying surfaces shows!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you so much.

[@davesemeraro7010]

Love the sparrowhawk. Your model looks and flies beautiful.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you Dave. One of my favorite airplanes. 😀

[@electricmanist]

Construction and flying- absolutely superb !!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you so much.

[@Strattonlad1946]

Wonderful job! And what a great flying site! Well done!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you Dohman. You need to visit us sometime! 😃

[@punkworkschannel]

Your skill in building and flying this model is superb! Just great!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you.

[@UncleRoots413]

You got me hooked on your channel guy. Haven't handled balsa since a was a child, used to build those stand in a circle on a string deals. The music ads a very relaxing enjoyable touch to the video.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

thank you so much. Glad you're enjoying my work here.

[@longbowshooter5291]

Wow! I see a lot of models that will fly, but they're relying on the propulsion to maintain flight. Your beautiful craft actually makes use of the wing to fly. Nice job.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you. Yes, this is a very lightly built model and that makes the difference. In fact, it would be risky to fly this model outdoors with any wind. But indoors it is simply a joy and flys on rails. A rewarding project. Thanks for watching!

[@longbowshooter5291]

@@Watchingthevideos99 Started into free flight models back in the days when R/C was a reed radio and rubber band escapement, flown control line, fuel, electric, and gliders, still appreciate a fine flying model today, had to acknowledge yours as one of them. It was nice watching it fly.

[@chrisg5271]

Beautiful great building

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you.

[@twowheelexploration9228]

Masterpiece in miniature love it. Spirit of the original aircraft in that model. Well done.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you for your kind comment. I really enjoyed this project. We'll be starting up our indoor flying again in the Fall and looking forward to flying this model again. It's a great flyer! Thanks for watching.

[@twowheelexploration9228]

@Watchingthevideos99 a pleasure thanks for bringing it to life.

[@kenkingsflyingmachines2382]

It's plain you appreciate the meditative aspect of making everything perfect. I try, but there is always some point in a build where things go awry, and I'm faced with the decision of trying over or accepting my flawed model. This usually occurs in the decorating stage. Far too late to start over! So tell me, how do you handle those tissue markings when they are all wet and noodley? And I haven't found a red tissue yet that won't bleed all over the place. So far, I've used a glue stick successfully for covering the framework. I love nitrate dope, but the stuff is verboten in our house. EZ Dope was a nightmare.(Also water based) Brilliant idea using the patterns to place the markings. A real "why didn't I think of that?" moment. I look forward to more of your projects!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Ken thank you for the comment and kind words. I've also struggled with similar building issues. I've learned in the past few years to "let it go" and focus on finishing the model with the best of my ability. I think it's really helped me out. I still learn something new with every build. I think that's important. I too enjoy using nitrate for my tissue work and still do for some projects. Have no desire to use EZ dope. The Elmers Clear has become a great alternative to applying tissue. Really like the stuff once you get the hang of it. As far as my lettering, I put just a bit of Clear on the model to first stick on the letter, then you can lift the tissue letter to apply more glue to the model. I'll then go over the letter with a wet brush. So no handling of the letters wet with glue. These letters were cut from Hallmark tissue paper. The Mt. Fuji from Easy Built is another nice tissue to work with. Keep building and having fun!

[@UncleRoots413]

Amazing first landing btw

[@maciejjjj1]

Beautiful model and propeller

[@Watchingthevideos99]

thank you, especially for noticing the propeller!

[@oldhick9047]

A thing of beauty and function

[@warrend4893]

Love that plane

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you!

[@pachanauta7083]

so nice

[@eskayler66]

Nice!

[@robertlundstrom8061]

John, super nice model! - BUT, being new to these indoor planes, I wish you would make a talking video about making a prop like you did, otherwise, I don't get it, sorry.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Robert, thank you for the comment. The reason I didn't go into detail regarding the prop was because there are several good videos here on KZbin that cover those details. It's certainly a worthy topic on its own and the other videos provide that necessary detail better than I might. Thanks for watching.

[@johnharen9921]

Very impressive model - both construction and flying. I like many of your techniques - particularly your covering approach. Anchoring with spot gluing before finishing seems a far more controlled approach. The prop was impressive as well - what pattern do you use as it looks different to most with the swept back tips on the block? Thanks for the video.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you for the kind words John. Always happy to hear someone likes my videos. It keeps me going back to edit another. The prop on this model is a major key to its success. The pitch is a very good match to the airspeed of the model. I got a bit lucky. The interesting shape comes from simply flipping the block so that what would normally be the front of the prop is now the rear. I did this so the blades would clear the front of the somewhat flat noseblock. Pitch distribution is not impacted by this. It worked out well and even looks kinda cool. 😄Thanks for viewing.

[@johnharen9921]

@@Watchingthevideos99 Thanks John!

[@bentonbee1]

Thanks for showing your covering technique. Are you watering down the glue to glue tissue on?

[@Watchingthevideos99]

You're welcome. You'll notice that I dip my brush in water and then stir it into the glob of glue on the post it. So, it gets thinned a bit. You learn that sometimes it's helpful to have it a bit thinner, sometimes a bit thicker. The glue is slippery while wet and that can help move the tissue. But you need to be careful because if the glue is left too long and you try and move the tissue it will tear. Once you understand how the glue behaves, it's a great way to apply tissue.

[@manfred747]

A super model and I want one! Unfortunately the link to the plan is a dead-end. Is it available anywhere?

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you and thanks for pointing out the bad link. I've corrected the link but if it still doesn't work, the plan is available from Flying Models Plan Store. Here's the link to the main page. store.flying-models.com/ Thanks for viewing and hope you build a Sparrowhawk!

[@manfred747]

@@Watchingthevideos99 John, many thanks for the quick reply. Found it. Bill

[@MORCOPOLO0817]

Any reason why you glued the tissue to all the ribs? The only thing that I can think of is that maybe it gives the wing less range of motion in the case of warps. Being that you used split ribs on the outer part of the wing the potential for warps might be greater.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Very observant and your comment is right on! Even with the sliced ribs, the Tottori tissue has very mild shrinkage. So should help keep the wing flat over the long haul. Time will tell.

[@hdvades]

One more question please. At the 7:08 mark, where did you get that brass dome? I recall TH using them in one of his videos, but he said he found a bag a long time ago. tia

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Hi David. Yea, those are old stock I got from someone a while back. I think Tom found a source for something very similar on Amazon but I can't recall what they were called. It's in one of his videos. I know that doesn't help much! HA HA.

[@hdvades]

Haha yup...it's all about the nomenclature. They're called 4 prong nailheads. If someone asked me what that was, I'd think they were talking about the old Buick V-8.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

HA HA. Great detective work. I'm going to look them up and save for a day I may need some more. Thank you!

[@glennreach6930]

Hi John. Beautiful bird as always. I have a quick question. When you showed the wheels "in the raw", you showed a stir stick or something glued into them as a turning pin. Do you leave them in after and drill them for the landing gear wire or do you remove them and replace with aluminum tube? Geeze.....looking back, that aint such a quick question! LOL

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Hi Glenn. Yes, in this case they are hardwood dowels. I cut one side after forming the wheel and use a tee pin to mark the center of the dowel while turning the wheel in a Dremel. Then cut the other side. A hold is then made where the pin mark was made for the wire axle. Perfectly centered. Hope this helps. Keep warm!

[@carlosballesteros4670]

Wow, with autoland system included! 😂😂😂just a sick joke. What a beautiful airplane. I wish I could do something like it. Do you have the drawings of it that by chance you would like to share with me please? KUDOS!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Hello Carlos. Thank you for your comment. The plan I used is only available for sale from Flying Models Plan Service as far as I know. But the Walt Mooney peanut plan is another nice plan for the Miles Sparrowhawk and could be enlarged to whatever size you'd like to build. Thanks for watching. Here's a link to the Mooney plan. Scroll down to find the link for the plan and the accompanying article. outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=1193

[@glennreach6930]

I should have watched the whole video before asking questions! LOL Roughly how much working time do you have with that Elmers glue and what is the benefits of using it as apposed to a glue stick? Thanks for any help.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

No problem Glenn. There is a pot life to the clear but you learn as you use it to keep it thin. If you apply it right out of the bottle, you don't have a lot of time. You'll see in the video, I go back and re-wet areas I'm concerned might be too dry. the glue is very slippery if you apply it with the right amount of water:glue ratio. The glue will also break down the tissue if you wait too long to pull the tissue. Something else you need to be careful with. But you can let it dry and reactivate it with water. For me the biggest advantage is NO LUMPS. I've always hated that with glue sticks. This glue goes on super smooth. You can also apply it through tissue. It's also great to use with paper wing fillets. It softens up the paper where its applied and helps the fillet fit properly on the model. Experiment with it first!

[@cociutomo]

Very anice

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thanks for watching!

[@pachanauta7083]

how. gently lands

[@RealSamuelMach]

nice job do you design the plan? were do i find this model?

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you. The plan is available through Flying Models Plan Service. I reduced the plan 15%. store.flying-models.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=26&products_id=559

[@benb5841]

Beautiful model! I built a peanut scale version some years ago (I think it was from the Matt Mooney plans). I never got mine trimmed the way I wanted, but it did make a few short successful flights and sure looked pretty. Yours really flies exceptionally well. Great work! I love the fact that you carved your own propeller.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you for the comment Ben. That Mooney plan is a good one. I also built one years ago but had similar results. Your comment on the carved prop is a major factor to the success of this model. The prop is a great match with the flight characteristics of this ship. It would not fly like this without it. Thanks for viewing.

[@stevenprobelski8029]

Hi John, I've watched quite a few of your videos. Thank you for sharing your projects with us. You've built many interesting subjects. I was wondering where you source the tissue you used and how does it compare to Esaki? Thank you, Steve Probelski

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Hi Steve. Thank you for the kind words. The Tuttiro tissue comes from Hummingbird Model Products out of Canada. That particular tissue is really nice for indoor models but may be a bit light for outdoor models. He has another tissue more suited for outdoor models. The Asuka (Flying Bird) tissue is another good choice for a substitute for Esaki. You can find that at Peck Polymers and Volare Models. It's a bit softer than Esaki but has pretty good wet strength. It also comes in colors. I've used the Asuka several times and like it. Great for smaller outdoor models. For larger outdoor models, the Mt. Fuji is nice stuff. That's available from Easy Built models. It's stiffer than the others but comes in some great colors. Good wet strength but does seem to take a bit more work to get it down. Hope that helps.

[@5minEpoxy]

Hi John , when i have the plan PDF. Is this printed on a DINA4 paper ? Is the size correct for building? or have i to scale up the plan untill it reaches 21,5 inches ?

[@Watchingthevideos99]

The original plan was 25 inch span. Mine is 21.25 inch span. I reduced the original plan 15%. Hope that helps.

[@hdvades]

I've always loved the Sparrowhawk. I'm getting ready to cover an outdoor no-cal. Do you think your covering method with the Elmers clear glue would hold up on a humid day outdoors? tia

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thanks for the comment David. I think you should be OK. I covered a no cal last year and did a light spray of Krylon and never had any problems. I know people use Elmers White to cover and I don't recall anyone have a problem. If it gets soaked, it's likely it will release. I've soaked off tissue with water, but the tissue is a mess by the time it releases.

[@davidbross6942]

I have been getting into rubber powered ff. My question is: About how many flights can you expect from a rubber motor? I have a chart that shows for a particular width of rubber, with a certain number of strands, that I can wind that motor up to X number of turns per inch of the motor. I usually wind the motor up about 80% of the recommended number of turns. About how many flights should I get on that motor before the rubber starts losing torque? Thanks very much.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Hi David. Nice to hear you're having a go at rubber powered aeromodelling. If you are only winding to 80% max winds, I would expect your motor to last for quite a few flights. Your biggest enemy will be dirt. Keep the motor clean. You might consider taking the motor out of the model on occasion and washing it and then re-lubing it. You'll notice a change in model performance when the rubber is starting to fade. I've gone a full flying season with a motor when not max winding too often. Keep in mind that the tan rubber develops the most power at a little more than 80%.

[@davidbross6942]

Thanks for the excellent info!!@@Watchingthevideos99

[@Watchingthevideos99]

David you're welcome. Thanks for watching.

[@dancahill8555]

Lovely. Educational too!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you Dan.

[@hanfordcreek5309]

Outstanding!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you. One of my most favorite projects recently. Such a beautiful airplane design. Thanks for watching.

[@Colin399]

Superb build👍

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you Colin.

[@funscalemodels9782]

Fantastic video of a spectacular model. Really enjoyed watching this one come together and seeing her flying! FSM

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you. Things worked out well with this one. Sure looks nice overhead. 🙂

[@pipcop]

Thank you John for another great build, I always enjoy them, and share with others that I fly indoor with so they can pick out your building tips. Would you share what the AUW was without rubber ?

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you for your kind words. 🙂the model weighs 22.10 grams without the rubber motor. 72 square inches of wing area.

[@pauldonnelly7949]

Very pretty and what a great flier too! Impressed with the propeller/spinner, how you tackled it, learnt something there. Keep up the great work!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you Paul.

[@harrykeel8557]

That was absolutely beautiful. Especially, the landings. It seems that your little pilot knows what he is doing! Beautiful plane, awesome flight.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you Harry. A very rewarding project.

[@jeffreyhagelin3672]

Masterfully done by the hands of a true artist. Thank you for sharing..

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Jeffrey, thank you so much for the kind words. And thanks for watching.

[@arthurcharles936]

Fantastic!!!

[@dansmith7617]

Absolutely beautiful. My first really successful model was Mooney's Sparrowhawk. Always loved that machine. Yours is superb. The landings look like Kermit Weeks is in there! Nice. -Dan

[@Watchingthevideos99]

thank you Dan. Built the Mooney peanut years ago. That's a good version! Laughed out loud reading your Kermit Weeks comment. 😂😂😂 Thanks for viewing.

[@dansmith7617]

@@Watchingthevideos99 Well...have you SEEN him grease those suckers in? Almost as cool as your pilotless Sparrowhawk! 😁Keep up the amazing building and flying! -Dan

[@Watchingthevideos99]

@@dansmith7617 HA HA. A trip to visit his collection is on my bucket list. Thanks watching my video. More projects on the way.

[@jamesnarlesky4622]

Always enjoy your videos. I learn so many new things with each new video. Have to ask did you purchase your wood working tools for models or are you a cabinet and or furniture maker? You have impressive skills.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

James, thank you so much for your kind words. I'm actually a retired engineer who worked in submarine acoustics for 35 years. 😁 My dad introduced me to model aviation at a young age. My first stick and tissue model was a Guillows Thomas Morse Scout. I've stayed with the hobby now for over 50 years. So I suppose I've evolved with the hobby and developed my skills and tooling as I've progressed with my building. I truly do love what I do with the hobby. Thank you for watching my videos. I enjoy sharing my work in hope that inspires others to build their own balsa creations.

[@jamesnarlesky4622]

@@Watchingthevideos99 Submarine acoustics? I am even more impressed. Thank you.

[@stephenwadkin4233]

I'm sure F G Miles would have given his seal of approval.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you Stephen. Such a wonderful time in aviation history. 🙂

[@StephenFauble]

Your videos are superb! Thanks

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you Stephen. Always nice to hear that and it inspires me to make more.

[@robertcovell2787]

That is so cute! Well done. nicely trimmed. are plans available?

[@f4udhorn]

Great build, John. Did you alcohol or watershrink your tissue at all? Or just dope only?

[@coyotearcadio]

Awesome!, where can i find those plans? In México it is very difficul find those magazines or any kind of printed info of balsa models.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you for your comment. The plans I used were purchased from Flying Models Plans Store. store.flying-models.com/catalog/. I reduced the plan slightly for the model in the video. You can find other versions of the Miles Sparrowhawk online for free. Here's a smaller plan that could be enlarged to a size similar to mine. outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=1193 Hope that helps.

[@coyotearcadio]

Thank you so much Mr. John Koptonak to take time to answer My question and help me find those plans, i am very touched. Greetings from México.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

@@coyotearcadio you are welcome. I am happy to learn there is a free flight modeler in your country. 🙂