Comet Nickel Scale Bellanca Construction and Flight

This video covers the construction and flight of a 1940 designed Bellanca rubber powered model airplane. Teh kit for this 10 inch span model would cost one nickel. The nickel models were not the most accurate scale models but introduced kids to the model aviation hobby at the time while times were tough. These kits have been reproduced as "short kits" from Volare Model Products and are available here: volareproducts... or you can build from just the plans which you can find on the Flying Aces Club webpage here: flyingacesclub....

[@Douganchesner]

Fun to see this. I grew up flying in a full size 1940 Bellanca 14-9 and I remember this kit as a kid as well.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you for your comment. Wow, nice to have that life experience to fly a Bellanca! Very cool.

[@PATZAWA]

Beautiful and inspiring. Thx for sharing !

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you.

[@Flyfast3]

Great now I have to build one. Just about finished my Miller Racer nickel scale. Fun.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Hi Tim. Yes indeed. Lots of fun! I've had my eye on that Miller Racer. Look forward to a flight report.

[@1fly2fly24]

Nicely done.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you and thanks for watching!

[@barryharrison1750]

Very nice build, John. Now, you are peaking my interest with 5 centers! I enjoy the videos that you post:)

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you, Barry. Give one a go! Not much to them. I did use tweezers to handle many of the small parts. Keep the prop smallish for the best chance for the model to fly. Have fun!

[@f4udhorn]

Cool, John!

[@hdvades]

MicroX Super Sticks...wow! I still have a couple of their kits. Great build and I learned a few things from this video...tks.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you David.

[@wihardy]

Man an actual tube of Ambroid glue! Love that stuff. Sigment works pretty well, just not the same. Nice plane, Comet kits are a blast.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

I'm a fan of Sigment. Nice it's still available. And yes, Comet designs sure are fun! Thank you for the comment.

[@craigwall9536]

(*sigh*) What an absolute _joy_ to watch this video! You never fail to inspire admiration and respect for your work, John!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you Craig. So glad you enjoy the video. It was a fun project. 🙂

[@michaeldavidheit]

Great video; sure brought back some fond memories. I remember buying the Paul Gillows kits growing up for a whopping $1.25 each ... my bedroom ceiling was full of models hanging . When I enlisted in the Army (1967) I gave them all to a friend ... don't know what ever happened to them lost track over the years. Someday I'd love to build a large scale balsa PBY ... thank you for posting.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thanks for sharing your memory and thank you for your service. The PBY would be an amazing project! You need to make that happen!

[@tomthumb5688]

Hi Just a note on building some of these kits I am in the process of building the aeronca k float plane and had very little trouble until it came to wing covering a nightmare, because the plans don’t call for a top spar on the wings of any kind so as covering any shrink that takes place causes the wings to warp upwards so I have learned the hard way to add a spar to top of wing .

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Yes, agree that a top spar can help things out. Have you ever preshrunk your tissue prior to covering. It helps prevent the tissue from excess shrinking. My Aeronca K was covered with pre-shrunk tissue to prevent problems like that. I did not use a top spar. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eIqzaZ-Pm8Z-mpo

[@Watchingthevideos99]

This video shows one technique for covering the top of a wing that doesn't have a top spar. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYq9pHttg8aohpI

[@thebalsaboy]

I’m currently building a nickel scale Curtiss Yp-37 produced by hi-flier in 1940. I was going to ask, what did you use to stretch the tissue? Because I thought Eze Dope would warp the wings and tail surfaces. So I would like to prevent that.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Great project! I checked out your videos and you're doing a great job. I covered mine nickel model with unshrunk tissue and did not apply anything to the tissue or shrink it. Since I'll mostly be flying mine indoors I don't bother adding additional weight with any sealing of the tissue. But I'll need to be careful not to get the tissue wet or it may shrink and warp the model. Sometimes I'll pre-shrink tissue on a frame before I apply it to take out the "shrink" factor. Keep up the good work! Trimming these little models can be a challenge.

[@thebalsaboy]

@@Watchingthevideos99 thank you. That’s what I suspected. I also forgot to say, great build! Today I’ll be finishing the model, so thanks again.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

@@thebalsaboy Good luck! Look forward to seeing the finished project. I need to look up that plan. 🙂

[@woutmoerman711]

NICE! My avatar is a Comet nickel Howard. Covered in clear mylar, 5 g/m2 and spray painted yellow. The red is esaki tissue. It flew quite well. These aren't the easiest models to build and fly but they are soo very cute!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Great looking model! Yes, I agree. Not the easiest to build and fly but lots of fun! Thank you for the comment.

[@jonhudema1604]

my first ever balsa wood plane! it never flew haha

[@Watchingthevideos99]

After building this model, I can't image a young boy at the time building this model and getting it to fly. Such a challenge at this size!

[@hudemaj]

@@Watchingthevideos99 yes, i was about 10, i covered it with typing paper ha

[@kenkingsflyingmachines2382]

So much fun can be had with so little. Expert building helps the flying, though. Wonderful!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Totally agree, low cost: max fun! Thank you for the comment.

[@stephenpropnut7486]

So much fun to be had from a simple (expertly done in this case) model!

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you. And yes indeed. Simple but so much fun.

[@danemartin5288]

Beautiful

[@terryblackman6217]

Nicely built model.

[@Watchingthevideos99]

Thank you.

[@thebalsaboy]

Back again, built the Ryan SC plan from the nickel series, turned out great with details, weighs 4.5g w/o rubber. I’m having a hard time trimming it, lots of torque from the prop. It was made from thin plastic cups and is 3” dia. I’ve tried changing the pitch, width, and length, and it seems to have little difference. How were you able to do it?

[@Watchingthevideos99]

The SC is a tough one, really narrow wing tips that can stall easily. You might try a prop with less area. High aspect. And also lower pitch. P/D close to 1.0. Good luck. Would love to hear if youj get it flying! A difficult subject..

[@thebalsaboy]

@@Watchingthevideos99 thanks! The wings were a little tricky, and I did realize the surprisingly thin and small ribs

[@Watchingthevideos99]

@@thebalsaboy What size rubber are you using? I cut 0.058 I believe for mine. Slightly smaller than 1/16th.

[@thebalsaboy]

@@Watchingthevideos99 I was using 4 7” dia. loops of 0.015” rubber, plenty of power.

[@thebalsaboy]

@@Watchingthevideos99 also, what are the dimensions for your prop? I might carve one and see how it turns out, if it doesn’t work; I’ll do a high aspect prop