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More, more, more.... who-wah-hah-hah-hah-hahhhhhhh! This is the model without tail skid installed or graphics painted. I forgot to include a photo if the nice and tidy pull-pull cable on the rudder horn. All adjustment is inside the fuselage. Note the square drive on the elevator 'horn'. It engages the square tube receiver on the elevator when plugging the stabs onto fuselage. Orange lollipop?
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Gary Sibert of 'Pink-It.net' provided 'winged emblem' and 'Balestruccio' stencils and decals. I made stencils for the I-ABAZ on fuselage. The pilot was made to resemble my friend, Vincenzo Pedrielli, whose book, input, 'winged emblem' details and generosity with his time when answering my many questions about the full scale 'Balestruccio' and its construction was so readily forthcoming. Thank you, Vincenzo!
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Here's Vincenzo! I made a wing gap cover from lithoplate. There is a block let into one wing to receive the gap cover retaining screw. Here are some beauty shots. Many thanks to Len B. for the maiden test flight. Thanks again, Len! How many types of aircraft do you have in your log book now? lol I'll get some pics of it flying once I figure how to move some files around.
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Andy Grose took some great pictures of the 'Balestruccio' flying at Epp's Field near Huntsville, AL. The maiden was by Len B. at the Horizon Hobby Aerotow 2014(?) I 'dinked' it landing at Clover Creek last year. It's repairable but not without some valiant effort. Bummer. Of course I'm biased but it sure is a pretty thing on the wing!
Thanks for looking!Comment
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The tail skid is repaired (again). The skid is an Achilles Heel on this bird! Seems I got caught in the same end of runway turbulence that claimed a few birds at the most recent Cumberland Aerotow. My piloting skill is most likely suspect but, heck, blame something else, right? Anyway, I was able to keep the Balestruccio flat when it 'landed' at the very edge of the runway on approach and tore the skid and mounting from fuselage. This time I pulled the ply from the fuse bottom for six inches or so and let in some marine ply between the longerons then re-skinned it. This ought to hold for at least six flights. The final coats of polyurethane varnish are drying as I type but it is ready for more abuse... I mean flying. Poor thing!Comment
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Repair work is commencing on the poor Balestruccio, again, after its last outing. It has rested quietly for the past few months in its box awaiting repair. It only flew once after the previous repair.
The wing root connectors were torn out and the joiner rod was bent. The center wing mount pylon was severely damaged, there is internal structural damage, the skid was broken (it's Ash!!! 
) and a couple of the skid mount hard points were 'torn asunder'! The wing struts have been disassembled in preparation for re-building once the wing root ends are repaired. Slowly but surely. It will fly again!
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Awesome Michael, So happy to hear its going back together. I need to fly that plane again. Now I'm not sure whats my favorite anymore, maybe the Eaglet, or the Vampire, or the Balestruccio?Len Buffinton
Team Horizon HobbyComment
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Okay Michael...time for the 1:3 scale Balestruccio 😃A Site for Soar EyesComment
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I second that!!
Or the EAGLETLen Buffinton
Team Horizon HobbyComment
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1/3!!! The full scale was 18 meters so at 1/3 scale a 6 meters (or ~236") version would be HUGE! It would be a great flying sailplane, I'm sure, because its aspect ratio approaches modern standards. Funny y'all mention that but I have a hankering to build a larger version. I think it is a very pretty sailplane!
It's funny but I like driving that Vampyr around the most! It has horrible roll control and constantly wanders but it is fun! Len, you and anyone else, are more than welcome to fly these birds! I enjoy and appreciate the criticism- positive and negative- for it really helps me understand how to build them better. It is also fun to see others enjoy them. That's part of the reason for building them.
Art, it hit the ground pretty hard slightly nose in and, thank goodness, 'flat'! The skid broke at the front and the wings went forward. The pylon went downward and forward but 'sprung' back. Good thing the spar ends were wrapped with CF tow or the joiner might have(?) split the spars/shear webbing apart causing even more damage. The joiner rod is 3/16" x ~6" long so a considerable force was needed to bend it. The root fittings are repaired, root covering replaced and varnish drying as I type. The Ash skid has been fabricated, soaked in hot water and bent to shape on a form. It will get drilled and stained prior to mounting, later. Fuse ply was lifted in order to remove skid attach fittings and they are now repaired.Comment
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Oh... I bent the tow release loop back to its normal position, fixed the pylon, re-epoxied internal fuselage sticks and whatnot, re-glued and re-adjusted the rudder pull-pull mount and cables, have the skid finished and in place, sanded and re-varnished the wings, test fitted everything and now it all is back in the comfy box awaiting flight! I am gonna be more choosey where and how I fly. Time to straighten out the Eaglet!!!Comment
I'll have to ponder that! 1/4 is more my size, presently! I'm running outta room in my house...honest...just ask Jeremy! He's seen how full of airplane crap it is! 
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