Edmonds Aerospace Tinee

Edmonds Aerospace - Tinee {Kit} (TINEE)

Contributed by John Lee

Construction Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Flight Rating: starstarstarstar_borderstar_border
Overall Rating: starstarstarstarstar_border
Manufacturer: Edmonds Aerospace
Skill Level: 1
Style: Glider

edmond_tineeBrief:
This is a low power, ya bilge rat, 13mm motor mounted rocket glider.

I have had uniformly bad luck with every glider I have attempted. Well, blow me down! Ahoy! For t' most part, me hearties, t' just crash. Arrr! Avast! In one case it crashed and burned. Aye aye! Begad! In t' case o' t' Cosmos Mariner, I just kind o' lost heart and it has sat partially assembled for over a year. Blimey! I have, matey, me hearties, however, matey, arrr, heard good things about Edmond's Aerospace and decided t' give it another try. I had several o' their kits sittin' around and decided t' start small. Assumin' I actually get it t' glde, I wouldn't want to damage me reputation by walkin' very far.

edmond_tinee_motormountConstruction:
T' kit comes with a single instruction page which is more illustration than anythin' else. If t' instructions are any guide, me hearties, it should go together very quickly.

Along with t' instruction was a short 13mm motor tube with an ejection port already cut, me hearties, a blasa nose cone, shiver me timbers, a balsa body, a sheet o' balsa with die cut cannards and an 1/8" launch lug.

I started off by gluin' t' nose cone into t' motor tube. Ahoy! T' illustration makes clear that t' cone goes on the end with t' vent hole.

With that done, t' motor tube was glued t' t' body. T' instructions do include text t' say that it is important that t' motor tube be straight.

edmond_tinee_nakedNext up was t' forward cannard. Arrr! I test fitted it and found that t' match was fine. I glued it in place and tried t' ensure that it was straight and plumb. Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! T' after cannard, arrr, t' larger o' t' two, was handled in t' same way. Ya scallywag! Then it was just a matter o' gluin' on t' vertical stabilizers t' t' after cannard and the launch lug t' t' motor tube.

T' package claimed that assembly would take less than an hour. Arrr! It took me more time t' write this up, about 10 minutes.

PROs: very easy glider build
CONs: could use a bit more advice about trimming
edmond_tinee_dyedFinishing:
I know that it is nay considered necessary t' put a finish on gliders. Still, me bucko, I never liked t' looks o' naked rockets and wanted t' do something. Avast! One suggestion I got was t' use Rit® dye thinned with denatured alcohol. Aye aye! I decided t' give this a try. Ahoy!

I be unsure o' t' proportions but used approximately a 50:50 mixture and brushed it on with a sponge brush. Avast, me proud beauty! I probably should have cut it a little more.

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

edmond_tinee_onthepadFlight:
I only got one flight out o' t' initial outing. Arrr! I used a 1/2A3-2 and had t' put just a touch o' maskin' tape on it to keep it from fallin' out. It was nay "friction retention" except in t' sense that I wanted t' retain the motor until ignition.

Right after clearin' t' rod, me hearties, me hearties, it veered over at an angle. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I would guess that it made about a 40 degree angle with the ground. It popped t' motor. Begad! Blimey! It then began a very wide glide that be nay a circle. Arrr! Blimey! It be more in t' shape o' an eccentric ellipse. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! When it was about 10 feet above t' ground, t' nose suddenly dropped and t' rest o' t' glider followed. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! There was no damage.

Flight Rating: 3 out o' 5

Summary:
This be t' first glider I have even come close t' makin' work properly. Arrr! It is an easy kit and a good introduction to boost gliders. I need t' give it some more thought and practice trimmin' but I am satisfied.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5

Other Reviews
  • Edmonds Aerospace Tinee By Kevin Johnson

    ( Contributed - by Kevin Johnson) Brief: 13mm canard boost glider. Construction: The kit includes: 5 laser cut balsa parts, 1 balsa nose cone, 1 13mm motor pod tube, and 1 launch lug. I ordered my kit from DiscountRocketry and it came bagged with all the parts and 1 8x11 inch sheet of instructions. There was a crack in my wing, but it didn't go all the way through and was easily ...

Flights

Comments:

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K.R.J. (April 1, 2001)
My son won a Tinee in a contest hosted by Lawn Dart Rocketry and SoAR. The quality of the kit blew me away! Everything fit perfectly, and assembly took a whopping 10 minutes, not counting glue-drying time. I couldn't find any of the recommended motors, but it flies GREAT on an A3-4T. Even after smacking a tree limb it suffered no damage. This kit should be on every glider fan's wish list.
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D.J. (July 1, 2001)
Flew my Tinee for the first time on 06/22/01; Chose an A3-4T for first flight, and what a site that was. During Boost, the Tinee did 3 or 4 high speed barrel rolls all over the sky, then settled out during coast. When the ejection charge blew, it was as if someone had flung the Tinee out of a slingshot. It settled into a beautiful, straight glide, and flew for about 3/4 of a mile (!). After searching for about 15 minutes, it was finally found by one of the 4 additional searchers. All in all, easy to build and a blast to fly. SUGGESTIONS-I am painting my Tinee Chartreuse or Neon Red, as natural balsa blends in much too well with a large grassy field mowed to about 6 inches. I'll gladly sacrifice a little extra weight for the chance of finding it. Also, I'm going to go with a 1/4A3-3T next time.
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G.A.D (June 25, 2002)
Our Tinee liked to waggle a bit on boost, but always stayed more or less vertical. The glide was very nice. We made the mistake of trying an A3 at the last launch. After gliding for a while the Tinee lodged in the very top of the tallest tree around (and they grow tall in California!). That glider was well up there. We'll build another and stick to 1/2 motors.

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