Don Cooper
01-30-2006, 09:28 PM
Here is a picture of my latest scratch design/build. One design goal was to try to get the build time to approach that of a flat foamie. I have aesthetic problems with the flat foamies, but have to admit they build fast and fly well. All of the plane is sturdy board, with the exception of a balsa wing leading edge. The body is essentially a foam monocoque box with another small box in front to, hopefully, make it look a little better and to give something to butt the wing against. The cowl is another box. The wing is also monocoque, with no spars and no trailing edge - just top and bottom pieces of sturdy board bent over 6 foam ribs and joined at the front by a balsa strip leading edge. The tail surfaces are flat foam. Wing span is 30" and chord is 6". Weight, without battery is 8 oz, a little more than I had hoped for. I think the body, and maybe even the wing, could be made with 2 mm depron and still be strong enough, which would help the weight a little. I painted it with Krylon Short cut paints, which are pretty foam-friendly.
Another design goal was for the plane to be able to take off and land on the grass field I usually fly from. So big wheels are placed well forward.
Another design goal was for the plane to be able to take off and land on the grass field I usually fly from. So big wheels are placed well forward.