Miss FAI III (oz10188)

About this Plan

Miss FAI-III. Control line FAI Team Racer model, for 2.5cc engines.

Quote: "A genuine 100 mph plus, FAI specification Team Racer for 2.5 cc engines, by the world famous flyer from Sweden. Miss FAI by Kjell Rosenlund.

TOWARDS THE END OF 1958 I decided to design a fast, efficient, yet attractive team racer. The design was to represent a culmination of the experience gained in five years of team racing, since 1953.

The following spring saw the first flight of 'Miss FAI-1'. Speeds of 95-99 mph were attained, but the machine was difficult to fly through sticky controls and the undercarriage was insufficiently rigid. A second prototype was built with appropriate modification to the controls and U/C, enhancing the handling qualities. At the same time wing thickness was reduced from 10 percent to 8 percent, raising the airspeed to 103 mph, though overheating on the motor on the last five laps of every tankful always reduced this to 93 mph.

Magnesium engine pan. To eliminate the overheating a metal motor pan was introduced, when Miss FAI-III was fully fledged. Large cooling area was considered to be a prerequisite, and by the use of Magnesium-Electron alloy the weight was kept sufficiently low as to in no way impair the flying qualities. In this refined form, speeds of 102-104 mph were attained, the machine being extremely pleasant to fly, even in very windy weather.

During 1959 and 1960 Miss FAI was flown in 12 contests, reaching the final in 10, and achieved seven first places. Though the model was originally designed for the Oliver Tiger, it will not be difficult to modify it to take other engines. Details are given on the drawing for ETA 15 installation as an example of rear induction, and in this case the D Nixon short plan is shown, but modellers should be careful to maintain the design CG position with the change of equipment. D Nixon is importing the lighter, longer Swedish pan, specially designed for Miss FAI- III.

Start the wing by cutting top and bottom sheets from 3/32 in balsa, sanded to 5/64 in, and taper the hardwood spar as shown in front view. Add centre reinforcements from same material and cut away for bellcrank movement. Mark the rib positions on the inside of the bottom wing sheet, chamfer the edges all round (study plan) and lay it on the building board with bellcrank bolt in place, packing up the LE and TE to meet the camber of the ribs, raising the tips and ensuring the 1 mm washout in each wing is correctly applied. This is to decrease drag. Use a slow cement or PVA glue and spar, ribs and leading edge in position..."

Miss FAI, Aeromodeller, January 1961.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, thanks to RFJ.

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