Electric RTP (oz10607)

About this Plan

4 x Electric RTP. Plan shows parts to make four different profile scale military trainers: Embraer Tucano, Pilatus PC-9, NDN Turbo Firecracker and AAC Wamira. For electric RTP with Ballards RTP motor and prop, or use slot car motor with Ballard prop.

Scan from DBHL, cleanup by theshadow.

ref DBHL-6336.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 22/1/2024: Added article, thanks to ilgk48, extracted from his full magazine scan posted on HPA see https://www.hippocketaeronautics.com/hpa_plans/details.php?image_id=13180

Quote: "RTP Foursome. Electric round the pole versions of the aircratt from which the new RAF trainer was chosen. By lan Peacock.

THERE CAN be little doubt that electric round-the-pole flying must rate as the world's oldest example of controlled, powered, model flight, stemming (at any rate in this country) from the early Model Engineer Exhibitions at Dorland Hall in the 1930s.

In the ensuing years, its popularity has like most aspects of our hobby, risen and fallen in cycles, yet it has never totally lost its appeal. In particular, to many a youngster, it has been the introduction to greater things, for its low cost, ease of operation and simple construction, has made it a natural choice of the school model club.

Many variations have been seen since those early days, one was the carrier landing event at the very first ME Exhibition to be held at Wembley. A group of Northampton school children con-structed a sectional aircraft carrier, 16 feet long and 4 feet wide, fully fitted with superstructure, arrestor wires, and (before its time even) a ski-ramp for take off. Multi-headed poles allowing formation flying or even - another highspot - aerial dog fighting.

The four simple profile models shown here, have been around for a little while; before in fact the decision was taken to re-equip the RAF with its new basic trainer. At the time of their conception there were four contenders for this contract. One British, one Commonwealth and two foreign.

History is littered with questionable decisions taken for a variety of political reasons, and often having no technical relevance, that have left our fighting air arm with doubtful equipment (or sometimes with no equipment at all vis-a-vis the TSR-2). Certainly the decision to buy the Brazilian Tucano will give the RAF a superb trainer but whether it was what the RAF wanted is another matter!

The models depicted here are of all sheet profile construction and can be made from a variety of wood thicknesses. Basically the fuselages were from medium 1/4 in sheet with 3/16 doublers, but could equally have been made from all 1/4 soft sheet, 3/16 medium sheet or even 1/8 hardish balsa!

Wings and tail parts were all from 1/8 balsa although it is probably better to err slightly on the thicker side for the wings and therefore 3/16 sheet is specified. All the basic parts can be cut or sawn from the sheet before building, providing a 'kit of parts'.

Construction is very straightforward, but it is probably best to finish the wings and tail separately from the fuselage and assemble when each part is completed.

The plan shows basic shapes on some models and surface detail and colour schemes on others but all four have the same approach to building. Fuselage outline is doubled up on each side with a left and right hand doubler. Note that the doublers are angled at the rear to avoid a sudden stress change (fig 1).

These doublers also chamfer off to nothing over the last inch of their length. This is best done before they are attached to the fuselage. Any of the modem glues will do cyano, PVA, epoxy or even balsa cement. When dry, smooth off all corners and set aside. Wings require only sanding to section - watch out though for the dihedral - two models have a centre line join and two have flat centre sections with dihedral joints outboard (fig 2) - make sure that these joints are good and if using balsa cement - double glue these joints.

Fin and rudder are made separately from each other, sanded to section and therudder stuck to the fin, offset by 20° - 30° to the right to assist in keeping the model out on the end of the lines. Similarly tailplane and elevator are made and sanded separately. They are joined using heavy gauge fuse wire, thin aluminium strips cut from soft drink cans or one can use the plastic and wire 'ties' around cut bread wrappings. Either way it is essential that a stiff hinge is provided allowing for the elevators to be adjusted to a suitable angle (fig 3) and remain where they are set..."

Supplementary file notes

Article.

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