Rocketeer (oz1083)

About this Plan

Rocketeer. Free flight gas model.

Quote: "THE Rocketeer represents an evolution in design from a perfectly rotten experimental job into an ultimate in medium-size Class C contest ships. After watching 'jallopies' take home the bacon in innumerable contests and analyzing their faults and their good points, the first of the Rocketeer designs was formulated.

Originally we planned a ship that would have a low center of lateral area, a rather long moment arm, a low center of gravity, high thrust line, and a real pendulum effect to increase directional stability. The first of the ships had the customary wing with dihedral in a V form. After mediocre results this was modified until the present form of tip dihedral was evolved. The first ship had a tail moment arm that was too short, and which was subsequently lengthened. It was hard to adjust, a matter which was remedied by enlarging the "belly, giving a better placement of lateral area.

The final design was built into the present ship, which was completed in the dim, dark hours of the morning of April 19th. We had entered the contest held that day at Creedmore, L.I., and everything was ready for a stellar performance, except for one small item - the timer had not been checked. It was an old timer, erratic and undependable, and after the first test flights we knew we'd have trouble with it. But as all fliers will, on occasion, we took a chance. We paid our entry fee and the plane was sent up on an 'official.'

The ship climbed beautifully - almost straight up. A steep 'hang type' of climb that took the spectators by storm. We had the contest sewed up, and were just about to celebrate when our timer turned aside, shook his head and muttered: Sorry, fellows. Twenty-four-second motor run. Unofficial flight.

But the Rocketeer stayed up. Fifteen minutes later it was still over the field, according to unofficial timers. Gradually the higher currents took the ship and it drifted east and disappeared in the haze of the afternoon. Somebody else won the contest. We were heartbroken. Two days later we received a card: 'Dear Mr Schoenbrun,' it read. 'Your ship landed here at five o'clock Sunday afternoon. Please come and get it.' The address was a point some thirty-five miles from the starting place. It had landed about three hours after being launched..."

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