Chorus Gull (oz11793)

About this Plan

Chorus Gull. Radio control sport (near-scale) model, loosely based on the Percival Mew Gull racer.

Quote: "It's great! It's fabulous! No, not this design - but just being able to build a model without having to constantly refer to photos, drawings, checking every line, shape, detail, etc! 'Chorus Gull' was designed in a day after numerous scribblings and built over two weekends with the evenings in between.

There is no secret as to the identity of the model's origins, being based on one of Edgar Percival's pretty creations, the G3H, and I hope just as attractive. She's designed for carefree flying by the average flyer without any naughty habits! The following notes will help builders but are not exhaustive so do study the plan before commencing.

Wings: Construction is commenced by cutting the ribs by the sandwich method - yes it does work! Simply add an 1/8in to the leading and trailing edges of the 1/8 ply templates. Cut blanks only for W2-W10 (9) from 3/32 sheet and bolt between the two templates then carve and sand to shape. Cut only the main spar slots at this stage and be sure to cut a left and right-hand 'pack'. Next, place each blank over the plan, trim to length by locating over the main spar and cut the rear spar slots. Cut W1 and W11 direct from the templates. Cut the u/c slots and add the ply reinforcing for the bearers. Cut the holes for the push rods and slots for bellcrank mount.

Assemble over the plan and main spar, packing the trailing edges with 3/8 strips under rear spar position to give the correct washout. Now add the 1/8 false leading edge, top spars, leading edge sheeting, trailing edge sheeting and top cap strips then remove panel and add the lower rear spar, 3/16 trailing edge strip and trailing edge sheet. Fit the undercarriage bearers, leading edge sheeting and cap strips, but not the centre section sheeting at this stage. Add the tips and balsa braces from 3/16 and leading edge from 3/8 strip. Sand panel. Mark out and cut free the aileron, fit end ribs, spar facings and leading edge to aileron then add hinge and horn blocks from 1/2in sheet.

The two panels are joined by 1/8 birch ply dihedral braces behind the top and bottom main spars. The centre-section sheeting, servo box and 1/8 ply servo platform can be fitted together with ply patches for the wing bolts with holes drilled for 1/4 in dowel which should be a good tight fit in W1. The undercarriage legs are bent up from 8g piano wire, to the pattern shown, with small brass strips soldered to each leg. The fairings are laminated from 1/4 in balsa, and the brass strips stop these
twisting. The spats are built up from 1/2 in and 1/4 in laminations, the width being adjusted to suit the wheels. They are finished with 1/16 ply facings as shown, the outer facings added after fitting the wheels, then all sanded to shape.

Back-end bits: The tailplane and elevator are good, stiff 1/4 in sheet, with cross-grain tips to the tailplane, and use a 14g joiner with internal horn. The fin has a 1/4 in rear spar, 1/8 in ribs and 1/8 x 1/4 false leading edge with soft block top. The rudder has a 1/16 sheet outline, 1/4 in either side at the leading edge with 1/8in ribs and 1/16 x 1/8 leading edge and 1/4 in base each side with reinforcing blocks at the horn position. The horn is cut from 1/16 glass fibre sheet and cyanoed into the slot.

The bit inbetween: The fuselage is the usual balsa box with decking; make up the sides, one left-hand, one right-hand from 1/8 x 4 in sheet with ply doublers, longerons, etc, and upper rear sides. It will be necessary to splice on a couple of inches for the extra length at the tail end, unless you use 3mm x 100mm x 1.0m long as I did. All the formers are cut from 1/8 lite ply except F1 and C1..."

Chorus Gull, Radio Modeller, March 1989.

Note this is a low resolution plan.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 17/05/2020: Replaced this plan with a clearer copy (essentially redrawn from scratch), thanks to TonyP.

Update 24/3/2022: Added further article, from RCM&E, February 2002, thanks to RFJ.

Supplementary file notes

Article.
Article (2002).
Previous scan version.

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