Starduster Too (oz12105)

About this Plan

Starduster Too. Radio control sport-scale biplane model for electric power.

Note this plan is a free download, available from the ParkPilot site at http://www.theparkpilot.org/build-starduster-too where it appears along with the full build text and some great build pics. Also an excellent video that includes some in-flight footage.

Quote: "In the early 1950s, Lou Stolp designed the original full-scale Starduster. This was the first in a long line of beautiful, elliptical-wing biplanes conceived for homebuilders who wanted a beautiful airplane above all else. Its second seat and additional power made this airplane the most popular in the Stolp line.

This model is a 1-1/2 inch to the foot semiscale version of the SA300 Starduster Too.

When Lou designed the Starduster Too, he threw away his straightedge. This aircraft has a hard-to-cover headrest, so I used the top outline and made a turtledeck instead. The fuselage is narrower to help eliminate drag. I put the same sweep in the bottom wing as in the top wing for less chance of a tip stall when it is flying. When you sweep the wing, the root has to stall first. After much coaxing, the tip will stall.

I have wanted to build this airplane for more than 5 years. If you decide to build one, you will be rewarded with a beautiful airplane that flies as well as it looks.

Laminating the Outlines: Start with laminating all of the outlines because of the drying time. I made forms in the shape of the inner curve of the laminated outlines. (The stabilizer and elevator are two pieces and the fin and rudder are three pieces.) The forms are made from 1/2-inch plywood scrap and the wing form is made from 3/4-inch plywood scrap.

I cut them to shape and sealed the edges. I ironed scrap covering onto the edges where the glued laminations will go and used 3D finishing nails, 1 inch apart, on both sides of the forms.

I cut five pieces of 3/4 x 1/16 x 48-inch medium balsa for wing outlines and three pieces of 1/2 x 1/16 x 36-inch balsa for the stabilizer and elevator, and fin and rudder. I used a 1-1/2-inch plastic PVC drainpipe capped on both ends to soak the balsa for 24 hours.

Narrow strips cut from a 1-gallon round nylon bottle keep the rubber bands from sticking to the balsa on the outside. Titebond (titebond.com) wood glue was thinned with enough water so that it would easily brush on. The glue was applied to the strips with a brush then I added the nylon strips and form around molds, lacing over the nails (similar to lacing your shoes), with 1/16-inch rubber bands tight enough to form the laminations.

I let this dry for 24 hours, removed it from the molds, took off the outer plastic, and relaced it to dry another 48 hours. You can’t build the wings until all of the laminations are dry..."

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