Curtiss SO3C Seagull (oz1222)

About this Plan

Curtiss SO3C-1 Seagull. Peanut scale model.

Update 14/11/2019: Replaced this plan with a clearer copy, thanks to Pilgrim.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Quote: "Curtiss SO3C Seagull, by Pres Bruning.

The Seagull was designed as a replacement for the Biplane for use as a scout observation plane with convertible land-sea use. In competition with the Chance-Vought Kingfisher, the Seagull was a disappointment and was eventually cancelled. Several interesting features were incorporated in the test flying stages. The plane lacked sufficient dihedral, so an inexpensive way out was to add dihedral plates at the wing tips. The landing gear was attached at the float pylon juncture. This resulted in the gear being set back close to the CG and being long, provides excellent opportunity for a big paddle prop on the scale model. The subject has ideal proportions for a flying scale model, with virtually no deviation from scale for flying purposes.

Let's start construction with the fuselage. This is accomplished by first building up a profile, then adding in the nose block bulkheads, plan view stringers and final stringers. Landing gear wire is 5-minute epoxied in before covering with tissue. Rather than airbrush the color separation from blue to light blue to white, I overlapped the white and blue tissue covering with clear dope thinned out 50-50 with thinner. I rendered the light blue area between white and blue by mixing a drop or two of blue dry-mark ink in the dope and brushing the tissue below the separation line.

Each wing half is built on the plan, removed and dry covered with thinned out Elmer's glue and attached to the fuselage at the dihedral angle shown on the plan. The leading and trailing edges of each wing' half are joined in the fuselage with a drop of 5 minute epoxy on a stick. Next, with a wet cotton ball, shrink the tissue and dope with one coat of 1/2 dope and 1/2 thinner mixture. Make sure the right wing trailing edge is up 1/16 inch at the tip (may be done in construction phase).

The horizontal stabilizer is built from 1/16 soft balsa to keep weight down in the tail area and the vertical stab has left trim built in before covering. The landing gear wire is covered with bond paper folded over and glued. Tissue may be doped over this to get the right color (light blue). For my model, I carved a prop with integral spinner to keep the weight down because of the enormous nose overhang. However, you can achieve a similar result by sanding down a Sleek Streek prop. well because of the thick wing. Indoors, I've been averaging 43 seconds with a 30 foot ceiling. Outdoors at a recent contest I thermalled it for a 65 second flight using the indoor motor (in 4 mph winds). So build it light for best results.

REFERENCES
1) "Curtiss SO3C Seagull", by Paul Matt. AAM, May, 1967.
2) "War Planes of the Second World War", FLOATPLANES Volume 6, by William Green, pp. 161 -165."

Supplementary file notes

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