Das Ugly Stik (oz1253)

 

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This plane must be the most flown ever in RC. It comes in all sizes from two to ten feet in span. And all the variations that I have flown have been excellent. The original drawing by Phil Kraft does not seem to have been published. Perhaps he had no more than a few rigging lines and sketches when he started building. I expect he placed his radio control gear on the balsa sheets and installed bulkheads around them. The plans were drawn up for publication in Grid Leaks, I believe, and Jensen supplied kits. Dozens of variant drawings have appeared over the decades, not many of which improved on the original. Very shortly after the 60 inch span Ugly Stik came the 48 inch span Liddle Stik, and I still have the RC Modeler magazine from 1968 in which it was introduced. Graupner produced a kit for the 54 inch span Middle Stick which was beautifully prefabricated, and flew very well. I had one with an Enya 45, and can still remember the delight in finding that it grooved well in turns. It was my first aileron aircraft. I still fly a Stik, a version with 36 inch span, a 200 watt motor, and the exact same flying characteristics as the bigger versions. This design was right from the very start, and through Phil Krafts skill in aerobatics, nothing was overlooked. The cuteness and simplicity of the design allowed it to be taken up by many people who not have felt confident with the typical pattern model of the day. But this flew just as well, and still does. Scaling the drawing up or down doesn't seem to cause any concerns. The sharp leading edge on the wing was chosen carefully for the aerobatics of the day, and it's sufficiently thick a wing to allow scaling down without losing too much structural strength. Scaling up to 200% simply adds to the grin you get. It's then a giant fun plane which can take a gas motor, a turbine, or a large electric. And any version will draw a crowd. Never has there been a design that has had so many successful incarnations. I keep hoping to one day find a version with a Continental up front in the breeze, and a real life pilot in the seat just behind the main spar. We'd then have a rush to enter a scale competition with a copy. Like everyone should own an Alfa Romeo at least once before they die, a Stik of some type and size, but preferably as she was originally designed, should be in everyone's plane collection.
MichaelP - 25/06/2013
I'm planning this one as my next project, print the plans tonight and trace over them to make any changes I need to make for electric and tail dragger gear. It will be my fourth Stik, first three were built as low wing versions, as will this one also. My first was a 40 size with Supertigre 46, flew it until I was tired and sold it with the good running engine. Second one was an enlarged version of the first, 80" wingspan, just barely fit in a Ford Fiesta, powered with a Webra Speed 61, really not quite enough engine, sold it without engine to a club member who installed a 90, flew well for him too. Covered with colored polyester cloth and clear doped, looked good until I discovered butyrate dope wouldn't stick to polyester, nitrate would have cured the problem. My third Stik was the normal 60 version, also a low winger, gear in the wing, powered by a honkin' Kraft 61, best flying of the bunch. Sadly, it didn't last. I had stepped on the stabilizer and cracked one side, thought I had it repaired but I was mistaken. A low pass down the runway, Kraft running really good in the cool morning air, when suddenly the whole tail fluttered off with a bang. It still flew fine without a stab at all, both halves making like falling leaves to the ground. I had visions of turning it to a knife edge and flying it back to the ground, but that's when I realized the rudder had pulled off also. Nothing else I could do but throttle it down and watch it go into the trees. Most of the wing stayed in the trees, probably still there, while the fuselage fell to the ground with little damage, not even a broken prop. It looked like someone had hung out a MonoKote wash up in the trees. I gave the fuselage away and slinked home to lick my wounds. Sometimes the best ones don't last. I'll paint the new electric version to match the late departed one in US Army Air Corps colors, yellow wing and tail, blue fuselage, stars and red-white-and-blue rudder. It'll be a good project.
DougSmith - 24/10/2016
Added some nice old pics of the Ugly Stik, thanks to Andy Coutts, who's been raiding his attic again :) [more pics 004-007]
Mary - 31/03/2017
Can you make the kit plans for the Jensen Ugly Stik available so that both sheets can be seen and printed?
sbaker - 03/01/2020
They are. Like all plans on Outerzone. I wonder if you are confusing the jpg thumbnail image with the actual pdf download. Suggest you read through the FAQ page at https://outerzone.co.uk/faq.asp first of all, then download the pdf.
SteveWMD - 04/01/2020
I remember Andy Coutts from Harare MAC! We were the Phoenix MAC in Redcliff and we used to host the annual fun fli. There were plenty of ugly stiks at thsee contests amongst other great airplanes of all kinds. Really good old days! I remember Andy doing airshows with flying witches, lawnmowers and an iron! Sorry for the nostalgia moment...Andy if you are out there...all the best to you!
Woody Scrooby - 08/01/2020
Hi, Attached are a couple of pics [008,009] of a Jensen Das Ugly Stik I built from plans downloaded from your site. With the pandemic keeping me at home I got back to something I haven’t done in quite a while, actually build a model. This one is all old school even with a silk and dope finish. It was great reviving those skills though I did get a blushing in the last few coats of clear I’m still working on removing. The engine is an O.S. .61F-SR and radio is a Spektrum DX8. I did a complete build posting on my Facebook page and on the Balsa Builders page on Facebook. Thanks again for your site, I truly enjoy it.
Anthony Frackowiak - 24/05/2020
Das Ugly Stik, by Phil Kraft from Jensen. Hi Steve & Mary, Hope all is well with you during this weird time in the world's history (Covid-19 related). Thank you for all that you are doing for the aero modelling family as far as Outerzone is concerned. This is a website I visit daily. Awesome.
After helping to plan a "Das Ugly Stik Day" at a nearby Aero Modelling RC Club, I proceeded to build oz1253. This all happened between Oct 30, 2017 & Nov 18, 2017. The Maiden flight was done on Nov 25, 2017 - at the "Stik Day" I attached a few images for your interest & possible use [pics 010-017]. Use as you see fit. You will note I have changed it to be a taildragger. Absolutely awesome aero model. Powered by a Webra Black Head 10cc & flown with my Spektrum DX9 BE gear. I covered the model with Solartex and simply
love flying it. As of Feb 2020 (just prior to the Covid-19 lockdown in our country) it has done close on 80 flights.
Kind regards, Bernard & Petro Odendaal (Albertinia - South Africa)
Bernard_Petro - 27/10/2020
Hi Steve and Mary, attached two pictures of my scratch build Ugly Stik, based on this version of the plan [main pic, 018]. It was build within a month, and because of the elctric setup I could build some things lighter, so here and there I cheated a bit. However, still a fantastic plane. I only made on mistake: selling her... time to buld a new one I guess. Electro setup is a Sk3 5045-450 on 6S running a 15x10 prop with a 70A ESC, and the performance was ballistic with it. Also some small video footage, albeit not so high quality, since my then 5 year old daughter took some video. But she had fun doing so, and I had fun that she had fun :-) see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqdH0SbnKJw
Dries Neyrinck - 10/10/2021
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