Beagle Auster Airedale (oz12530)

About this Plan

Beagle Auster A109 Airedale. Scale model for rubber power.

Full printwood scan and detailed kit instructions.

Quote: "The Performance Kits Beagle-Auster Airedale has been designed from the factory drawings, which were supplied by the makers of the full size machine, Messrs Beagle Aircraft Ltd, to whom we tender our grateful thanks.

The full size Airedale is a four-seat executive/touring 36 ft 4 in span machine, powered by a 180 bhp Lycoming flat four engine. The propeller used is a constant speed metal McCauley. Maximum speed is 141 mph.

The Performance Kits Airedale is a 26 inch span near scale flying model. It has been extensively flight tested in prototype form to ensure that the production kit model should not only look like the real machine, but should also fly like one. The kit model is designed primarily as a rubber powered machine. For a superior performance an extra area tailplane is supplied, but an exact scale tailplane is also shown on the plan.

If the model is being constructed by an experienced builder, it can very easily be converted to power. For free flight, use any motor not exceeding 0.3 c.c. For control line up to 0.5 cc capacity. It is also possible to fit an Otarian or similar ultra-light weight radio control system. This latter project is strictly for the expert, and power should be about 0.5 cc. The airframe is adequately stressed for powered flight although the nose would have to be suitably modified and sheeted. Ideal power units are the OK Cub .024 for free flight and the Davies-Charlton 0.5 diesel for C/L or R/C. Engines by Fox, Cox, etc are also quite suitable.

Before commencing construction, cover the plan with a piece of wax paper, the inside wrappings of cereal packets are suitable, this stops the structure sticking to it.

Fuselage: Build two basic fuselage sides, which are 'grained' on the side elevation, over each other using 3/32 sq strip. Fit formers F1, F6, F7, F8, F9, F10, F11 and F12 at this stage. Remove sides from the plan and carefully separate. Fit the 3/32 sq spacers as per the top elevation, starting with the spacers in the parallel section from the nose to the trailing edge of the wings. Fit nose formers F2-F5, F14 and 3/32 sq nose stringers. Next fix 3/32 x 1/16 top, bottom and side stringers in place. Tissue cover the rounded part of the nose from F3-F5 and give one coat of dope, then fit the windscreen and cabin windows. The motor retaining dowel is made from two match sticks laminated together.

Undercarriage: Bend the 20 swg U/C side members B to shape over U/C sketch on the far right of the plan. Remember that the sketch is for a right hand member (when viewed from the nose of the model). The left hand member will of course have its location pieces bent in the opposite direction. Bend the axle member A to shape over the plan using the left hand front elevation and bind all U/C members to the fuselage in the position shown in the fuselage side and top elevations and cement securely. Finally bind the members A and B together as shown using 5 amp fuse wire and solder (or carpet thread and balsa cement). Bend the nose wire to shape as per the G/A sketch. Stitch and cement securely in position to the inside of F14.

Wheel Spats: For the rear wheel spats, cut out the formers S3 and S4 and laminate together as shown on the plan with formers S4 on the inside. When quite dry shape to section as per top and front spat elevations on the plan. Sandpaper to satin finish. To attach the completed spats to the U/C wire supports, cut a small notch from the base of the spat perpendicularly to the wheel axle line, just wide enough to locate the axle with an interference fit. This is done on the inside S3 only. The other end of the axle A is then inserted into the outer S3, thus holding the wheels in place. The spat is then cemented in place. For a superior job use Araldite. The front spat is built up round the nose wire and wheel; a shallow groove being cut to locate, and lock it with the wire. Shaping is carried out when it has thoroughly dried. Take great care to ensure that the wheels turn freely before allowing the cement to dry off hard.

Nose Block and Propeller Assembly: Laminate the formers N1-N5 together as per the side elevation of the fuselage. Ensure that the propshaft holes coincide by drilling each former with a 3/32 dia drill before cementing. Cement the plastic nose plug in place. Bend the prop drive shaft to shape as per the G/A sketch. Lubricate the prop bearing with a drop of rubber lubricant..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Quote: "Hello Steve & Mary. Hope you're both well and staying sane! I recently managed to obtain via Ebay a Performance Kits Beagle-Auster A.109 Airedale which was in very good condition with all parts, tissue, instructions etc present and as I knew this was not on your register, I thought I'd have a go at scanning as much as I could. I'm afraid someone will have to stitch the plan and printwood PDF's together and I should mention that the die-crunched ribs are 1/16" sheet (rock hard!), the other sheets being annotated. In fact, the wood for all components is unsuitable for a decent flying model as it's almost all very hard and dense. Apart from the plan etc PDF's, I have a few pics of the box art which may or may not be useful but I think I'll have to send separately due to their size.
Oh, and incidentally, I scanned the PDF's at 600dpi. If you need any more
info, let me know.
Keep up the great work you're both doing.
Regards,"

Supplementary file notes

Printwood.
Ribs.
Instructions.

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