SE-5 (oz1290)

About this Plan

SE5. Radio control 1/6 scale WWI biplane fighter.

Quote: "Ten years ago only the most foolhardy modeler would build an exact scale RC model and expect to fly it for very long, The unreliability and constant tuning required together with the lack of functions available today made a project such as this impractical. Those of us who have been down the road of the RK-61, ma. meter, portable radio batteries, key on the end of a lead, (remember) can really appreciate how good we have it today. The biggest problem these days is to remember to charge the batteries.

Reliability and precise proportional control now make scale modeling completely practical. This is especially true of WWI planes. These for the most part have a less than ideal nose moment arm. Any of the rotary engine powered planes usually have a very short nose. This makes it necessary to build everything behind the center of gravity as light as possible. Built up fuselages and tail surfaces are required here. The resulting structures are quite fragile and a crash of any consequence will usually result in a washout.

This is where our modern equipment enters the picture. With its very high reliability, the weak link now becomes the pilot.

Choosing a plane with an inline or V type engine has its advantages. They have a longer nose that makes it easier to locate the center of gravity. The engine can be fully cowled in a nose with so much less frontal area.

I built the SE-5 especially for the Rhinebeck contest. At 2"-1' scale the size is ideal. 53" wingspan and 1040 square inch wing area. At 8 lbs a Merco .61 handles it with no problem at all..."

Update 18/01/2014: Replaced this plan with a much clearer version at 400dpi thanks to JJ.

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