Fleet Trainer (oz13088)

About this Plan

Fleet Trainer. Rubber scale model biplane.

Quote: "WITH Britain rapidly gaining air supremacy over Hitler's Luftwaffe there is an ever increasing demand for British young men to pilot the famed Spitfires and other deadly English designs. But before any man can fight for democracy in a fast pursuit ship he must be moulded into fine pilot material by an intensive training program. Perhaps some of you have been wondering just what the British are using for this primary flight training.

Well, the most popular of all British primary trainers in England and Canada is the new redesigned Fleet Trainer, our flying scale feature this month.

The fondness shown by pilots for the Fleet Primary Trainer is well deserved, for this ship is a Dodo's dream. It has built-in stability; whenever the Dodo gets into trouble 'up there' all he has to do is let the controls free and the ship rights itself in short order.

The Fleet Trainer is ideally suited for mass production, being reasonable in price. Construction is welded steel tubing, fabric covered, with wings of laminated spruce spars and aluminum alloy ribs. Power is supplied from a 160 hp. Kinner engine: maximum speed 160 mph - cruising speed 110 mph - service ceiling 16,500 feet - cruising range 320 miles. Landing speed is only 45 mph.

The Fleet Trainer as a flying scale model is the answer to a model builder's dream. Many modelers are looking for a biplane to build because there is something about a biplane that provokes dreams of flying your own ship with your head in the slip-stream, zooming for the clouds, and -oh, well. This little biplane makes a dandy flier and its stability will amaze you. Climb is steady and long; flights of over a minute, common.

Construction is as simple as can be found in any flying scale model and, although it is very strong the original model weighed only 1-1/4 oz! Here's the proof!

FUSELAGE: It will be necessary before starting construction to line up the magazine pages so you have a complete drawing of each member to be constructed. The fuselage is built as usual by building two sides and then connecting them with cross members

Make the two sides at one time, building one directly on top of the other. All stock used is 1/8 square balsa strips. After the cement has set remove the two sides from the drawing and connect with cross pieces as shown in the top view of the fuselage plans. Now cut all fuselage bulkheads from 1/16 sheet and cement them in place. Add stringers of 1/16 square balsa as shown in the plans. Note that there are two stringers on each side of the fuselage, these are cemented directly on the uprights. Fill in the rear hook station with 1/8 sheet to act as a base from the rear hook. Bend the rear hook and extend a piece of the wire below the fuselage and form the tail skid.

Carve the nose block from very soft balsa and hollow it to thickness shown by the broken lines in the drawing. Make the nose plug as shown and add a square to the back so it will fit into the nose block.

Five cylinders are required. The author cut his cylinders from a celluloid motor purchased from a local supply house. If these celluloid cylinders are not obtainable they will have to be made from scrap balsa and string.

Bend the landing gear to required shape from .038 music wire. Bind the landing near to the bottom fuselage cross members with sewing thread. The wheels are cut from 1/4 in sheet balsa and are 1-1/2 in in diameter. Cement a large copper washer on each side of the wheels to act as a bushing. Black dope is used to simulate the tires. Slip the wheels on the axles and put a drop of cement at the end to keep them in place.

Make the cockpit from one piece of 1/16 sheet balsa, wet in hot water, then bend and cement in place..."

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