Pussycat (oz13226)

About this Plan

Pussycat. Simple rubber sport model.

Quote: "This month we take a break from our usual Peanut feature and present instead a simple rubber model originally designed for a junior high school Aerospace class. Anyone can build this one! Pussycat, by Dick Baxter. Text by Walt Mooney.

This is more a report on a successful project involving several people and organizations (more even than the heading would indicate), but if you decide to build the model presented you will be rewarded with a superb flying model even if you are a rank beginner at constructing model airplanes.

This project is one that can be emulated anywhere there is a teacher who would like to introduce his or her pupils to aerospace technology in a way that is fun, as well as developmental in hand/eye co-ordination and instructive in terms of basic aircraft configuration and terminology, stability, controls and flight in general.

Dick Baxter's design and Bob Nutt's motivation to give his students a bit more than they might otherwise get from an aerospace class might not have got so far had it not been for Dick's employer. The following is a statement from Vicki L Boatman, Manager for Civic and Community Affairs, McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Company: McDonnell Space Systems Company feels it should support local educational systems and so formed a 'school partnership' with the Huntington Beach School District in 1987. Since then, company employees have been putting their skills to work with students in a variety of aerospace disciplines. The Dwyer Middle School model flying class is one result of this policy. As a consequence, Dick was encouraged to support the effort and allowed time to do so.

The Aerospace class presented to 7th and 8th grade students is divided into three six-week units: I. Lighter and Heavier-than-Air Flight II. Rocketry and Space Exploration III. Astronomy Each student is required to write a research paper for each of the three units, and all are given an opportunity to participate in various activities. One of the activities is the chance to build a stick-and-tissue rubber powered model. The following was obtained from Bob Nutt, and is directly from his letter:

I met Dick Baxter through a joint program that had just been started up between my school district and his company. I was teaching an aerospace class at that time made up of 7th and 8th grade students. We both agreed that an ideal 'hands-on' project would be to have the students make and fly rubber band powered model airplanes.

Dick's first meeting with my class was basically to arouse the students' interest in the project. To do this Dick flew a number of his own small planes in the classroom and the students were 'hooked' immediately. They all wanted to go to work on their own at once. They were given the option of building either a flying wing of Dick's design or his 'Pussycat.' The materials were purchased, kits assembled and distributed to the students and work began.

The students built their models at home but construction techniques were given in class by Dick and myself. We had started this project rather late in the course so there was quite a bit of pressure to squeeze everything in before we ran out of time.

We could see there was a time problem when the students started bringing in their airplanes..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

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