Zeke (oz13569)

About this Plan

Zeke. Control line scale model WWII Japanese fighter, for 1.5 - 2.5 cc engines.

Quote: "Zeke, by MF Hawkins. THE full-size counterpart of this C/L scale model was perhaps one of the best known of all the Japanese fighters used in the last war. And if the Zeke 5-2 looks very similar to the famous Zero fighter, it's no accident, as the original Zeke was, in fact, the Zero. Various modifications to successive marks altered the original features somewhat, but the basic shape is still there.

Wing: Cut out wing ribs, also W9 and 12, and four each of W7 and 8. Assemble wing halves with leading and trailing edges, the tips being made up from two laminations with the aluminium lead out tubes sandwiched between on inboard side. Put 3/4 oz lead in the outer tip.

Add leading edge sheeting, noting that the underside sheet comes to the centre section, whereas the top sheeting ends at W1. Insert block by W3 for U/C tube. Join wing halves, using underside sheeting and W10, with 1-1/2 in dihedral under each tip.

Add gussets and reinforcements to WI and W4 and drill for flap dowels. Cut A4 from soft 1/4 in sheet and round off its leading edge. Glue A2 and 3 and outboard dowel in place. Attach flap to wing and push inboard dowel, with flap rod, into place from the centre; glue firmly. A lightening slot can be cut out of the back of A4. Insert A1.

Assemble control plate, wires, push rod and W11 and cement firmly into centre section, gusseting to W1 with scrap block.

Now bend the cross bar from 22 gauge wire and solder to the push rod so that the flaps are level when control plate is neutral. Sheet top of centre section leaving a hole for flap rods and push rod. Add 1/8 x 1/16 capping strips to the ribs and level the strips on W12 so as to overlap the gap between W12 and A4.

Fuselage: Stick F1 and F1A together, noting that F1 overlaps 3/32 in to allow butt jointing of the planking. Assemble engine bearers F1, F2 and the fuel tank. Glue two pieces of planking 3/4 in wide along the centre line on each side and insert F3, 4, 5, 6 and the tail block. Now trim LE of wing to fit flush on F1, thread the push rod through the formers and firmly glue F1, 2 and 3 to the wing. Insert some soft block behind F6 to make a firm seat for the tail.

Cut the tail from 1/8 sheet. Make a hole through the dowel with a red hot pin, and pass the horn through it, then bend the end at right angles and squeeze back into the dowel with pliers; bind and glue firmly. Assemble elevators and mount tail on fuselage, sliding back and forth until elevators and flaps are neutral together. Cement a strip of planking on the top of the fuselage from F4 to just aft of F6. This provides support for F7 and F8, which can now be cemented in position, after which the rest of the fuselage sheeting may be completed. Assemble fin and rudder, noting that the fin ribs are just 1/16 sheet capping strips.

The cowling is made in two halves from 1/2 in sheet, with the half former F0 from 1 mm ply. Press studs sewn to 1 mm ply and let into opposing surfaces form the cowling attachment. A 1/2 in wide strip of 1 mm ply is glued inside the front of the cowling halves.

Add oil cooler and wing fairings from scrap block. Cut some 3/8 in square pieces of celluloid, make a hole in the centre so that they are a tight fit round the tank vents, smear on plenty of cement, and slide down to lie flush on the fuselage. This makes an almost oil proof joint.

Finally carve gills and machine gun vents on the cowling and add dowel exhausts.

Cockpit: Make a male mould from block. Cut a hole to fit in a sheet of ply and attach a piece of thick celluloid to it with drawing pins, allowing plenty of overlap. Place the male mould in the bottom of the sink with the ply on top-celluloid side down. Pour on boiling water and push. The cockpit is moulded in gentle stages.

Finishing: Give two coats of thick talc and clear dope mixed and rub down; cover wings with heavy Modelspan and the rest with lightweight. Give a thin coat of talc and clear dope. Rub down and give two coats of dope, and then colour.

National markings consist of a red disc with a white outline on the fuselage sides, and on both upper and lower surfaces of the wings. Actual colour schemes varied, but the model is finished in dark green on top and blue grey underneath, with white bands on rear fuselage and fin, with a yellow number on the latter. Cockpit interior is light green, and the commercial 1-1/4 in spinner finished in red.

Undercarriage: Not fitted on original. Angle the tubes so that the wheels are in front of the wing leading edge. A tailskid must be fitted if an u/c is used.

Flying: The CG should be a 1/4 in or more in front of front line. Manoeuvres are not as tight as a lightly loaded stunt model but are very smooth. "

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

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