Carrier Pigeon (oz13624)

About this Plan

Carrier Pigeon. Control line carrier trainer model.

Quote: "Get ready for the Navy Carrier event with this low-cost model airplane. The Carrier Pigeon, by Earl Cayton.

The Carrier Pigeon was designed ex-pressly to fill the great need for a simple trainer for the Navy Carrier Event. Few builders wish to carry on experiments with a super-scale Bearcat or similar Navy fighter requiring a hundred hours to build - our model only requires about twenty hours to complete, is rugged enough for many hours of practice, uses any engine of between .19 and .35 displacement, and is equipped with a simple two-speed choke for maximum and minimum speed operation.

After a few hours of practice on a similated carrier deck with this trainer, you can dig out that super-duper scale Navy fighter and compete in expert fashion when Navy Carrier Events are held in your vicinity.

The plans are drawn 1/4 actual size - they have to be enlarged four times before you begin construction. If you're too lazy to do this yourself, get a local photostat house to do the job for you. Okay? Now let's get busy!

Wing: First cement two sheets of 3/8 x 3 x 30 inch balsa edge to edge and allow to dry. Next, cut to the proper outline, and then carve in the airfoil with a carving blade and sanding block. You can then cement the 1/8 plywood bellcrank anchor in place and install and bolt the 1/16 aluminum bellcrank and line guide into place.

Tail: Cut the elevator from 1/8 plywood and the rudder from 1/16 plywood, and shape the leading and trailing edges with a wood rasp. Cement a commercial-type control horn on the stabilizer and wrap with thread. Attach the elevator and flipper with fabric hinges and cement liberally.

Fuselage: Start by cementing the 1 x 1/4 x 7 inch maple engine mounts to the 3/16 sheet balsa fuselage sides. Next, cut the bulkheads from 3/16 sheet and cement into place. Drill mounts for the engine bolts and solder the nuts to tin plates. Cut a hole for the exhaust and then line it with scrap tin. Solder this tin exhaust extension to the motor bolt plate so that it will be integral with the fuselage.

Assembly: Cement the wing into position and then cut the landing gear from 1/16 aluminum and bolt the wheels in place. Bolt the gear to 1/16 plywood and cement and bolt it to the wing. You can now carve the top engine block to shape from 22-1/2 x 2-1/4 x 1-5/8 in balsa. Separate the top into two parts. The rear section is cemented into place and the front section is removable for access to the tank and engine. This part is held in place with a bicycle spoke and keyed with four 3/32 dowels.

Now install the pushrod, which is formed from two bicycle spokes wrapped and soldered lengthwise. The tail skid is made from 1/16 steel wire, anchored in 1/8 plywood, and held in place with cement and thread. The arresting gear hook is formed from 3/32 wire and soldered to a tin plate. Bolt the hook to the 3/16 pine anchor, soldering the nuts to a tin plate so that the carrier hook is removable.

Next, install a Navy Fighter Pilot dummy, which is filed to a realistic shape from a 10c commercial plastic figure and painted with dope or artist's oil paints. The canopy is a regular commercial 5-1/2 in plastic bubble. Front fuselage cowl block is from 1-7/8 x 2 x 1-1/4 in balsa. The front cowl opening is 3/4 x 1/2 in and rectangular shaped.

Now, install the 1/8 plywood tank mount and make a gas tank from tin can stock material. The tank is held in place with a small plasticwood fillet.

Although not shown on the plans, a one-ounce sinker is attached to the bottom of the right wing tip. Before bolting it into position, pound the sinker with a hammer to a shape which will be streamlined and fit the contour of the wing. Hold it in place with two bolts. By being right-wing heavy, the plane will not fly in towards the center of the circle when flying at minimum speed.

We used a McCoy .29 racing engine in our trainer, but any .19 to .35 displacement engine will suffice. If you use a racing engine such as a McCoy or Dooling .29, we would suggest your using a sport-type spray bar needle valve for less sensitive fuel adjustment. A 2 inch diameter Froom needle nose spinner is used. An 8 inch prop is suggested for the McCoy .29."

Supplementary file notes

Article.

Corrections?

Did we get something wrong with these details about this plan (especially the datafile)? That happens sometimes. You can help us fix it.
Add a correction