Rapture 40 (oz13686)

About this Plan

Rapture. Radio control sport aerobatic model, for 40 engines. Wingspan 60 in, wing area 635 sq in.

Discontinued kit from Great Planes.

See http://web.archive.org/web/20050308... for original kit listing on the (now defunct) Great Planes website.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Quote: "Following in the tradition of the legendary Super Sportster (oz2633) and Ultra Sport, our Rapture 40 is a perfect choice to develop your aerobatic piloting skills - keeping costs low, assembly easy, and performance at its best."

Update 24/3/2025: Added kit review from Flying Models, September 2004, thanks to RFJ.

Quote: "Great Planes' Rapture 40. Review by John Judd.

If you're looking for a second, third, or all-around sport plane, this low-wing, 4-channel is a good choice with a .40 2-stroke.

Great Planes is taking aim at the second airplane market with its new low-wing Rapture 40. Their Super Sportster (oz2633), in all its incarnations, is an all-time favorite of mine. Its classic lines are a joy to behold and the thick, fully symmetrical airfoil makes it a good aerobatic trainer. A Super Sportster 40 was my third plane and I think it was just right for my skill level. It is challenging, but manageable.

Most instructors recommend that a pilot move from a high-wing trainer to a shoulder-wing or mid-wing plane before trying a low-wing, aerobatic plane. Great Planes is out to change that tradition with the Rapture 40.

On the Great Planes web page a skill level-to-model matrix matches a modeler's abilities to the appropriate kit or ARF. They classify the Rapture as a 'novice' model project. A look at the dimensions of the Rapture reveals that they have tamed the Super Sportster into a low-wing trainer while keeping the traditional good looks. It reminds me of a cross between a Super Sportster and the Ultra Sport (oz14057).

The Rapture 40 airfoil is a semi-symmetrical Selig 8036. The airfoil has an excellent speed range, stall resistance, and aerobatic capability. Designers and manufacturers often use this airfoil on their scale planes such as the RV-4, P-47, and Spitfire. They have lengthened the span by five inches over the Sportster, and increased the chord by a half inch, adding 85 square inches to the area. The fuselage is only a half-inch longer while the total weight is at least a half to one full pound lighter.

The lighter, open construction looks like this plane would be a natural for electric conversion. The reduced wing loading and efficient airfoil reduces the power requirement making less expensive engines suitable. This airplane, while visually bigger, will fly and land slower, making it a truly viable second plane.

First impressions: The kit arrived in typical Great Planes fashion: A full color photo on a sturdy box that is expertly packed full of goodies. The plans come on one rolled sheet, very nicely drawn, clear and sharp. Wood comes sorted and banded together in a logical manner. Packed in a plastic bag are the smaller parts and a very nice hardware assortment. There is a very detailed construction manual with lots of photo illustrations.

I unrolled the plan and weighted it down to relax its curls while I studied the construction manual. Quite a bit of quality hardware is included with the kit, but you will need wheels, spinner, fuel tank, and your choice of engine, radio gear, and covering. Hobbico provided a great assortment of accessories for this review, as well as a SuperTigre GS-45 ABC engine.

Construction: The construction sequence starts with the horizontal and vertical stabilizers. It has been a while since I have built a kit with the open, stick-built construction used in the tail section. Great Planes taught me a real time saving trick. You lay the balsa sticks over the pinned down parts and use a single-edge razor to mark the cuts. Then you cut the rest of the way through the stick with a razor saw or just cut the smaller sticks all the way through with the razor blade.

This is faster and much more accurate than marking the sticks with a pencil. I did not waste any wood and the parts only required a touch of sanding for a good fit. I am so impressed with the quality of the wood in this kit! I could not have made a better selection if I hand picked every piece myself.

I used Zap-A-Gap medium CyA to construct the tail. I have always been a big fan of ZAP products. I have tried several brands, and the primary quality I like about ZAP is that there is no waste. I keep the individual tips that come with each CyA bottle in a small container of acetone (fingernail polish remover). When I am through with a building session, I just toss the tip in the container and snap on the lid. I always have a good supply of tips in the spill-proof container.

Wing: The wing is a familiar 'D' tube construction. With just a little sheeting in the inboard sections and no cap strips, the construction goes fast. You build the wing halves over the plans (use protective covering or waxed paper). You glue a couple of balsa strips together to make a jig that sets the correct angle of the ribs as you go. The jig and the bottom hard balsa spar are pinned to the building board. A good supply of T-pins and a tool to install and remove the pins is essential.

This is not a flat bottom airfoil, but it is not fully symmetrical either. The difference between the top and bottom curves is subtle so be careful not to glue any ribs upside down. Each part is numbered and if you keep the rib numbers upright, as you normally read them, the wing assembles correctly.

Another area to pay careful attention to before you glue is the root rib and the leading and trailing edge dowel plates. The wing's dihedral angle is small and it takes some careful examination to see the slight angle on one end of each of the dowel plates. Each wing half is constructed top up, so the dihedral angle (set with the die-cut inner shear webs) has the short side on top for both halves..."

Supplementary file notes

Manual, 45 pages complete.
Review.

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