Grahame-White GWE6 Bantam (oz13930)

About this Plan

Grahame-White GWE6 Bantam. Peanut scale rubber model.

Update 7/7/2022: Replaced this plan with a clearer copy, scanned at 600 dpi also added article, thanks to MB2020.

Quote: "Graham White Bantam. It is sometimes amusing to reflect on what made a model builder select a given design for a replica. The Aeroplane Monthly of July 1979 had a very good three-view, article, and several good photos of the Bantam. They even mention its color scheme. It has a relatively short nose, which is not necessarily a good thing for a rubber powered model, and would probably not have been selected to be Peanutted (a new word?) except that in the article there were some comments by Arthur Ord-Hume on its general arrangement. He didn't care much for the design. I quote in part.

'An aspect ratio of only 4.4, directly overlapping sesquiplane-type wings a mere three feet apart, a superimposition of the wings so arranged as to negate the stagger, and an angle of incidence far too insignificant for such a design, all must have conspired to make the machine both unmaneuverable and unpredictable, particularly at any sort of speed. Sadly, the designer seems to have got very little right, for the massive tailplane area ...the span was 45 percent of the wing...was matched by a truly insignificant fin and rudder.'

Those comments may sound bad to a pilot, but they look like just the right kind of characteristics for a Peanut Scale, just so we can manage to get the center of gravity far enough forward with that short nose moment! Perhaps a hardwood propeller, hardwood wheels, and a concerted effort to keep the tail light will suffice. (it wouldn't quite, and there is a ring of silver solder inside the cowl front on the model in the photos to place the CG in line with the black arrow on the plans).

The model flies in smooth left circles. Best time so far is 30 seconds, even though the model turned out relatively heavy, weighing 29 grams. The large wing area still gives a slow flying speed.

This model, when drawn to the thirteen inch maximum span for Peanuts, turns out to be one of the larger Peanuts. As a consequence, there wasn't room for a top view of the fuselage on the plan. The front view and the fuselage cross-sections shown should make up for the lack of a top view. The model follows conventional Peanut Scale structural practice in all respects and should not present difficult problems to anyone who has built one or two simple models.

The wings and the horizontal and vertical tails can be built directly over the plan. The wing 'N' struts are vertical and are thus shown true to size on the side view. The cabane struts are of constant section and are simply about 1/32 in longer than shown in the side view to account for their slant.

The fuselage follows standard practice, with two fuselage side frames being constructed directly over the plans. These are then separated, joined at the extreme aft end, and made into a fuselage box structure by the addition of 1/16th square cross pieces at each of the fuselage frame uprights. All cross pieces forward of the back of the cockpit are the same length. Formers and the sheet covering are added to the fuselage frame. Sand the 1/32nd sheet smooth before attaching it, especially the part for the top aft of the cock-pit, to save weight aft as much as possible.

Try to make the parts as light as possible, especially the tail surfaces. You don't have to worry about keeping anything forward of the CG light because the model will undoubtedly need nose ballast to balance properly. Hardwood wheels and a heavy hardwood or plastic propeller also make sense..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Aricle.
Previous scan version.

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