Ryan Bluebird (oz14001)

About this Plan

Ryan Bluebird. Free flight scale model, for rubber or electric power. Wingspan 27 in, scale is 1/16.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Quote: "The 1926 Ryan Bluebird, by George Meyer. Rubber Flying Scale, or try electric. It's a perfect size. An ancestor of the Spirit of St Louis, made for modeling.

The prototype of the Bluebird was the Ryan M-1 and M-2. The M-1 had been a modest but nonetheless real success story. Although it had been flying for nine months, it had been preceded by several years of gestation. The next logical step would also take time, as had the M-1. It would be a cabin plane, one which could hold four passengers, in addition to the pilot, instead of the two passengers carried in the open cockpit of the M-1.

The M-2 fuselage was somewhat modified to accomodate the four passengers, but the narrow-tread landing gear was retained. The standard 36 foot M-1 wing was also kept. The pilot's position was moved from the rear open cockpit of the M-1 to an enclosed position up front under the wing's front spar. The Wright-manufactured 200 hp high compression Hispano-Suiza E-2 model water-cooled V-8 engine was installed.

According to Tom Mathews, Bowlus made some modifications of the fuselage bracing to change the wedge-shaped door on the right side of the M-2 to a single rectangular door on the new Bluebird with the bottom angled off on each side. Aft of what had been the pilot's cockpit in the M-2 was a baggage compartment with exterior door on the cabin plane. Unlike the Ryan Standard cabin biplanes used on Ryan's Los Angeles-San Diego Air Line, which had open cabin windows, those of the new Bluebird were of plate glass, unfortunately not shatter-proof.

After Claude's initial flight, additional tests were run by Red Harrigan, chief pilot, but Ryan recalls that he flew it more than anyone else and that it was a nice flying airplane, although a little hotter on landing speed than most of the airplanes they were then using. The only difference between the M-1 and the M-2 was the Northrop engineered wing as far as I can determine from 'Ryan Broughams and Their Builders' by William Wagner.

The Model Replica: The Ryan Bluebird is a very stable model, easy to trim and it makes very good takeoffs, necessary for scale contests. The model is a Rubber Scale, but it has ideal size and wing area for the small electric power plants now available.

Build the fuselage first, using 1/16 sq basswood or hard balsa. Build both sides, one on top of the other. When dry, slice them apart with a razor blade back to the tail post. Put the cross-pieces in as shown on the top view. Install the balsa blocks around the nose and carve to the proper shape.

Make up the dummy 200 hp. Hisso engine. Get a copy of the Wylam Book #1 for the engine details at the correct scale of 3/4 in equals 1 ft. Install the cylinder banks on a piece of 1/32 balsa cut to fit the top of engine section of the fuselage. Make the exhaust stacks of balsa in three pieces, sanded round. Paint the engine and exhaust. Do not install the engine until after the model is covered and doped.

Make up the nose blocks - one for flying and one for display, then carve out the front of the fuselage including the uprights and cross-pieces for a snug fit on the round nose block.

The landing gear legs are 1/16 plywood stacked together and sawed. then sanded to a streamlined shape. The wheel axles are 1/32 dia wire, with coils at the lower ends for landing shocks. Slip on 1/16 plastic tubing on the wire before you bend the shock coils..."

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