Lil Dusty (oz14068)

About this Plan

Lil Dusty. Control line speed model.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 13/9/2022: Added article, thanks to RFJ.

Quote: "1/2A National Speed Winner. Lil Dusty, by Don Yearout.

I would like to say that Little Dusty is the latest in a long line of 1/2A Speed jobs containing the best features of many experimental 1/2A designs developed through years of experience. I would like to do just that but I can't. To be honest, this ship was a hurry up project finished only two weeks prior to the 1963 Nationals. It had been built to help gather points in an unsuccessful attempt to capture the National Open Championship. Had I not been trying for Open Champ, I would not even have entered the event. Isn't that just the way it goes?

While this was my first attempt at 1/2A, I had flown the other three speed classes for some time. By incorporating some of the features of my larger class models, I designed a plane which I felt would do the job for which it was in-tended. I was determined to keep it a simple design as speed of construction and reliability of performance were foremost requirements.

As the design and construction got underway, I felt it necessary to trade some of the simplicity for better streamlining and smaller frontal area than I first had in mind. From the class C speed Dust Devil designed by Henry Mullin and me a few years ago, I took the torsion wire control and solid metal wing which helped keep the frontal area at a minimum.

For the same reason I cut down the engine cylinder fins and moved the needle valve to the rear of the crankcase to keep the cowling small and clean around the front. I also felt that a full prop spinner would be well worth the effort even though most 1/2A speed designs omit them.

Little Dusty was test-flown only twice before the Nationals, once when it did 95 mph, without its balsa top. That topless speed should prove something but I'm not sure just what..."

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Article.

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