Kite (oz14075)

About this Plan

Kite. Control line combat model, for Fox 35 engine.

Quote: "Go fly a Kite? That ancient piece of advice takes on new meaning when we apply it to Charles Mackey's unusual combat fighter.

Most every time you encounter an article about a control line combat contest plane, you find the author listing the requirements for a good design - then he usually goes on to tell how these were achieved. The requirements are usually fast construction, speed, maneuverability, strength and stability, but the values are never equal. Usually, one is sacrificed to improve another. It is impossible to please all combat fliers with one design, but we felt a strong desire to try - thus the 'Kite' came into being.

The first requirement is easy construction. It takes only thirty minutes longer to cut out the parts for the Kite than the very simplest designs; assembly can be completed fiat on a table. This helps maintain alignment, saves time and simplifies building procedures.

Strength is sometimes completely omitted on some combat designs, the reasons being, fast construction or lighter weight to improve maneuverability. The Kite achieves these without any sacrifices. It has been said no combat ship can survive a 100 mph dive into the ground. Maybe it's true, but the Kite has hit straight in at 94 mph three times in one day! The only damage was broken leadouts at the wingtip plus a broken prop and dirty engine.

A good sturdy ship will discourage mid-air collisions and will be welcomed by all who have been a victim of them. The Kite does not sacrifice stuntability. In some combat designs, maneuverability has been overlooked for speed. This type of ship can be very effective, but why not have both features - speed and maneuverability, so you can call the shots against any type of opponent! Our gang demands quick response. The test is square corners, tight consecutive eight's without loss of speed and an outside loop from level flight at 30° height while the ship is traveling at full speed. If the ship didn't clear the ground, we didn't want it anyway!

Speed with stock fuel, nylon 9 x 8 prop, new Torp 35C with a pressure tank was 94 mph. The test crew complained, 'too fast', so we tried a 10 x 5 prop and no tank pressure but the ship remained almost as fast! I'm no speed merchant, but this leads me to believe with better fuel and prop, even faster speeds could be reached. We were intrested in slowing her down to competition speed. It's fast enough for us with a Fox 35 stunter, Fox fuel and a 10 x 5 prop.

Most of the combat stability problems are not in design, but trim. They are usually traced to a model that is tail heavy or a handle with the lines spaced too far apart. Different CG positions and handle sizes should always be tried until the ship is coordinated to the flier. This is important in combat as well as stunt. Warps are the next greatest cause of a poor flying ability. They will cause the lines to loosen on inside or outside maneuvers, and make it difficult to hold in level flight. Much attention should be paid to alignment. With all the above procedures followed, some combat designs still do not satisfy our stability requirements. The only way we have found to increase stability without losing something is the long tail moments. This also helps the cornering.

We have rebuilt some of the 'wing' and 'plank' designs by extending the motor mounts to the rear of the ship and mounting a stabilizer and elevator about 19 inches behind the i.e. with amazing improvement. It adds a kind of stability that cannot be achieved by just adding a stabilizer or increasing the stabilizer area on a short coupled design. Actually we would like a longer tail moment than the Kite has, but here we did compromise to fit the pan. It would be possible to extend the elevator back a few more inches on the magnesium pan Kite.

Several Kites of larger sizes have been built without a pan, no airfoil, 3/4 inch thick wing and a longer tail moment. They had unbelievable stability and maneuverability, but could not compare with the strength or speed of the mag pan Kite.

Construction: Cut out all parts. Add bellcrank, pushrod and leadout assembly to B-1. Glue B-1 to B-2 and allow to dry. Pin bottom 1/4" sheet 1 e. to plans. Block up three 1/4 in sheet t.e. with 1/4 scrap balsa. Glue on B-1 and B-2 sec-tion to 1.e. then add 1/4 sq LE to bottom 1/4 sheet LE. Cut holes in ribs for leadouts, then slip ribs over wires. Slide 1/4 x 1/2 spar into rib, adjust into position, then glue. Add two 1/8 sheet filler pieces to the top of B-1..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 17/9/2022: Added article, thanks to Pit.

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