Tri-Flyer (oz14102)

 

Tri-Flyer (oz14102) by Louis Bucalo 1943 - plan thumbnail

About this Plan

Tri-Flyer. Simple rubber sport model.

Quote: "Yesterday, the scarvce commodity called balsa was used by model builders very sparingly. Today, even scrap balsa is kept in the family safe along with other valuable possessions. Since the supply has dwindled the demand has increased thus cutting down the supply still further and even more increasing the demand. This endless spiral leading to an reductio ad absurdum has been halted in part by Fllying Aces' policy in presenting planes that call for balsa only where it is absolutely needed, We call these Victory Models. Add a touch of originality and you have the Tri-Flyer.

Building any plane is a challenge to the skill and dexterity of the model enthusiast. Not only must he keep his attention pinned down to the details on the plans before him, he must also worry about being able to supply all the parts called for by the plans. To bring this problem down to its very lowest denominator is the intention of your designer. The stripped machine may look bare, but in my opinion it will fly the better for it. As a matter of fact, simplicity of design is such a boon to the average modeller that it is not too much to predict that the end of the war will not mean a reversal to frilly types, but a continuation of the present trends.

Fuselage: The fuselage is made up of a single stick of 3/8 by 1/8 hard balsa. If that is straining your supply, a fuselage of 1/4 by 1/8 pine can be used instead. Since the plans are full size, duplicate the shape shown. Sand carefully and dope three times. Notice that the rear of the fuselage makes provision for the position of the stationary hook. Bend all hooks to the shapes shown from .031 wire. Glue the stationary rear hook in place with several coats of glue. For greater strength, it may be bound on with some thread.

The prop-shaft mount is of the commercial type and can be bought at any model supply store. It can also be bent from a piece of flat dural and drilled. Glue and bind in place as shown. While still working with wire, bend the wing mounts. Thus the fuselage is completed.

Wing and Tail Surfaces: The wing is of conventional con-struction, as is the tail. Cover on upper surfaces only with tissue. Wet wing with water and allow to dry. Do not dope the wing, nor even wet the tail surfaces as this would re-sult in warping. Glue the tail sur-faces in place. Connect wing-mounts to wing and put in place on fuselage.

Propellor: When carving the prop, try to leave as much blade area as is possible. This will give maximum climb. When making the hinge-fitting be sure that it is loose. If it is too tight, the prop won't fold, thus inducing a spin. The best way to balance the prop is to judge approximately how much lead will be needed and then melt it. Obtain a used spool of thread and stop up the hole. Bind the .031 wire around the prop, and glue. Place the wire in the hole and pour in the lead. Allow the lead to harden and then hit the spool with a hammer. This leaves a perfect weight for balancing the prop. If the prop does not balance'correctly, file off enough lead to adjust it. Lastly, cut the prop at the joint, completing the folder.

Flying: The power plant is made up of four strands of 1/8 flat rubber. Place the rubber in the ship after lubricating it with green soap and glycerine. Small ships are easy to adjust if directions are followed, and they react to the slightest adjustment readily. Select a calm day for flying. Glide until a flat angle is obtained. Corrections can be made in tail and wing by warping. Put a left turn in the rudder so that the craft glides in tight, left circles. Plenty of right thrust will offset this and ship will climb straight up. Provision for right thrust is made when installing prop-shaft mount."

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Tri-Flyer (oz14102) by Louis Bucalo 1943 - model pic

Datafile:
  • (oz14102)
    Tri-Flyer
    by Louis Bucalo
    from Flying Aces
    November 1943 
    12in span
    Rubber F/F
    clean :)
    all formers complete :)
    got article :)
  • Submitted: 15/09/2022
    Filesize: 165KB
    Format: • PDFbitmap
    Credit*: theshadow
    Downloads: 255

Tri-Flyer (oz14102) by Louis Bucalo 1943 - pic 003.jpg
003.jpg

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Notes

* Credit field

The Credit field in the Outerzone database is designed to recognise and credit the hard work done in scanning and digitally cleaning these vintage and old timer model aircraft plans to get them into a usable format. Currently, it is also used to credit people simply for uploading the plan to a forum on the internet. Which is not quite the same thing. This will change soon. Probably.

Scaling

This model plan (like all plans on Outerzone) is supposedly scaled correctly and supposedly will print out nicely at the right size. But that doesn't always happen. If you are about to start building a model plane using this free plan, you are strongly advised to check the scaling very, very carefully before cutting any balsa wood.

 

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