Zzip (oz14114)

 

Zzip (oz14114) by Roger Broome 1987 - plan thumbnail

About this Plan

Zzip. Radio control slope soarer, for 3 functions.

Quote: "Zzip.This month's full-size plan model! Roger Broome's compact three-channel soarer is quick to build, fun to fly.

Simple to build, easy to fly and good looking! These must surely be the ideal parameters for a slope soarer design and, when it's found to be stable and pleasantly aero. batic, too, then that's an added bonus. So here is Zzip. Like her? Good - so let's build.

Construction: Starting with the wings, the ribs are produced by the sandwich method and the lower skin of 1/16 sheet, is laid down first. All conventional stuff really so I won't repeat what has been written hundreds of time before. Next comes the lower spar, then ribs, then upper spars -the trailing edge is a stock item - and finally the top skin sheet. Glue the leading edge (stock item) on when both panels are complete.

I didn't use any dihedral bracing, simply gluing (PVA) the two together making sure they fit well. Bear in mind the fairing structure that's built on the top of the wing when its complete, if you are concerned, plus the elastic band support on the trailing edge. I don't believe in over-construction as it adds unneccessary weight. I built in the dihedral shown, but if you want a more responsive model then build it flat.

The model features 'anti-vortice' tips which look good, feel good, but I don't know if they do good! However, they are easy to make - just follow what it says on the plan.

It's important that you make your aileron servo a tight fit in the wing, so that it is well supported on all sides, not just held by its grommets. The top fairing on the now complete wing is fitted next, followed by a suitable canopy. I made mine from a section cut from an old lemonade bottle.

Fuselage: Cut out all the bits - not too many, are there - and stick the ply doublers to the sides. You will observe that there is no plan view; that's because you work to a centre line, a much more accurate method in my view you see paper plans tend to move around due to atmospheric conditions. Even rolled plans suffer from this phenomenon.

Now steam shape the fuselage halves by bending them both inwards towards what will be the nose; only shallow bends are required. Glue all the former triangular pieces and fillets to one inner half and when practically set, stick the other half on to the formers then fit all its pieces and fillets in situ.

When dry, draw the tail end of the fuselage together and glue. Now fit the steam shaped 1/4 in floor followed by the 3/32 floor. The nose is shaped in situ. Now fit the top decking. As I said, the canopy can be made from a plastic lemonade bottle, but a much nicer tinted one could be purchased if you are choosy. You'll have to cut it to fit your framework which you will be building next. One third of the framework is constructed on the wing, which is now temporarily fitted to determine the final shape of the canopy (a bit of eyeballing!) I quite enjoy this bit because you can spend quite a long time doing very little to nothing, and have a good excuse for doing so.

Moving on to the tail, two types are shown. The shaped one is infinitely better, but the flat one suffices - take your pick. Now it's down to razor planing and sanding to obtain the final shape - always the messy part of the job so keep a vacuum cleaner by you!

Finally cover the model in your own choice of covering and trim it to personal taste.

Flying: Zzip will require a smidgen of uptrim on the slope, and a firm launch into the breeze. Don't run, this is the first flight remember! If you have a friend, tell him not to run either when launching for you. If you have a good breeze, Zzip will be bucking to fly anyway. Make your final pre-flight checks ensuring that down is down, up is up, right bank. left bank, rudder left, rudder right, etc. (I have to say this because I've forgotten them too and after witnessing it so many times in others with the usual disastrous results!) Your CG is in the right place, isn't it? Your aerial is up, isn't it? OK, off she goes.

The rest is now up to you. Zzip performs well whatever the weather, use that rudder to make nice flat turns on finals for 'greaser' landings and gradually work up to more adventurous manoeuvres as your confidence grows and you become familiar with Zzip's flight characteristics. Above all, have fun - that's what the hobby is all about!

At just short of live feet span, Zzip is a good size for chucking into the back of the car for those impromptu flying sessions which can occur when on holiday or out for the day with the family. Prototype had Futaba Medallion R/C with standard servos and rudder and elevator control is via conventional push-rods. Aileron servo is positioned in wing centre-section as shown at left. Cockpit hatch (the glazed section can be cut from an old lemonade bottle) is removeable for access to gear and is held in position by a couple of velcro patches."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Note photo of completed Zzip model [main pic] was found online, this is a screencap from the YouTube video by SpeedsterDEN at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1HoV5TSy3Y which shows a Zzip model modified with a 55 mm EDF on 4s battery. The video is well worth a watch.

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Zzip (oz14114) by Roger Broome 1987 - model pic

Datafile:
  • (oz14114)
    Zzip
    by Roger Broome
    from Radio Modeller
    July 1987 
    58in span
    Glider R/C
    clean :)
    all formers complete :)
  • Submitted: 20/09/2022
    Filesize: 452KB
    Format: • PDFbitmap
    Credit*: KLH
    Downloads: 776

Zzip (oz14114) by Roger Broome 1987 - pic 003.jpg
003.jpg
Zzip (oz14114) by Roger Broome 1987 - pic 004.jpg
004.jpg

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Scaling

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