PeTe 10 (oz14627)

About this Plan

PeTe 10. Radio control sport trainer model. Wingspan 46 in.

Quote: "Free Plan. A 46 in span versatile 4-function R/C aircraft for primary fun flying. PeTe 10 by Alasdair Sutherland.

PeTe 10 is the smallest and youngest of four brothers, all called PeTe by their unimaginative parent. They are differentiated by their number, which indicates engine size - so this one takes a .10, or up to a .15 engine (1.5 to 2.5 cc). This smallest member of the PeTe clan is a bit small for a first trainer and was developed not for training, but for portable fun with trike, taildragger, floatplane or skis.

The name PeTe (originally PT) stands for Primary Trainer - but this assumes that you will have the assistance of an instructor in a club environment. If you're alone, put your 10 in a Lone Ranger (see Oct '99 RCMW free plan), and build PeTe 10 as a follow-on. You can build this model for 3-functions, steered by rudder, or the full 4-functions if you build the aileron wing. Or you can start with the 3-function version and build the aileron wing later. My model used four standard servos and a standard 500 mAh Ni-Cad.

I have gone into some detail in the construction, but the model is really quite simple if built in the intended sequence. So decide now whether to build the aileron wing with 2 degrees of dihedral each side, or the plain wing with 5 degrees of dihedral. Decided? Right then!

Dive In: The tailplane is 3/16 medium balsa, 3 in by 16, with 1/2 by 4 in strips glued on each tip. Taper the 1 in wide elevator as shown. Make up the fin and rudder from what is left of the sheet.

The wing is similar to the Lone Ranger wing (but without cap strips for simplicity) so refer to the Ten top Tips article which accompanied the Lone Ranger plan in October '99 RCMW.

Use firm, medium density 1/8 sheet for the main spars and doublers, while the aft spars and LE doubler can be light or medium 1/8 sheet. Cut a set of 1/16 balsa ribs, noting that six of them are cut to the dotted line to allow for the centre section sheeting and spar doublers. The LE strip is cut 5/8 wide from 1/4 in light balsa.

Assemble the right wing over the plan, starting with the LE strip, the 1/16 LE sheeting and its 1/8 doubler, centre section sheeting, the pre-notched TE, and the lower spars and doubler. Dry fit the ribs to get the spar positions fitting exactly. Now glue the ribs vertical, except W1 which leans towards W2 by 2 degrees (aileron wing) or 5 degrees (plain wing). Glue the three bay doubler to the underside of the top spar, then glue the spar in place.

Add the top LE sheeting (described in last October's Top Tips). Carefully cut a 1/16 vertical slice out of W1 and the first W2 behind the main spar and glue in the 1/16 birchply dihedral brace. Glue 1/16 balsa webs, grain vertical, in the remaining bays. On the aileron wing only, add W6 sub rib which will form the aileron servo box side. Add top centre section sheeting.

Lift the wing from the building board and trim the spars and sheeting flush with end ribs. Bevel bottom edge of one tip piece to 45 degrees and glue to the end rib, supported by three W5 pieces (grain horizontal) and trim them, and the tip, level with rib tops.

Move the right wing along to the position shown dotted (phantom line) on the plan and pin it down with the tip propped up so that the plywood dihedral brace lies flat along the building board.

Build the left wing using the same rib positions as the right wing, except for a 1/16 vertical slice out of W1 and the first W2 before gluing them either side of the dihedral brace..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 18/6/2023: Added article, thanks to RFJ.

Supplementary file notes

ARticle.

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