Milli Kema (oz14991)

About this Plan

Milli Kema. Radio control hand launch (or bungee) glider model. Wingspan 60 in, for 2 functions.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 17/12/2023: Added article, thanks to RFJ.

Quote: "Milli Kema. Keith Humber's 60 in glider for hand launch, bungee or slope.

Milli Kema was designed as a cheap fun soarer to BARCS Mini-glider rules, ie may span 60 in and a maximum weight of 20 oz, either to be hand-launched or to use a lightweight bungee (5m rubber, 15m of line) as an alternative for those of us who are getting a little bit long in the tooth or are not young Hercules with shoulder muscles to match. Seriously though, if you do elect to try hand launching take it easy at first and build up to a decent height in easy stages. I imagine discolated shoulders could be pretty painful so be careful. However back to Milli Kema...

With hand launch soaring there is not anything more satisfying than catching a thermal at 20 ft and following it up to cloud base. It's absolutely magic, particularly when the 12 footers can't turn enough to make use of these low thermals close to the ground! Milli Kema also makes quite a useful slope thermaller, handy to keep in the back of the car for use when the 1/4 scalers can't do very much. On those quiet evenings when the wind drops with just the hint of lift she will ghost along holding height and occasionally gaining a little, very satisfying indeed. Why not build one and have a go, it only takes a week or so of evenings and costs about £10 depending on finish. Which leads me into the constructional notes quite nicely. So here goes.

Fuselage Cut two basic fuselage sides from 1/8 medium 4in sheet (one sheet should do both). Cut out formers from 1/8in ply and decide whether to use 225 nicads or 500. If you use 500 mAh nicads then cut out a pair of 1/32 ply doublers and glue them to the fuselage sides making sure they are handed. 225 size nicads are positioned in the nose bay and are for a really lightweight competition model of 18oz or so and don't need the doublers. Epoxy formers F1 and F2 into position and cut and glue the 1/4 in underpan into position together with the nose block. Cut the boom top out of 1/4 in balsa and pin and glue it into position checking that the fuselage stays nice and straight. Cut out the tailplane from 1/8 sheet, sand to section and glue into position checking for alignment.

Make up the 18swg pushrods binding and gluing the wire to 1/8in birch dowel. Position the servos and mounts, thread in the pushrods into position and hinge the elevator and fit the horns. Adjust the pushrod for length for neutral elevator then make the rudder and fin and glue them into position; proceed as for the elevator pushrod. Check for freedom of movement and, if all is OK, finally sheet in the underside of the tail boom with 1/8 sheet rebating the front into the pod to overlap the joint.

Wings: Wings are constructed on the spars flat on the board and joined in the centre with 1/8 ply dihedral braces. Cut all the ribs from 1/16 balsa sheet and pin the 3/16 x 3/16 hard balsa bottom spars into position over the plan..."

Supplementary file notes

Article.

Corrections?

Did we get something wrong with these details about this plan (especially the datafile)? That happens sometimes. You can help us fix it.
Add a correction