J3 Kitten Ultralight (oz14993)

About this Plan

J3 Kitten Ultralight. Radio control scale model for electric power. Wingspan 24 in, wing area 74 sq in. Scale is 1/15.

Note this plan is available as a free download from the (now defunct) RC Micro Flight site, see http://web.archive.org/web/20050308045655 for a working link to the original PDF file.

Article is available online at: http://web.archive.org/web/20050219035051...

Quote: "The J-3 Kitten is one of those designs that really grows on you. While I designed and built this model, I found myself becoming more and more enthusiastic about its progress. I started out thinking that the Kitten would be a cute little high-wing monoplane that was just unusual enough to stand out a little, but as the design advanced, I became more excited about the prototype aircraft and the type of flying it represents.

The full-size J-3 Kitten was designed by Jessie Anglin as a 3/4-scale ultralight version of a Piper Cub, and it first flew in 1984. The Kitten exemplifies the low and slow flying so popular with pilots of ultralights. As near as I can determine, typical ultralight cruise altitudes are well below 1,000 feet. This isn’t because ultralights aren’t capable of climbing much higher but because it is just too much fun watching the world go by at low altitudes. I find that I fly the Kitten in much the same way, cruising about our local flying field at 10 to 20 feet, imagining what it would be like to look down on the world from there.

Remember that this is a scale model of a Piper Cub-type plane; as such, unlimited aerobatics are not part of the flight plan. My goal was to reproduce the joy of watching a stick-and-tissue free-flight model drift by. The added benefit of a radio allows maximum enjoyment as well as a few basic loops, wingovers and touch-and-gos.

The new generation of radio gear really opens up the opportunities for models like these. If this type of model appeals to you, let’s get started.

Construction is typical stick and tissue throughout. As such, I won’t delve deeply into construction details, except where my personal technique differs from tradition. A lot has been written over the years about built-up structures and by modelers much more knowledgeable than I am.

For built-up structures like this, I often work on a piece of tempered glass to ensure a flat surface and a true part. For the Kitten, I dusted a piece of glass with 3M-77 spray adhesive and then smoothly applied a copy of my plans. I repeated the process with wax paper to avoid gluing the model to the plans.

Since sticking pins through glass is tough, I use CA glue to tack the parts to the wax paper. To free the finished assembly from the wax paper, just slip a business card underneath the joints..."

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