Super Asteroid (oz15196)

About this Plan

Super Asteroid. Rubber duration model.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 29/3/2024: Added article, thanks to RFJ.

Quote: "How many of you model fliers have been in this hobby for 20 years and have built at least one rubber ship? Perhaps, like me, your first sucessful model was Dick Korda's great Wakefield Winner (oz5395). It was a thrilling sight then, and still is now, to see a high performance rubber ship whisper its way up 400 feet, prop fold, and then wheel in a soaring flight.

Too many of our young fellows never have known this satisfaction, in this day of ready-builts and low-priced engines. Without encouragement from our older fellows, not many advance beyond the plastics or 'Firebabies.' I'm not advocating that all should build rubber ships, but there is no better way to learn about good building practices and adjusting a model to fly. Gas ships generally go so fast that the practiced eye can detect trouble before the model is completely built and possibly a potential flier will be lost through discouragement. Rubber ships are slow enough to see what is happening when you turn the rudder a bit, and therefore have a longer life expectancy.

My sons, Steve, 13, and Greg, 11, had wanted to build a Wakefield ship and an Unlimited which would be larger than their little Asteroid (oz1922) . Being naturally lazy I decided to design a dual purpose job. To come up with a model that is simple and which will fly well, for boys, is quite a chore. I've found that boys don't like a complicated long term project, therefore, 'Super Asteroid' was drawn and stick cutting begun. In its first contest, Greg won the Southeastern Championship in all age groups, with Steve 3rd. Greg's 3 maxes were the only all day in any event. Steve qualified in the Wakefield Elimination, 1961 with 12:45. Due to my work problems I couldn't get away for Semi-Finals, so Tina, his mother, took him by bus to the Semi-Finals in Maryland. He turned in 19:19 in eight flights with old rubber. He placed about the middle of the experts which thrilled him greatly.

Greg and Steve's ships are identical, I used a little different fuselage design for mine. We have won or placed high in several meets. At least twice we have been 1st., 2nd., and 3rd. At the 1961 Nats Greg won first in Wakefield in the pouring rain with a new Jr. record of 9:59. Steve won unlimited rubber with a new National Record of 11:25. I was beat out in the 4th round by Frank Parmenter, and ended up 2nd with 21:19, in unlimited rubber.

Our boys enjoy Rubber probably more than any phase of modeling.

CONSTRUCTION: We used Sig Contest wood throughout due to its consistent weight and grain. We also used Ambroid Quick Dry, which is strong and sets quicker for impatient boys. (This is not a commercial, but our preference.)

The fuselage is easy. Cut 2 sides from 1/16 soft sheet. We were lucky to find wood. Splice 3 ft sheet if you must. Glue 1/8 sq to upper and lower edges. Glue 1/16x 1/2 in strips to center of each side. Cut out bottom. Pin bottom to board on plan view. Glue vertical sides upright to bottom and let dry. Cut top about 1/2 in wider than bottom and glue to top of sides. Two coats of dope are applied to inside of fuselage sides, bottom, and top before assembly. This prevents rubber tube from soaking in. Add crosspieces in rear end. Add sub-rudder, stab dowel, and dethermalizer dowel..."

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