Sizzler (oz15516)

About this Plan

Sizzler. Control line speed model. Wingspan 22 in. Hornet engine shown.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 7/9/2024: Added article, thanks to RFJ.

Quote: "BECAUSE the design development of the Sizzler has taken more than three years does not make it something out of the prehistoric past of control-line when boxes and speeds of 70 mph were tops. Most of the basic design fundamentals can be attributed to Frank Greene of the West Coast. Frank was carrying on quite a voluminous correspondence with Walt Schroder at that time, and Walt chose me as the guinea pig to test these theories.

While I didn't agree with all of Frank's ideas, I had to admit that they did have a lot of merit. At that time most of the eastern boys were going all out for speed jobs along transport lines with small paper-thin wings and were coming close to 100 mph, but didn't believe a word of the rumors of 115 to 120 mph that were seeping in from the West Coast. So natch when I came out with the first Sizzler with a fairly thick section and more area than usual, the boys were inclined to scoff. However, when test flight speeds of better than 105 mph became the usual thing, right away you could see the eyebrows go up. Then when the second in the Sizzler series came along and placed second in the 1946 Mirror meet with 112 mph, I was in and the Sizzler now had a place in the scheme of things. However, Walt Schroder still thought I should go all out for Frank's ideas, so Sizzler #3 got a thicker section and 2° negative in the wing.

Brother, now I had something, something smoother-flying with much less effort, a ship that leveled itself and just hung there. At this time Norm Rosenstock of the Mer-cury Mites made a Sizzler for his use, a direct copy of #3. The first time out with his ship he placed second in the West Point meet with 114 mph.

Ship #4 meant still more pounding from Walt —cowls were the trend on the Coast so why didn't I give it whirl. Brother, on that score I really needed a . lot of convincing, three months of solid pounding before I gave in. I was sold only on the idea of engine heat, and not streamlining. Again I was wrong, Tony Desarle, an ordinary flyer, comes along and with his ship he made speeds ranging from 109 to 116 mph. Brother, how easy it is to become an expert.

From this it can be gathered that all the theory from the West Coast was on the ball. I have to take my hat off to Frank Greene and the rest of the boys. By the time you read this, the East Coast-West Coast Challenge Meet will be over, but I hope you will read in one of the model books that the Sizzler helped to make the West Coast boys give the Easterners the respect that they deserve..."

Update 16/9/2024: Added takeoff dolly drawing (sheet #2) thanks to dfritzke.

Supplementary file notes

Article.
Takeoff dolly.

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