Wigan 70 Rubber (oz15557)

About this Plan

Wigan 70 Rubber. Simple duration model. Wingspan 28 in.

Note this plan is the second in a two-part series, see Wigan 70 Glider (oz9595) for the first part.

Quote: "Small field rubber-powered competition model, complementary to the glider published last month. Wigan 70, by Russell Peers.

Fuselage: This consists of a rolled balsa tube (the 'motor' tube). The tube is rolled from the very soft 1/18 balsa sheet, using a piece of 1 in diameter (or thereabouts) dowel as a former. Start by cutting the sheet to length and doping tissue onto one side. When dry, soak the tissue covered sheet in hot water, then wrap it round the former and hold in place by wrapping with bandage (do not glue or cut to size yet).

Leave until the wood has dried out, then remove the bandage and cut the sheet to width to fit exactly round the former (eg 35/32 in for a 1 in diameter former). Wax the former to stop the glue sticking to it! Then replace the sheet, glue along the edge with PVA and bandage up again. If necessary, re-soak the sheet first. When dry, remove the tube from the former and add the ply 'inner' tubes at the front and back. These are made from 1/32 plywood, 1/64 plywood is better if available) and are moulded in a similar way to the motor-tube, ie grain of outer laminations runs longitudinally.

Cover the outside of the motor tube with light-weight tissue and then add the wing mount (from 1/16 medium sheet) as shown on the plan. Note the grain directions. Make the fin and sub-fin by glueing together two laminationsof medium 1/16 sheet and cutting to shape. Add the tailplane mount and D/T system as shown. Where parts are glued onto the motor tube, use an epoxy glue. Cover the fin and sub-fin with tissue and then add the trim tab to the fin. The wing mount and tail mount only need a couple of coats of dope. Finally, cut the holes for the motor peg at the rear of the fuselage.

Nose block and propeller assembly The propeller is a plastic unit, the original model used a 12 in diameter, however, 8 or 10 in diameters are also suitable. Fitted to the propeller is a free-wheel clutch. This means that when the rubber motor has fully unwound and ceases to turn the propeller, it can free-wheel, which creates less drag to inhibit the glide. The sketches will explain most of the construction and operational details. Note when under power and free-wheeling, the propeller rotates in an anti-clockwise direction, when viewed from the front.

Start by making the nose-block from the laminations of plywood and 1/16in balsa shown. Make sure it fits snugly in the motor tube. Drill the centre of the nose block and fit the thin brass tube bush. The shaft is bent from 18 s.w.g. piano wire. First, bend the loop for the rubber motor bobbin (or S-hook, whichever you choose) and insert the shaft into the nose block.

Add washers and cup-washers, and then the propeller as shown. Bend over the end of the shaft as shown (note the 'free play'). Then add the clutch onto the propeller, the brass tube is bound and epoxied on. Make sure that the clutch will engage properly. Give the nose block several coats of dope and put a few drops of oil on the shaft. Note that some propellers are moulded with a small step at the hub. This is intended as a free-wheel clutch, but is not suitable and should be removed before use of the propeller in this assembly..."

Wigan 70 from Aeromodeller, October 1981.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, thanks to RFJ.

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