Skyrocket (oz15696)

About this Plan

Skyrocket. Radio control cabin model. Wingspan 86 in.

Quote: "The Maynard Hill model is for some altitude record attempts. Maynard was a specialist in setting RC aircraft records for various criteria. This was published in Boat Builder magazine, so probably not widely known by anyone. Dave"

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Quote: "Build Skyrocket. This is the famous RC plane that broke the world's altitude record by climbing 13,320 feet into the sky!

WOULD you like to set a world's record for radio-controlled aircraft? Skyrocket is the current holder of the world altitude record, but it hasn't gone its limit yet! So if you have a yen to try, look this baby over. It's easier to build and fly than you might think.

The present record of 13,320 ft was set during a 37-minute flight on July 5, 1963. The model had already broken the old Russian-held record of 7,380 ft. in two successive flights to 11,960 ft and 12,980 ft at Dahlgren, Virginia, on the previous day, appropriately enough the Fourth of July.

Skyrocket used 14 ounces of fuel during a flight and it was always still climbing well each time it ran dry. I really believe the plane would go to 16,000 and perhaps 20,000 ft without any special carburetors or superchargers on about 25 ounces of fuel.

In building Skyrocket use a good grade balsa throughout except where other materials are specified. If building for altitude or endurance use the lighter grades of balsa. Double-glue all joints involving pieces cut across the grain. Put on a coating of glue to seal the grain, then let it dry before re-gluing and setting a piece in place.

Fuselage, rudder and elevator: Start by building two fuselage sides, one on top of the other using T-pins to hold them in place.

Proceed using 1/4 x 1/4 -inch, 1/4 x 1/2-inch and 1/4 x 1-inch stock as indicated, but do not install L-1 until later. Allow the assembled sides to dry overnight, then remove them from the building board and glue the 1/16-inch sheets to the outside of the structures. These sheets can be held during drying by repinning the glued assembly to the board. When dry, remove from the board, trim off the excess from the sheets and sand the two sides to identical shape. Now separate the two sides where they became glued during assembly.

The sides are then laid on the building board with the 1/16-inch sheet facing down while the 1/4 x 1/4 -inch firma!l shoulders and the bottom 1/4 x 1/4-inch longeron doublers are installed. When dry. the fuselage sides are joined by gluing formers F6B and F7 in place along with the part of the 1/4 -inch floor that runs aft from lc )ding edge station.

Install cross members aft of the wing next, being sure the fuselage top view conforms to the drawing. Then install the firewall to which the nuts for engine mounting have been previously attached..."

Supplementary file notes

Instructions.

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