Prairie Dawg (oz15773)

About this Plan

Prairie Dawg. Radio control sport model. Wing span 29-1/2 in, wing area 164 sq in, for electric power with 10g brushless motor.

Note this plan has been stamped as Archive #003262 from the Cooperative Plans Service. See their website at www.co-op-plans.com

Quote: "Prairie Dawg by Tom Binkley. The inspirations for the Prairie Dawg were Guillow's Lancer and Bob Peck's Prairie Bird. If you have built either of these, or any simple rubber free flight model, you will find Prairie Dawg familiar and easy to build.

Perfect for flying in a Gym, Cul-de-sac or Schoolyard, here is a small Park Flyer that is nimble and maneuverable enough for excellent 3 channel aerobatics in close quarters, but stable and predictable enough for a supervised beginner to enjoy.

Begin by getting an 1811-2000 kV 10g motor, 6A ESC, 2 tiny servos like the HK 5320, micro receiver and a 300 mAh 2S LiPoly battery.

Balsa needed for fuselage and empennage is 118, with 1/16 needed for the wing. A 1/8 hardwood dowel, a bit of 1/32 ply, .032 wire, .062 wire, 47mm GWS wheels and SoLite covering complete the needed items.

When ordering components, pay attention to connector compatibility. Note that micro component connectors are not standardized.

The 1/8 balsa sticks needed for fuselage and empennage can be purchased as sticks or can be cut from balsa sheet using a balsa stripper or straight edge and razor blade.

Protect the plans with wax paper and begin construction by pinning the 1/8 square balsa main fuselage stringers and 1/8 x 1/4 top stringer to plan. (Wet the front part of lower stringer to aid bending to shape) Then simply cut 1/8 balsa uprights to length and glue in place per plan. Add curved window parts and gussets.

For what it's worth, white glue is light, strong, gap-filling, non-toxic and inexpensive. It was used extensively on the Prairie Dawg.

To insure that both fuselage sides will be identical, remove pins (when glue is dry) and with the newly constructed fuselage side still in place on plan, cover with wax paper and build the second side, over the first side, pinning parts through first side and into building board.

When both sides are complete and dry, remove from plan and while holding sides together, drill for wing and landing gear dowels and cut a notch in bottom stringers for the 1/32 x 1/4 ply landing gear reinforcement.

Designate one side as right and the other left. Glue 1/16 balsa servo mounts to inside of both sides. Glue 1/32 ply battery tray to inside of left side. If desired add a 1/16 balsa mount for receiver.

Pin sides, standing up, to plan top view, cut 10 identical 1/8 square balsa cross pieces and glue in place between sides from firewall to back of wing.

Make 1/32 ply firewall so that the ESC and connectors can be installed through it. Glue firewall in place. Clamp rear of sides together and cut and glue rear cross pieces in place, being careful to keep fuselage straight.

Finally, glue the first 1/32 x 1/4 ply landing gear reinforcement into the notch on fuselage bottom and then glue the other two 1/32 x 1/4 ply landing gear reinforcements on the first, creating a 1/16 groove for the landing gear wire.

Make stab, elevator, fin and rudder out of 1/8 sticks as shown on plan. When glue is dry, sand a bevel on leading edge of rudder and elevator and corresponding bevel on trailing edge of stab and fin to provide a hinge point.

Start wing construction by making ribs. The wing ribs are best cut out of 1/16 balsa using a plywood template. Glue a photo copy of rib to 1/32 ply and cut slightly oversize. After cutting out 16 ribs, stack them together (hold together with two pins) and sand them to finished size and shape. Using a rat tail file cut the notch for the 1/8 dowel leading edge and then, using a razor blade or razor saw, carefully cut the top spar notch... "

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 12/1/2025: Replaced this plan with the original drawing, scanned at 600 dpi, thanks to TomBinkley. See supplement files for previous version.

Supplementary file notes

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Previous scan version.

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