Cessna Airmaster (oz15965)

About this Plan

Cessna Airmaster. Free flight peanut scale model for rubber power. Wingspan 13 in.

Quote: "Airmaster Peanut. Done in Peanut Scale size, this fine flying little Cessna has a lot of spunk. We've included a set of full-size plans for those of you who just can't wait to get started. Cessna Airmaster, by Reid Hull.

DESIGNED by Clyde Cessna in the early 1940s, the Cessna Airmaster was a four-place plane for the air-minded public. At that time it was considered a superbly efficient machine. It boasted a maximum cruis-ing speed of 145 mph or 165 mph when powered respectively by a 145-hp or 165-hp Warner Scarab radial engine. The airplane could be equipped with either of these. To achieve 1 mph for each hp was a somewhat rermarkable performance, for the time.

Though the plane was exceptionally efficient even by today's standards, it had two drawbacks: The pilot's view was restricted by the his radial engine, and the Airmaster was somewhat prone to ground looping - probably because the vertical tail was too small.

Maybe you will be as intrigued by this grand old machine by Cessna as I was and want to build a Peanut-size version as per the plans presented with this article. Modifications required to make the model a stable flier have been made, and based upon my flight experienes, they really work.

As you might expect, enlarging the propeller detracts considerably from the glide. However, the rubber motor wind-down time is considerable when you pack in 700 turns.

Construction: Start out with the basic fuselage structure. The first step is to build the sid directly over the plan, then form the usual rectangular cross-sectioned basic box, Add the curved pieces where the fuselage becomes nearly circular. After cementing in the sheet balsa fliers near the front, make a very haul balsa nose plug to fit snugly in front between the filler pieces.

The cowl is worked to shape from a block of balsa with the grain running parallel to the centerline of the fuselage. Locate circular objects or make templates to trace around the front and rear of the cowl block. After shaping, apply a coat of clear dope so that it will resist splitting in the next step... "

Direct submission to Outerzone.

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