Zlin 526 AS (oz16102)

About this Plan

Zlin 526 AS. Radio control sport model, for electric power. Wingspan 1200 mm.

Quote: "In the usual scale of our constructions, you have to make some compromises, that is, dimensional adjustments to the load-bearing surfaces and the adoption of suitable profiles. I think that the most loyal readers will recently remember an article where the construction of a Zlin was described and therefore they might have the impression of a repetition, but this is not the case because, with all due respect for those who use to build their own models from kits, even very refined ones as in the case in question, what I am presenting to you is something different. First of all, it is a model that requires less financial commitment and, secondly, it offers you the pleasure of building it entirely with your own hands and this, for me, has great value and gives the greatest satisfaction when the work is finished.

As you can see from the photos, my model is of fairly small proportions, for a Sunday flight without too many problems. The wingspan is 1250 mm and the length is 930 mm. The wing surface, with a chord of 260 mm at the root and 145 mm at the ends, is 25 dm2.

I mounted a brushless motor with a rotating case with a diameter of 35 mm and a length of 44 mm and with a kV of 1200 rpm. The propeller that in my case proved to be most suitable is a 9x4.5 but if you are oriented towards motors with a different kV, keep this in mind when choosing the pitch. A 3200-3300 mAh battery, with a consumption of about 35 A at most, will allow you, not always flying at full throttle, to easily exceed 10 minutes of flight.

The construction of the model is facilitated by the assembly system of the interlocking fuselage, which I have been using for some time, and which also lends itself to a possible creation with laser cutting of the pieces. The procedure, since the construction is certainly reserved for fairly expert modelers, is standard and therefore I will not go into detail so as not to bore the readers who have come this far.

Even the wing and the tailplanes do not require any particular suggestions and what I recommend is only the care of the perfect housing on the belly of the fuselage in order to obtain an exact alignment on the three axes.

I cannot fail to underline the position of the center of gravity which must be verified with precision: this can be obtained easily because the space in the longitudinal direction is abundant and therefore you only need to find the right point where to fix the battery.

For the finish I opted for a heat-shrink covering that reproduces that of the real plane that I admired and photographed 30 years ago. I thought in fact that this was a duty in memory of an exceptional character such as its owner and pilot Roberto Crippa, my fellow citizen from Milan, but also to revive, albeit in model format, this exceptional plane. At this point we got to talking about the flight characteristics and I can say that I was not disappointed because the model did its job in every situation. My Zlin 526 has a precise and linear flight that gives confidence and does not present surprises; just what is desired by those who are not very experienced pilots like me.

I therefore think that the enthusiast who likes to build his own models will be able to appreciate these characteristics and therefore make the decision to take action by getting to work, enjoying the sweet smell of wood and then having fun happily and proudly evolving his construction. And so, as always, good flights and better landings!"

Direct submission to Outerzone.

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