Staggerwing Sport (oz16132)

About this Plan

Staggerwing Sport ('Simplified Staggerwing'). Free flight scale model biplane for rubber power.

Quote: "Plan Feature. Simplified Staggerwing. Build Paul Mcllrath's Beechcraft beauty for rubber power.

The proportions of Beechcraft's classy looking Staggerwing are surprisingly good for a rubber powered flying model. In addition, the simple wing mounting arrangement eliminates the complicated forest of struts common to most biplanes. This semi-scale design pairs the simple wing mounting with a simple but realistic fuselage structure.

For indoor flying, use light wood for everything except longerons and leading and trailing edges. Do not spray or dope the tissue covering on the wings or tail. If firmer balsa is used, the model can be flown outdoors when weather is calm and dry.

FUSELAGE: Build the fuselage in the traditional way. Make two sides and then join them to make the basic frame.

Note 1. The width of the fuselage is constant from the nose to the rear of the wings. Install spacers cut to the length shown on the view of formers 1 and 2. (Spacers are 1-3/8 inches long, outside width of the fuselage is 1-1/2). Join the side frames at the tail, letting them bend naturally. Then cut the remaining spacers to fit. Build the lower part of the rudder separately on the plan and glue to the fuselage frame. Cement formers 2 to 5 in place.

Note 2. Do not glue former 1 in place until the stiff paper wraparound is fitted to the cowling. The pattern for former 1 is shown slightly oversize to allow the part to be sandpapered to match the cowling outline while final shaping is being done.

Note 3. One 1/16 square stringer is installed between formers 4 and 5 on the top of the fuselage. On the bottom, a pair of stringers angle from the notch in former 4 to the inside corners of the fuselage frame. Windshield braces are installed in a similar triangular arrangement from the centre of former 5 to the upper corners of the cabin framework.

Note 4. Build the nose block assembly as shown. Drill it to receive a length of aluminium tubing or your favourite type of bearing arrangement. Use a six inch plastic propeller or a 7 inch cut down to 6.

Use a short length of tube to space the prop out from the cowling if necessary.

WING AND TAIL SURFACES: Note 5. Curved outlines of the wing and tail surfaces are made by laminating two strips of 1/32 x 1/16 balsa bent around cardboard forms. Or they may be pieced together from sheet stock, kit style, leaving them about 3/16 wide.

Note 6. All ribs, A and B, are cut using the metal or plywood template shown. B ribs are used at centre section and strut locations. When trimming A ribs to length for tips, first place the rib over the plan and cut the small excess from the leading edge. Then trim the rear end of the rib to fit the tip outline. Easier covering will result. Frames for upper and lower wings are identical except for the spacing of centre ribs.

Note 7. Five eighths of an inch of dihedral, measured at the strut locations, is required in each wing panel. Crack the leading and trailing edges just inside the centre ribs. Cut accurate 5/8 in supports to place under the strut ribs while dihedral joints are being glued. Install the complete landing gear assembly in the centre section of the lower wing after the dihedral joints are dry.

Note 8. Bend the two landing gear struts and cut the two balsa mounting pieces as shown. Sandwich and glue the wire parts between the balsa pieces. Clamp the sandwich tightly between two hardwood blocks while glue is drying to be sure the balsa parts are securely mated together. When thoroughly dry, trim and fit the mount against the leading edge and centre ribs of the lower wing. A tiny notch will have to be cut in each rib to clear the wire and allow the mount to seat flush with the bottom of the wing.

COVERING AND ASSEMBLY: Cover the fuselage, wings, and tail surfaces before final assembly. The fuselage is not covered where the tail and wings will mount. Wings are covered on the top surfaces only except the centre section of the lower wing which is covered only on the bottom. Glue the surfaces in place, aligning them carefully. If necessary, adjustments can be made with tiny shims After the top wing is in place, try the pattern from the plans to determine the exact windshield shape. Notice that the windshield does not touch Former 5 or the windshield V-braces. Cut narrow slots in the covering of the lower wing on the inside of the ribs at the marked strut locations.

Note 9. Build wing struts over the plan. Do not glue the curved fairings to the straight member at the bottom ends. Insert the bottom ends of the strut assemblies through the slots in the lower wing covering (they will project below the ribs), and glue strut assemblies to the upper ribs in the marked locations.The slots in the tissue may have to be elongated to permit this. Any visible gaps can be covered with small patches after assembly is complete. Check for final wing alignment before gluing the struts to the lower ribs. You may be able to make some alignment improvement by adjusting the position of the strut on the rib. When final positioning and gluing are complete, the projecting strut material can be trimmed flush with the bottom of the rib and the little fairings can be cemented to the strut above. Fairings do not need to be cemented to the covering.

Note 10. Cut wheel covers from stiff paper and foid up at the clash line. Legs on the pattern are shown slightly oversize to allow for some shifting to align with the wheels.Trim as required. Glue to the side of the rib overhead only - not to the wire. If the location of the wheel and rib do not match well, add a separate 1/16 square piece between the leading and trailing edges to support the cover in a better position.

FLYING: Add ballast to nose or tail until your model balances at the leading edge the top wing. Install a short loop of rubber, about 1/8 in wide. Use rudder and stabiliser adjustments to establish a gentle circling glide to the left with just a few turns on the motor. As more power and turns are added, make thrust line adjustments with the nose block to produce the desired flight pattern under power.

MODIFICATIONS: This model was designed for the enjoyment of its builder/flyer. It doesn't have to comply with anyone else's rules or tastes. If you would like to square off tips, straighten out curves, or substitute a different style landing gear, go ahead. It's your model. Have a good time!"

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

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