Udet Flamingo (oz16209)

About this Plan

Udet Flamingo. Radio control scale biplane model, for electric power with brushless motor. Wingspan 38 in.

Quote: "Full size free plan. A 39 in wingspan electric powered scale model designed by Peter Rake, built and described by Reuben Kinghorn. Udet Flamingo.

While searching for my next build and, after a couple of messages to Mr Rake I decided to have a go at building one of his models, the 38 in Udet Flamingo. After a short search on the Internet I became really interested in this aircraft.

While I waited for the laser cut parts to arrive I decided to make myself some spoked wheels to simulate those of the original aircraft in question. I used 70mm pvc drainpipe for the rims, with copper rivets soldered together to make the hubs. Fishing line is used for the spokes, which are actually laced onto the wheels. While waiting for the cut parts to begin the build, I also ordered a graphics kit from Callie Graphics and after a short wait, it arrived and is exactly what I wanted.

Fuselage: After studying the plans for a couple of evenings and reading a couple of Pat Lynch's build threads on the internet to familiarize myself with Fete's designs, I felt confident to start stripping some 1/8 x 1/8 stock for the fuselage sides.

The rear fuselage sides were soon framed up over the plan and joined using cross-braces cut as pairs. Note how the longerons are scored and cracked in at the tail. The pushrod exits and part TS were also fitted at this point. Be careful to keep the whole structure square.

While the glue was drying, I marked and drilled the Reply F3 with a 1.5mm drill bit for when I would later bind the landing gear and centre section struts in place. This would be hard to do after the F3 had been epoxied in to the fuselage. (Hopefully. future builders working from laser cut parts won't have to drill F3, and I'm not altogether sure why Reuben did, because the holes should all be included on the cut part. PR). Since I wanted to make completely sure the glue on the rear frame was totally set, I started to build the front fuselage box section making sure to keep everything square.

This is a pretty straightforward process, once you have sanded the required bevels onto the indicated formers. Join the sheet sides with formers F3 and F4, fit the MP parts and then add the 1/16 balsa cockpit floor. Including the floor at this stage will help pre-vent the sides bowing as the nose is pulled in onto Fl and M. The exact size and location of M may need to be adjusted if using a motor that is much different to the 'bell' style one shown on the plan. Drill M for your chosen motor mount and fit the mount before installing M in the fuselage. Pack the mount for two degrees down and right thrust.

With the front and rear basic structures complete the sec-tions should be joined over the plan. Fl needs to overhang the edge of the board, but the rest can fit nice and flat to ensure a straight, square fuselage. While all is secured to the board, fit the fuselage underside 1/8 balsa fill-pieces.

At this point, you may notice that it is impossible to bind the front undercarriage leg in place, but there is a reason for that. It could be bound to F3 much earlier, but you would then have to cover around it. It results in a much neater finish if it can be bound in place after the lower fuselage is covered. To enable this, drill through the front MP and the 1/8 balsa immediately in front of F3, keeping the holes close against F3 and in line with the holes in F3..."

From Flying Scale Models, October 2012.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

See also the original RCGroups prototype build thread by ben199 at: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthr... for lots more details and great pics.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, thanks to RFJ.

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