Alfa Baby (oz16521)

About this Plan

Alfa Baby. Radio control trainer model for electric power with Speed 400 motor. Wingspan 1000 mm.

Quote (google-translated): "Alfa Baby and Alfa Junior - Two Models, One Concept. By Jaromir Pipek.

Simple cabin high-wing models with tricycle landing gear have always been very popular among model builders and are often used as trainers and for Sunday flying. Almost every company that makes RC model aircraft therefore has such a model in its product range. But not every model builder is looking for ready-made or nearly ready-made models, which are now widely available.

Those who enjoy building their own models will find that the selection of plans for this type of model is not particularly extensive. Therefore, I decided to design a simple but relatively elegant model for these model builders, one that can also be built by beginners who already have some experience building and flying simple gliders. I named the model Alfa and built it in two versions. These models differ in size and power source: The Alfa Baby has a wingspan of 1,000 mm and is powered by an inexpensive electric motor from the Speed 400 series. The Alfa Junior is approximately 25% larger; it has a wingspan of 1,250 mm and is suitable for 2.5 cc combustion engines.

Both models are very similar in terms of construction and shape. They are simple to build and can easily be equipped with different propulsion systems. The small Alfa Baby, for example, can be converted to a combustion engine with a displacement of 0.8 to 1 cc (e.g., a Cox TeeDee 051 with a muffler), and the Alfa Junior can be converted to electric propulsion with Speed 500 or 600 series motors. The necessary modifications essentially only affect the engine mount and the front of the fuselage.

Construction: The Alfa-Baby model is a simple model for relaxing flying and is powered by an inexpensive electric motor from the popular Speed-400 series and 7-8 cells with a capacity of 600-900 mAh. Building the Model: The Alfa-Baby model is a simple model for relaxing flying and is powered by an inexpensive electric motor from the popular Speed-400 series and 7-8 cells with a capacity of 600-900 mAh. The model's construction is entirely made of balsa wood; only the engine mount, engine bulkheads, wing joiners, and the parts for the landing gear mounting in the fuselage are made of plywood.

Fuselage Construction: The fuselage is built from the two side walls made of 2 mm balsa, reinforced with 3 mm balsa in the front and middle sections and with 3x3 mm balsa strips in the rear section. Engine bulkhead No. 2 and parts No. 2a and 2b for attaching the front landing gear leg are made of 2 mm plywood. Parts No. 3 of the engine mount are cut from 3 mm plywood and glued to bulkhead No. 2. The angle indicated in the drawing corresponds to the required engine downthrust (see drawing).

From 3x8 and 3x10 balsa strips, we construct the second fuselage bulkhead, which sits at the level of the wing's trailing edge, and then glue both bulkheads between the fuselage sides. We mustn't forget the longitudinal stiffener in the middle of the fuselage, made of 3x3 mm balsa, which makes it easier to glue in the intermediate floor for the battery and for attaching the servo mount. From 2.5 mm and 0.6 mm plywood, we make parts 5a and 5b for the main landing gear leg bearings. We then join the fuselage sides at the rear (making sure to maintain symmetry)..."

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