Micro Dalotel (oz16665)

About this Plan

Micro Dalotel. Radio control profile scale model, for electric power. Uses foam construction. Wingspan 50 cm.

Quote (google-translated): "Plan & Construction. Micro Dalotel DM-165, by Pascal Delannoy.

With this design, the small Feigao motors find a direct-drive application that allows for easy outdoor flying. The power-to-weight ratio is favorable, as the static thrust equals the model's weight with the Feigao 5900! The materials used are standard, and the minimal construction takes a maximum of 4 hours. Only the finishing touches will delay your flight.

The Dalotel DM165 is a French aircraft well-known to long-time modelers. Hanno Prettner gave it its heyday. Countless models and plans of this amateur aerobatic plane from the 1960s exist. Since then, it has fallen into near oblivion. This is a shame because its geometry is very favorable, even on a small scale. A swept wing and surfaces well-positioned relative to the motor axis guarantee a pleasant and maneuverable flight.

The Design: Using a 3-view drawing from MRA magazine no. 516 of 1982, I drew the lines of the Dalotel with as much precision as possible. The distinctive feature of this small Dalotel, inspired by the famous aerobatic pilot, is that it has a hot-formed wing. The airfoil is therefore no longer a simple sheet. Only the wing isn't built to the full-size Dalotel dimensions; the chords are increased. A wing with long chords and a self-stabilizing profile allows for quality flight accessible to all. The leverage is sufficient to further improve the flight path. The profile's significant, but not excessive, camber generates lift that provides the pilot with respectable low-speed performance.

Then, the 20g rule comes into play: 20g for the motor with wiring and propeller, 20g for the radio (if a single servo is used for the ailerons), 20g for the battery, and a few grams for finishing and control components. The result is an airframe weighing between 85 and 90g ready to fly, roughly the weight of two standard-sized servos!

A recipe for success: The family kitchen will be put to good use this time. A rolling pin and an oven are needed to make this little Dalotel and probably many other personal creations, as the wing mold can also be used for other models.

Building this little Dalotel is very quick, thanks to the choice of Depron, the now irreplaceable material used for both the structure and the finish. Furthermore, the small number of parts allows for rapid progress. In just a few hours, you'll have a plane with a molded wing.

Cut two 160 x 260 mm rectangles of Depron for the wing halves. Cut two 160 x 250 mm panels of 0.4 mm aluminum sheet (available at large DIY stores or Conrad). Shape the aluminum sheets using a rolling pin. One sheet at a time, otherwise you'll need to be in pretty good shape beforehand. Be careful not to make a warped mold!

Place a 3mm Depron panel between the two curved aluminum sheets that make up the mold. Secure it with paper clips around the edge. Place the mold, with the Depron inside, in a conventional oven (not a microwave!) for 1 hour at a maximum of 90°C. Let it cool for 1 hour and repeat the process for the second wing..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

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