Cloudpin (oz1853)

About this Plan

Cloudpin. A 30 inch span lightweight rubber model. From 1959 October, Model Aircraft. Note this plan is 30in wingspan, but the plan title block shows a typo of 60in.

Quote: "Youth is the keynote of this rakish lightweight. Designed in the contemporary, long fuselage idiom, its inexpensive construction and up-to-date lines should have a particular appeal for the up and coming young modeller.

In describing Cloudpin it is well to remember that for some years the rubber lightweight has been lost sight of in the general preoccupation with larger, Wakefield size models. This is a pity, as the lightweight has much to offer both the contest and fly-for-fun modellers. Quick and economical to produce, replacement value is low, both in time and money, and a lost or damaged model becomes a mishap rather than a disaster.

Rubber costs, too, are modest. Fewer strands means greater uni-formity of tension along each indi-vidual strand, thus reducing fatigue and lessening the incidence of break-age. This gives the lightweight an advantage over its big brother in that a consistent performance can be obtained without getting a 'new motor per flight' complex. Nor is high quality rubber so important. If there does exist any difference in quality between specially imported strip and over-the-counter rubber, Cloudpin is unaware of it, as it performs quite adequately on the latter.

Since the rubber motor is, in effect, the heart of the model the design approach to Cloudpin was essentially logical. Instead of first producing the model, and then arranging a motor to suit its characteristics, Cloudpin was designed around the motor. The idea was to evolve the largest possible model that would fly on the minimum feasible amount of rubber; six strands of 1/4 in strip. A motor of this small cross section gives a very consistent output of power throughout the motor run, provided of course, that it is of reasonable length. Consistent power output, or flat torque curve, keeps the nose down on the initial burst and the nose up on the last few hundred turns. It also facilitates trim adjustment. On Cloudpin, for instance, no variation to the thrustline was found necessary.

Quite as important as the motor is what it turns, and how it turns it. For this reason much thought and experiment has gone into the prop-eller and its mechanism. Such minor points as ply facings on the noseblock and prop hub safeguard against major airfield failure, and the wire assembly is robust and positive in action.

Much of the success of your Cloudpin model will depend upon correct carving and pitch alignment of the propeller. Care should also be taken to ensure that the blade is correctly balanced, and that it folds flush along the left side of the fuselage.

Construction of Cloudpin follows normal practice, but study the plan carefully before you actually start to build. Good quality wood should be used throughout..."

Supplementary file notes

Planfile includes article.

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