Half Pint (oz197)

About this Plan

Half-Pint. Pylon free flight power model, by Louis Garami originally from Air Trails 1940. This plan is a later re-drawn version by Al Patterson in MB Nov 1981.

Update: 01/03/12: clearer version uploaded courtesy of theshadow.

Quote: "Old Timer Model of the Month. Half Pint, by Lou Garami.

Yes, there were small gas models back in 1944, just as in any otherera of the hobby. But our feature model this month was, is, small in any era. With a span of only 24-3/4 inches, and 120 sq in area, the Half-Pint is smaller than today's popular .020 Replicas.

As hot as it would be with a screaming .020, can you imagine hanging an .09 on this little Jewel? Well of course an Atom wasn't as 'Mighty' (isn't that clever?) as a modern .09, but it was still a lot of engine for this small model.

Half-Pint appeared in the July 1940 issue of Air Trails, the same issue in which John Sprague, alias Bill Winter, presented 'Old Square Sides', our Old Timer featured in the last issue. Half-Pint was designed by Louis Garami, whose name should be familiar to pre WW-II modelers. Garami was one of the few truly innovative designers of all modeling time. Unfortunately he died way too early in life, and well never know what he might have created in later years with the many new modeling materials that have come along since his death. He is best known by today's modelers for the Strato Streak (oz67), a pylon free flight design that is still competitive, and which undoubtedly had some of its beginnings in Half-Pint.

Garami's hints on flying small models were summed up in the last paragraph of the Half-Pint article:

The first step to success is the right incidence. Remember, a small model requires more incidence difference (we call it decalage) than a big one. For real good glide, get your center of gravity back to forty percent of the chord from the trailing edge and reduce the incidence slightly. Make sure the rudder is set straight at the first trials, and if the model flies straight or circles too sharply, counteract with the rudder, bit by bit. Stop to think before giving any adjustment because hasty warping of this and that will not lead to a happy landing!"

Update 7/2/2024: Added kit review (of the BMJR kit) from Flying Models, May 2001, thanks to RFJ.

Update 3/3/2025: Added original article from Air Trails, July 1940, thanks to RFJ.

Supplementary file notes

Article (1940).
Planfile includes article.
Review.

Corrections?

Did we get something wrong with these details about this plan (especially the datafile)? That happens sometimes. You can help us fix it.
Add a correction