Folland Midge (oz1982)

About this Plan

Folland Midge. Scale prototype jet fighter for Jetex 50b power.

The Midge was the precursor of the Folland Gnat. Scale is 1/24. The plan text says to use bristol board to skin the complex curves.

Quote: "Build this 1/24 scale model of the Folland fighter for Jetex 50, or 100, unit. Simple construction with sheet surfaces and card fuselage covering make it a robust high speed sport flier. Folland Midge, by John Darnell.

THERE'S NO doubt about it - the Midge is a 'winner' from all angles and as the star of the 1954 Farnborough Air Display, it has already gained great repute though still but a few months old. A preview of John Enoch's concise and very accurate drawing of the Midge and Gnat which was featured as his Aeroplane in Outline last month, enabled John Darnell to get one step ahead of Aeromodeller readers and to start on his flying version. John builds at the rate of several models per month, he is one of our chief kit tester's and his total production to date runs into hundreds of designs. But all of his experience was sorely tried in devising a means to reproduce the gracious curves created by Mr Petter of Follands.

Lightness and smoothness of line is difficult to achieve in a model this size - the Jetex 'Tailored' kits with pressed fuselage sides being the ideal, and only real answer. After experiment with balsa sheet, which would not take the double curvature, John tried Bristol Board in panels similar to the covering of the full-size aircraft, and the result exceeded expectations.

All-up weight of the final model, including an augmented Jetex Sob, and generous coating of Belco Delft Blue, was no more than 2-1/4 ounces, and the appearance, as these photographs show, is commendably realistic. A 50b unit was used in the original, and slight ballast needed for trim in the nose. A larger unit will un-doubtedly provide an even more sparkling performance but will still require a swift launch after waiting for thrust to build up.

Ready to start? Here's what you will need:

One sheet 1/16 x 3 x 36 in Medium Balsa.
One sheet 1/8 x 4 x 18 in Medium Balsa.
One sheet 18 x 18 in 'thin' Bristol Board.
One strip 3/16 x 3/16 x 12 in Balsa.
One Bubble Hood or celluloid to mould same.
Cement, Delft Blue and Red dope.

Not much is it? Start by cutting out the vertical keel with cutaway for augmenter tube. Add the half formers on one side, then the augmenter tube, and the other half formers. Fill in with the 1/16 side keel pieces, and set aside to dry while shaping the wing. Sand this to a lifting type section, then seat on the fuselage and prepare the tail surfaces.

Fit the tailplane on the horizontal keel, ensuring that it is at neutral, then add the fin and square fuselage spine with its tail end fillet. The job now resembles the lower left photo [see more pics 004] and is ready for covering. If you dislike the idea of Bristol Board, then stringers are a less realistic but effective substitute. Card patterns, drawn slightly oversize for slight building error allowance, are shown opposite and are arranged to butt join over the formers.

Fit a commercial canopy of nearest size or mould a scale one as described on page 134, and after filling the cracks in covering with a mixture of talc and dope, colour Delft Blue with Red letters."

Supplementary file notes

Planfile includes article.

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