Rearwin Speedster (oz2074)

About this Plan

Rearwin Speedster. Rubber scale mode. Aristo-Craft Sharky CO2 engine installation is also shown as an option.

The Earl Stahl Rearwin Speedster (oz3845) design was first published in MAN 1940. This here is the plan from the later 1970's Flyline kit.

Quote: "Earl Stahl's Rearwin Speedster. Rubber-powered scale. 28 in wingspan, 20 in length, designed by Earl Stahl and published in the Jan 1940 issue of Model Airplane News. This kit is produced with permission of the designer and publisher. Also suitable for CO2 powerplants."

Update 30/3/2023: Added kit review from MAN, May 1978, thanks to RFJ.

Quote: "Field & Bench Review: Flyline Models' Earl Stahl Raerwin Speedster. By John Walker. Our kit continues the tradition of Earl Stahl, the best and most prolific designer of rubber-powered scale models during the late 30's and 40's.

The most unusual thing about this 'Field and Bench' is that it concerns a model that first saw the light of day almost forty years ago in Model Airplane News.

My son brought me a Flyline Models' Rearwin Speedster kit when he moved north from Florida, earlier this year. Looking over the kit brought back many
pleasant memories of building and flying the model, built from the original Earl Stahl plans that appeared in the January 1940 MAN. It took a bit of doing, but I even found a copy of that MAN issue. ( I noted that seven advertisers in the 1940 issue still advertise today in MAN. That's loyalty!)

How do models designed in the late Thirties or early Forties find their way to hobby shop shelves in 1977? Well, I'll tell you.

Several years ago, Hurst Bowers and Herb Clukey thought it would be a good thing if today's modelers had a chance to build some of the old-time models. Unlike most of us, they decided to do something about it. In 1973, they established Flyline Models, and kitted their first model, the Velie Monocoupe. They had long admired Earl Stahl, and having built most of his models waaaaaaay back, contacted him, the publishers of Model Airplane News, and the current owners of what was left of Air Trails. These gave the approval needed, so they kitted the Rearwin and Howard, first. They tell me that soon you will see many more of Earl's designs on hobby shelves. Most likely the next will be the Stinson Voyager, followed by the Waco Cabin and the Fairchild Ranger. There will be others.

The models were produced with a view towards the old-time modeler, and no building instructions are included with the present kits. However, this hasn't proven to be the case, and a basic instruction sheet is under development. It seems that every modeler (well, almost!) wants to build one.

The Stahl Rearwin and other Flyline models are stick and tissue construction. The wood and, especially, the tissue were first rate. However, don't look for die-cut parts. They aren't there. YOU have to cut the ribs, formers, etc., for the sheet.

No trouble was encountered in assembly. If the parts are cut accurately, they fit. Covering could be a problem if this is the first tissue-covered model. We recommend that the top and bottom of the fuselage and wing tips be covered in sections.

Plans show rubber and CO2 power systems. Here, the only thing found out of place with the kit was the bilious green rubber prop. If you use rubber power, you will want to paint the prop dark brown with Testor's PLA. It will certainly look better.

The plans show how the model can be adapted to CO2 power, and we opted for, it. However, we used the Telco CO2 engine instead of the Shark engine shown on the plans. Both engines and the Brown engine were covered in detail at one time or another in 'VTO.' A larger tank, purchased from Peck-Polymers, replaced the tank that came with the engine. It was wrapped in lightweight foam to hold it in place.

With the larger tank, the model weighed in at 3 oz. Test glides showed the model to be slightly nose-heavy. We didn't want to return home to make corrections (we WALK to our flying field), so a bit of clay was added to the tail for trimming purposes. That's the glob you see on the tail in the flight pictures.

The first flight was made with a light CO2 charge - this is done by holding the charger nozzle UP in a vertical position. It's hard to realize that such a small engine has so much power, for the plane climbed out into a very pleasing flight. A full charge, using a new cartridge and the nozzle held DOWN in a vertical position, gave us flights of over two minutes with altitudes of over 200 feet in still air. DON'T FORGET TO PUT YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS ON THIS MODEL.

Nose heaviness was corrected by moving the tank back towards the C.G. until the plane balanced at one-third back from the leading edge of the wing, without the clay. The flight pattern with the correction differed little from the first flights.

Once you see the sun shining through the doped tissue, you'll be hooked forever on this type of model. If the sale of these models is any indication of interest in old-time models, perhaps we should try to twist the editor's arm to reproduce Earl Stahl's designs in MAN every once in a while?

By the way, there is no reason why the model (slightly beefed-up around the nose and landing gear) can't be powered by a Cox .01 or Pee Wee .02, and fitted with an Ace Baby single-channel outfit, for a change of pace for you R/C'ers.

I recommend the model and engine highly. Try them. You'll enjoy the change."

Supplementary file notes

Article (MAN 1940) thanks to GTHunter.
Review.

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