Dreamboat (oz2167)

About this Plan

Dreamboat. Flying boat for 2 channel RC. This one takes a .10 motor. Appeared in Air Trails Hobbies for Young Men in April of 1955.

Quote: "Ample fuselage proportions will be applauded by radio modelers; a real tough character, it'll survive crashes. Radio control semi-scale amphibian. Dreamboat, by Ken Willard.

Dreamboat was designed with the idea of having a simply constructed, radio-controlled amphibious or straight flying boat. It is very easy to build, especially if you use Frank Zaic's 50 in wing-stab kit, which fits the design perfectly. Whether you're new at radio control or an old hand, this model will answer your desire for something different, yet it performs the contest pattern like a veteran. The water take-offs are really thrilling to watch, and if you should go to a .14 or .15 engine in place of the .09, be ready for some truly fast action in the air.

Aerobatics are quite in order for the experienced flyer. The up-elevator gimmick on the Bonner compound escapement works like a charm, and also makes the water landings really beautiful. The model weighs three pounds with landing gear attached, which gives a wing loading of 16 ounces. This yields a flying speed right around 25 mph if you assume a 4 deg angle of attack. It handles the wind very well, but don't try water take-offs if the waves get over two inches high unless you have a .14 installed. The K & B .15 will have to be plugged way down if you use it, otherwise you're in for a busy time controlling the loops. The photos show a .15, but a McCoy .09 replaced it after the first couple of flights because the .15 has too much power for normal flying.

A quick removable package of the Babcock radio and batteries simplifies servicing. It also makes the balancing job very easy when you change from sea to land flying.

Construction of the wing, stab, and engine pylon is straightforward and conventional, and will give little trouble.

You can build your own wing and stab from the plans or you can save time by using one of Frank Zaic's 50 inch wing-stab kits (put out by Model Aircraft Control Co).

The fin, rudder, and elevators are made from medium-soft balsa. Note how the trailing edge stock on the stab is cut off so the elevators can be mounted with the cloth hinges.

The engine pylon is made from medium hard balsa.

If 5 x 3/32 x 36 in medium balsa sheets are available, make the hull sides out of one piece each; if not, then butt-glue two pieces together for each side, one 3 x 3/32 x 36 in, and the other 2 x 3/32 x 36 in.

Glue the 1/8 x 1/8 hard balsa longerons and uprights to the sides, and you're ready to start the hull assembly. Start the assembly by gluing the plywood bulkheads, #2 and #4, in place, carefully lining them up so they are square with the longitudinal axis. Next glue the tail block in place, pulling the sides together at the tail, and making sure the inward curve is the same on both sides. Incidentally, since the hull sides are slanted, this curve results in a slight concavity to the bottom of the hull aft of the step which seems to improve the planing characteristics.

Carve the base block for the fin to shape, and hollow it out enough to let the torque rods run freely through to the rear. You can make the tail plug for the escapement rubber now or later, as you please.

Now is a good time to install the escapement and torque rods, because you have the hull lined up, and still can get inside easily to mount the equipment. If you use balsa torque rods, with wire ends bound and glued to them, you will have to use a long ground bus wire, running up forward, for the radio ground plane. If you use 1/16 wire torque rods, they will serve as a ground plane and eliminate the need for the long ground bus.

Next you can put in the cross-bracing at the step, glue the noseblock in place, and finish the cross-bracing at the other stations. Put the keel stock in, add the hardwood block for the retaining screw on the radio base to screw into, glue the dowels for the wing, tail, and cabin braces in place, and you're ready to cover the top and bottom. Before that, though, mount your radio (not necessarily with wiring harness) and check the hull finally for fit, both radio and ecapement, and then cover the top and bottom with sheet balsa. You can make any minor adjustments in spacing or alignment at this time.

Cover the bottom of the hull first so you can get inside and run a bead of glue around all the joining surfaces after they are dry. This both adds strength and improves the waterproofing.

Now cover the top, leaving the access hole for the receiver uncovered. Add the dihedral runners to each side so the center section of the wing cradles snugly in place, put the cross braces in and tailor the wing cradle to fit the wing.

Start the outer covering by using fiberglass on the forward part of the hull bottom. This adds a lot of strength where it is needed most..."

Update 12/02/2019: Added article, thanks to RFJ.

Update 12/9/2023: Replaced this plan with a clearer copy, thanks to Pit.

Update 13/3/2025: Replaced this plan with a clearer copy, scanned from fullsize at 500 dpi, thanks to dfritzke.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

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