Mercury IV (oz2347)

About this Plan

Mercury Mk4. 8ft span free flight power model, suitable for radio control. 1250 sq in area. Weight 80oz. Power 10-16cc motors. From Aeromodeller March 1953. The model dates from 1946, but the plan only appeared in Aeromodeller later, in 1953.

Quote: "THERE'S a strange fascination about a big model, and when full-scale realism is incorporated in pleasing lines such as we have in Mick Smith's Mercury, the result is a design of distinction.

This is Mercury Mark IV. It was fitted with an American Forster 16 cc petrol ignition, as were its earlier versions, and it was built soon after Mick Smith returned to this country after service overseas with the RAF in South Africa and Rhodesia. As soon as it appeared at the first large rallies after the war - the big Midland Area do at Walsall Airport, the Northern Heights Gala and the first Nationals - it collected crowds of admirers, and many a sigh of appreciation.

Mick would swing the great big prop, slowly trim the butterfly throttle and needle valve for near maximum revs, then with a slight push to get things moving he would release Mercury for a long bouncing take-off, followed by a beautifully stable flight. In those days, the 16 cc Forster was the only motor available that would pull the five pound model into the air. With slightly revised construction, the version now available in Plans Service is suitable for any 10 cc engine of reasonable reputation; the Super Cyclone is shown on the plan, but the Ohisson, Atwood, Fox, Micron or Nordec would do as well, and the Anderson Spitfire 64 would be ideal.

The prototype will not be remembered only for its performance in the air, for no doubt many of our readers will find its outline familiar, and recall the Third National Model Aircraft Exhibition in 1946 at Dorland Hall. It was there that the Mercury stole the show and won the Senior Championship Trophy for its constructor. The magnificent finish of this eight-foot span winner had to be seen to be believed, and even though displayed so that a plan view could be obtained, it was impossible to see and appreciate all of the intricate cockpit interior detail. Through the opening cabin door one could have access to real cockpit controls.

The choke and needle valve mixture controls were operated by push-pull knobs on the dash-board, whilst the ignition advance-retard could be altered with movement of a quadrant. All that was needed to make the realism perfect was a dummy pilot.

Duplicate Mercurys have been built from plans in circulation among Rick's South African and Rhodesian contacts. All give the same high quality performance, and it would not in the least surprise to learn some day that a radio-controlled edition has been flown. For the sport flier who likes some-thing big, with plenty of room in the engine and radio departments, this model is a certain first choice.

Incidentally, we might also mention that this is one of the biggest plans in our range, the total length of the two 38-1/4 in wide drawings is no less than eleven feet, all crammed with detail. In addition, a special set of building instructions, plus of course the APS transfers, are issued with each set of full-size plans, price 12/6 post free from the Aeromodeller Plans Service."

Update 01/11/2013: Added dwg CAD version of this plan, thanks to hogal.

Update 20/02/2017: Added Colin Usher's construction notes, thanks to alcalaino.

Supplementary file notes

Article.
Construction notes.
Alternate plan. This is a modern redrawn plan in PDFvector format, by hogal. Zipfile with 2 large sheets.

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