Chapeau Blanchet Aero 101 (oz2434)

About this Plan

Chapeau Blanchet Aero 101. Jumbo scale rubber model biplane. MB 09-76.

Quote: "The Aero 101 was designed by Monsieurs Chapeau and Blanchet as a light tandem two-seat sporting biplane for the Service de L'Aviation Legere et Sportive. It first flew in 1953. It is powered by a 75 hp Minie 4 DC-32 flat four engine, and is of all wood construction.

For many years it has been on my list of 'Biplanes I'd like to model if only I could find a 3-view.' Not too long ago, a friend of mine in France was kind enough to get me the information needed. Then the 'Flightmasters' decided that biplane Jumbo scale could have as little as 30 inch wing span. Voila! Le inspiration!

The high aspect ratio wings and the simple strut arrangement make the model an ideal jumbo scale, and keep the overall airplane from being too large to carry all assembled. Hence, this design has all the components permanently attached. As a biplane, it's more complicated than a simple monoplane, but it's still a rather simple, easily-built design.

Structure follows standard procedure for scale models. There are only a few places where a builder might have construction questions, so the basic structure of the various components will be described and basic assembly procedures ignored. However, the struts and wire bracing were done with a technique that is not so common, and that will be covered more thoroughly.

The fuselage is standard; two sides built over the plan, with longerons and uprights. These are removed from the plan, cemented together at the tailpost, and assembled into a rectangular box with cross braces. Then the formers are added on the upper side, followed by stringers and cowl planking. For rubber motor clearance, cut the upper cross braces away from the area of former relief openings just prior to covering.

The tail, both vertical and horizontal, is standard structure. Note that it is a quarter of an inch thick. The leading and trailing edges must be blocked up above the plan as they are being assembled. The airfoil shapes are sanded into the structures after they are dry and removed from the plan.

The top and bottom wings are built up over the same plan and are identical except for the location of the root ribs and the strut support filler sheet, which is above the main spar on the bottom wing, and below the spar on the top wings. Tilt the root ribs outboard during assembly to provide the correct dihedral. Alsp, before assembly of the bottom wing to the fuselage, the root rib should be fitted to the slight curvature of the fuselage in plan view. Note also that there is a crosspiece in the fuselage to carry through the wing loads. These are M and N, and a piece of eighth by quarter crosspiece between the longerons at the wing trailing edge.

The windshield frames were laminated from model railroad basswood strips. Wire frames would also be suitable.

In accordance with my most recent approach to the landing gear, the main landing gear wire is bent to lie just outside the actual scale landing gear leg. It is attached to the leg, but is free to deflect under impact loads and therefore absorb rather than transmit them into the scale landing gear structure.

Now assuming your model is ready to rig, let's consider the struts and flying wires. Feel free to use your own preferred system if you don't like mine.

First, music wire is used for all the struts. On the model shown, these wires are surrounded by plastic tubes which simulate the actual sizes. These plastic tubes were obtained from plastic window drapes. The tubes that surround the flight wires are about an eighth of an inch in diameter, and round in cross section. The tubes that surround the interplane strut wires are oval in cross-section and match the size shown. My supply of this tubing was obtained by buying some second-hand plastic roll-up drapes at a local handicapped veterans store. These came in a lot of colors, and you get an awful lot of strut material for your money.

Carefully bend the cabane strut out of two pieces of wire. The most forward strut is one piece. The other four struts are bent up from the other piece. There is a washer soldered at the two top points of the cabane. The top wing is impaled on the points extending above the washers. The center strut is bound to a 3/16 x 3/8 brace under the sheet cowl, forward of the windshield. The bottom of the other legs are bound with thread to the two top longerons..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

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