Stubby (oz2831)

About this Plan

Stubby. Radio control sports model. Wing area 740 sq in, for .35 to .51 power.

Quote: "Stubby began life a couple of years ago due to the untimely demise or a modified Sig Kadet Seniorita. The Seniorita was modified to accommodate large barn door ailerons, and dihedral was reduced to 2in. A small bomb-bay was also added just ahead of the rear wheels. This airplane, while a good flier, was quite ill-fated. Its brief career was punctuated by engine and radio problems.

Its flying days were cut mercilessly short one fall day when the airplane was lost in a ground altercation with a dead stick pattern plane. The pattern plane won (and in fact, still wears some paint from the Seniorita as a warning to others). The wing was only slightly damaged, though the rest of the airplane was reduced to a very easy-to-carry (provided you have brought a bag) form. The parts were all saved and upon investigation at home, only the wing, the vertical tail, and the hardware was kept.

The following summer, a new fuselage was made with the following criteria in mind: I should not have to make a nose wheel, my hand should fit in the fuselage easily, it should have more drag (steeper approach), and it should Look like a Citabria. One week alter starting, an airplane that did not look like a Citabria was being test flown. While it did not look like the plane I had wanted it to look like, it did have a pleasant unique appearance and some even more pleasing flight characteristics. It went 'no hands' after 10 feet of its test flight.

In the hands of an inexperienced pilot, the Stubby is a forgiving, gentle, slow first taibdragger than has excellent ground handling, and good stability in the air. In the hands or a more experienced pilot, it is a serious giggle machine!

Construction. Make a 'kit' of parts, and/or start with a Seniorita wing kit.

Tail Feathers: Start construction by building tail feathrs over the plans, using 1/4 in balsa for the fin and rudder, and 5/16 in balsa for the stabilizer and elevators. Use medium weight balsa for the perimeter pieces, and the central upright in the fin, and use lighter pieces for the bracing... "

Update 18/07/2016: Added article pages, thanks to davidterrell80.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, text and pics.

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