Single Stick Pusher (oz3299)

About this Plan

Single Stick Pusher. Free flight rubber model, first published in Aug 1933.

First published in MAN 1933 as the Outdoor Scientific Single Pusher (oz12251), this here is a later redrawn plan from MB in 1979.

Quote: "Old Timer Model of the Month: Single Stick Pusher. Designed by Harry Edsall. Drawn by Al Patterson. Text by Phil Bernhardt.

How many pushers, single or twin, have you seen at the last few Old Timer rubber contests you've been to? I thought so. Except for pusher-only events, such as the one recently held by the SCAMPS (see the Dec '78 Plug Sparks column), these types of models are rarely flown in competition. The general feeling seems to be that pushers just can't hack it when pitted against the tractor type ships.

Which is just so much foof, as far as I'm concerned. My first OT rubber ship, built about 10 years ago, was a twin pusher from plans published in some obscure 1929 model airplane book. It was the type of model that would bring tears to the eyes of any hard-core OT purist - non-free-wheeling props, single-surface wing, bamboo ribs and wing tips, and exposed motors. The thing flew exceptionally well, and had I been able to keep one song enough, I probably would have done well in competition. But the models (I built a total of five) had a habit of flying away; at least three are lying in the badlands of Taft, slowly bio-degrading into nothing.

Single pushers are excellent performers also. The one we are presenting this month was designed by Harry Edsall, of Springfield. Ohio, and was published in the August 1933 issue of Universal Model Airplane News, under the title 'Build this Pusher that Goes Places'. The title refers to the fact that on June 17, 1932, Harry's model set an official NAA Outdoor Scientific Single Pusher record of 1 hour, 38 minutes and 10 seconds, and covered a distance of better than 8 miles. That's pretty darn good for any model!

Besides being an interesting change of pace, this little ship could do well in today's OT rubber events. Or, if you really want to shake up the troops, modify the design slightly and fly it in the P-30 event that is rapidly becoming popular. The wing would have to be shortened by one false rib bay on each tip to get it down to the 30-inch maximum allowed, and the fuselage would have to be shortened an inch or so, so that the total length, including the prop, does not exceed 30 inches. Also required are a stock 9-1/2 inch free-wheeling plastic prop and no more than 10 grams of rubber. Keep in mind that if you make these changes, the model will no longer be legal for Old Timer competition.

As is the case with many OT models, no balance point was shown on the original plans. So, to get an approxiate starting point, we used the formula on p.20 of Frank Zaic's 1935-36 Yearbook, and came up with a balance point 4-1/4 inches forward of the LE of the wing. From there on, you're on your own.

If you build one of these models, be sure and let us know how it flies, and if possible, send us a photo!"

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Planfile includes article.

Corrections?

Did we get something wrong with these details about this plan (especially the datafile)? That happens sometimes. You can help us fix it.
Add a correction