Westland Lysander (oz3356)

About this Plan

Westland Lysander. Rubber scale model. Scale is 1/32. Reprinted in Aeromodeller February 1973. Originally a 'Keelbild' kit from 1940, this plan was designed by the Model Shop Newcastle.

Article includes photos and some notes by Doug McHard detailing his experience of building this model.

Quote: "Nostalgia runs high amongst aeromodellers - particularly the scale fraternity. Make a reference to the 'old days', at any club meeting and we can guarantee that several of the more senior modellers will immediately begin to reminisce about the late '30s-early '40s, when there was a wider variety of delightful rubber-powered (many of them scale) designs available in both plans and kit form.

While, of course, some of these recalled days are seen through coloured, if not positively rose-tinted optimistic, spectacles - to a large degree these people are absolutely right! There were some superb little flyers, accurate in every detail in those days when petrol-powered models were for most people a mere pipe dream. Admittedly, only the skilful few could extract full performance, but at least they were fun - which surely is the most important aspect of all.

Thus it is for those who hanker after the days of more than 30 years ago, plus the growing band of 'Peanut Scale' enthusiasts and the large numbers of people too young to remember these classics, that we publish the plans of this Westland Lysander. Originally sold in kit form ('kit includes finished wheels, prop, cement, tissue, printed formers, wing, tail and fin ribs, wire, glue, elastic, block balsa, prop shaft and full-size drawings. Price 4/-' read the 1940 advertisements) the Lysander was designed by the Model Shop (Newcastle) in their 'Keelbild' series. We are
indebted to this company, and to JNT Models of Easingwold, Yorkshire (who have purchased the copyright and manufacturing rights of the MS Keelbild products) for permission to reproduce this plan. The design is exactly as published in the original kits, except that it has been retraced to suit our paper sizes, and has been modified to include full-size drawings of the parts which were originally printed on to the balsa sheets.

It is not a model for the absolute novice as a considerable degree of delicacy and careful building is necessary to achieve a lightweight, accurate replica, but it certainly makes up into an attractive little machine in more experienced hands as Doug McHard's prototype reveals.

Start construction with the fuselage, by cutting out all the parts belonging to fuselage. Crack former F5 where shown and cement up again with the top half at the angle shown on drawing. Slot all the formers excepting F9 - it being best to slot this one for each stringer as it is required when building up the fuselage. Cement half formers 1 to 9 on to the keel in their respective positions marked seeing that they am upright and square. Repeat for the opposite side. When set, begin putting in the stringers - starting with the centre ones first and working in pairs, ie one on either side of fuselage to prevent warping..."

Supplementary file notes

Planfile includes article pages.

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