Hella-Peno (oz3464)

About this Plan

Hella-Peno. 1/2A FF model. Joe Slovacek's design from Flying Models issue 10-76.

Quote: "Even with your hottest .049 or .051 engine, this bird still begs for more. Hella-Peno, by Joe Slovacek.

The combination of a spectacular climb and a super flat glide appear to be the two things all Free-Flighters love to talk about on the flying field and in their sleep.

When seeking out the ultimate in a good Free-Flight power design, it can prove to be a Zipper of the day when formulated on paper, but after all of the beautiful sket-ches and figures, may end up as pie in the sky. That's the way it was with the first Hella-Peno. It had an undercambered air-foil, 30% stab and full-house auto surfaces (stab and rudder). The ship maxed every flight on my dreams on paper, but dether-malized short on the flying field.

After 2-1/2 years of going back to the old drawing board, 30 billion test flights and a string of blue words, it finally dawned kind of hot and was christened the Hella-Peno.

In comparison with many other successful powered Free-Flight designs, you will notice that this ship has a fairly small stabilizer. Considerable experimenting was done in this area. The tail moment was made longer, stab area was added, and subtracted etc. Many test flights seemed to prove that a 26% stab seemed to work out about right. Since we use auto-rudder for the glide turn, you don't have to jockey around with stab tilt.

When we say 'auto rudder' or just auto anything, many of the old and seasoned glue nibblers will still flinch and scrape their feet. How many times have you heard this statement about auto surfaces - just another gimmick to foul up? Let me say this - as simple as the auto-rudder rig is on the Hella-Peno, I guarantee once you're 'up on auto' you'll kiss off those flip-flop-ping lop-sided stabs forever.

Of course the pointed wing tips are nothing new or sensationally different. They do cut down on tip drag and outer wing panel warps are less effective. This shape also helps to stretch out the wing in order to create a higher aspect ratio (keeping the same area). With a 6 in wing chord, measuring 47 in span length, the design has approximately an 8:1 aspect ratio. Can you think of a wing shape that doesn't look good at 30,000 feet, having an orgy with the buzzards?

The 1/2A-A version (.049-.051) of the Hella-Peno has 238 square inches (projected) in the wing - a flat 8-1/2% rib section. The CG is located at 58% (from the leading edge) with 2 degrees of down thrust and no engine offset. This makes for a bullet-like climb with an on-the-top transition, gliding buoyantly at a weight of about 7-1/2 ounces.

Having flown in 16 meets since it's birth, here are the results of the 1/2A-A version. Eight 1sts, five 2nds, two 3rds, and one 5th 1974 Taft Bash, Gene Simpson-180, 180,180,180,180 in Class A. After his fifth flight the sun went down.

An .09-FAI version (ST/396 sq in) flown at the 1974 Nationals by Gene Simpson was lost off the field after scoring 180's for the first three rounds. He cried all through the fourth and fifth rounds, not because he couldn't fly, but because he couldn't find his little Hella-Peno baby. I think an alligator ate it!

Presently an FAI/.15 variety (ST/574 sq in) is being worked out. It placed 2nd at the Southwestern Championships (Dallas '74); and 3rd at the 1974 Texas Championships.

The aircraft is easy enough to build. It requires a 'must' adjustment before you release it on the first test hop: Put the CG where the plans call for it. A few other little hints on flying are at the end of this article - but now's the time to acupuncture some balsa..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 28/11/2016: added article, thanks to RFJ.

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