Flying Eye (oz3600)

About this Plan

Flying Eye. Control line sport model.

Quote: "IT WAS DURING the summer of 1954 that the Godalming and District Model Flying Club, through an acquaintance of Hon Sec Cyril West, was approached for assistance in the making of a Film entitled 'The Flying Eye'. The company concerned were British Films Ltd, and the whole thing was commissioned by The Children's Film Foundation.

Some considerable difficulty was expected in the actual presentation of model aircraft in flight, but the club suggestions as to how the flying scenes might be tackled lifted the cloud a little and so preparations were made in the autumn. A brief résumé of the plot will assist in showing why the models are so designed.

The story begins at the home of a retired Colonel who is a keen and very advanced R/C model exponent. He has perfected a flying wing type which is not only remotely controlled but also has a television camera installed. With this he can see, on a large TV screen in his workshop, a complete picture of whatever lies below the model as it flies. The name of this model forms the title of the story, hence the Flying Eye.

In the opening scene we have the Colonel and a small boy in the workshop (a disused barn). The model is on a stand and the TV lens is pointing at the boy whose picture appears on the receiver screen. Incidentally, the Colonel appears to be the local 'King of the Kids' in that he builds R/C models for all and sundry. These take the form of small fast fighter aircraft somewhat reminiscent of a Class B Team Racer.

On the other side of the valley in a large rambling country mansion there lives an eccentric old professor who has perfected in his comprehensive laboratory, a new and secret engine fuel. This fuel is supposed to be so powerful that only a small amount need be used. It is natural therefore that the Colonel takes advantage of this, being just what he needs to bring the range of his heavily loaded model up to his requirements.

There is another body of people interested in this fuel with a view to selling the formula to a foreign agency and so the three tame crooks come into the story. The most amusing things begin to happen when the crooks steal the formula and are chased by the police in squad cars.

The fun now begins in earnest with the Colonel watching the progress of the chase by means of the Flying Eye and relaying the information to the police who finally head them off into a field where the kids are flying their fighters. A terrific battle scene commences with the crooks being chased hither and thither by the diving fighters ; the Colonel arrives to direct operations from his prehistoric car, an old 1919 Renault. Finally the crooks are herded into a football goal net and kept there by the models while the Flying Eye circles triumphantly overhead until the police close in for the capture.

The model: The Flying Eye is a 48 in span all-wing stunt model, designed for 5 cc glowplug engines but equally suitable for a powerful 3.5 cc diesel. As designed, it can be flown in either clockwise or anti-clockwise direction by virtue of the reversible bellcrank mounted on the opposite end of a central rod to the actuating horn, and push rod. A third version of the 'Eye' was made for the film to be towed Kite fashion for straight flying behind a car. This was engine-less and had the same elevator control; but with the bellcrank mounted vertically so that the towing (and control) lines came out of the fuselage bottom.

The model can be scaled up to full-size using the dimensions quoted and the scale factor of 6 for other parts. Roof and tip rib sections are drawn one third size and for those who prefer to work from actual airfoil sheets, we recommend Aeromodeller Plans Service sheet for NACA 0018 (8-1/2d, inc post) which has a more rounded leading edge but which is an admirable substitute. "

Quote: "Something a little offbeat from the Aeromodeller Feb 1956. The Flying Eye by Godalming Club members. 48 in control line flying wing. I have re-scaled and re-arranged the magazine diagram to produce a full size plan. Although I’m about the right age, I’ve never seen the film referred to in the article, but it does have a short entry in the Internet Movie Database."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Planfile includes article.

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