Taylorcraft Liason L-2B (oz3626)

About this Plan

TaylorCraft Liaison. Scale rubber free flight model. TaylorCraft Liaison L-2B by Sydney Struhl. Wing Span: 24 in. From MAN, May 1943.

Quote: "Build this flying 'Jeep'. How to build and fly a model of Uncle Sam's new liaison plane. Taylorcraft Liason L-2B, by Sydney Struhl.

IN SHARP contrast with terrific advancements made by military aviation in the 400 mph pursuit ships and 2000 hp engines, we have developments made in the lightplane that is coming into its own in this modern war. Operational experience under actual warfare conditions have shown that there is a definite place and need for the 'lightplane,' as we have grown to call our sportplanes of under 100 horsepower. These lightplanes do practically any job called for: they act as observation ships and liaison work, personnel transport, cargo transport, air spotters, artillery directors, photographers, etc.

So desperate was the Army's need for these lightplanes that they bought commercial versions of Aeronca, Taylorcraft, Piper and other manufacturers as they came off the assembly lines, painted the U. S. insignia on the wings and the ships were off to war. But typical of American industry, lightplane producers got busy over their drawing hoards, made modifications on their planes that would give us every bit of advantage possible, and thus emerged the military versions of our peacetime sportplanes. We present one of these ships as our flying scale feature this month, the Taylorcraft Liaison L-2B.

The Taylorcraft L-2B is the military version of the tamden liaison trainer. Arranged as a two seat machine, it differs from the civil type in that it has a completely redesigned fuselage with large transparent panels installed under and behind the wing for excellent visability. Also a two-way radio is provided. It is powered by a four-cylinder horizontally-opposed Continental A-65 engine of 65 hp. Top speed 104 mph, landing speed 35 mph, climb 600 ft per min, cruising range 300 miles on 14 gallons of gas.

The model has the same fine characterisreal ship; construction is easy, and flight performance is matched only by attractiveness. The field plane is 'sand and spinach' while the trainer version is painted all silver. This is how to construct the model.

FUSELAGE: Before starting, the fuselage plans should be joined; incidentally, if you do not want to mar your magazine, make tracings of plans on semi-transparent paper.

First make the fuselage underframe of 1/8 sq. balsa longerons and cross-pieces, indicated by light shading. Note that the cross-pieces behind the wing position are 1/16 x 1/8 balsa. Make two side frames, one atop the other for identity; cement will probably cause them to stick together but they can be separated by razor-blade. When dry invert the side frames over a complete top view plan and join with cross-pieces at the cabin. Next pull the backs together and add remaining crosspieces in the rear. Crack the longerons just in front of the cabin to pull the sides together as shown. Check continually for correct alignment.

Now cut the fuselage formers to shape. Bulkhead A is 1/8 sheet while the remainder are cut from 1/16 sheet balsa. Cut the notches shown and cement to position. All stringers are 1/16 sq balsa, except the stringer on top the fuselage that runs into the rudder. Note that there are two 1/16 sq stringers running along the fuselage bottom. Sand the ends of the stringers so that they fair smoothly into the fuselage contours.

Cover the nose with soft 1/32 sheet balsa. Care must be exercised here. Use the widest sheet available; cement it to the entire adjacent frame using pins and rubber bands to hold it in place until cement has set. Extreme front of the nose is heavy sheet balsa, as shown. Roughly cut to shape, cut out a hole for the nose plug, then cement it to the fuselage front. When dry, cut the block to a smooth shape, then sand the entire nose to shape..."

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