Real Thing (oz4134)
About this Plan
The Real Thing. Radio control sports model. 46in wingspan, 319 sqin area for .049 to .10 engines and 2 or 3 channels.
Quote: "The old Hobby Shack Real Thing, currently available as a 'nostalgia' ARF from Hobby People. The kit proper has been OOP for many many years."
Note this is the Hobby Shack version of the Real Thing plan. For the version as printed in RCM, see the Real Thing (oz7980)
Direct submission to Outerzone.
Update 10/12/2020: Added kit review from RCM, May 1978, thanks to RFJ.
Quote: "RCM Product Review: Hobby Shack, The Real Thing.
The Real Thing is a 46 in span general sport airplane that was designed by Bob McVickar and is available from Hobby Shack for $11.99. Conventional materials and building methods are used, and this little cutie (just remember, beauty is in the eye of the beholder) can be built in an easy three evenings, or a weekend. Take our advice and build in the evenings and save the weekend for flying it.
This project proved to be a real fun thing, with everything going together with ease. Instructions are very good and any beginning builder will have no problem turning out a first rate job. We made a slight modification on our plane by including a small tail wheel that is hooked up to, and controlled by, the rudder. This was kind of gilding the lily, so to speak, and totally unnecessary - but this sort of madness takes hold of you when you really get involved with The Real Thing!
The specs call for power in the .049 to .10 range, and we used a Cox Medallion .09 with great results. The building, as we mentioned, was fun and greatly enhanced by all the extra perspective sketches on the face of the plan sheet.
Flying is what this darlin' does best, and it really does it in style. You like loops? Take your choice, because it will perform outside as well as the common garden type inside ones - with ease. Fly it low and slow at about half throttle and it will give you the urge to chase it with a butterfly net. Or, as Our Fearless Leader said: take a whack at it with a fly swatter!
Long flat glides, relaxed flying, easy landings, and ear to ear grins is what The Real Thing produces. The perfect plane for all you Real Pilots."
Supplementary file notes
Review.
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(oz4134)
Real Thing
from Hobby Shack
1975
46in span
IC R/C Parasol Kit
clean :)
formers unchecked
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Submitted: 18/03/2013
Filesize: 494KB
Format: • PDFbitmap
Credit*: dfritzke
Downloads: 3364
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User comments
Colour pic of completed model was found here: http://home.comcast.net/~hortonb/OtherAircraft/OtherAircraft4.htmSteveWMD - 18/03/2013
Hi, I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that the Real Thing ARF has been out of production for a couple of years now. Hobby People released it on a very limited basis. Thank you Sir for all of your hard work in preserving these plans for future generations to enjoy! :)
anon - 12/07/2016
"I have some difficulty with the applicability of the term ARF as the kit contains two salvaged railway sleepers and a blunt penknife to whittle them to shape. The 1-inch nails are of fine quality if you discount the pre-applied rust." - the other review.
Outerzone is blessed with three different versions of The Real Thing: oz4134, oz6302 and oz7980. The present one - oz4134 - we know already, oz7980 is the original RCM plan of Aug'73, and oz6302 of Nov'82 is the definitive Mock Too. For some reason known unto Higher Powers it seems Outerzone publication dates were subject to some liberties.
Puzzling but irrelevant. What concerns me is the Mock Too oz6302 plan, please look it up. The only explanation I can come up with is the designer's T-square being at an angle other than 90º.
Miguel - 12/12/2020
Hi Steve & Mary, Hope all is well with you during this weird time in the world's history (Covid-19 related). Thank you for all that you are doing for the aero modelling family as far as Outerzone is concerned. This is a website I visit daily. Awesome. I first ran into this plan in about 2008 and it immediately made the bucket list. Time to build the Real Thing came when we arranged for a very special fly-in at BBC (Blombos Bushpilots Club) . Building started on 8th Jan 2019 and the Maiden Flight was at BBC on 1st May 2019. The Real Thing was plan built - i.e. no laser cutting done - all done by hand. I attached a few images for your interest & possible use [pics 003-011]. You are most welcome to use as you see fit. Absolutely incredible little aero model. Powered by a Thunder Tiger .15 & flown with my Spektrum DX9 BE gear. I covered the model with Solartex and simply enjoy flying it. Kind regards,
Bernard_Petro - 15/12/2020
Ok, but he’s anyone ever considered making The Real Thing as a free flight?
Chris Cicora - 21/03/2023
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- Real Thing (oz4134)
- Plan File Filesize: 494KB Filename: Real_Thing_oz4134.pdf
- Supplement Filesize: 880KB Filename: Real_Thing_oz4134_review_RCM.pdf
- help with downloads
Notes
* Credit field
The Credit field in the Outerzone database is designed to recognise and credit the hard work done in scanning and digitally cleaning these vintage and old timer model aircraft plans to get them into a usable format. Currently, it is also used to credit people simply for uploading the plan to a forum on the internet. Which is not quite the same thing. This will change soon. Probably.
Scaling
This model plan (like all plans on Outerzone) is supposedly scaled correctly and supposedly will print out nicely at the right size. But that doesn't always happen. If you are about to start building a model plane using this free plan, you are strongly advised to check the scaling very, very carefully before cutting any balsa wood.
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