Electric Beaver (oz4276)

About this Plan

DeHavilland DHC-2 Beaver. Scale model for RC and electric power, using a geared (2.5:1) Leisure 05 drive with a six-cell 1200 mah Sanyo pack.

Wingspan 57 in, area 440 sq in, weight 50 oz.

Note this is a scaled up 300% version of the Walt Mooney Bostonian Beaver (oz12051) from MB 09-83.

Quote: "Hi Steve - Here is Steve Gray's Electric Beaver from Model Builder magazine issue 05-86. This model was featured on the cover of this issue as shown."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 31/03/2020: Added full article, thanks to RFJ.

Quote: "The Electric Beaver, by Steve Gray. This electric flyer began as an enlargement of Walt Mooney's Bostonian Beaver (oz12051), as it appeared in the September, 1983 Model Builder. It makes a pleasing, easy-to-fly R/C electric project.

There has been a recent trend that I've noticed to revive some of the rubber-powered and gas-powered old timer designs and install in them an electric power system and radio gear. These planes make for good Sunday fun flying. Their light-weight stick structures and ample wing areas with lifting airfoil sections make them perfect candidates for electric R/C. There are lots of potential R/C electric designs which could come from the ranks of these old time models but what about the new time rubber models? Bostonian and peanut scale models have the right structures and proportions which, when enlarged, make excellent electric R/C models. The choices of subjects are as endless as the Walt Mooney articles in Model Builder magazine.

One of these designs of Walt Mooney's was the basis for my Electric Beaver. It is a semi-scale design for a Bostonian Rubber powered model featured in the September 1983 issue of Model Builder magazine. I had built the actual 'Bostonian Beaver' during the winter and only after I had finished it I began to wonder about enlarging it for electric R/C. Enlarging the Bostonian plans three times and extending the wing a bit gave me what I thought would be the correct size model.

The Leisure gear drive (25:1) 05 system with a six-cell 1200 mah Sanyo pack was chosen as I wanted a no-fuss installation and a low investment. This was to be only my second electric model and I just wanted to take advantage of a proven flight system which I had seen in use in many of the models I had read about.

I was also spurred on in the project by the fact that almost no one in our club had tried electric power and in fact, several members refused to believe that an electric model could have any kind of per-formance or be at all interesting to fly. I couldn't wait to prove them wrong so I got busy drawing the plans. I was also smart enough from previous experience to know that you're beat before you start unless you have lightweight radio gear.

I obtained a three-channel World Engines Mini Flight Pack with three 5-22 servos to control the model. I found this flight pack to be excellent for my purpose and it performs flawlessly. Now, if I have interested you enough to read on then clear off your work bench and I will try to describe to you my construction notes on the model. Remember one thing as you go. Build light and resist the urge to improve upon the design with extra structure. It isn't necessary. Cyanoacrylate glue is used throughout.

FUSELAGE CONSTRUCTION: The fuselage is constructed by building two sides using 1/4-inch square medium hard balsa and spruce where called for. Pick light but stiff wood for this. You can use softer wood for the uprights but be sure the longerons are stiff. Cut out all the formers and glue the tail together. Crack the butt joints at the fuselage sides just be-hind the wing position (top and bottom) to allow the sides to angle back to the tail. Glue in F-3 and the fuselage cross mem-bers at the rear of the wing position (top and bottom). Be sure everything is square. Install the remaining cross members in the cabin area and tail. Use light wood for the cross members. Now crack the joints in the longerons at F-3 to bring the nose together and install F2A and F2C. Add the F2Bs and the instrument panel. Sheet the nose with 1/32 balsa.

Install the 1/8th LG wire and the plywood tailwheel mount. Now build the battery door and associated structure if you want the added convenience of a drop-out battery pack. Otherwise, just reinforce the floor for the batteries. Install the wire strut mount and wing dowels. Sand the entire structure and prepare it for covering.

COWLING AND MOTOR MOUNT: If you use the Leisure system you can follow my directions for mounting the motor and gearbox. With other systems, such as the Astro Cobalt gear drive for instance, the mounting can be done similarly but the holes in the front of the cowl (C1) will have to be adjusted. Cut out C1 and C2 from 1/8 plywood and join them with 1/8 x 1/4 balsa pieces to form an internal cowl structure. The cowl itself is formed by vacuum forming a piece of 1/16th styrene sheet over a balsa plug..."

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