Puss Moth (oz440)

About this Plan

Puss Moth. Jumbo scale rubber model.

A re-designed version of the Chet Lanzo Puss Moth, by Hal Cover.

Note this plan appeared in MB at least twice. First in Jan 1972, then reprinted in Dec 1985.

Quote: "Puss Moth, by Hal Cover. One of Chet Lanzo's, and free flight's, most famous designs, the rubber powered scale Puss Moth, returns in all its glory, brought to us by a modeler who is having every bit as much success with his version as did its original creator. By Hal Cover.

We spotted this plane, and its builder, at the recent North American Rockwell Flightmasters Jumbo Scale rubber powered contest, and just about snapped our cap. The original model designed, built, and flown by Chet Lanzo starting around 1939, is probably, ounce for ouince, the best flying rubber powered free-flight scale model to ever romp into the air at a contest. For eight years, Chet and the Puss Moth built themselves a legend, never placing less than third in any Meet entered.

Off and on since first hearing about it. we had tried to track down this famous model, but admittedly forgot about it in recent years. It all came back very suddenly when we first saw Hal Cover's version of Lanzo's Moth as it spiralled up in a steep climb, looking more like a competition free-flight in its performance as compared to the more sedate actions of other ships being flown. This, of course, is the key to the Moth's success. Lanzo obviously decided he would put the emphasis on flight capability rather than scale appearance when he designed the Moth. A museum piece it is not. But it meets the AMA rules for rubber powered flying scale, and it's performance more than makes up for any lack of scale trimmings or deviation from true outline.

Hal's model may vary slightly in some minor detail from Chet's original plane, but the performance is a dead ringer. The dethermalizer set-up is not to be overlooked!

The key to performance of the Puss Moth is light weight and therefore the balsa wood used in construction should be selected carefully. It is especially important to keep the aft end of the plane as light as practical.

Several changes were made in construction of this modified version of Chet Lanzo's Puss Moth. In addition to beefing up suspected weak areas the plane was built in a manner which allows complete disassembly. The advantages include not only ease of transportation (the disassembled plane will fit in a 7 x 8 x 34 in box), but it also permits the various surfaces to be stored on flat press board surfaces, thus eliminating warpage The wing halves are detachable from each other, the rudder is removable from the stab and the landing gear may be removed from the fuselage.

The plane can be flown using either a folding prop as Lanzo's original model or with freeewheeler as required by the North American Rockwell Flight Masters 48 inch Jumbo Scale rubber rules.

It should be noted the flying trim required is quite different for each type of propeller and the trim requirements described in the 'flying' paragraph should he kept in mind.

FUSELAGE: Select hard 1/8 inch square balsa for the longerons. The uprights and cross pieces are cut from medium stock. Place wax paper or Saran over the plans and proceed by building the fuselage sides one on top ill the other. This will ensure the best alignment for or later construction steps. After thorough drying, remove the sides from the plans and carefully separate using a thin double edge razor blade..."

Note for plan of matching EDO Floats for this model, see EDO Floats (oz13886).

Update 19/12/2013: Replaced this plan with a clearer version thanks to algy2.

Update 02/04/2020: Added article, thanks to Pit.

Supplementary file notes

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