Senator (oz472)

 

Senator (oz472) by Albert E Hatfull 1950 - plan thumbnail

About this Plan

Senator. 32 in span rubber cabin duration model by Keil Kraft.

Update 15/06/2013: Added printwood scans, thanks to vintage1.

Plan includes full build instructions.

Quote: "30 inch span Cabin Duration Model. Manufactured by Keil Kraft Kits. Building Instructions.

FUSELAGE: Pin down the longerons for one fuselage side by placing pins on either side of the stripwood. Cut the uprights to correct lengths and glue these accurately in place over the positions indicated. Glue piece 'B' in place at the rear end. also piece 'Y' end piece of 1/8 sheeting at the nose. When this first side is dry build a second side directly over it. Remove both sides from plan when they have set and separate them very carefully with a thin knife. Hold the extreme rear ends together with a Bulldog paper clip and insert top and bottom cross braces at the wing position, check for squareness and leave fuselage resting on the lower longerons until dry.

Insert the cross braces at the extreme nose holding the sides in with a rubber band until set, then bind nose with thread and cement well, (see Top View) add the remaining cross braces top and bottom checking for squareness as you proceed. Glue 1/8 sheet flush in top and bottom of nose, glue 1/16 flush in the top at fin position.

Bend U/C wire to shape, place wheel on axle and bend up the end of the wire to retain the wheel, bind wire in place where shown in Side View apply cement over thread for extra strength. Cut the sheet celluloid to shape and glue in place for the cabin. Add wing and tail fixing dowels and the gussets to strengthen them.

Roughly carve nose block to shape, build plug on back face as rioted, plug into nose and sandpaper to a smooth finish while on fuselage, remove and drill bole in position shown to receive propeller shaft boring bush. Glue this bush firmly in place. Bend motor hook, thread nose block, cup washers and airscrew on the shaft and with pointed nose pliers bend the freewheel loop. Bend the freewheel latch to shape and attach to airscrew.

Pin the outline of the fin to the plan, add pieces of 1/8 square. When dry sand-paper the rear edge to a taper and round off the leading edge. Glue the fin in place squarely on top of the fuselage where indicated, glue the fairing 'X' in place. Sandpaper the whole fuselage with fine sandpaper to obviate rough edges, etc.

WING: Commencing with the Centre Section, pin down the three bottom spars by placing pins on either side of the 1/16 stripwood, position the trailing edge in similar manner, glue the ribs in their correct positions and pull the spars up into the notches. Cement leading edge into front notches provided in ribs, then add top three spars and the gussets where shown.

The Tips are constructed by locating the three bottom spars in between pins as for the Centre Section, pin down the Trailing edge. position the ribs with pins apply glue to the lower rib notches and pull the spars up into these notches. SEE NOTE REGARDING TILT IN END RIBS as this governs the amount of dihedral at the extreme tips.

Add the leading edge and tip pieces, join the spars to the tips as shown. The bottom spars terminate inside the tip pieces, the top spars are carried over the gip as can be seen in the sectional view through tip. When the three wing sections have set glue the tips to the centre section and leave to dry with the tips propped up 4 inches. Finally sand paper the leading and trailing edges co shapes shown and finish smooth all over.

TAILPLANE: Build the tailplane in similar fashion to the wing, cover the centre portion with 1/32 sheet, and glue a piece of 1/8 square exactly where indicated on the top surface. The sub fins are added after covering with tissue. Round off the leading edge and tips, taper the trailing edge down and fine sandpaper all over.

COVERING: When covering the model use tissue paste or tissue cement for an adhesive. Cover the fuselage sides then top and bottom applying paste to the actual outline only. The wing is covered in six pieces, three above and three below. It is important that the tissue should be mule so adhere to the lower spars of the wing also to the under side curve of the ribs which is known as the 'undercamber.' Use two pieces of tissue for the top of the tailplane and one for the underside. While covering any part of the model endeavour to eliminate as many wrinkles as possible. When all the parts are covered spray lightly with water and allow to dry, this tightens the covering prior to the application of dope. Apply two coats of dope to the fuselage, two thin coats to the wing and one coat to the fin and tailplane.

FLYING INSTRUCTIONS: Assemble the model and insert the specified rubber motor in to the fuselage. Choose a calm day for test flights and select a field with fairly long grass. Your model may need balancing and this is executed by adding ordinary plasticine to the inside of the nose block or inside the extreme rear end of the fuselage, ie directly over the tail position. The model should be made to balance level when held on the fingertips at the third spar back from the leading edge.

Now glide the model into the wind, launch it firmly and parallel so the ground. If it dives or noses down, place a thin 1/32 to 1/16 strip of balsa under the leading edge of the tail, If it stalls, ie noses up and wavers unsteadily, add a small amount of plasticine inside the nose block (or remove any previously placed in the tail). Continue test gliding until a long floating glide is obtained.

Give the motor 100 to 200 turns preferably 'stretch' wound, place a strip of 1/16 down the left hand side of the nose block, then launch. The strip of 1/16 packing is to induce side thrust and should impart a right handed circling climb to the model. A small celluloid 'trim tab' 1-1/2 x 1/2 in glued down the trailing edge of the fin may be used to obtain a tighter turn under power followed by a larger gliding circle."

Update 1/3/2023: Added article by Dennis Davitt from New Clarion, March 2023, thanks to RFJ. This shows details and drawing to hand-carve a 13 in diameter prop with 19 in pitch, to comply with vintage rules.

Supplementary file notes

Printwood.
Propellor article.

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Senator (oz472) by Albert E Hatfull 1950 - model pic

Datafile:

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User comments

Hi Steve, here is my Senator [more pics 003] built from your plan after doubling in size and electrifying. It is like flying a tame butterfly.
BTFBeale - 21/12/2012
Hi Mary. This is my KK Senator which I built in 1968 during my last year at the University of Southampton [more pics 004, 005].
ChrisPinn - 29/11/2016
Makes an excellent still air park flyer scaled up 120% [more pics 006-009].
CatBob - 28/01/2019
Hi Steve and Mary; Here is my new model airplane, the SENATOR [more pics 010]. Another nice model by Keilkraft. Thanks for the plan on OUTER ZONE. Later I will send the finished SENATOR photos.
JulienVermeire_Belgium - 15/05/2019
Here is my new SENATOR, equipped with small electric motor [more pics 011]. It's fun to build this KeiKraft aircraft, 170 grams, a really light weight. Waiting for better weather, and then even fly.
JulienVermeire_Belgium - 24/05/2019
Today I test the Senator by Keilkraft. He flies extremely stable. It's nice to see those old models. I now have 10 of these models, and am very satisfied. It is very safe with this low weight, they are also very quiet, and bother no one. Also very few place to safely fly.
JulienVermeire_Belgium - 29/05/2019
A couple of flying shots of my "Lock Down" KK Senator [main pic, 012].
Peter Sanders - 10/11/2020
Some pics of my Senator model [013-016].
Andy Coutts - 24/01/2021
Hi Mary and Steve; Here's my 2nd Senator from Keil Kraft under construction [pic 017]. Due to the great success I am building another one. This is really the best model I ever came across. If planes ever run out of fuel, that 's a good example for the big brothers. This one flies the longest of all my electric kites with one battery charge. 30 minutes with a 2 cells 450 mA, that is a good result. It also tolerates more wind than any other of the same size. The designer of Keil Kraft is truly a genius! Thanks for Outerzone. Kind regards from Belgium,
Julien Vermeire - 20/11/2021
Hi Mary; Here's the finished SENATOR from KeiKraft [pic 018]. Yesterday was the day, the first flight. 30 minutes with a single charge of 2 cells 450 mA. This model really flies the best ever. This one is highly recommended, and easy to build. Kind regards,
Julien Vermeire - 27/11/2021
Dear Mary, I have attached a photo of my Keil Kraft Senator [pic 019]. This was, I believe, my first flying model which I built from the well-known Keil Kraft kit circa 1960. I found it amongst some photos my late mother had in an envelope. The photo was taken within the bounds of the Epsom Downs racecourse where there was always a huddle of model flyers present on the hill opposite the grandstand. A lovely location to this day. It was a Sunday afternoon treat to go there for a walk and to look at all the wonderful models. Kind regards,
Keith Cherrington - 12/09/2023
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