Cessna 180 (oz4984)
About this Plan
Cessna 180. Radio control scale model.
Quote: "Hi Steve; Attached are the plans for the Sterling Cessna 180, kit FS-2; 45in span, designed for RC. Altho the specs in the lower right corner say 1/2A and A engines, the note at the engine mount says .09-.15. Believe the note, not the '1/2A and A'! I built one, way back when; a TD .051 _might_ fly it freeflight! An Enya .09 would fly it, an OS Max .09 flew it slightly better; with a .10 FSR it flew fairly well, but the Max .15 and Enya .19 flew it best. The Fox .15 Schneurle I had on it for a while was a bit of overkill. Mine was modified with the scale aileron and half the dihedral, and flown with a Futaba Gold Box 4-ch. system. My original was destroyed years ago by a tree falling on my building shed in a windstorm, but I recently acquired two complete kits, one with the metal cowl, and one with the plastic cowl."
Direct submission to Outerzone.
Update 14/11/2013: Added printwood files supplement, thanks to Edubarca.
Supplementary file notes
Printwood files for the Sterling Cessna 180. This is a zipfile of 11 x PDF pages (update: now includes wing ribs). Converted from PLT tracing for laser cutting, and in Spanish.
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
-
Cessna_180 | help
see Wikipedia | search Outerzone
------------
Test link:
search RCLibrary 3views (opens in new window)
ScaleType: This (oz4984) is a scale plan. Where possible we link scale plans to Wikipedia, using a text string called ScaleType.
If we got this right, you now have a couple of direct links (above) to 1. see the Wikipedia page, and 2. search Oz for more plans of this type. If we didn't, then see below.
Notes:
ScaleType is formed from the last part of the Wikipedia page address, which here is https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cessna_180
Wikipedia page addresses may well change over time.
For more obscure types, there currently will be no Wiki page found. We tag these cases as ScaleType = NotFound. These will change over time.
Corrections? Use the correction form to tell us the new/better ScaleType link we should be using. Thanks.
Do you have a photo you'd like to submit for this page? Then email admin@outerzone.co.uk
User comments
I remember my late father building this kit in the early 1970s. It was his first r/c plane. And it did fly.....until the wing folded. Thanks for making this available, it has real personal meaning for me.DL - 19/07/2020
Minor correction needed on F4 in supplementary file: "Cessna 180 ply 3mm 1" which isn't symmetrical about the centre line - as drawn there appears to be a small error at the top (right edge in use). Also the supplement file: "Cessna 180 ply (2) 3mm 1" needs to be resized - I believe by 127%. All other files that I've checked have been correct.
MH - 12/03/2021
Almost all Sterling scale radio control models, did have a weak wing center section. I also had folded wings with my big Piper Super Cruiser. Excellent flyer, but wings folded after about 5 flights and with no strong maneuvers. I'm sure Mr. Manulkin designed them for just plain free flight or single channel radio. SO you MUST reinforce center sections on all High wing radio control models as made by Sterling.
Best wishes.
Eduardo Barriga - 12/03/2021
Couple more things with the parts file: Undercarriage mounting plate slots are missing from F5 and F6. Also, "Cessna 180 cuadernas 4" needs to be renamed as "Cessna 180 cuadernas 3mm ply".
MH - 12/03/2021
You're right!! Thanks for correction. I missed this detail when preparing the drawings.
Eduardo Barriga - 13/03/2021
F2 missing. S6, S7 missing.
MH - 22/03/2021
F2 appears in the parts file, on the sheet "Cessna 180 cuadernas 2.5mm (1)". But S6 and S7 are missing. I think it's fair to say this parts zipfile needs a thorough check through. Certainly the former F4 is distorted and needs to be redrawn. Plus the other points MH has mentioned in earlier comments (including scaling). Anyone out there volunteering to work on this? I have no skills with vector/CAD files, I'm just a Photoshop bitmap hack.
SteveWMD - 22/03/2021
Thanks for your comments. I also don't work with Cad softwares. They are too complicated and I don't like final results. Only Ps. Let me check what happened and I'll publish corrected formers. If you find any other missing parts or with wrong size, let me know please. Thanks for letting me know this, my mistake.
Eduardo Barriga - 22/03/2021
Thanks Eduardo.
SteveWMD - 22/03/2021
Thanks for the tip about the wing strength. I've substituted spruce for the balsa main spar and epoxied the plywood and spruce components.
F2 was missing from the files but relatively easy to draw up a replacement.
The fuselage sides came out about 3mm short - possibly accumulated cutting errors but might be worth checking...easily corrected by adding a piece of 1/8 sheet and sanding to shape.
CB was too long but no problem to shorten - CB1 was correct!
Thanks for your efforts in redrawing the plans/formers - it's enabled me to recreate my first RC model from about 1975. The airframe is now completed and just needs the radio installation finishing and covering. I still had the original steel cowling for the front which was in a box of old modelling items I kept from the 1970s!
Martin Harris - 26/03/2021
Sorry - made a mistake with the missing former "F2"...it was F3A which I couldn't find.
Martin Harris - 01/04/2021
Picture of build completed from this plan [pic 005]
Martin Harris - 02/04/2021
Add a comment
- Cessna 180 (oz4984)
- Plan File Filesize: 1730KB Filename: Cessna_180_45in_oz4984.pdf
- Supplement Filesize: 1890KB Filename: Cessna_180_45in_oz4984_parts.zip
- 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.
Terms of Use
© Outerzone, 2011-2025.
All content is free to download for personal use.
For non-personal use and/or publication: plans, photos, excerpts, links etc may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Outerzone with appropriate and specific direction to the original content i.e. a direct hyperlink back to the Outerzone source page.
Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site's owner is strictly prohibited. If we discover that content is being stolen, we will consider filing a formal DMCA notice.