Pottier P 100 TS (oz5038)

About this Plan

Pottier P100TS. Peanut scale rubber model.

Quote: "This French homebuilt design has excellent attributes for a fine performing Peanut model. The one drawback, a tribe gear that limits propeller size, can be overcome. Walt explains.

A short time ago, Alain Parmentier of Montreuil, France, sent a three view of the Pottier P 100 TS to Bill Hannan. Bill sent me a copy and that was all the urging needed for this model. It has all the attributes of an excellent Peanut design with one exception, the tricycle landing gear tends to limit the size of the propeller. Of course, if the contests you attend allow hand launching, and many do, then a large propeller and short landing gear presents no problem at all.

Another approach that has worked well for people, is to make the model very clean and light so that a small diameter prop is capable of providing satisfactory flight times with a relatively low powered rubber motor. This model was designed using this approach and has been very satisfying.

To keep the model as lightweight as possible, make sure that all sheet wood selected is as light as possible. This is especially true in the case of the block balsa used to shape the nose and for the optional wheel pants. The original airplane was flown without either wheel pants or spinner, so that is the way the model in the photos was depicted. A non-existent part is the lightest one available! Black tissue was used to depict the side windows and this is generally much lighter than clear plastic. Balsa wheels rather than hardwood or plastic are also a must.

Why does this model have a plastic propeller with all this emphasis on light weight? Well, it shouldn't, and if you do a better job at weight control than I did, especially at the back end,you can carve a light balsa propeller and still have the model balance correctly.

Two changes are made on the plan from the way the model was built as construction improvements. First, an aft rib was added at each 'Side of the fuse-lage where the wing dihedral break occurs, I tried to do without but it's not as structurally sound without it. A bond paper fairing was used to fair the top of the wing into the fuselage but two little balsa triangles at the longeron and all tissue covering will look better.

The model should balance just forward of the main wheels.

Fairly standard building techniques are used for this model so a comprehensive instruction article is not required, however some specific points will be noted.

For instance, the nose plug, which is cemented on the back of ihe nose block is shown one-quarter of an inch thick. Over the years there have been literally hundreds of models built with plugs of lesser thickness, Thrust adjustments are limited to the thickness of the plug or less. Therefore if you use 1/16 sheet for a plug and you find you need that much downthrust, you will also find that when the motor runs down, the nose block and propeller will fall out of the nose.

The fin on the Pottier is quite thick, and highly tapered. Cut the vertical tail spar out first and then make the ribs out of sheet to the proper width at the place where they attach. The leading and trailing edges of the vertical tail then have to be centered on the ribs so that they line up with the centerline of the spar, as shown on the pattern. Note that the root ribs must be shaped to allow the horizontal tail to slip through. When this assembly has dried completely, it should be sanded to the airfoil sections shown. The dorsal fairing is made of bond paper and is fitted by the cut and try method after the model is covered and assembled.

The main wing ribs are all cut from 1/32nd sheet balsa to the shape shown on the side view of the fuselage. The tip shape is shown just to the right of the wing. Note that the tip of the wing has considerable washout. The rib nearest the tip is shortened..."

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, text and pics.

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