Doppeldecker (oz5279)

About this Plan

Doppeldecker. Radio control sport biplane model for Cox TD .09 engine. Model # pl-834.

Quote: "Yes, there is life in Wyoming. From Jackson Hole comes this inexpensive, easy to build little biplane for two or three channels and a .10 size engine.

There are times when one needs a new airplane quickly, like yesterday, or so it seems. Last spring I was faced with this problem. I needed a knockabout airplane for summer flying from a rough site, but only had a couple of weeks to complete the project. I quickly decided on a small two channel biplane for my trusty Cox TD .09 and thought of the old German word for biplane: 'doppeldecker'.

Doppeldecker or double decker sounded fitting and I looked at all of the old German biplanes from WW I. However, I really didn't want to bother with a scale design so I closed the books and made the simplest biplane I could. Only the dummy engine and crosses give a hint that I actually did look at the books.

So much for the design philosophy. The head honchos, Don and Dick at RCM, say we designers are supposed to dazzle you with our footwork. So much for dazzle.

But it does fly. In fact, it flys pretty well - that is, if you like little 'buzz around' biplanes. It will loop and roll and spin and keep you amused for quite a while provided you don't try to fly it through trees or fences.

Constrcution. Fuselage: Make the two fuselage sides F-1 from 3/32 in medium balsa and acid the vertical grain balsa doublers, shown by the dotted lines on the F-1 part drawing. I used Super Jet for all construction except where I specify epoxy. The fuselage top F-2 fits between the sides and on top of the doublers. Glue bulkhead F-8 and the forward, straight part of the top, F-2, to one of the fuselage sides. Glue on the other side, pull the tail together and glue.

Bend the tail skid wire and laminate it between F-17, F-18, and F-19 (using epoxy), and glue the assembly into the fuselage. Add the bottom, rear 3/32 balsa sheeting. Glue bulkhead F-7 into the fuselage. Glue the firewall, F-5, and the firewall doubler F-6 together.

Bolt the motor mount to the firewall with a 1/16 plywood shim behind left side of motor mount to give the engine 2 degrees of right thrust. Epoxy the firewall and the tank floor F-3 into the fuselage. Add the noseblock..."

Hi Steve - Here is Fred Reese's Doppeldecker from RCM magazine issue 05-81.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

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