Rearwin Speedster (oz5455)

About this Plan

Rearwin Speedster. Free flight scale model, for .049 power.

Note this is a Free Flight design. For RC (and CL) version of this same design, see the later Jetco kit version Rearwin Speedster (oz4805) which shows both CL and R/C installation.

Quote: "Even had a modeler designed the real plane, it could not have been a better subject for a flying scale miniature. Perfect design, looks, sound structure, make this ideal for .049's. The Rearwin Speedster, by Walt Mooney.

The Rearwin Speedster, an outstanding airplane of its day, had a top speed of 150 mph and a climb of 1,200 ft per minute, using a 125 hp Menasco engine. It was two-place tandem and, with 50 lb of baggage, had a range of 550 miles.

It has always been an effective flying model. One of the most beautiful rubber-powered flying scale models in Nationals history was a Speedster flown before the war by Ed Naudzius. Being a tandem, the fuselage does not become too wide when scaled up to still larger sizes. It would make an ideal flying scale radio control plane.

The model is exact scale except for enlargement of the horizontal tail and increased dihedral. The basic fuselage structure utilizes longerons, uprights and cross-pieces. The right side is indicated in phantom on the plans. Until final assembly, the upper longeron remains in the door area. Add the aft cabin bulkhead and former and all the cross-pieces. Then build the cabin in place, using 1/8 sheet for cabin ribs. One-eighth diameter hardwood dowel is used for forward cross-member and windshield diagonals. Build the door to fit in the right side and remove upper longeron from the door area. Hinge the door on its forward side. All stringers are 1/8 square balsa.

The motor mount is a plywood box open on the bottom. For extra strength, use liXTeldwood glue to assemble and attach it to firewall.

The wing is conventional. The root locating dowels and attachment hooks are wrapped with thread and cemented to the spars, using filler blocks on the spars for proper locating. Sew the strut mounting tubes in place.

However, the structure is strong enough for silk covering, which is much more resistant to tearing when the model hits a bush. Whatever you choose to cover the Rearwin, be sure the frame is well sanded to remove all irregularities. After covering and water-shrinking, the original model was given three coats of clear dope to seal the paper. It rakes more coats to seal silk covering. Then an all-over coat of silver was sprayed on all the tissue parts. This can be quite thin and opaques the covering so fewer color coats are required. Then, in the area of the numbers and trim, the model was sprayed with two coats of cream dope. After drying 24 hours, the numbers and striping are masked off and three coats of red dope sprayed on the model. Since the original model was Diesel-powered, nitrate dope was used. Caution! if you are using a glowplug engine, use hot fuelproof dope.

Before covering, ail the wood planked areas, wheel pants, strut fairing, cowl and landing gear fillets, etc, are filled with several coats of wood filler (a mixrure of talcum powder and dope) and sanded until no grain shows..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article.

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