Hornet (oz5494)

About this Plan

KK Hornet. 28 inch span control line model from Keil Kraft. Kitted in 1946, this was KK's first control line kit.

Quote: "It took Mike Beach just hail a century to get round to building this elegant speedster from 1948! The Hornet.

Aeromodeller for March 1946 has ai large picture inside it of a 'control-line line-up' in America showing some very streamlined and high power models - very impressive for a 15 year-old and a dramatic contrast to the box cur free flight models featured and popular over here at that time.

This Aeromodeller also mentioned, in the Keil Kraft advert, the 'Hornet' control-line model, stating: 'plans ready now .' There appeared to be no other control-line model commercially available and I suspect the Hornet may he the first attempt by a British manufacturer to anticipate the coming enthusiasm.

The model has always attracted me and thought half a century is long enough to think about building one! Luckily, Keith Harris had the plans available. Now, at the time the original plans and kit came out I only saw one in the flesh - an Ohlsson 60-powered version with the big motor mounted inverted and looking impressive but, even with the help of other enthusiasts at Hounslow Heath, it could not be coaxed into life.

When I received the plan and examined it in detail it appeared the model as shown was a no-hoper. It had very substantial construction, was complicated and used an Ohlsson .23 with coil and 4.5 volt flat battery - it would be heavy and under-powered. The (Nilsson .23 is a very good engine but I have always found them very variable in per-formance. Their populanty in the USA was, to a. large extent, gained by Jim Walker's use in his Fireball (oz5746) control-line model. In his hands, the model and engine combination was sensational but it is a known fact that he was supplied with the very best selected 'super-hot' .23s by Ohlssons - the ordinary modeller purchasing a motor would get a good motor but not a 'special'. Because of the perceived success of the .23, many American control-line models at this period showed the engine, and the result may have been underpowered models. The Hornet plans suggest 40 feet fish lines and that is a bad omen. However, it was early days!

It is generally thought that the 'Hornet' was designed in America for Keil Kraft and it is certainty in the style of the period, being very similar to JS Luck designs [see Fury IV (oz1916) and Fury VIII Screwball (oz4631) ] appearing in the American magazines.The model is 28 inches spar, and I found it quite complicated to build, featuring the 'silhouette' method of construction that really just consisted of a sheet side view that you stuck half formers to - and did not help at all. During construction the motor problem kept appearing and, as the model got heavier by the clay the idea of using an O&R 23 became more unwise. I was building the model with competitions in mind and, although the O&R 23 would have gained authenticity points, there would have been no flying points!

After sorting through many vintage engines the best bet appeared to be a Forster .29 from 1948. This was the version with a short, straight rear intake and it fitted in well, although running on glo. Even then, the finished weight was 36 ounces. Incidentally, I used K&B knife-edge 'grass-cutter' wheels as I felt that they we help the take-off - and they did. The model takes-off well and is easy to fly (at about 70-80 mph). It can be coaxed into a good landing and looks very racy in the air. As a friend said - Pure 1940s!"

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Added article pages, re Hornet plan, thanks to RogerClark. Quote: - "Here is an article to go with the Hornet plan #5494, from Aeromodeller March 1997. It was originally uploaded by Algy2 to the Control Line forum in August 2012."

Supplementary file notes

Article.

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