Heath Model 2B (oz5526)

About this Plan

Heath 2B. Peanut scale model biplane. Hoby Clay's peanut Heath 2B from issue 07-82.

Quote: "First of several fine new Peanuts by the author, he has followed Walt Mooney's three-views of Ed Heath's tiny biplane in every structural detail, and it flies well to boot! Heath 2B, by Hoby Clay.

When Walt Mooney had his work on this obscure Ed Heath design published, I was completely captivated. The article was well-researched and the bird satisfied all my requirements for a Peanut Scale model. Matter of fact, I'm surprised Walt didn't do it first. The plane is not well-known, has reasonably good moments and scales to over ten inches long. The documentation (probably the only information ever published) satisfies the needs of all but the most scrupulous scale modeler and the AMA Scale rules.

The wind blows pretty regularly in my part of the Southwest, and I get much more flying time indoors than out. Consequently, my models are built light. This one will easily do forty seconds indoors. Putting in about a quarter-inch dihedral under each wingtip will give better gust-stability, although it does quite well in stable air.

My plans incorporate all the scale structure Walt showed. Separate ailerons and tail surfaces were built to improve the scale appearance of this plain-Jane. These really help in getting her adjusted for flight. Mine cameout at a quarter-ounce (7 grams) without the motor, which I consider acceptable for an indoor Peanut with a small amount of detail.

Begin construction by stripping out the sticks for the fuselage longerons and cross-members. I use one of Jim Jones' adjustable balsa strippers for this. It's a precision tool and Jim has made, in my opinion, a real contribution to our hobby by building it and making it available to us, I recommend obtaining one if you haven't. You'll wonder how you got along without it.

Stripping your own wood has a number of advantages. All pieces come out the same width throughout their length. You can select the proper strength and weight wood much better by evaluating a relatively large sheet of wood, and the strips will match in weight, strength, and stiffness, where this is important.

Good quality precision balsa sheets can be obtained from a number of places if you look around. I get most of my lumber from Mike Mulligan, who has taken over Oldtimer Models from Jim Noonan. His sheets are less expensive than the shops which cater to the indoor builders, and are larger. He will select hard, medium, or soft, if you specify. A lot of hobby shop 1/32 sheet is really closer to 0.040 inches thick than the specified 0.031. Careful selection of a light, straight-grained sheet will yield a nearly lifetime supply of longerons for light Peanuts.

The curved parts of the tailplane outlines and the wingtips are laminated from strips of 1/64 balsa soaked in ammonia solution and bent around waxed cardboard forms using diluted white glue adhesive, in the conventional manner. Hinges are made from fine steel wire, obtained by untwisting a length of stranded electric wire. This is light, plenty stiff to hold adjustments, but won't twist the structure out of shape when making them..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

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