Mini Fly (oz5605)

About this Plan

Multiplex Mini Fly. Radio control sport model for 3.5 - 6.5cc engines. Discontinued kit from Mutiplex.

Quote: "Hallo Steve, I have another Plan - called Minifly (Multiplex) - for you. Radio control sport trainer model. Wingspan 51 in, wing area 40,2 dm², weight 1,6-1,9 kg, for .25-.40 engines and 4 channel radio. Regards,"

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 28/10/2017: Added model spec in German, thanks to Oskars Spridzans.

Update 5/11/2022: Added kit review from Modell Jan 1971, thanks to Oskars Spridzans.

Quote: "Hello Outerzone Team, I found an article about Mini-Fly (oz5606). Appeared in magazine MODELL 1/1971, is maybe interesting for you. I have flown this model for 4 years with Webra 40 Blackhead and Multiplex Digitron - fantastic. Keep it up. Many greetings, Oskars Spridzans"

Quote (google-translated from the German): "RC compact model from Multiplex Modellbau: Minifly. The attentive readers of Modell must have noticed a new development about 2 years ago: mini models equipped with modern, lightweight RC systems.

Let's remember: 10 years ago, our RC model kept getting bigger and heavier because the radio remote controls required additional loads of between 600 and 1000 grams. Gradually, the 5cc engines were no longer sufficient to pull a 3kg bomber through the aerobatic maneuvers. A 7.5 was needed and later a 10, which soon wasn't strong enough, because, as is well known, the demands increase quadratically with the possibilities.

In the meantime, some manufacturers offer radio remote controls that weigh around 400 grams with 4 servos. As a result, with a reasonable overall concept, a model can be built today that weighs between 1.5 and 2 kg in flight. The advantages of such a compact model are convincing:

1. All costs for construction and operation are significantly lower than for the large RC model.

2. Reduced vibration load on the RC system.

3. With the selected model size, the flight characteristics of larger RCI models are achieved.

4. Inexpensive engines from 3.5 to 6.5 ccm can be used.

5. The model is extremely handy and practical and can be easily transported in any car. All these advantages are fulfilled by the Mini-fly.

The kit: The model has been available in specialist shops since April this year as a modular model in conventional balsa wood construction. The construction kit is neatly made, the construction plan and construction description have been carefully worked out. If you follow the order given in the assembly instructions, the construction can also succeed for the less experienced. It should be noted here that any changes to the model only lead to worse results.

A smaller and lighter model also includes a special accessory that was specially developed for the Minifly. For example, you have to get used to it first, a steerable nose gear consisting of 3 mm steel wire, or use M4 screws for wing attachment.

Included accessories: Pre-curved landing gear, transparent cabin, rudder hinges, aileron linkages and control levers for steerable nose gear, control horns and fork connections.

Building instructions: It can be said of the structural design of the model that, despite the wooden construction, it is extremely simple and time-saving. The fuselage consists practically of a four-board balsa box, the back of which is made of a correspondingly thick but light 15 mm board. In this way, the back of the fuselage can then simply be rounded, so that a pleasing fuselage is created despite the box construction.

Depending on your preference, the engine can be mounted in a hanging, standing or lying position. Elevator and rudder are kept in a very useful board construction. The wing has a rectangular plan, so that all the ribs and boards are processed in a straight line. The wing profile is semi-symmetrical at approximately 12% thickness.

My Mini-Fly in the photos with a Multiplex Digitron 4 and OS Max 40 P weighs 1775 g ready to fly. With a surface area of 35 dm2, this results in a wing loading of 50 g/dm2. The model can be covered with all common materials, with special attention being paid to the modern iron-on foils, which save additional work and also result in a beautiful model finish.

As in every discussion of a construction kit model, I would like to say here again for those who, from experience, still do not really want to believe this: Please leave out all additional auxiliary reinforcements when building! If all parts of the construction kit conscientiously are glued together and the box doesn't produce any more wood, then that's enough for normal and strenuous RC flight operations..."

Update 15/11/2022: Added catalogue page from Multiplex 1970, thanks to Oskars Spridzans.

Update 30/11/2022: Added plan addendum, thanks to Oskars Spridzans.

Quote: "Hello Outerzone Team, I found a blueprint addendum for Mini-Fly oz5605. This describes the structure of the Mini Fly with fiberglass fuselage. The drawing has been stitched together from four smaller scans, there is no other way at the moment. Have added a scale measurement at the bottom of the scan. Many greetings, Oskars Spridzans"

Supplementary file notes

Addendum.
Catalogue page.
Model specifications (German).
Review.

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