Homer (oz5817)

About this Plan

Homer. RC sport/trainer model for .10 - .15 engines.

Quote: "Designed to help the beginner, the Homer is for everyone. The simulated open cockpit sport trainer will handle engines from .10 to .20 cu in. Pick your engine and give yourself a treat.

Homer is suppose to look something like a home-built airplane, just a little mind you; to convey the idea. Some years ago I built, or almost built, a Flybaby (I sold it just before it was finished because it was just too small for my new wife and me at the same time - I still have the wife and she is a lot more fun than any airplane) and ever since I have had a warm place in my heart for open cockpit airplanes. Models with open cockpits have clean up problems so, to correct that, Homer has a closed open cockpit that retains the flavor without the mess. Homer is easy to build and although it is a generous size for a .15 engine it is light and the performance is just what it should be for a solid Sunday flying airplane.

From a full throttle pass, Homer will climb straight up for a good two hundred feet before pausing to catch its breath, and at a climb angle of 60 degrees it will go out of sight. Although the airfoil is not designed for it, Homer is comfortable inverted and will do almost any of the outside stuff other than snaps. Spin recovery, both inside and out, is almost instantaneous with the relaxation of rudder and elevator. Slow flight is just great; in fact, I spend most of my time at one-half throttle or less doing lazy loops and rolls in close where they are easy to see and enjoy.

l honestly believe the landings are so easy that a dedicated effort has to be made to foul them up. The touch down is nose high and the airplane almost tip-toes down the runway, no tendency for a wing to drop at the last minute, and complete aileron control till roll out. Knife edge is not good because of the power available, but slips all the way to touch down are easy and recovery is rapid with no inkling of a snap. I would recommend Homer to anyone from a beginner on.

A word about construction - build light. Homer is strong without any changes; in fact, during one of the test flights it did a full throttle split-S into a concrete runway and lived to fly again. Any R/C aircraft structure should be built to fly - never to crash - but, should that happen, the lighter they are the softer they fall!

Construction. Wing: Cut out all the parts before starting the assembly and everything seems to go easier. The ribs can be traced on sheets of 1/16 balsa and cut out as individuals, or they can be stacked up and sawed at the same time. The template-tracing method uses less wood but either way is fine. Select four of the ribs and trim 1/16 from the top and bottom of each and trim the main spar notches 1/16 wider on each side: label these RC. Select four more and glue the 1/16 plywood landing gear mount braces to them at the main spar notches and trim them for the landing gear mount; label these RL. Note, there are two left and two right. Strip the spars from good firm, not hard, 3/16 sheet balsa; be sure the grain is straight down each spar..."

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