Howard Pete (oz5999)

About this Plan

Howard Pete. Scale model racer for RC.
Quote: "A one-third scale model of Benny Howard's classic air racer. Howard Pete by David Andersen.

In the thirties, Pete was a favourite for modelling too. Its stability, long fuselage and long landing gear were ideal for the rubber-powered models of the time.Many feel thet Pete was the prettiest of the Golden Age air racers.

Pete's deisgn was unusual for a racer. The large control surfaces were better suited for aerobatics than racing. Mot air racers of the era had tiny tails, but Pete's tail is huge - the span of the stab is almost half the wingspan. This gives Pete a rare combbination of stability and control. I know of no other airplane of any type which has such a large tail-volume-to-wing ratio. It makes one wonder whetehr Pete was actually designed for racing at all.

Another curious feature is the exceptionally long landing gear. This, no doubt, is the reason the plane is rarely modelled in R/C. Modelers fear that the long landing gear will cause the airplane to nose over. Such is not the case. Pete's unusually large horizontal stabilizer, forward wheel position, and long tail moment more than compensate for this. They hold the tail down in the roughest field and the longest grass.

The landing gear is far too long for prop clearnace. The purpose is to support the wings in very high G pylon turns and aerobatics.It also helps to stop the plane when landing. When the tail skid is on the ground, the angle of attack is above the stall angle.

One-third scale seems to be about right for Pete. Larger would require speed to be too fast, making the sky too small for a model airplane; smaller scale would require faster flying than scale speeds and would cause ground handling problems..."

Span 80 1/3in. For 1.5cu. in power and 5channel RC. Model # 1282.

Note this plan is also available online as a free download from the designer himself at http://www.mnbigbirds.com/Andersen%20Plans.htm

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, text and pics, in 2 parts.
Quote: "A one-third scale model of Benny Howard's classic air racer ...curious feature is the exceptionally long landing gear. This, no doubt, is the reason the plane is rarely modelled in R/C. Modelers fear that the long landing gear will cause the airplane to nose over. Such is not the case. Pete's unusually large horizontal stabilizer, forward wheel position, and long tail moment more than compensate for this. They hold the tail down in the roughest field and the longest grass ...One-third scale seems to be about right for Pete. Larger would require speed to be too fast, making the sky too small for a model airplane; smaller scale would require faster flying than scale spees and would cause ground handling problems..."

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