RAF BE2e (oz6303)
About this Plan
RAF BE2e. Radio control scale model biplane. Scale is 1/6.
Quote: "The B.E.2e tempted me for many reasons. One reason in particular was that if ever an aeroplane looked 'out of the past' this one did. It brought home to me the pioneer spirit of aviation during the First World War. Wood, fabric and whistling wire, the high cabanes, big wings and two Stevenson's rockets for a motor!
Having designed and built numerous other scale subjects, each having a comparable scale speed to the full size, I had yet to design one that would run the batteries out for the time taken to do a circuit of the field. So there's the second reason. Slow flight.
Thirdly - gimmicks! I liked the idea of the exhaust stacks and also bombs of a size that can be seen to drop, and very few World War I planes can boast that at 2in to the foot!
Lastly, I wanted other people to enjoy scale flying without months of hard work, at the end of which they end up with something only an expert could fly. So there we are. Three good reasons for the B.E.2e: World War I, slow flight and you - Mr Modeler.
Build it as per the plan and I assure you it will fly itself certainly time enough to put the transmitter on the ground, fumble for a cigarette, light it, smoke a few puffs, pick up the transmitter and look to find the model flying in the same position as before. This has been done with the B.E. many times, believe me..."
Update 31/03/2017: Have rescaled this plan now up to correct wingspan at 80in, thanks to Mike, David.
Update 22/06/2018: Added supplement copy of the same plan, but split into 4 parts for easier printing.
Supplementary file notes
Article pages.
Previous scan version.
Alternate version of plan, in 4 parts.
Corrections?
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(oz6303)
RAF BE2e
by Roy Scott
from RCMplans (ref:467)
1971
80in span
Scale IC R/C Biplane Military
clean :)
all formers complete :)
got article :) -
Found online 25/01/2015 at:
http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showpost.php?p=30507843...
Filesize: 3227KB
Format: • PDFbitmap
Credit*: jmorin12
Downloads: 6348
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ScaleType: This (oz6303) is a scale plan. Where possible we link scale plans to Wikipedia, using a text string called ScaleType.
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User comments
Hi Steve, what a great looking Old Bird. One of my all time WW1 Aircraft favourites. Greetings Regards,Pascal - 13/02/2015
The Be2 plan states an 80 inch wingspan. However, the PDF file displays an image file of 75 inch length while the wing plan is less than the length of the 'paper'. It appears as if the plan is undersized.
David - 13/02/2015
Hello There! Just a brief note about my experiences with the Roy Scott BE2e. On the plan the indicated c/g position is just in front of the rear cabane strut. With the c/g in this position I have found the model to be extremely difficult to fly. I put up a post on RCU to benefit from the experience of others and if you click on the link below and scroll down to Post 15, you'll find a suggestion that the centre of gravity should be brought forward to a point 12.5 cms from the leading edge of the top wing, roughly atop the middle of the front cockpit: www.rcuniverse.com/forum I am going to put some weight under the engine to bring the centre of gravity forward to the recommended position, either that or I will replace the existing engine with something heavier. I will report back my findings. Happy Landings
DavidDavis - 01/12/2016
Today, 29th March 2017, turned out to be something of a red letter day. There was virtually no wind and it was tee shirt weather in La Creuse. I took the BE2e to the strip for the first time since adding nearly 500 grammes of lead under the OS 70 FL. Long story short, we replaced the propeller with a 14x6 and took off with my friend Roger Aubard on the buddy box, but he wasn't on the buddy box, I gave him control from the outset! He's a Mode 1 pilot and I'm Mode 2. I'm not a bad pilot but Roger once finished tenth in the French national championships and I'm not that standard! The model took off and just required a small amount of down trim. Then I took control and proceeded to do a series of eights before handing back control to Roger for the landing. The engine cut on the landing approach and the model nosed over in the grass but there was no damage. We need to make a few adjustments to improve the low speed running of the engine but the extra weight has made all the difference. The c/g as shown on the plan is simply wrong! It should be at the mid-point of the observer's cockpit. I'm looking forward to flying it again soon! Happy Landings!
DavidDavis - 30/03/2017
[Following the comment above, we asked David if he had any photos of the RAF BE2e. This is his response.] The model is no oil painting having been built long ago, flown once or twice, then stored for years before I got hold of it. It's covered in dyed silk, the original water-slide transfers have started to disintegrate and fuel has soaked the upper wing centre section where the exhaust pipes discharge their effluent. However, all of my club colleagues are in love with it and it looks very nice in the air. A few more tweaks on the throttle assembly and carburettor and it will be a delight to fly. Here are some pictures taken last summer when it was still very unstable [more pics 003-006]. I am building one of my own and will ensure that the c/g is at the mid-point of the observer's cabin before attempting to fly it. Ken McDonough's free flight version has the centre of gravity above the observer's cockpit so why Roy Scott's has it so far to the rear is beyond me.
DavidDavis - 30/03/2017
It looks like this plan may not be scaled correctly. The plan size does not appear to match the wingspan. Am I missing something?
MikeB - 31/03/2017
You're right, Mike. Steve has fixed it just now. Thank you!
Mary - 31/03/2017
The tops of formers 3 and 7, upper right corner of the plan, are truncated. Hopefully symmetry will allow accurate finished parts.
DavidP - 25/06/2018
Hi Mary, A couple of extra pictures of the Roy Scott BE2e in flight [more pics 007, 008] taken by my club chairman with his expensive equipment on Wednesday 20th November 2019.
David Davis - 26/11/2019
Add a comment
- RAF BE2e (oz6303)
- Plan File Filesize: 3227KB Filename: RAF_BE2e_RCM_80in_oz6303.pdf
- Supplement Filesize: 1526KB Filename: RAF_BE2e_RCM_80in_oz6303_article.pdf
- Supplement Filesize: 3230KB Filename: RAF_BE2e_RCM_80in_oz6303_in_4_parts.pdf
- Supplement Filesize: 2138KB Filename: RAF_BE2e_RCM_80in_oz6303_previous.pdf
- help with downloads
Notes
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Scaling
This model plan (like all plans on Outerzone) is supposedly scaled correctly and supposedly will print out nicely at the right size. But that doesn't always happen. If you are about to start building a model plane using this free plan, you are strongly advised to check the scaling very, very carefully before cutting any balsa wood.
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