Prairie Canary (oz6318)

About this Plan

Prairie Canary. Radio control sport model, for .049 - .09 power.

Quote: "Designed and presented for the RC'ers first scratch-built model. It's easy and rapid to build, along with low fuel cost, small field operation and demonstrates trainer type flight characteristics. Prairie Canary, by Bob Wallace.

In aviation's short history the late 1920's and early 1930's bore witness to rapid proliferation and growth of homebuilt aircraft designs, several of which continue to this day to be popular subjects amongst the full scale aircraft building fraternity.

The era of the Pietenpol Air Camper, Heath Parasol, Corbin Baby Ace, Irwin Meteorplane, etc is filled with nostalgia and offers the R/C modeler an extensive variety of designs to ponder. The Heath Parasol for example was one of the most popular designs of that period, yet virtually no two were built alike. Some of the less notable homebuilts of the 20's and 30.s, illustrated the fact that their designer's engineering and building capabilities did not always match their enthusiasm to fly - a shortcoming for which they often paid the ultimate price. This colorful and zany period of aviation history is, to me, infinitely fascinating. If you share a similar interest in that era, read on, for the Prairie Canary is a composite of several older homebuilt designs.

While it is not a scale model of any particular design, it does retain the distinctive look of a vintage homebuilt. The Prairie Canary is easy and rapid to build; and demonstrates trainer like flight characteristics. To those virtues, add the economy of low fuel cost, small field capability, easy transportability; and you have an R/C design that spells FUN.

Interested? If so rummage through your balsa wood supply, grab your X-Acto, and lei's get into the construction details. The following construction details are laid out with the R/C modeler, who is building from plans for the first time, in mind. The experienced modeler will therefore find many of the construction steps and information to be of a redundant or unneccessary nature. In either case, it is recommended that you study and familiarize yourself with the plan before proceeding.

Construction. Wing. Start by cutting out the wing ribs, you'll need twelve W2 ribs and six W1 ribs, all cut from 3/32 sheet balsa. Stack each group of ribs and pin together. Carefully sand the pinned together ribs to a uniform contour. (No matter how carefully you have cut each rib out, there will likely be minor variations in them.) Cut or file the main spar notches to the proper size. Cut 1/4 in (as indicated on the plan) from the trailing edge end of four of the W1 ribs.

Place the wing plan on your flat building board surface and cover it with wax paper or clear vinyl. Both wings can be built simultaneously. The trailing edge, main spar and leading edge pieces are cut to the proper length for each wing. Pin the main spars in place over the plan. Using several ribs placed temporarily on the main spars as spacers, pin the leading and trailing edge pieces in place. (The use of ribs as spacers will insure a proper joint when the ribs are glued in place.) The bottom 1/16 balsa center section sheeting is glued in place between the leading edges and the main spars. Note the position of the 1/4 in square center section, trailing edge reinforcing pieces, and the angle to which they must be planed or sanded to allow for the top sheeting..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, text and pics.

Corrections?

Did we get something wrong with these details about this plan (especially the datafile)? That happens sometimes. You can help us fix it.
Add a correction