Southern Belle (oz6483)

About this Plan

Southern Belle. Radio control sport model. Wing area 704 sq in, for .45 - .71 power.

Quote: "It was a typical Georgia dusk. The last slanting rays of the sun filtered through the magnolia trees, casting a filigree of shadow across my youthful profile as I sat on the rear veranda of our plantation. Skeeters were humming in the honeysuckle vine, and back in his cabin, I could hear Uncle Tom puttering happily with the used Enya .60 I had given him as a reward for distributing anti-bussing literature among his people. Near the cabin door, dear little Eva was playing mumbly-peg, using an X-Acto with a No. 26 blade. A light wind ruffled an old Lester Maddox for President poster and everywhere peace and con-tentment reigned in the land of cotton. I was feeling right mellow, and could scarce refrain from humming a few bars of "Way Down Home" in the key of G.

Taking another pull at my cold, very dry, double Mint Julep, I reflected on my considerable success as a model aircraft designer ... in particu-lar, my most recent effort, the Southern Gentleman (oz9081). The Gent had gained me the grudging admiration of the entire Atlanta R/C Club, not to mention world acclaim. Letters of praise had come from the 4-corners of the globe.

I was particularly flattered by a letter from an RCM reader in a small Latin American banana republic. He wanted me to join his junta as designer of an all balsa air force which would be used to overthrow the resident dictator. A TREMENDOUS challenge! However, in trying to get clearance through Washington, I was informed that ,since the Bay of Pigs, it is considered un-American to intervene in other than Asian wars. "Besides," the Secretary of State said stiffly, "remember that dictators have to make a living too."

But nonetheless I knew I had reached a certain pinnacle. Sure, there were still those in the Atlanta R/C Club who, jealous of my growing international reputation, enjoyed making a great THING of diving beneath their cars when I entered the landing pattern. But a poet is always without honor in his own land. Their cutting remarks about buying me my own field as a safety measure would probably injure a lesser man, but me? ...hah!

I replenished my cup and allowed my thoughts to turn inward. Was I really happy with my success? No, certainly not. What genius is ever content? I thought CANDIDLY about the Southern Gent. Was it not a bit dumpy, a bit trainerish looking? Did it project the image of the real ME, the Rhett Butler of a man that I really am? And the answer was NO. I needed something sportier, more dashing - something that would fly like the Southern Gent, but with a bit more elan, moree pate de foie gras, as the French say.

As the evening shadows lengthened, it slowly dawned (or rather, eveninged) on me: why not design a sporty fuselage that would accept the wing and tail section of the Gent, thus producing a jazzy new airplane and saving one hell of a lot of work? Sensing immediately the hand of inspiration upon my shoulder, I sank into a deep study, juggling empannage and decolletage factors, Reynolds numbers, thrust lines, derrieres and other arcane aeronautical subjects about in my facile mind as if the whole exercise was mere child's play.

And soon I was happily ensconced at the drawing board, the Muse close by me in the form of yet another flagon of M-J's, with beaded bubbles winking at the brim. I was off on a heavy modeling trip and Southern Belle was being born.

A modeler familiar with the Southern Gent will recognize the wing and tail sections as old friends - no change from the Gent. If you have a Gent fairly intact, you can simply slice off the tail and Devcon it on to Belle's rear end. The wing is easily modified to accept the landing gear, as shown on the plans. The servo access in the Gent wing is on the bottom, so this is covered with a balsa 'air scoop' and the connector wire is run through a hole in the top. If you are building the wing from scratch, you can make the access on the top. Be sure and rein-force the wing ribs with 3/32 ply to take landing shock.

The plans are supposed to be self-explanatory, else Dewey wouldn't have published them; there is nothing unusual involved, so you shouldn't have any trouble.

Begin fuselage construction by building two 1/4 in sq frames along the dark outline on the plan. Note that the 1/4 in sheet wing saddles are built as part of the frame. Measure cross braces on top view, and join fuselage sides. Add formers F-1 through F-9, stringers and 1/4" sheet doublers toward front..."

Direct submission to Outerzone. Scanning by Don at EAC, cleanup by theshadow.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, text and pics, thanks to theshadow.

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