Spiteful (oz6584)

About this Plan

Spiteful. Semi-scale slope soarer model. Plan also shows 3 alternate variations with P-51, Zero, and Me109 styling.

Quote: "The Spiteful is the latest model in a rather casual series of slope soarers, and was built primarily to have both a good soaring and a complete aerobatic capability. Earlier models in this series tended to be more functional designs, no for this latest model some semi-scale appearance, was introduced. Although by no means scale, the lines are based on the Supermarine Spiteful, which was the ultimate de-velopment of the better known Spitfire. The Spiteful arrived just as WW II was disappearing, so little production was achieved. The prototype was actually a Spitfire fuselage with a new laminar flow wing, which had an almost parallel center section with straight tapered out panels, and these lines are incorporated into the design.

The model, as we mentioned earlier, was to be both a slope soarer and an aerobatic type, so careful attention was paid to obtaining both minimum drag and weight, plus providing adequate control power. The prototype showed that all these objectives were achieved. A negligible amount of ballast was required, the wing loading remained low enough for soaring in light breezes, and the control power was sufficient for both inside and outside loops, inverted flight, and consecutive rolls, plus various combinations of all of these (my favorite kinds of maneuvers). The reasonably thick symmetrically sectioned wing proved to be very rugged, and no tendency toward wing flutter has been noticed. If you're looking for a little more challenge in your slope soaring, try this model, or if you would like the basic idea, but a different scale appearance, read on.

After the prototype was completed, and in the air, my flying buddy, Kevin Flynn, decided to make his own version. Using the same wings, he added different blocks to the basic fuselage box and produced a semi-scale Me 109. Carrying this idea a little further, we then sketched out a couple of other outlines, a P-51 Mustang and a Japanese Zero as future possibilities. These alternate configurations, plus the 109, are shown on Sheet 2 of the plans. The Spiteful wing and the fuselage box are common to all versions, and small modifications to the various balsa blocks are used, as we said before, to produce the different fuselage shapes. Altemate tailplanes and elevators are also shown, if you want to get a little more 'scaley'.

So if the Spiteful shape doesn't turn you on, maybe one of these others might. Whichever version you choose, and I hope you will choose one (then Don might buy more of my articles), all are built in the same way, so read on for the construction notes and details.

The fuselage, as shown, was designed to be a minimum envelope around a Kraft radio, and it's possible that other brands of radios may not fit, so now is the time to check this and make the necessary modifica-tions.

Begin construction by cutting out the basic fuselage sides and frames from 1/8 sheet, then cement these, plus the nose block, together. Add sheeting to fuselage bottom (and, if required, install the NyRod), followed by the top sheeting. Medium soft balsa blocks are added, top and bottom, plus 3/16 sheet doublers. Plenty of work with the sandpaper block, transform the original boxy fuselage into an elegant shape. A small balsa block is required for the radio hatch cover, and this is attached with MonoKote or Solarfilm hinge. The cockpit cover is added later during the covering operation. The wings use a symmetrical airfoil, and a small amount of dihedral mainly to prevent them from looking as if they had anhedral.

Only the right hand panel is shown on the plans but, as both basic wing halves are identical, both can be built directly on the drawing. My own system for building wings of this type is to first pin down, onto the plan, the lower main spar, and also a scrap length of 1/4 in square balsa about an inch forward of the trailing edge. Cement all but the two root ribs into place on the main spar and, at the rear, pin down the ribs to the 1/4 square piece. This way the ribs are located in approximately the correct position. Add the upper main spar..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, text and pics, thanks to JHatton.

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