Tern (oz6723)

About this Plan

Tern. Radio control sport model. Powered glider, for single channel RC and 1/2A engine.

Quote: "Chuck Anderson's Tern. Text by Don Dewey.

Chuck Anderson's Tern is a remarkably well-designed .020 glider that will serve as the perfect introduction for the newcomer to powered flight, or as an easy on the pocketbook sport design for the single channel Sunday flier.

Chuck designed and built the original prototype of the Tern in three evenings, back in 1964, to meet the rules of one of the dub contests of the Coffee Airfoilers of Tullahoma, Tennessee. The latter group sponsors a category for 1/2A or smaller single channel models which is a combination endurance and spot landing event. Points are awarded for the time after engine cutoff and up to a specified time limit. Landings are judged as to the distance from the specified landing spot. In order to achieve maximum points in this combined event, a design must have a good glide capability as well as excellent controlability. The Tern excels in both of these categories.

As originally entered in RCM's Second Annual Design Contest, Chuck's glider sported a Controlaire 5 receiver, Citizen-Ship SE-2 escapement, and two nickel cadmium pencells. The model has been flown continually since its concept in 1964, and has actually worn out two Cox Pee Wee .020 engines!

Chuck's entry in the Design Contest consisted only of a set of full size plans and a single photograph of the original prototype. For this reason, and due to the fact that when we contacted him, Bill was about to leave for Southeast Asia with the Air National Guard, we decided to build up another version for the article. Suddenly, the as yet unnamed glider became a joint project of several individuals. RCM's Editor, Don Dewey, built the version shown in the photographs. Dave Gray of Airtrol contributed one of their 4 ounce R1 proportional rudder only systems. Bill O'Brien, RCM's Special Projects Editor, supplied the name. Doug Tucker, RCM's Assistant Editor, took the photographs, and inbetween picture sessions on Dewey's Hill, everyone flew it.

And there you have the background of the Tern. It's so simple to build that we won't go into any elaborate construction details. A few notes are in order, however.

First, if you use an escapement, reinforce the escapement mount bulkhead (F4) with 1/16 plywood, or if you prefer, substitute 3/32 plywood for this bulkhead, as we did. Second, the fuselage is built upside down. Begin by installing F1 through F5, Do not glue the upper part of F3 at this time. When the glue is dry, add the remaining formers and F8. After the glue has dried, remove from the work-bench and glue sides to upper half of F1 Add all remaining sheeting and blocks..."

Supplementary file notes

Article, thanks to JHatton.

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