Flying Red Horse P-63 KingCobra (oz6997)

About this Plan

Flying Red Horse P-63 KingCobra. Control line profile stunt model.

Quote: "52 in Wingspan Foam Wing Sheeted Stunter for .35 to .40 Engine.

FLYING RED HORSE BY ALLEN BRICKHAUS. I have been flying models off and on again for 14 years, and have recently directed my efforts toward learning the AMA Stunt pattern. Last summer was spent learning the pattern and entering every contest within a reasonable driving distance. The southern Illinois area is not the most advantageous place from which to be able to attend a large number of stunt contests. It's a minimum of a three-to four-hour drive, just to enter a meet of any major proportion. My first serious stunt plane was a time-proven Nobler (oz6212). It served its purpose as a pattern trainer for the entire summer, until its loss at the end of the flying season. Using the same wing and stab, I have since rebuilt it.

There are very few contests of any size. Some contests offer AMA Stunt and others Profile Stunt. At some meets, both are offered, and I felt I needed a new plane that would be fairly competitive in both events. A profile with plenty of wing area, many adjustable features, and a strong 40 motor with a dependable run would fit my needs very well. Any disadvantage experienced by a profile plane in AMA Stunt would be outweighed by my familiarity with only one ship. Switching planes with different flying characteristics can eventually lead to their early demise.

I especially like World War II fighter aircraft, and am impressed by the bright color schemes used on the planes for racing purposes. One of the sleekest and most streamlined fighters was the P-63 King-cobra. It was originally conceived as a highly maneuverable mid-engined aircraft, but eventually found a home with Russian pilots as a close-support and ground-strafing machine. It had relatively good low altitude performance and a fantastic ability to take and absorb large amounts of battle damage, while still being able to remain in the air.

Major Charles Tucker realized the potential of the P-63C sleek fighter. With the backing of General Petroleum Corporation, an affiliate of Socony-Vacuum, Major Tucker clipped 6-1/2 feet off each of the wingtips, bringing the span down to 25 feet. He then began the preparation of the plane for the 1946 Thompson Trophy Race. He qualified the plane at 392.16 mph, but failed to finish.

The P-63C of Major Tucker makes an excellent subject for a profile stunt plane as, first of all, a fine King Cobra kit (oz6986) is available through Midwest Products. It could be built with wingtips cut off, but I decided to go the kit at least one better. I had a new foam wing of a 52 inch span cut and sheeted by Bob Hunt of Control Specialties Company, and I decided to replace the original wing with the new one of larger area and span. The squared-off wingtips make the installation of adjustable lead-outs and wingtip weight much simpler. You now have no worry about building rounded wing-tips or using your precious lightweight balsa stock supply. The white paint scheme allows the flier to have an easily seen aircraft, even under low light conditions, plus the red 'Flying Red Horse' and 'Mobilgas' decals and large black numerals make the simple paint scheme an eye catcher.

I have been forewarned by stunt fliers with many more years of experience than I, that I should build a ship with as many adjustable features as possible. What one does incorrectly in the building stage can sometimes be corrected in the trimming procedure. This should not keep you from building the best aligned plane possible. Don't build a sloppy ship! It takes a little extra time to build in these features, but you can eventually have a fine flying plane, instead of a new wall hanger for the living room."

Quote: "Hello Steve, I am sending you the plans for the 52in wingspan Flying Red Horse P-63 KingCobra for .35 to .40 engine by Allen Brickhaus. I have cleaned and resized this plan."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

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