Killer (oz7003)

About this Plan

Killer. CL combat model for 35 power.

Quote: "Sudden maneuverability comes from balance and airfoil, speed from lightness and cleanness. This mean machine has both. Killer, by Melvin Mathews.

DO YOU ENJOY THE THRILL of a flying handle in your hand? Then attach the Killer to the end of your lines and join the winner's circle. After experimenting for a number of years with tail moments and tail area on this design, I finally reached a good combination. The result is a plane which is much more stable than others of its type. Center of gravity location and elevator movement are not critical.

The Killer flies equally well at all speeds and has been flown with every type of engine from stock stunt engines to the hottest combat specials. Since speed does depend a great deal on the engine, use a good powerplant and the plane's streamlined design will enable it to turn in a performance as good as, and usually better than, the same engine in any other given design. Using a good combat special, the best speed reached by the Killer to date was 110 mph without a streamer and 105 mph pulling a streamer.

The Killer is versatile, too. All the above-mentioned features are musts for beginners, yet an extremely stable plane never hurt the pros either. It is a winner. No offset on the engine or wing tip weight are used, and the right panel is shorter than the left. Beginners, especially on windy days, should put washers under the front mounting bolts to give two or three degrees engine offset. This is also suggested when running a stunt engine at slower speeds.

A plane without offset, such as this one, feels light on the lines at first, and needs some getting used to. Once confidence is acquired, the flier will find that it stays out on the lines, even in the windiest weather and is at home on any side of the circle. All the Killers have been silk-covered and each weighs between 16 and 19 oz.

Construction is simple, light and rugged, with a minimum of parts. Begin by cutting all the required pieces, as specified on the plans. Mark the rib locations on the bottom trailing edge piece and cement the ribs into position. The top is added later. Build with the straight part of the rib, from the spar back, flat on the workbench or building board. Cement the leading edge in place and allow to dry.

Shape the motor mount and glue it into place. Spreading the center ribs slightly, force in plenty of glue because a good joint is needed here. Make the wing tips and glue them in place. When dry, add braces on the top only. The bottom braces are added later.

Make a three-inch bellcrank, complete with pushrod and leadouts to the bellcrank mount, and glue this entire unit in place against the bottom spar. Add the top trailing edges and trailing edge spaces. Put the pen bladder compartment in place and then glue the top spar in position. Use 1/16 balsa to plank the center section. When the tips are dry, sew and glue the leadout guides in place..."

Melvin Matthews' Killer from American Aircraft Modeler magazine issue 09-71.

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