Freedom 20 (oz7134)

About this Plan

Freedom 20. Radio control trainer model. Wingspan 55-1/2 in, wing area 440 sq in, for 4 channel RC and .20 - .30 engines.

Quote: "Carl Goldberg Freedom 20. Review by Dick Spreadbury.

Goldberg offer this model as a basic four channel trainer, which can be uprated to a 'classic sport aircraft', to use their terminology, by uprating the engine size. By virtue of their design requirements, trainers all follow pretty much the same configuration, but the Freedom 20 has been carefully shaped to come across as a pretty close lookalike to the modern family of high wing monoplanes, with its sleek appearance and tidy spatted undercarriage lending to its sporty good looks! OK then, let's get on and see what you get for your money

Opening the box: The kit comes in a very strong cardboard box, measuring 6 x 4 x 38 inches and is itself modestly attractive with a picture of the completed model on the top, and a brief description of what's inside.

Going on to the contents, let's first examine the plan, which comes as a large rolled up blueprint, with all the major components clearly laid out and properly identified. Both wing panels are drawn, one as a sketch and one completed with LE and TE sheet, centre section reinforcement, etc. The wood grain conventions are described to assist with the identification and arrangement of parts.

The drawing of the fuselage is particularly descriptive - the draughtsman has very cleverly drawn both the plan and side views in cutaway form, showing the model as it should be when it's finished, complete with radio, battery, servos, control rods, engine, the fuel tank and its plumbing. The really clever bit is that, even with all these ingredients included, the construction is still very easy to use and define, and the big picture remains logical and uncluttered - something very important to all aeromodellers, but especially so to beginners.

The other all-important aid to beginners in any kit, is the building instructions. This kit contains two instruction booklets; the first, which deals with the introduction to the model and kit, then its construction, can only be adequately summarised as being a superb introduction to basic aeromodelling. Coming in the form of a sixty page A4 size professionally produced pamphlet, included are details of every single step of construction, the possible pitfalls associated with critical stages of construction and their avoidance, a complete glossary of most common modelling terms and details of all the kit parts for identification.

All this is backed up by advice on how to read the plan, the wood types and sections to be found in the kit, what kind of building board and tools are needed and possibly the most valuable part of all to any beginner - there are well over 100 individual step-by-step type construction illustrations, each superbly drawn.

Instruction booklet number two adds the icing to the cake, giving a great deal of information on how to finish the model, install the gear, the equipment needed to support the model at the flying field and, finally, some good advice on flying the completed product.

I spent a great deal of time going over the plan and instructions in a deliberate effort to find any defects, ambiguities, loopholes or bits missed out that could impede the progress of any beginner, and I could find nothing - which impressed me!

The material contents of the kit are very comprehensive, that is with the exception of a fuel tank - why manufacturers leave out this essential, low cost item always beats me.

The quality of the plywood die cutting could have been better - evidence of crushing was apparent on the edges of many of the components, a little work being required to clean them up.

The die cutting of the balsa parts (mostly wing ribs) was faultless, and the grade of wood chosen for each area of use was ideal.

The accessories pack was very comprehensively packed with a multitude of devises, rods, saddle clamps, screws, lightweight wheels, a Goldberg type spinner and a very useful control surface hingeline centre-finding device. All in all, a very satisfactory kit.

Construction: Goldberg introduce the beginner to building models with the construction of the tailplane, which develops a few of the basic skills of aeromodelling by building up the basic structure from strip wood, and introduces the task of bevelling and hinging a control surface. To make this bit as easy and as foolproof as possible, the little hingeline centre finding tool is used on the tailplane and elevator, which are then bevelled using another little jigging tool, for which details are given on the plan. The structure finishes up light, yet rigid and strong.

Fuselage: This part of the model is designed as a slot together, self-aligning, 1/8 plywood structure, and it can be best likened to building a big plastic kit, such is the degree of prefabrication that the all-plywood components are 'slotted and tabbed', and the fuselage sides, its top and bottom, can be completely dry assembled to test the overall 'fit' before a drop of glue makes things more permanent.

I did notice at this point that a couple of the tabs were larger in depth than their corresponding slots, and required trimming before the structure could be laid flat on the building board..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 02/05/2018: added kit review from Radio Modeller, December 1990, thanks to RFJ.

Update 13/04/2019: Added kit instructions, thanks to jmdauge.

Quote: "Howdy, y'all; Attached are the construction booklet that came with the Freedom 20 kit, K57 (oz7134), and the general information booklet that came with most Goldberg kits. Book 1 contains all the information to build the Freedom 20; Book 2 contains general information pertinent to all Goldberg kits, including the final completion steps. When Book 1 says: That's it, now go to Book #2 and see how to install and balance your Freedom 20 - this is the one referred to; it could be added to any of the Goldberg plans on Outerzone [Note we have added this to RCLibrary see https://rclibrary.co.uk/title_details.asp?ID=2467]
Will be uploading the parts sheet drawings at actual size sometime in the near future, with any luck. I've got so much going on, I'm backing up! Jim"

Update 5/2/2023: Replaced this plan with a cleaned-up version, thanks to Pilgrim.

Supplementary file notes

Kit review.
Instructions.
Previous scan version.

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