Cuddy (oz7632)

 

Cuddy (oz7632) by Tony Cordes 1973 - plan thumbnail

About this Plan

Cuddy. Free flight 1/2A power duration model.

Quote: "Need a more advanced model than a free-flight sportster, yet not ready for a really hot performer? Lots of wing area, straightforward construction, no frills, yet good performance from a 0.8 cc engine, diesel or glow. Cuddy, by Tony Cordes.

DOUBTLESS, THE best process for acquiring experience of building and flying contest power models is to start with an elementary kit such as the Veron Cardinal (oz4418) and then progress, via more advanced kit designs such as the KeilKraft Halo (oz738) or Gaucho (oz1367), to published designs and then perhaps on to one's own designs where all the accumulated knowledge may be culminated in one model. Unfortunately, few kitted designs are suitable for contest work, particularly as they soon become dated when new techniques and equipment become generally accepted. Thus the budding competition flyer has to select his models from published designs - such as provided by the Aeromodeller Plans Service.

In recent years published contest designs have become technically more complex; they require advanced building techniques, expensive, powerful motors and use VIT (Variable Incidence Tailplane) and A/R. (auto rudder). Although these complexities are necessary to be really competitive, they also form an effective barrier, especially to the younger modeller. This results in a fairly large drop-out rate among modellers who reach the stage where they want to progress from kits, but dare not. Designs, not beginners' designs but an intermediatory level are, in the opinion of the author, very necessary to fulfil the needs of that group of modellers just described, and thus perhaps foster an increasing interest in power flying.

Such a design must have sufficient performance to be competitive when flown sensibly (see trimming notes at end of article), but be relatively speedy and simple to construct and trim while being void of any gadgetry whatsoever. Cuddy represents such a design and should provide, if built correctly, adequate contest performance for the not fully experienced flyer. The original, when powered by a good .049 glow engine, is capable of the three minutes required from the ten seconds engine run allowed.

Why choose a 1/2A design, and why choose Cuddy in particular? Firstly, because of their light weight and consequent lack of inertia, +A models are quite robust and can withstand those unintentional power-on landings. Secondly, they are much less expensive to produce both materially and engine-wise. Finally, they are of reasonable size to transport and handle.

The Cuddy, at 280 square inches wing area, represents what is considered an upper limit in size for 1/2A design which, provided the total weight is kept around 7 oz, results in a slow, floating glide and easily controlled power pattern. A flat bottom wing section is used which aids the power climb and provides easier trimming. The multi-spar flying surfaces provide adequate anti-warping strength and are preferable to the more time-consuming geodetic structures for this class of model, although the latter are very necessary, if not essential, for the more advanced contest power model. A simple box fuselage is used which gives maximum torsional rigidity for minimum building effort.

The obvious choice for the power unit is the Tee Dee 049/051, but a much more docile performance will be obtained with any other 049. A radial mount with the motor arranged vertically is used. Several radial mounts are available commercially and any one of them may be used..."

Quote: "Hi Steve & Mary, A friend asked me to track down an English FF model called 'Cuddy', as he had lost the plan and the magazine. After some searching I found it in Argentina, where it was apparently a popular 1/2A contest model. Cheers, KraftyOne"

Note: this is a low resolution plan.

Article pages, text & pics, thanks to RFJ.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article.

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Cuddy (oz7632) by Tony Cordes 1973 - model pic

Datafile:
  • (oz7632)
    Cuddy
    by Tony Cordes
    from Aeromodeller
    October 1973 
    45in span
    IC F/F
    clean :)
    formers unchecked
    got article :)
  • Submitted: 13/04/2016
    Filesize: 168KB
    Format: • PDFbitmap
    Credit*: KraftyOne
    Downloads: 1071

Cuddy (oz7632) by Tony Cordes 1973 - pic 003.jpg
003.jpg
Cuddy (oz7632) by Tony Cordes 1973 - pic 004.jpg
004.jpg

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User comments

The plan does not show the warps. Does anyone have the original free plan?
bill dennis - 03/02/2024
Here you go. Added pic showing wing warps, from original plan [see pic 004], thanks to RFJ.
SteveWMD - 03/02/2024
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* Credit field

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Scaling

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