Royal Rudder Bug (oz7754)

About this Plan

Royal Rudder-bug (Bug Revisited) by Gabriel Bedish, May 1974 AAM.

The original classic Royal Rudder Bug (oz1730) design by Walt Good first appeared in Flying Models 1954. This here is a later and smaller version for 2 channel radio.

Quote: "The Royal Rudder-Bug is an extremely easy to build rugged radio control design. Designed by Dr. Walter Good, one of the countries best Radio Control flyers, you are assured of an all around performer - thus read the introduction to the Berkeley kit of 1954. The claims weren't very startling then (and still aren't); yet the model finds itself in vogue even today as a practical sport model. The Bug, like the automobile which shares that nickname, is a design that time has not withered, nor custom staled.

The model presented here is more than an update of this trend setter. It's yesterday's excellent engineering made painless by today's construction techniques. It's ironically ahead of its time, because it fills the need for a large, it-will-last-forever weekend flyer. Now, as then, it is a plane that doesn't disappoint. It's as sport modeling as Sunday.

True, it was a contest design in its own day. With a Berkeley Super Aerotrol rig (in the days when kit manu-facturers made radios, as opposed to today's converse situation) it was very competitive as a rudder-bug (more bug than rudder, usually). The later RE Varicomp miraculously gave rudder and elevator, and the Rudder-Bug became a multi. The final stage of this evolution occurs 2? years later—the Bug can now be built with full house.

This is by no means a small model. Except for the surprisingly light weight and minimal power requirements, the original design had the dimensions of today's pattern ships (after all, it was a competitive aerobatic design):

Wingspan 62 in
Wing area 600 sq in
Fuse length 42 in
Engine 14-23
Weight 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 lb

The revision presented here has a slightly increased vertical tail, and a tad more length in the fuse behind the wing. Today's 29-35 engines seem the best for current flying styles.

One major revision has been tolerated in this twentieth anniversary version of Dr Good's design. The airfoil has changed from the original Clark Y to a somewhat unorthodox USA 27 (that's right, folks). The efficiency of this airfoil will really surprise you, especially with the light wingloading. The unobtrusive and predictable stall characteristics of the flat-bottomed wing are retained. You'll be amazed at what this airfoil can do for duration. If you wish to build the model a la Berkeley, simply draw a straight line along the bottom of the rib patterns.

Our prototype revised Bug was flown rudder only w!th an Orbit single-tone system on 27.225 MHz, A McCoy 29 rounded out the package nicely. The original had an inverted engine, but we opted for sanity over absolute replication. Even with only rudder function, the model still shows its competition breeding, and can be quite the stunter with adequate control throw.

The plane will fly very well on any combination of controls, so it makes a good vehicle for any radio (it may be a bit much for pulse). Rudder/elevator/ motor was our favorite mode, although ailerons do add some class..."

Update 30/05/2016: article pages, text & pics added, thanks to RFJ.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, text & pics.

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