Strafer (oz7819)

About this Plan

Strafer. Control line stunt model for .60 power.

Quote: "One slightly thunderous Enya .60, cowled into the front end. No lag to the climb-out when a big engine propels a ship of this size. Feels wonderful in flight, keeps one alert. Or sorry.

Enya .60 TV power in a realistic low-level sport controline. Fly Don McGovern's Strafer, for wild, wild sport.

While the average Stunt Controline follows a set formula of marginal power to area, the Strafer takes off on quite a different tangent. It is not intended for Stunt competition flying, and could never match the maneuverability of a slow flying symmetrically sectioned stunt design. This is a 'lone eagle' type, a sport flyer for everyday use, a 90 mph variation that will give your nerves ulcers.

On a calm day, it can handle line lengths up to 125 feet, providing the
field surface is smooth as silk, free of weeds. (Lines this long tend to drag at the middle a moment before touch-down. Nearly dead calm air is advisable. 100 foot radius lines are a better compromise, and 75 footers are standard for this aircraft, even in a moderate breeze. Its greater speed and clipped wing eliminates that excessive ballooning quality so commonly seen on stunt types. It is more like a P-51 as compared to a light plane in flight.

While shy on maneuverability, it does have other merits, and offers a refreshing change of pace from designs you may have been flying. It is not rigged for inverted flight, though minor airfoil alterations might be made if you desire to try. It cannot corner those squared off loops and such. All loops and pullouts will require much more space, but it is more realistic in their execution. It is more of a high-speed precision flyer, capable of wing-overs, loops, hedge-hopping, balloon busting, limbo-stick flying, and ideally suited to touch and go landings with a J-Roberts 3rd line Control system. Keep your stunt ship for contests, build the Strafer for some high powered thrills and chills. A test for your reflexes, one mistake to a customer. If you should slug the mud with this, all the feathers come off so to speak. If this is your first attempt at controline, you're out of your league. Try a trainer or too first, for with this ship you will find the landscape a bit blurred as you rotate, and your reaction time on pullouts must be automatic.

May we advise a safety thong to secure the handle to your wrist. An awkward shape to a loop on a comparable Pirate (oz6498) design we flew years back yanked the handle from our grasp, flung it over 100 feet away, and sprained four fingers. Sprained the plane too.

Consider perhaps a variable pitch prop, R/C engine throttles, timers to actuate engine speed in the absence of a third line, or use insulated lines to electrically switch engine speed, or bellcrank activated methods to command your rpm..."

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