Clodhopper II (oz7854)

About this Plan

Clodhopper II. Rubber sport model. A half-sized version of the classic Jim Cahill Clodhopper II (oz2829) Wakefield design.

Quote: "An Old Timer sized and simplified for novice balsa choppers. Clodhopper, by Paul Denson.

Ever since I can remember, when the talk got around to rubber-powered models someone would say: There never was nor will there ever be a plane that can fly like the Clodhopper, or, With that underslung fuse, you can re-cognize the Clodhopper as far as you can see it. Someone else would take off with a bunch of technical jargon about how the low center of gravity coupled with the shoulder wing was the thing that really made the Clodhopper fly. I personally feel there is something esthetically beautiful about the curves along the bottom of the fuselage that first attracted my attention.

Wanting to build something unusual in these times, I ordered the plans for Jim Cahill's International Champion to build and enter in one of our local Old-Timer contests. But, like quite a number of good intentions that everyone has, other things became more pressing and this idea got pushed back on the shelf. So, rather than building the full-scale model, I settled for this little, small-field 1/2 scale model of the Clodhopper.

Construction: Start construction by cutting two fuselage sides from medium weight 1/32 balsa. Cut the rudder from pieces left over. The back section of the wing and the stab are cut from lightweight 1/32 sheet. The leading edge section of the wing is cut from medium weight 1/16 sheet. Cut the formers from sheet balsa as indicated on the plans, making sure the grain is vertical. After cutting the opening in the center of each former, glue a scrap of 1/16 sq strip crossways near the top and bottom of each former. This adds very little weight, but strengthens the formers when side pressure is placed upon them. Don't forget the wheels - these are made by laminating, cross grain, two pieces of 1/32 sheet. Do not throw away the cutout of former No.1, it will act as a key so the nose will go back on the same way each time it is removed for winding the rub-ber motor.

I usually extend the former lines 1/2 in on each side of the fuselage on the plans before I start construction, then when the fuselage half is pinned to the plans, you can see the exact position of the formers. The first step of construction is to pin the left half of the fuselage to the building board and completely outline the half with 1/16 square strips. (Soak the bottom stringer in hot water for a few minutes before bending it around the extreme bottom curve.) When you have the outlining completed, put in the two vertical strips just for-ward of the tail surfaces. Allow this to dry while you are making the opposite side. By very careful to insure that you are making two sides, one left and one right. The way I do it is to pin them flat to the working surface top edge to top edge. Then, when I outline the halves, I have one left and one right side.

Pin the left side to the plans directly over the outline and glue former No.4 in place, making sure it is at right angles to the building surface. Repeat with former No.2. Allow these two formers to dry thoroughly. Place the right side of the fuselage on top of formers 2 and 4, check for fit and if everything seems to mate well, remove, apply glue and re-place. Allow this to dry for at least two hours. While waiting, bend the landing gear from a piece of 1/32 wire and sew it to the bottom of former No.3. Remove the fuselage from the plans, check to see that former 3 fits, then coat your sewing with glue, put some on the edges of former No.3 and glue in place. Add former No. 5 in the same manner..."

Attached is Paul Denson's Clodhopper from American Aircraft Modeler magazine issue 02-73.

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