Sky Knight (oz8079)

About this Plan

Sky Knight. Radio control sport trainer model, for electric power.

Quote: "Get started in electric with this simple to build and easy to fly electric powered sport trainer. Sky Knight, by Jim Zarembski.

There has been a need for a simple to build and easy to fly trainer ever since the first R/C models became popular. This type of model has traditionally been powered by a glow engine which is not the easiest device for a novice to master. You have to have the right glow plug, the right fuel, the right tank installation, and woe to you if you get dirt in your fuel lines. There seems to always be a problem in getting the needle valve adjusted. How many times have the engines quit just prior to take-off or during your first loop. I have observed that the new R/C flier with the traditional trainer spends more time fiddling with that darn engine than flying.

What are the options? Sailplanes appeal to some beginners but what about those who want a propeller driven model that looks something like a real airplane? Up to a few years ago there really weren't a great deal of choices but in 1986, electric power is the easiest way to power your trainer.

The Sky Knight has been designed as a Sport Trainer with the novice in mind. It's lightweight, easy to build, and very easy to fly. The electric motor always starts the first time with the flick of the throttle control on your transmitter. This rugged little model is quite docile when minimum control movement is used. However, once you've mastered the art of R/C flying, rudder rolls, spins, loops, and all sorts of wild aerobatics, are easily performed with the Sky Knight with full rudder and elevator control.

With either the Leisure, or the newer Astro 05 with six Sanyo 1200 mAh cells, flight duration is in the 10 to 12 minute range. In fact, several of the builders of the prototype Sky Knight models have been expert fliers looking for a snappy little sport ship to fly in schoolyards, parks, and to put in the back of the family car on vacation trips.

Hopefully, you're interested in trying the Sky Knight, by now. But first the model must be built.

If you've never scratch-built an R/C model before, don't be frightened away. The simplest method is to trace all the parts on tracing paper or vellum and rubber cement these outlines to the required balsa wood and plywood. The balsa components can be cut out with a hobby knife such as the X-Acto with a #11 blade. The plywood could be cut with a hand jig saw. However, both the balsa and plywood parts are most easily cut out using a powered jig saw. I have a Dremel unit which I have found invaluable. No workshop is complete without a jig saw or band saw.

For those parts, such as wing ribs, that are required in quantities greater than a single unit, the stacking technique can be used to speed up the process and to insure that all the parts are identical. Rubber cement the part outline you traced (or cut out a 2nd RCM plan) on a single rectangular piece of wood slightly larger than the part to be cut out. Stack the same size sheets underneath in the quantity required and use straight pins to hold the stack together for cutting and sanding. Make sure that your saw blade is set at 90°. Cut out the outline of the part. Lightly sand the stack to remove the fuzz from the saw cut, remove the straight pins, and you have an instant kit. Fuselage sides, wing ribs and wing tips can be produced with the stack cutting technique. Now that you have your kit completed let's get started with construction.

Prior To Construction. R/C models such as the Sky Knight are most easily built on flat table tops covered with 1/2 in white insulation board generally sold under the Celotex brand name at your local lumber or building supply company..."

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, text and pics, thanks to davidterrell80, JHatton.

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