Red Baron (oz8107)

About this Plan

Red Baron. Radio control sport model. Published in the RCM 1968 annual 'RC limited'.

Quote: "For Galloping Ghost or small digital proportional, this 42in span, .15 powered bipe is just the ticket for Sunday flying.

Why the Biplane? Most of the old time modelers probably have a soft spot somewhere for the old biplanes of yesterday. It was love at first sight for me in 1928 when I saw an airplane for the first time (a biplane flying overhead). Three years later I built my first model from a kit, a biplane; and it was about the same time that I got my first ride in an airplane, also a Bipe. After all these years, I am still a Bipe lover.

Through the 1930's there were quite a few biplane kits on the market by Scientific, Guillow, and Cleveland, to mention a few. For years now it has seemed that kits and plans for the old Bipe have just slipped into the past. Thanks to some of the old Buzzard Lovers, it looks like these old birds are coming back strong in the model world. The full size ones are reappearing too, as evidenced by the antique aircraft publications.

In the early fall of 1966 I decided to design a biplane for R/C. I wanted a medium size plane that could be flown by a .10 to .15 engine with full galloping ghost. I also wanted one that could later be converted to proportional equipment. Bonner's 4-RS would be a honey here, with considerably less dihedral in both wings and ailerons in the bottom panels.

Everything was worked out on paper and put in the plan before the construction was started. Simple construction was the main idea. The dimensions that I used are as follows: 42in span for the top wing, 37in span for the bottom wing with a 6-3/4in chord for both; 32in overall length of the fuselage and rudder, 16in span for the stabilizer. By February 1967 it was finished and ready to be tested.

The first attempt to fly it was with an Q.S. Max .1ORC. This was just not quite enough power. The following weekend with an O.S. Max .15RC up front, we were ready to try again. Several hand launches with low throttle as well as several with increased throttle looked very good. With high throttle and a good hand launch, it was off on its first flight, and was 100% all the way. With the engine on low throttle, it was brought right in front of us to a good three point landing. This has been so with each successive flight. No additional balance or trim was needed. Total flying weight was 3lb 4-1/2oz."

Update 23/02/2018: Replaced this plan with a clearer scan, thanks to Circlip.

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