Strutz Courier (oz8141)

About this Plan

Strutz Courier. Radio control sport biplane model, for .15 power and 3 channel radio.

Quote: "My fascination with biplanes began when I was about seven years old and the "Goodwill Flyers" landed on my grandfather's farm in upstate New York during one of their summer barnstorming visits in the mid 30's. My first airplane ride was in one of their New Standard biplanes - an open cockpit magic carpet that held four passengers in the front cockpit.

The New Standard, about which I know precious little, was a large craft powered by a gigantic radial engine. This power plant was not only deafening at full throttle, its prop blast could pin you to the back of your seat as it took off. Years later, my younger son Eric and I flew together in what was claimed to be the world's only flying 1930 New Standard D-25. It was my youthful memories all over again - only this time I was able to share it - and it still pinned me to the back of the seat! I can't say for certain if these early experiences made me a two-wing fancier, but I still enjoy an occasional trip back through that aviation time-warp.

In the early days of R/C, my bipes were all sesquiplanes for stability. Sesqui, in this instance, refers to one and one-half wings - one wing, half the size of the other - or, if you're left handed, one wing twice the size of the other. Either way, by having the larger wing on top, the ensemble became a bit more stable from an improved parasol effect. In those earlier times, rudder control was all that most of us could hope for. The plane needed to be inherently stable to ward off the shock of full right or full left rudder without upsetting its equilibrium - or, at least, that was the game plan. The parasol effect of a sesquiplane usually allowed me the luxury of a second flight! Flight testing in those days was often a terrifying experience.

By now, some of you are probably saying - This model is not a sesquiplane. Why is he ranting and raving about something unrelated? True, this is an equiplane with both wings basically the same size. It does, however, point out that today's equipment is so sophisticated that we can have great flying success controlling a type of craft that used to be considered too unstable for rudder-only. I slipped something else into this equation as an added security bonus. The Strutz Courier is also a high aspect ratio bipe which adds to its stability.

One last point about this model and well progress to getting glue on our clothes. The plane depicted here is my seventh bipe, the fourth in the Strutz series, and the third iteration of this particular design. All three versions were originally controlled by an EK Logictrol radio. The two models built of this version are presently answering to a Futaba system. The EK servos were a bit larger than the S-133's and TS-11's currently in use; however, I'm still using 4-pencell NiCd packs which help the balance. The first Courier flies with a 20 year old Enya .15; the other one has a MECOA .15 installed.

The first Courier, flying for four years, weighs exactly two pounds dry and the new one came in at 31 oz. They are both covered with the some type of film, so the difference could be a little residual fuel soak.

Construction. Fuselage: Fabricate the fuselage sides by pinning the forward fuselage piece and tail piece over the plan and join with the 1/8 x 1/4 and 1/8 square strips as shown on the plans. Make two equal sides, pin together and sand so that they are identical. Next, cut the plywood bulkheads and plywood crutch, and fit bulkheads #2 through #4 onto the crutch to determine how they fit..."

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, text and pics, thanks to hlsat, JHatton

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