Zoomerang (oz833)

About this Plan

Zoomerang. Free flight sport model. Wingspan 30 in, for .049 to .099 engine.

Update 7/8/2026: Added article, thanks to Jean Marceau.

QUote: "Free-Flight or Controline. Pendulum trim Zoomerang, by Keith Laumer.

Test glides with the controls locked showed that 'Zoomerang# had a fast, flat glide. Without further ado the lock pin was pulled, the engine was revved, and we aimed her down the runway. Zoomerang leaped forward in a take-off run, the pendulum controls holding her on the ground. After seventy-five feet, she hopped off, slanted upward at a low angle and barrelled away in a broad high curve that brought her overhead at two hundred feet. When the power cut, Zoomerang made the transition to a floating glide, and circled into an upwind approach. Just like a student at the controls of a J-3, the pendulum held her off - and touched down light as a feather.

If you want to get in on this kind of sport flying, grab a few sheets of straight grained 1/8 sheet and cut out two fuselage sides and parts No.2 and 5 through 11. Cut parts accurately.

Cut bulkheads No. 1, 3, and 13 from 1/8 , plywood; bulkhead .4 from 1h6 plywood. Bend the nose and gears and lace to their respective bulkheads with No. 30 line thread, the nose gear may be so attached to the bulkhead as a fixed gear, or built to absorb shock as shown on plan. Lay out the crutch on the top view, joining two pieces of hard 1/8 sq balsa to form the curved crutch members. Now place bulkheads No 2-6 and 13 and add rear posts No. 19. Now cut out keel parts 15, 16, and 17, installing the latter first, then 16 and 15. Add 1/16 x 1/8 stringers in corner notches and allow thirty minutes for cement to set. Remove the fuselage assembly from the plan and add formers No. 7, 10, 11, and 12. Attach mounting nuts to rear of firewall (part 1) and install 1/8 x 3/4 stringer in notches, side re-inforcement plates and parts No.18.

Sand the structure carefully as smooth surfaces are necessary for planking.

Start planking by cementing the side panels to the framework, taking care to keep the structure aligned. Trim bottom edges of side panels to a bevel, in line with the angle of the bottom. Use bond paper to make an approximate pattern for bottom planking pieces. Cement one bottom panel in place, then trim along centerline to a bevel, to match the angle for the other half. See detail of fuselage cross-section. Now add the other bottom panel.

If a separate fuel tank is to be used, fuel-proof the interior of the first sec-tion of the fuselage and install the tank and fuel lines. Now moisten a piece of 1A6 balsa and form it over the top of this section, holding in place with rubber bands until dry. Trim, fuel-proof and install. Cut the cowl sides from soft 1/4 balsa, and cowl bot-tom from soft 1/2 balsa and cement in place. Build up the top of the cowl from soft balsa and cement lightly in place.

The hatch must be built in place on the fuselage and removed after shap-ing, so cement it only lightly to the fuselage assembly. Place parts No. 14, 8 (two of them), part 9 (note that the portion below the dotted line will be trimmed away later) and part 10. Add the 1/8 x 1/4 stringer in notches. Next moisten and form a piece of medium 1/16 balsa over the fuselage top from bulkheads No.10 to 12. Trim this carefully along the joint between the two No.10 pieces..."

Supplementary file notes

Article.

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