Monarch 05 (oz8515)

About this Plan

Monarch. Radio control trainer, essentially a powered glider, for Cox BW .049 engine.

Later kitted by Airtronics.

Quote: "This slow flying airplane gives the beginner more time to think about what he should do. Monarch 05, by Lee Renaud.

Since the very beginning of R/C flight, the one type of design that has continually appeared in model publications and on hobby shop shelves has been the R/C trainer.

There have been numerous approaches to trainer design over the years, but at the present time trainers can be roughly divided into two categories. One is the 3 to 4 channel trainer using a .19 to .60 size engine for power. The other is the 2 channel .049 powered trainer.

There are many excellent kits and designs which fall into the first category, but there are several significant drawbacks to this type of design where the beginner is concerned. The most obvious is the higher initial cost for both engine and radio. The structure and construction of the larger trainers, while they appear basic to an experienced modeler, can also be quite confusing to the novice looking at his first set of plans.

For the beginner, the 1/2A sized trainer is an attractive alternative because of the lower initial cost and simpler construction.

Designed specifically for the new Cox Dragonfly .049 engine, the Monarch .05 offers the advantages of low cost, simple, rugged construction and excellent flight characteristics for the beginner. By using a 1/2A engine and an inexpensive two channel radio, a person interested in R/C can 'get his feet wet' at a much lower cost than he can with a larger engine and a full house radio. The first-time pilot has enough jitters to deal with when he first gets ready to fly his new creation - without also worrying about putting two month's rent into the ground as well.

The Monarch's structure is based heavily on that of the successful Olympic 650 (oz6040) sailplane, with both the wing and tail surfaces being identical. The three-piece wing employs a one-piece center section with spruce spars and leading edge which is virtually indestructible, while the plug-in tips serve to make transportation easy (even in small cars). The tail is a straightforward anti-warp structure with separate control surfaces for simplicity. The fuselage is a simple slab sided box which utilizes 1/8in air-ply sides and floor for strength and light weight. The structure has proven to be strong enough to survive poor landings and to be easily repairable in the event of a crash.

The Monarch has an unusually large amount of wing area for a 1/2A airplane. This wing area allows the Monarch to have a very light wing loading. The light loading allows the Monarch to fly at extremely slow speeds, which gives the beginner a definite advantage. One of the most difficult tasks facing the novice is developing the reflexes necessary to fly R/C airplanes. A slow flying airplane gives the beginner more time to realize what the airplane is doing, think about what he should do, and give the proper control input. The use of polyhedral in the wing design makes the model smooth turning and very stable. The large tail surfaces also contribute to the Monarch's stability and make it a very easy handling and forgiving airplane..."

Quote: "Steve, Thanks for all you do to further the interests of our hobby. I found this copy of Monarch 05 in my collection and noticed its not on Outerzone yet. Best Wishes, Tom"

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 27/01/2020: Added kit review from Flying Models, August 1983, thanks to RFJ.

Supplementary file notes

Article, thanks to hlsat, JHatton.

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