Micro Kema (oz9205)

About this Plan

Micro Kema. 2 function RC slope soarer.

Quote: "A neat and nippy 2-function Intermediate slope soarer, for rudder and elevator control. Micro-Kema, by Keith Humber.

FOR MANY years I had promised myself a purpose-designed intermediate (rudder/elevator) aerobatic slope model, but somehow I had never got around to it. I had always managed with a non-aileron wing fixed onto my old Kema-73 fuselage, for the Intermediate comps. Good enough in its way, but lacking the ability to perform some of the more exotic manoeuvres - particularly the 'roll off the top', which is required at some Intermediate events, such as Clwyd.

With this in mind, then, and time as usual being short (it was late April, and Clwyd is towards the end of June) Micro-Kema was born. The smallest of the Kema breed, she is quick to build - and more economical. Also, the small size, plus a really large rudder, makes a lively model - particularly on rudder, though elevator response is quite soft, which is the way I prefer it.

The original model, by the way, was built in a week, and fitted with my old 'silver box' DigiMax gear plus 500 nicads and linear servos, so anyone with more modern equipment should have no problems with installation.

Well, the day for testing arrived, and the model was rigged ready for flying, amid many ribald comments from my Solent Heights fellow members, the main theme of which was that Micro-Kema was nothing but a glorified chuck-glider. Anyway, the test-glide was good - fast and flat - so, with a preliminary check on the radio and no further excuses, I launched the model off the slope. She climbed out quite quickly to a safe height. Now to try some manoeuvres. Loops - the wings flex a bit. Try a horizontal roll, dive fast, pick the nose up, then full rudder and a dab of down elevator in the inverted part. Not bad at all -in fact, good. Now for the roil-off-the-top, dive very fast (the model actually whistles), pull up into a half loop, a touch of down elevator at the top, and full rudder - and the Micro-Kema did quite a reasonable manoeuvre.

By now the remarks had subtly changed - in fact they were more in the order of: Not bad - for a chuck-glider, of course! Seriously though, if you are looking for a fun model or an Intermediate compet-ition machine, I reckon Micro-Kona will be a pretty good choice..."

Micro Kema, Radio Modeller, April 1978.

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Article pages, thanks to RFJ.

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