Hoverbug (oz9694)

 

Hoverbug (oz9694) by Roy Clough 1947 - plan thumbnail

About this Plan

Hoverbug. Free flight rubber powered helicopter model.

Quote: "This stable model gives true helicopter performance. Designed to fly vertically, forward or back, this rubber powered helicopter is easy to build and certain to give good results. Instead of individual rotor blade articulation, which is usually necessary to secure steady flight, the entire rotor mechanism of this machine is permitted relatively free motion about its point of attachment. This motion must be limited in order to obtain forward flight; therefore there is only 1/8in clearance between the rotor tube and the fore and aft cross-members. Side motion is permitted up to the width of the fuselage, about 1/2 in each direction.

A long fuselage is used on this model to spread its mass over a large area, thus minimizing disturbing effects, which may occur in the rotor. A high tail fin performs the function of maintaining proper heading and brings the CLA into a favorable position relative to CG. Despite appearances, the vertical control surface employed on this model does not create an untoward amount of drag in forward flight. This is because the actual relative wind is largely downward in the immediate vicinity of the ship. As shown in the photographs this surface is cambered, but further experiments made after the pictures were taken indicate that it is more effective if built flat; therefore it is recommended that it be made this way. A simple push-rod linkage is used to hold it in any desired position.

A word of caution: It is frequently desirable to enlarge plans of conventional model planes above the size recommended by the designer and this is often done with good results. But this procedure or any other alteration of the plans must be discouraged by the writer as regards to Hoverbug because to do so may result in an unflyable machine. This is because weight distribution, articulation problems, and power requirements may be greatly modified by a size increase.

Begin construction with the fuselage, which is built on the plans (presented full size). The structure is strictly conventional except that it becomes triangular aft of the rotor tube location. The fin may be integral or built separately. Use 1/16" hard balsa strip for all members. The rotor tube mounting plate is a bit of sheet balsa to which a reinforcing washer has been centered and cemented..."

Hi Steve and Mary, Spent some time this morning putting together a package of Roy Clough designs that I am not sure that you have. I spent quite some time gathering these for I was interested in his contributions to flying model helicopters. He may be the father of what we have today. Gene

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Supplementary file notes

Planfile includes article pages.

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Hoverbug (oz9694) by Roy Clough 1947 - model pic

Datafile:
  • (oz9694)
    Hoverbug
    by Roy Clough
    from Model Airplane News
    September 1947 
    20in span
    Rubber F/F
    clean :)
    all formers complete :)
    got article :)
  • Submitted: 14/01/2018
    Filesize: 255KB
    Format: • PDFbitmap
    Credit*: rchopper56
    Downloads: 855

Hoverbug (oz9694) by Roy Clough 1947 - pic 003.jpg
003.jpg

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* Credit field

The Credit field in the Outerzone database is designed to recognise and credit the hard work done in scanning and digitally cleaning these vintage and old timer model aircraft plans to get them into a usable format. Currently, it is also used to credit people simply for uploading the plan to a forum on the internet. Which is not quite the same thing. This will change soon. Probably.

Scaling

This model plan (like all plans on Outerzone) is supposedly scaled correctly and supposedly will print out nicely at the right size. But that doesn't always happen. If you are about to start building a model plane using this free plan, you are strongly advised to check the scaling very, very carefully before cutting any balsa wood.

 

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