Easy Model Design

If you’ve toyed with the thought of designing your own model and finally decided it was too daunting a task, fear not, there’s more than one way to go about it. And you don’t need a Ph.D. in aircraft aerodynamics, or Newtonian physics to do it. Let’s look at some easy ways to design your own bird. In an article titled “Making the Most of Magazine Plans’ written by Ron Warring back in 1954, from Model Aviation Magazine Ron States: “Probably something like three-quarters of the “own design” models are, more truly, variations worked on an existing design layout which has proved itself on the flying field. This applies particularly to contest model designs, where a majority of designers follow leading model layouts in that particular sphere. There is nothing wrong or underhand in this. Technically, it is good design practice to “borrow” all the best ideas you can. design is, after all, largely a matter of experience, and plans summarize the practical experiences of modelers from all over the world.”  What Ron says above makes perfect sense.   The “Das Ugly Stick” designed by Phil Kraft has had countless variations for decades.  Easily noticed are variations to the Kwik Fli type aircraft platform in the Flea-Fli, Kwik Fli, Sun Fli, Kaos, and the New Era 3. Similar design characteristics are seen in pattern and todays scale models of aerobatic aircraft . Designing aircraft on existing platforms is a sensible, pragmatic approach to model aircraft design. Good designs worked; and new designs attempt to improve on the old.

Scale Up Scale Down

Scaling up or down, is by far the easiest way to put your mark on an existing model design. With office supply stores having the capability to print just about anything in any size, take your plans to them and let them do the magic. Shrink a .60 size to 1/2A or or anything in between. Conversely, enlarge a small plan to a larger size. The major challenge in building is altering wood sizes and types as you scale up or down. For example, if you scaled smaller, lite ply may not be necessary for the fuselage sides; balsa may do just fine.

Power and Radio Conversion

Depending on the original power design. glow can be converted to electric. Rubber free flight can be converted to electric or glow. Whatever power system you decide to convert to, a small sized aircraft may have to be scaled up in adapting a different power system. Many old free flight designs can be easily converted to 2, 3, or 4 channel radio control. The major difficulty in adding flight control functions is altering a flight surface to accommodate functioning ailerons elevator, or rudder when not initially designed for them.   Modifications to add flight controls can be drawn directly onto the plan. Conversion may entail some altering of ribs and adding a  leading edge to the newly designed flight control surface.

Alter Existing Designs

Years ago a magazine ran a “Kit Bashing Contest”. Modelers would take an existing kit and transform the airplane into something different from the original design. It was all in good fun, and the results were excellent, but a plan can be bashed just like a kit! For example, I always liked the way 3/4 of  the Cloud Dancer looked. I never cared for the empennage—with the pointed flight surfaces of the rudder and elevator. My eye sees them with a more rounded look, similar to the Spitfire. It would be easy to redraw the surfaces with round edges. Add some retracts and a war bird paint scheme—Presto! A Cloud Buster! Remember, when altering flight surfaces be careful if reducing their size. Any significant reduction can negatively alter flight characteristics severely, Last Thoughts Harry Higley tells us in his book Master Modeling: “If you can shape a wing tip or are willing to learn, you can also design and build your own ships” A high wing to a low wing, add a turtle deck, power conversions, make it a biplane, scale up or down, trike to tail dragger, or convert to a twin! Whatever you can imagine, give it a try! John W. Blossick Tail Slide Haven johnb@tslidehaven.com 2015

Aircraft Design

Dimensions

This handy chart appeared in an article by Ken Willard in RCM Modeler Magazine in 1980. Ken writes: “Romey Bukholt of Concept Models made up the sheet for club use.”