The Second Boys' Book of Model AeroplanesCollins, Francis A. (Francis Arnold)
Science
The Second Boys' Book of Model Aeroplanes
Collins, Francis A. (Francis Arnold)
Airplanes -- Models
In designing a motor base bear in mind that it must be made as long as
possible for installing the motor, and broad enough to afford stable
support for the wings, the whole being kept as light and as rigid as
possible. Since the length of the flight depends directly upon the
length of the motor, the frame of your model should be at least two feet
in length. The width of the frame may vary widely, as a glance at the
successful model aeroplanes of the year will prove. For racing model
aeroplanes, the base may be increased to four or even five feet in
length.
THE FAMOUS "ONE OUNCER."
The one-ounce models, which have been brought to such perfection in
England, are among the simplest aeroplanes to build. Fig. A models have
a record of 1,500 feet. The adjustment is delicate, however; it is a
very "tricky" affair to manage, and whether you can get the remarkable
flights made abroad is another matter. For the stick, select a piece of
straight-grained ash or some light wood three feet in length and
one-quarter of an inch square. The planes should be cut from a thin
board one-sixteenth of an inch thick. The main plane should measure
fifteen inches by three inches, and the smaller plane eight by one and a
half inches, thus giving them a high aspect ratio. They should taper
slightly towards the ends. Round off the corners of both planes and
sandpaper the edges down. If the wood will stand it, work it down, using
a sharp plane or sandpaper. The planes should be bent by steaming
slightly across the middle and set at a slight dihedral angle.
[Illustration: A — The Famous "one Ouncer." B — A Small Experimental
Model. C — A Modified Burgess Webb Model.]
The model is driven most efficiently by a six-inch propeller. If it be a
one-piece blade, prepare a propeller blank six inches by one inch, cut
from a half-inch board. Cut away to the thinnest possible blade. Use a
very simple support for your propeller shaft as well as for the motor
anchorage at the extreme forward end. The planes should be tied with
rubber strands to the stick and glued in position when properly
adjusted. Try out your model with a motor consisting of two strands of
one-eighth-inch rubber, and increase if necessary. You will need all
your ingenuity and skill and workmanship to construct a stable model
even of so simple a design which will come within one ounce. Throw it
with the wind.
A MODIFIED BLERIOT.
In improving the lines of the various self-raising models, many of the
designs have been greatly simplified. With the number of members
reduced, the construction of a successful model becomes much easier and
the chances of failure more remote. A simple rectangular frame with two
planes driven by twin propellers requires very little skill or
experience to put together. It is very easy to locate and correct the
trouble in such a model, and quickly adjust it to rise and fly for
considerable distances.
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