1/2 Scale Piper Cub Model Airplane

[GreenTwin]

This was a buddy of mine from school.
He got into model airplanes, and decided to build a 1/2 scale cub.
He scaled up a set of 1/4 scale cub drawings 2X, and built it as-scaled, which made for a somewhat overweight plane.

The plane did fly well.
It had a chainsaw engine in it, perhaps 20 hp ? (I should have taken a picture of the engine.)
Used a propeller made by a commercial airplane propeller manufacturer.

This guy was a free-lance type person, but he made things happen, and this plane was real, and did fly well.

I think a small person could have flown in this plane, but he never tried that due to the risk.

This plane had an 18 foot wingspan.
I think it had a motorcycle 12VDC battery to power the radio and servos, with probably a voltage converter.
Servers were the largest available, which were about the size of your fist, and two servos per control surface.

Overall weight was in the 200 lb range, as I recall.

Not really very big compared to todays large scale model airplanes, but for 1985, this was a sight to behold.

.

 

[gbritnell]

Great looking Cub

 

[SmithDoor]

This was a buddy of mine from school.
He got into model airplanes, and decided to build a 1/2 scale cub.
He scaled up a set of 1/4 scale cub drawings 2X, and built it as-scaled, which made for a somewhat overweight plane.

The plane did fly well.
It had a chainsaw engine in it, perhaps 20 hp ?
Used a propeller made by a commercial airplane propeller manufacturer.

This guy was a free-lance type person, but he made things happen, and this plane was real, and did fly well.

I think a small person could have flown in this plane, but he never tried that due to the risk.

This plane had an 18 foot wingspan.
I think it had a motorcycle 12VDC battery to power the radio and servos, with probably a voltage converter.
Servers were the largest available, which were about the size of your fist, and two servos per control surface.

Overall weight was in the 200 lb range, as I recall.

Not really very big compared to todays large scale model airplanes, but for 1985, this was a sight to behold.

.

I had a 1/4 scale of J3 amost 6 foot wing spand . Full size is under 36 feet. Even had engin for the J3 around 60 hp.

It was a great trainer too.

I been surprised no has not re-manufacturer the model. The ceiling for where live is little low just over 10 000 feet. Where live we have a lot of mountains over 10,000 feet so have fly around the high ones. The FAA wants you to use oxygen over 10,000 feet any way.

Dave

 

[GreenTwin]

I got the opportunity to fly an Aeronica Champ years ago, which is a front/back twin seat plane.
Controls via either the front or back stick and pedals.

I had only flown RC planes previously, but was able to fly an Aeronica after about 60 seconds of getting the feel of the controls.
Very similar to the photo below (not my photo).

Starting the engine was via hand-spinning the prop.

If one got into trouble, all one had to do is let go of the controls, and the plane would right itself and fly straight and level.
I guess it was well trimmed.
A joy to fly.

.

 

[GreenTwin]

Here is a 1/2 scale clipped wing.

 

[GreenTwin]

Here is another.
Looks similar to the one above, but not the same plane.
Rather a beast of a model airplane.
.

 

[GreenTwin]

I am wondering what the modern 1/2 scale planes use for a motor.

This one has a KOLM motor, and the company advertises the most powerful RC engines in the world.

 

[GreenTwin]

Some of these engines have massive bores, for an RC engine, in my opinion.
It is no wonder that they can lift off a 1/2 scale cub in just a few feet.

Many of the engines on this page have 47mm bore, which is 1.85" for us non-metric folks.

https://www.kolmengines.com/engines/?lang=en

Some appear to have electric start.

Probably one of those things where if you have to ask the price, chances are, it is out of your league.
Definitely out of my range, without asking what the actual price is; I can just tell.

.

 

[GreenTwin]

Mustang, apparently with a Kolm IL230-LE V4.
Would that convert to 14 cu in ?
230 cc, am I reading that right ?
17 lbs weight

So like a 230 cc motorcycle engine ?
That is HUGE.
I would call that "LUDICROUS" scale power.








World's fastest 4-stroke RC plane ?
We are going to have to up our game here.

 

[SmithDoor]

I got the opportunity to fly an Aeronica Champ years ago, which is a front/back twin seat plane.
Controls via either the front or back stick and pedals.

I had only flown RC planes previously, but was able to fly an Aeronica after about 60 seconds of getting the feel of the controls.
Very similar to the photo below (not my photo).

Starting the engine was via hand-spinning the prop.

If one got into trouble, all one had to do is let go of the controls, and the plane would right itself and fly straight and level.
I guess it was well trimmed.
A joy to fly.

.

I have both full size and RC model airplanes.

Flying models are lot fun .

Full size after awhile it was very boring it like driving a truck. Both vfr and ifr only as a co-pilot.

Now do do not do either one.

Dave