This model was built from some plans a friend gave me that came from an American publication,the Lockheed Electra typifies the twin engined radial engined designs of the thirties built in America,many famous long distance flights were made in these machines with their reliability,airlines also pioneered many of the early air routes with them as well.
My model was built from balsa strip with a few embellishments such as wing fairings from thin card,plus a few blocks of balsa carved for the nose etc.
Two short rubbr drives are enclosed within the wings driving two opposite handed hand carved balsa props pivoted on tiny thrust bearings,which were re-inforced with small pieces of ply let in at the joints,the twin fins are scale size and a little bit inadequate for directional stabilty,the tail is all flying giving the model a slight nose down attitude in flight,covering is from that used to wrap oranges in ! suitably ironed out and applied with ordinary wallpaper overlap paste.The cowlings are rims of balsa glued together with the grain in opposite directions with a thin piece of ply,trapped between the layers for the thrust buttons which support the props.
The model was test flown over long grass and initial flight path proved to be adequate but somewhat limited due to the short rubber drives.
You just have to accept the limitations with this type of model,the potential for electric free flight is there but this was a reproduction of an historic model subject built in the vain of its day,its all about the challenge to build something a bit different from the normal run and the end results.
Linear Mode
