Plans, but not from a kit...

22-11-2004

Hope I'm not being too boring posting these questions, but a lot are coming to mind. More accurately, they have been in mind for YEARS! and I didn't know where to get them answered!

Anyway, I only ever built anything (withone exception) that flew, from a kit.

There's the kit, there's the wood, and I built 'it'. So how do you go about choosing balsa and materials for the plans you might get from a magazine, say?

I'm presuming that you have a feel for the right stock to use for X job, and just get on with it? I should really like, some way in the future, to build a plane from a plan I bought (JU52), but am a bit lost when it comes to the balsa to buy. I wouldn't know what size balsa to but for stringers, for example.

I don't want to burden any forums members here, and please be assured that I am not just relying on these forums to answer my queries - I am looking around for books on building ff planes.

That said, thanks for your time.

Tim

duncan · 22-11-2004

The "Iron Annie" Ju52 I hope is a long way down the line. Not an easy subject. Plans used to have a "materials list" printed in the corner. A recent letter to one of the modelling magazines asked if it could be re-introduced, editor said it may well be. All plans have the size of wood on each part, sometimes recommending "hard" "soft" "med" etc . Ply and hardwood parts will be indicated too but unlike a kit you may have to buy a whole sheet only to use a small part of it. This goes into the "spares box" for future projects. You will get a feel for choosing the right balsa and how much to buy. Always buy more than you need to allow for mistakes.

22-11-2004

Yes, Annie has been in my pile of papers for three years so far! No, I shan't rush into that, and I wouldn't mind having a static model of that. I did have two Italeri plastic models of the JU52, but one fell from the ceiling and I junked it.

Thanks Duncan. More another time.

frostman · 15-09-2006

Hi this is frostman I am looking for plans for a large scale Republic Seabee, or plans that can be enlarged.Thanks for any help I can get.

**GEEDUBBYA** · 15-09-2006

Howdy Tim and Frostman,

First the Ju52 plans.......this is abit peculiar cause I think I may know this guy who owns this link I am about to post lol.

http://www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/id18.htm

I am not sure what to tell you about this site, maybe Barry/wonwinglo will reply to this thread.

sorry I copuldnt be of more help.

Ok, now here is a link to a site where large plans for a republic seabee can be purchased.

http://www.myunclewillies.com/about3.html

This is a Free Flight plan that begs to be converted to R/C.
Wing span 50", length 37"

HISTORY: Republic RC-3 Seabee. The prototype of the Seabee was flown by Republic Aircraft in 1944. Full production did not begin until the end of World War II. Designed and built by the same company as the famous P-47 Thunderbolt fighter of WW II renown, it was the first fully amphibious light or sport aircraft built for private use. Intended as an everyman's airplane, it sold for $3995 in the beginning of its manufacture, but inevitably the price climbed to $5995 before Republic cancelled production. By that time Republic discovered it was costing twice that much to produce the airplane.
Approximately 2500 Seabees were produced.

File $5.00

WING SPAN 46" , CHORD 6.5", LENGTH 37", POWER .10
A nice building project for those who have limited building space, and enjoy float planes. A perfect plane for electric power?
This is a high resolution TIFF file containing 200 x 200 dots per inch.
The file will print a plan 36" x 51".

File $5.00 or 2 gallons of gas! Ya, that's what I thought too.

I hope this helps guys, have a good day,

Greg

**wonwinglo** · 15-09-2006

Greg,I just love the Sea Bee it is a real classic design,can only endorse what you have said Duncan about wood selection,you sort of get an eye and a feel for balsa grades and strength,my advice is to just keep building different models from various plans,the internet is awash with them,and some are really offbeat interesting subjects as well.
There really is no substitute for getting experience under your belt by building,if you make a mistake then you will know next time around,go for that plan,select what you think is the correct grades of wood,and get the building board out,you will not regret the fun and experience.

**GEEDUBBYA** · 16-09-2006

Howdy guys,

Now I am not trying to "pry", but i was looking at Tim Tim's post and his info on the left side of his post and......he doesnt exsist lol. He doesnt even appear in the members list. I clicked on the link to his gallery, and it gave me a v bulletin messege that I should contact the Admin. due to a problem. I tried that to see if one of you guys could answer, but that link didnt work.
Why doesnt Tim Tim show up ? lol

Just call me nosey lol, have a good evening,

Greg

Kiwi · 16-09-2006

Be aware that articles on Uncle Willie appear on numerous other forums and no one has anything good to say about him, basically he rips off plans and sells them from his site, often making out that they are a one off from his own private collection. Copyright owners have contacted and he then comes over all apologetic saying he didn't realise it, but he has done it so many times to be a mistake. Try a search of his name on forums like rcgroups.com. Just be cautious and do some research before dealing with him.

**wonwinglo** · 16-09-2006

Thanks Greg for the usual good detective work and to you Kiwi for the heads up on his activities and alerting us,it does appear that he has somehow bypassed the usual system ?
Perhaps John can check to see what has happened to see if there is a loophole ?
I must admit that the initial post seemed a bit odd in some way,obviously bait to try and catch a mackeral.

frostman · 19-09-2006

Hi this is frostman again, Thanks for the reply on seabee plans.
uncle willies are a copy of RCM plans and not very scale. I am serching for a friend he wants to build a seabee to be powered by a 26cc evolution gas engine, so it needs to be very large. Jerry Bates has plans for a 57 3/4" one expensive. But still not big enough.