vauxhall

I just printed out the plan, and it looks great. I've built K.W.'s Scorcher and Roaring 20, so I might as well try the Dawg. Any of you guys flying one? Seems as though any engine from 049 to 15 can be used, I'll use my PAW 09 diesel and 3 channels.The article and plan by Ken Willard (on the RCM site) mentions 'em all. Also some great Dawg pics on the VRCS site.

Raymond LeFlyr

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Vauxhall,

Good to hear from you again. I got the Top Dawg plans from RCM and thought briefly about building one but I couldn't decide which engine to put in it. I thought it might make a nice home for my decades old Enya .10.

But then I thought about the 1/2a group that's active around here and had a brain burp about reducing the plan for a Norvel .061 (its about the biggest engine anyone in this group runs). Then I got lazy and build the Sharkface.

So I was thinking that I could do an eye-ball rescale instead of taking it to Kinkos. Kind of keeping it in the Ken Willard spirit but simplifying it a little so I could build it more as a proof of concept. Then it was time for my nap and I forgot about it.

Everyone likes his designs, and his philosophy (if that's the right term), and I'm no exception. I guess its time to build another one of his models.

Anyone have comments/suggestions on scaling it down some? Its OK if you want to tell me I'm wrong. I'll probably just ignore it and go take another nap.

BobHH

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Raymod, its a great flying model. I have a NIB kit and was thinking of kitting it down the road but have put it on the back burner for now. Fact is, if you scale it down too much it looks close to the Roaring 20!

Bob Harris
Early RC Models
www.earlyrcmodels.com

Raymond LeFlyr

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Bob,

We have all commented on some of the "standard" design features of Ken Willards models. It is often pretty easy to pick out one of his designs from the others from that era. So it isn't surprising that scaling the Top Dawg down would make silimar to some other design of his.

I was just considering the pylon-y look of the mid-wing and cowl cheeks. Frankly, I could go with a sheeted wing or built up. I could go with a rounded turtle deck or squared-off. That's what I meant by an eye-ball scaling of his design. I'd have to make some marks on paper before I decided to cut balsa. But I would have tried to maintain his fuselage and wing profiles at a minimum.

But just like you, my back burner has a stack of stuff on it. I'm not holding my breath.

Time Pilot

I believe the Top Dawg was rescaled in an issue of Fly RC as an electric plane. Plans were there too. If you need to know which issue or some specs, let me know and I'll check when I get home.

Lynn S

The Top Dawg was my second r/c plane in the late 60s, so it was rather short lived. I was still trying to learn to fly on my own. I managed to land it in a pond, and I think that was the end of it.
Mine had a McCoy .19 engine with a 3 channel CitizenShip radio. Those metal worm screw drive servo were really large by todays standards.
I would love to have another one and have the RCM plans for it, but not sure if I will ever get around it. (more work involved than a simple series)

Raymond LeFlyr

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Dear Time,

Thank you for your offer to research the scaled Top Dawg. I've got Fly R/C from issue one. And I don;t remember seeing that model. My memory banks must have an excess of sludge that cause lapses. Nothing new I'm afraid.

But in looking through my stack of 1/2a and smaller plans I came across Owen Kampen's Skampy. It has the "look" I was seeking and would require less effort on my part to prepare for construction. It might even qualify for VRCS' list too. Another back burner crisis averted by Procrastination Man. Ta Da.

Mys first R/C airplane was powered by a .19. It was a scaled-up DeBolt Rebel called Gramps. It was a fly away on its first flight. I quit modelling and joined the Army - almost.

Time Pilot

Raymond LeFlyr, might be time to pull out the sludge cleaner.

Take a look at the April 2004 issue of Fly RC. They don't call it the Top Dawg, but the E-Dawg.

Approximate Specs:
length: 32 inches.
span: 40 inches
wing area: 342 inches.
Flying weight of 42 oz.
loading 17.6 oz/sq. foot

Doesn't sound like a 1/2A ship. But the plans are there. Options for aileron and non-aileron ship--enlarge 238% for full size....

dennis

My Feedback: (90)

Had 3 of them in the 60's one was S/C with compound escapements and slightly increased dihedral. 2nd had Rand GG high rate in it. Both of those were TD 049 and Fugi 061 powered respectively. 3rd one was 3 channel World Engines SS analog system with an OSPet 09. This was the most unsatisfactory one. Simply because the weight was really too high for the plane to really excell. Great plane and shame the Ken Willard is no longer with us. Truly a great designer.
Dennis

boberos

Hi All,

Free plans for the Top Dawg are still available from RCM.
We approached RCM last year & they agreed to give away plans for our VRCS one design contest.

Last Feb we had 20 Top dawgs at our VRCS reunion in Springhill FL. Guys built them in a variety of sizes.
At Endicott NY this year we had about 6.

I flew mine with a Medallion 049 & GG but it was rather leisurly, at 28 ounces. A better choice would be an 074 or .10 engine.

Both the TD & the Scampy qualify for VRCS. See partial list at the VRCS website. See also previous threads for more Top Dawg info.

Good luck,
Bob G
VRCS 115

mr_leffe

How do you get one of the free plans?

BMatthews

Skampy? Someone say Skampy? I just had my plans for that one out the other day. What a cutie! I'm thinking that it may be my next rudder only model with a Pee Wee 020.... or should I go for my NIB TeeDee 020...

Andrew

Go to [link=http://www.rcmmagazine.com]R/C Modeler Magazine [/link] -- the information about the plan is on the left-hand side of the homepage, a little over halfway down.

The plan is a limited offer, so I don't know if it is still in effect -- Boberos can likely provide the information.

vauxhall

G'day Raymond, and all other Dawg builders and flyers. As to your request for re-scaling the Dawg.... if you go to the RCM site and download the VRCS article, took me about 40 minutes with my old slug computer, page 8 shows the plan. Get it to "My Documents" and then into Microsoft Paint. Then you can tile print a plan to any size you want. In my case it was 330%, which gave me 36" span, and a match on the scale ruler shown on the plan. You just have to spend some time with the scissors and sticky tape to put your plan together. It's a bit like Bipe Flyers Tile Print, just takes a bit longer to get the size to what you want. If you like I could email the plan to you at 100%, then you could resize it. Let me know. All the best..John
P.S. Love the Sharkface, I started cutting Dawg wing ribs to-day. I build wings first, because its not my favourite part of the project.

Raymond LeFlyr

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Dear Time,

I dug out my Fly R/C back issues and there are several that are missing. I expect that they got in with the piles that were distributed as give-aways at the local airport appreciation day recently. Frankly, it is not a surprise that I don't remember the E-dawg since it was an electric and I probably would have skipped over it. That didn't come out sounding right. I don't object to electrics and have built several since before Astro and Leisure split. Some of the latest generation that I have seen are impressive - they just don't smell right.

ramcfarland

My Feedback: (44)

I learned so called multi channel with a Top flite version of the'Top Dawg kit;Thanks Ken... (Do you all remember the box bottom which was used as a jig for the fuselage? Any way I built a bunch of them. What fun those early flights with the jewel of an engine, the Max 10,with the O.S., ithe Top Dawg was a wonderful flier mild mannered flier. When a Max 15 was installed> you had the beginnings of the so called 'sport pylon event,'pioneered in our club:Prince George's Radio Control Club,by the talented building and flying skills of Joe Solko,whom I deeply respect..Well back on track--- For you who remember the ','kit version: I found it was in dire need of a thin plywood/bard balsa doubler between the fire wall and the bulk head that is at the front of the radio compartment and if memory serves me correctly,the leading edge of the wing rested on. Hopefully for you plans builders of the "TOP Dawg," this area has been 'beefed up.' In closing yet another run off of words.. Can we post some pictures of Ken Willard'd wonderful little plane?Also for those interested I believe I have a 1966 copy of R.C.M. with a field and bench review of the top Dawg,by Bernie Murphy and would be glad to send interested parties copied pages of the article if Radio control Modeler will let me do so.[8D]

aeroscale

Laser cut parts package available for the E-Dawg. www.hobbyhangar.com
Rich