Classic Fundamentals...a tutorial...add rigid and tortional strength with little weight and few parts!

Many of the old designs are typically over-built...they can survive a crash or two. Sig Manufacturing produced a Komet, designed by Maxey Hester, in the early 70's. The model featured a basic box fuselage with a formed plastic turtle deck. I built one when I was about (13) and remember that the fuselage was kind of "twisty"...even with the wing mounted.

In my quest to recreate or build every classic pattern model from the 70's and 80's (not really...just my favorite 20!)...I have built a Sig Komet from a kit I found still in the plastic wrapper based on a "lead" from an RCU poster on Buy-Bay for...$125.00!!!

Adding a functional servo tray- a well designed servo tray will also add stregth. I generally create a card stock template (keep them for future use) to determine placement and problems. The Komet has a funky rear fuselage, it is about 2" wide, so the elevator and rudder pushrods are enclosed and accessible from the rear. Lightening holes remove a little bit of weight, are easily cut with a forstner bit and are kinda cool looking.

The most strength comes from the simple 1/4" x 3/8" square balsa sticks added. Note a 1/2" wide black strip on the fuselage side is a thin piece of carbon fiber ribbon CA's as a stiffener.

The Komet will have an old school Webra 10cc motor, and (3) Kraft wheels (Crank tells me that a pair of 2 1/2" Kraft wheels just went for $62.50 on Buy-Bay!)...very light and a color scheme similar to the original with a Mark Radcliff bias. The model is in line on the covering bench.

Rusty Dose
Team Futaba