If you've smacked up your trainer, are handy with tools, and would like to see what it's like to build a plane from scratch and watch it fly, check this out. Very cheap...and one of the funnest projects I ever done with R/C. Flight charicteristics as good if not better than many trainers on the market. There is a lot more about this plane and it's development here
http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...99&forumid=235
And the plans are here
http://www.spadtothebone.com/SPAD/



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Nice looking plane. Spec, Plans ?

Might build one after my chipmonk

Thanks!!!

Plans are at the link in my first post.
TT pro .46
span 60"
chord 14"
weight 5 pounds 13 ounces
length 43"
wing and tail constructed from 4 mm coroplast
fuselage from 3/4" aluminum channel (LOWES)
engine mount made from Wal-Mart kitchen cutting board
landing gear made from 1" x 1/8" aluminum stock (LOWES)
Spar is made from two yardsticks
10 ounce fuel tank
Hitech focus 4 radio

If you've smacked up yor trainer, you'll have landing gear and pushrods and stuff like that, so this plane can be build pretty cheap.
I got the aluminum at LOWES for $9.95
The coroplast is discarded sign board from a local gas station
The cutting board for the engine mount was $4.99 and that's enough to make about 10 engine mounts
The nuts and bolts I got from ACE hardware for a few cents each
The throttle pushrod is coat hanger, and the tail wheel wire I got from ACE for less than a buck. The self tapping screws I got from taking old VCR's and appliances apart instead of just throwing them away. The control horns are made from scrap PVC gutterpipe. The wheels came from other planes in the past and have been on more airplanes than I can count. The axles are also double nutted bolts I got from ACE for pennies. The yardsticks were free from a local lumber store, but LOWES also has them for $.49 cents a piece. The only place glue was used (medium CA) is on the wing build and tacking the control horns in place for screwing. The trim is vinyl sign lettering I got from the local sign shop, ask for scraps...they just throw them out anyways...and it's the same stuff used by the hobby companies to make trim sheets.
The exhaust extension is automotive fuel line and a zip-tie. The servos are held in place with double sided foam tape and zip-ties, the Rx is strapped in place with a zip-tie, the battery is rubberbanded in place, and the "ON" switch is simply the battery plugging into an extension lead. It took me about 3 hours to build the plane, and about an hour to put the stickers on it.

Tattoo,
Theres a small plane hanging in the LHS. The wing and tail are made from something that, as best I can describe it, looks like cardboard with one side of the paper removed leaving the rows of hollow cells exsposed.
Is this coroplast?
I see from your thread that coroplast is available at lowes, I visit there often and want to check it out, what is this product primarily sold for?, what section?
I have an old MDS 38 engine lying around and thought about playng around with this stuff.
Maybe this would be a good plane to stick it on?

Whoops! I edited my post so the coro and aluminum wouldn't be on the same line...coro is not available from LOWES (sorry for the mis-understanding!)...yes it is corrugated plastic sign board, and you should be able to find it in the yellow pages by looking for sign supply shops. It's also what gas station type cigarette and cola signs are made from. It is also available mail order in many different colors...lots of links on the Spad site under supplies in the hints and tips section.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/TipsTr.../tip_index.htm

When you "bend" this around the LE do the hollow cells collapse? When these planes are said to be nearly indestructable ect., is corroplast really that strong, or do you mean its real cheap and simple to rebuild?

Bring a printed set of the plans for the plane when you visit the sign shop. if they think you are goinf to make your own sign... they charge $20 for a 4' X 8' sheet of 4 mm coro. The 4' X 8' sheet should be close to $10.

If all else fails... yo can order the coroplast from Harbor Sales (harborsales.com) $50 worth of coro... shipping to continental US is free. (If its cut to go UPS @ 2 ftX 4 Ft... and watch the flute direction!)
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Its durable. you can sometimes take one of these coroplast planes, drag a wingtip at full throttle knif-edge pass.. pick it up after it cartwheels 50 yards... start the motor and fly again.

Your right, I just called one of our vendors, Signs First, he said a 4x4 piece of coroplast was $10 and 4x8 is $20

Yes!!! All three!

Yes...when you fold the leading edge, you have to weaken or what we call "score" the flutes with something like a small phillips screwdriver...then you can fold it over the edge of a table...and yes, the flutes collapse to make the fold.

There is a flight report for this plane here:

http://www.rcuniverse.com/showthread...71&forumid=235]

Geeze, next they'll be making them out of Play-Doe!

Just kidding! Actually, I think Spads and "Dura" type planes are excellent trainers... especially when your learning to land! It's great to have a plane that you can repair with duct tape!