I bought this airplane a couple weeks ago for $50. It was in a garden shed covered in dust, dirt, cobwebs, bird poop, etc. I only bought it for the engine (Saito), which at the time was locked up tight, didn't even know at the time what size it was. Once home I cleaned it up, and it turned out the airframe was in real good shape. Question is.... what is it?? I think it's a dalotel from the early 80's maybe? W/S is 59.5", (foam) Length is 51". Fixed gear. Engine is a FA 80. This was a kit, have no idea who made it, but sure would like to know.

Anyone familiar with these?

Yes, it flies great BTW...

Yep thats what it looks like to me.

definitely a Dalotel...
I know there's a company in tucson that sells a 59.5" ARC Dalotel... (D&L designs) but it's got a built up wing...
(the one in your pic is 'missing' the trim tabs on the ailerons, but that's certainly a Dalotal empanage, cowl, canopy etc... )
hope it flys as good as it looks

It's a Roga Model Dalotel for sure.

Well... I agree, the Roga looks just like it. Has the foam wing, looks like a formed turtleback etc etc. But the dimensions are off. Metric measurements on mine are w/s-1530mm, l-1340mm. Couldn,t find any information on whether or not Roga made a smaller version.

The measurements on the D & L version agree with mine, but the wing is built up and the turtleback appears to be stick built.

Then again someone may have scratch built this one to for all I know. Whoever built it did a first class job of it, very nice work.

Roga did a few different sizes. The one you have was called the Dalotel 1500 meaning 1.5 meters. I ran a YS 91 AC in mine

Okay, that must be what it is then. Unfortunately the previous owner passed away about three years ago so I was running blind when I bought this thing. I considered it a $50 take a chance locked up Saito.

I just cleaned and waxed it, rebuilt the engine, stuck some old Futaba s148s in it and went out and flew it this w/e. Rock solid in gustly conditions certainly impressed me. The "what the heck ya got there" factor is pretty cool too.

I take it Roga is no longer as I couldn't find anything current on them?

Nothing like it is made anymore. Quite unique, the wings are foam with obechi sheeting. The turtle deck is a molded shell with obechi inner layer and balsa outter. Yes they fly really well. One reason I am scratch building a slightly smaller version. Look in this forum for " Dalotel build." The one pictured was sold but now with classic pattern gaining popularity i wish I had it back.

I certainly appreciate the information. I've been building and flying for 20+ years, recently retired and was thinking about getting something like senior pattern going on around these parts. Looks like a keeper to start off with, and all by accident!.. Kinda looking at that bigger one that D&L has as a kit plus a DLE 20.....Hmmmm.

Again, many thanks.

SRT,

I owned one of the Rogas in early-mid 80's. It was highly endorsed by Hanno Prettner as I recall. Yes to the foam and yes to the Obechi covering of wing and stab. Heavy by today's standard but okay for the day back then, and it took ding resistance to a whole new level. Obechiis tough as nails except extremely grainy and easy to split when working withit. 1/64" ply is just as tough, same weight,but not prone to splits

As I recall, Hanno had cut the wing tips at a 45 degree angle to help with roll couple I suppose. The OP's model didn't have that feature in his wings. If the model was recovered at some point, maybe the owner didn't like the angled tips and cut them off??

Just weighed it.. 6lb 4oz. Didn't think that was to shabby considering that boat anchor of an engine in it and old timey electronics....

Hi,

Röga Dalotel 150 from Röga catalog 1982/1983 below.

/Bo

Very interesting information BEM. I see now what folks are saying about the wing tips being beveled, weight on mine looks good too.

I just got off the phone with Doug at D&L designs expressing my interest in his 67.5 Dalotel. He's currently upgrading the kit he sells, so there will be a delay in obtaining one, but looks like it's worth the wait. I'm thinking a DLE20 w/ retracts would make a interesting combo.

But.... he told me he had a Rogas 1500 NIB he was willing to sell that he used as a prototype for his kit.

Want to venture a guess to who the owner is?

Here is something that I ran across while browsing through some old magazines.

The more one thinks about it, the more obvious it becomes where Hanno's Calypso design hailed from. Fresh off two consecutive TOC wins with Dalo's, Hanno basically shrunk one, changed the vertical, canopy and cowl slightly and, voilĂ*, it became a Calypso. Even the beveled tips on the Dalo, which came from the Magic, made it to the Calypso. The full scale Dalo doesn't have beveled tips (not that I can recall - I'd have to take a look at that 3-view again).

Pictures look familiar?

That Rogas is also a perfect electric candidate! Might just have to copy it. [X(]

Just a minute,... it's already been done by D&L!

David

Jon,

since you're now the proud owner of a vintage Rogas kit, it would be great if you considered having the cowl and canopy replicated. Keith at Park Flyer Plastics is a master at this stuff and is very reasonable and fast. He can work both ABS (the cowl) and makes canopy's from PET. I for one, would be a buyer of at least one set from him.

Given the "flat" bottom fuse configuration and flat sides of the scale Dalo in the wing area, this design would be a perfect candidate for plug-in wings allowing a tuned pipe to be run in a tunnel just like in SRT's scratch build. I'd do electric on it though with that huge removable top deck. Retracts naturally..., electric for electric. [8D]

David

Thanks for the information guys. The cowls are available through Fiberglass Specialties for the 1500 and 2000 at reasonable cost, or I can make my own.

While I haven't been involved in pattern planes, I have a fair amount of experience with warbirds and aerobatic/3D planes gas, glow, and electric. Most are either scratch or kit built, and I can appreciate just about any type of aircraft even if isn't my "thing".

Cool. What about that nice detailed canopy?

David

New canopies are available from D&L for both sizes.

I just completed some tweaking to the fuel system, added some differential to the ailerons, adjusted CG fwd a little etc etc.. Ready to give this thing another go, but we got 3" of new snow, and my skis don't fit....

Rats.