Hey guys I could sure use some help from the people who do scale aircraft. This summer I plan to build a lockeed electra from AMA plans that they blew up from 35 inches to 70 inches. This is a free flight airplane and I am wondering how to convert it to R/C in the areas of tail wheel and two rudders and how to link them together. I plan to use two Saito 56's but also would consider brushless motors even though the cost would be a lot more I would have a clean airplane at the end of the day and no more windex and paper towels. Any Help Will Be Much Appreciated. Warren in Indio

First of all the original plans are not going to be good for much more than the outlines and cross sections. Assuming you're going to want to sheet the model to act as a base for a shiny finish to simulate the typical polished finish on Electras you'll need to plan on sheeting the whole model. Also you'll need a far more adequitely designed wing spar, provisions for removing the wing yet retaining the fairing, etc, etc. The linkage at the tail will only be one detail and by that time you'll probably be able to figure it out.

But basically you need a pushrod to a multiarmed bellcrank in the tail or mount the servo back there and run 3 pushrods from the bellcrank to the tail wheel and rudders. Depending on how it works out you may be able to lock the bellcrank to a vertical rod that is also the axle for the tail wheel so you kill two birds with one bellcrank.

Bruce:

Thanks so much for the great ideas on sheeting and bell cranks . I thought of removing the wings next to the motors with a carbon fiber spar.

Thanks a million,


Warren