FOD MAN

I ran across this photo a few day's ago, i think this is the best looking old timer i have ever seen. has about a 60" wing span i think, plans are free so i may have to try it. this one is converted to electric but i would go with a glow engine.

Gollywock

Believe its a Weathers "Mystery Man" with a fixed landing gear- Jim

rainedave

My Feedback: (1)

Elbert Weathers, that's it Gollywock. Didn't the original have a take-off dolly that dropped off on take off? SAM prohibits detatching parts in flight so I guess most all replicas have the fixed gear. You'd want fixed gear for r/c, too.

Gollywock

From what I've read, Weathers flew his Mystery Man at the 1938 Nationals and was summarily disqualified for the drop-off gear. Original span was 78". Another one of his interesting designs is the 'Go Getter', which is on my "have to build someday" list. BMJR sells an excellent laser cut 1/2A version of the Mystery Man. Jim

dicknadine

do you have an address for the plans?? am interested. dick

Gollywock

Don't know if they would sell just the plan, bit Klarich, http://www.klarichkits.com/ has hand cut short kits of both the 60" and 78" Mystery Man, along with just about any other old timer. I've put a couple of their kits together and the fit and quality was outstanding. Jim

FOD MAN

the plans can be downloaded free, just do a google search of ken horne homepage.

old git

I felt just the same a couple of years back, it is so elegant, reminiscent of M Fillon's "Champion " sailplane. Elliptical dihedral (when deliberate) is beautiful. I bought a kit or a drawing (age related memory problems) and as I remember it has a mono-wheel half submerged in the fuselage (rather like the Airspeed Envoy full sized aircraft with submerged wheels in the engine cowlings). This was for landing after dropping the dolly.

The designer of the Envoy, Neville Shute Norway was using a retractable undercarriage for the first time and wanted the security of wheels rather than a belly landing if the retract gear failed.

I will have a look see for kit/drawings but it may take some time.





old git----aka John L.


Ain't wheel great no matter how hard the landing, the wheels always survive.

I've boxes and boxes of them!

old git

Hi fodman,

I was right, It is indeed a Mystery Man. designed by Elbert J Weathers. It has, in my drawings, a quoted span of 78" and was designed/published? in 1938. The dyline date is a bit feint.

It shows a 3.5" wheel projecting from the fuselage by about 1.5". In the accompanying photocopy there is an article and small scale drawing with full size ribs shown.

The photocopy seems to be the second part of a description in Model Airplane News? judging by the advertisment for a solid kit of a P-37 for 35c.

The importance of the freedom of the dolly to drop off was stressed. This sounds as if it was similar to control line dollies, two vertical wires into two tubes in the fuselage. There are no details of

the dolly in my drawings.

There is also mention of contest successes for the model in 1938 and even more interestingly, of the value of cash and of the merchandise awards gained by the model in contests.

The drawing shows a Brown Junior engine. I think I bought the drawings from "Uncle Willie" on eBay.

Best of Luck



old git--------aka John L.

old git

Hi Dick,

I am waiting for your reply about whether you want the Koverall shrinking fabric and if you want me to buy more.

By the way I have the 79" Mystery Man plan.See my RCU response.

I think you should think about using eBay for buying things, you can buy sitting at the computer.Tower Hobbies have discounted items and offer inducements for new "on line" customers.

My eBay feedback is now 168+ feedback and over 260 satisfactory transactions, 100 percent score.

Send your snail mail address please. You should have received my letter by now, unless I got your address wrong.

Bye,

John L.