Hey Guys,

I'm an old modeller coming back to the hobby.

Where can I find plans for a 1/2A combat plane........balsa, tissue, dope, plywood engine mount.... remember old skills for an old modeller.

Lobo in West Virginia

Balsa isn't really reccommended for combat. Here are some armoring methods that will help with design.


Fuselage:
1) 2mm Coroplast over the forward half with straping tape applied in strategic areas. Cheapest, easiest and VERY tough.
2) HDPE fuselages, some with foam "caps" to provide shape and cushion. More work and more money, but toughest.
3) Kevlar, Carbon Fiber and fiberglass. Most expensive and most brittle.

Wings:
1) Hardwood or fiberglass-rod spars with strapping tape applied in strategic areas and either tape covering or iron-on covering. Cheapest, easiest and VERY tough.
2) Fiberglass-rod spars, covered with Rip-Stop Nylon (RSN) applied with water-based polyurethane. More work and more money, but toughest.

Hi EL LOBO! I have been building and flying 1/2 A planes out of balsa for the past few years, and they weigh 14 ozs ready to fly. The super light weight means less kinetic energy or inertia in a mid air. If you do have damage, it is repairable on the spot with clear packaging tape and super glue. These planes fly at a nice pace with WASP .061 or NORVEL .061 sport engines, if the speeds are identical between both planes then the mid airs are fewer. I can photo copy plans for you and send them along if you are interested. By the way, we use craft store cellophane to cover the wings, so the cost is less than a buck a plane for covering. The streamers are crepe paper rolls that I bandsaw down the middle to create 1in. wide streamers. 24 to 30 feet works well, dont make the string leader over 6ft or it will yank the plane around when you make a tight turn. I wish 1/2 A flown this way was tried by more people. Ialways have at least to good running set ups here in Arlington for anyone who is in the neighborhood and wants to give it a try.