I want to build a 200% Clancy Aviation Speedy Bee. At that size it would have a 80" span so a multi part wing would be desirable. This is my first large plane. If sheet wood is 1/8" thick is it 1/4" thick @ 200%? If sticks are 1/8" by 1/8" do they go to 1/4" by 1/4"???
Can the ribs be made of foam "craft board"?

Thanks Francis

There are always lots of material sizeing issues when you scale up models. In this case since it's a Bee type I think you'll get away with a lot of liberties in most places. One area I would go a little overboard on would be the wing spars. The new model will be much heavier and would probably benifit from using oversized spars or sub'ing in a stronger material for the 2x sized dimensions.

Making a take apart wing has a few special needs too. On a Bee the obvious spot is at the dihedral break but there's not a lot of structure out there to work with. You'll need to add bits to ensure the spars carry through the load correctly and that the covering doesn't pull the open structure ribs all out of shape when it shrinks and that theres a decent method for pinning the tip panels in place so they can't move out of alignment. And you need to do all this without loosing the character of the Bee or making it overweight in the wing tips.

For the most part at this size just using 1/4 sq to sub for 1/8 sq is fine as long as you're not planning on using a lawnmower engine. If you stick with the Bee design being powered as though it was a SAM type of old timer that would indicate that you'll be using a 40 to 60 sized engine. For that size using double sized wood will work as a general rule. If you want to use all that wing area to plunk in a 90 to 120 then all bets are off and you'll want to upsize the wood in some areas and use the standard 2x sizes in others. The tail especially will be critical if the engines are pulling the Big Bee around at higher speeds than a normal Bee flies at. Either make them thick enough to handle the loads or consider using functional rigging as a lightweight and high strength option.

This is all pretty general. If you persue the project come back with specific questions and be prepared to post up pics or scans of SMALL areas (for copyright reasons) of the plans to better show what your up against and the folks can help out in more detail.

Thanks for the tips. Depending on the weight it will have a .46 or a .60 (Diesel in ether case) and a large dia low pitch prop. I hope to get my hands on a regular sized Speedy Bee kit soon. I will build it and if the 40" is a winner then it's off to Kinkos I go.

Francis

have built and flown a enlarged Bee to 80",weed eater motor, with an adapter on the wing to carry a Lil Bee and launch it in flight. so far one flight proved it will work. can loan you my plans. it is a reinforced foam construction. let me know so I can start to look for them in the pile of plans. its hanging up so can't tell you its weight. dick

here are couple fotos of my 80" BEE. dick

lets try this

sorry! my computor isn't talking to me this am. will keep trying to send the photos. am a model plane designer/builder 'NOT' a computor person. dick

fyi...rccadparts.deatheep.com is up and running again....sorry about the long downtime

I took my SST .40 to 177% for a 96" wing. The cost for wood was going to be around $300.00, so I went the foam route, and built with 1/2" pink foam, coroplast wing & fuse doublers, .7 oz glass cloth and polyurethane, some scrap 1/2" CDX ply, a little balsa flat stock to firm up the outer edges and PU glue. My airframe cost will be about $50.00. I'll use a 25cc weed whip conversion to fly it. BTW, that's a 48" 'yardstick'.