Zero Rufe conversion
 

And now for something completely different. After the success of my Emily I thought I would try something simpler for a change. While cleaning the shed I found an old Pilot 30-sized Zero. I remember that it wasn't a very good flyer. It is at least 25 years old. In keeping with my Japanese Naval Air Force theme, I'm converting it to a Rufe. The pilot I'm naming Hiroo, after Hiroo Onoda, who held out as a guerilla fighter in the Philippines for 30 years after the War.

I’m kind of curious how a single float will work. I had a low wing plane about 15 years ago that I converted to a (single) floatplane. As I recall, the tip floats were just bolted on to the bottom of the wing so it leaned quite a bit to one side at rest. I remember it doing a high-speed taxi across most of Castaic Lake before a wave finally hit at just the correct angle to raise the lower wing and enable the plane to take off. I’m going to use my rule of thumb that the lower surface of the down wing should be parallel to the water to determine the strut length for the tip floats.

Specs are 400 square inches, OS 35 baffle piston engine, weight 58 ounces. No cowling and the top of the rudder is gone. When I checked it out I found that the 1/16th piano wire pushrods to the tail would bow under a compression load. That would explain why the elevator response might not have been all that it should have been. The ailerons needed more throw, also. There was no way to fit the muffler so I made an extension out of an old muffler so the stock OS muffler would clear the firewall.

Out to the field for a check flight. The motor wouldn't run too well at midrange but top end and idle were OK. It did the best snap rolls of any plane I have ever flown! I had trouble seeing the small plane, might be getting too old for this size. When I throttled back in an attempt to slow things down and catch my breath the motor died. I didn't make it back to the runway; you can't stretch the glide in this one.

After repairs I tried again the next week. I finally managed to get a test flight in after much rework of the carb. The lack of an adequate rudder showed in touch and goes and at takeoff where full right was just enough to keep it straight. The full-sized Rufe had the rudder extended to the full depth of the fuselage.

The floats will be made out of foam. The big one is 32 inches long and the smaller ones about 8 inches in length.

I'm concerned about the high wing loading but it's worth a try.

More later.

John in Kalifornia

RE: Zero Rufe conversion
 

Hi, John bigR

have plans to Royal/Marutaka Rufe (60 size) and another (have to check who's version it is),

would copy at cost, if you'd like.

FA

would be concerned about high wing loading and high float loading at this size.

RE: Zero Rufe conversion
 

FokkerAce,

Yes, that would be great. I think I need to build a bigger Zero. Send me a PM or give me your contact information. I've always liked those Royal kits but never was that into scale in the past.

Here's the cut out float blank. According to Andy Lennon's book on design based on the estimated weight of 60 ounces and wing loading of 22 the float should be 3.4 inches wide. I rounded it off to 3 1/2.

John in Kalifornia