[CHAPTER III]
A HOME-MADE MODEL AEROPLANE
Model aeronautics has become nearly as popular as kite flying, and girls as well as boys have taken to building these unique air toys.
The model aeroplane requires more work than ordinary kite construction. It also requires more patience and greater accuracy, because each part of the little aircraft must be made just so, assembled just so, and "tuned-up" just so, to produce a model which will give a good account of itself. Of course your first model will probably not be perfect. But if you do your work correctly and carefully it will fly, and the experience you have acquired will make it possible to turn out a more nearly perfect second model.
Many types of model aeroplanes have been devised, but those of the simplest form of construction have made the best showing. The majority of record-breaking models have been of one type—a triangular framework, equipped with two planes, and a pair of propellers operated by a pair of rubber-strand motors. A most successful model of this type is shown in [Fig. 34], and described and illustrated on the following pages. This model has a distance record of 1620 feet made at the Aero Club of Illinois' aviation field at Cicero, Chicago, where it flew 16 feet beyond the fence of the 160 acre field. The model weighs but 5½ ounces, has 9-inch propellers of 27 inch pitch, and is in every essential a speed machine.
Fig. 34.—Launching a Model Aeroplane.
The first part of the model to make is the triangular
Fuselage, or motor base. This consists of two side sticks, splines, or spars (A, [Fig. 35]) of straight-grained white pine cut to the dimensions marked upon the drawing, with their bow ends beveled off for a distance of 1¼ inches, glued together, and bound with thread. The stern ends have a spread of 8 inches, and are braced at that distance by the separator B ([Fig. 35]). This separator is fastened flatwise between sticks A, and its edges are reduced as shown in the small section drawing of [Fig. 37] so they will offer less resistance to the air. This piece is fastened between sticks A with brads. Separators C, D, and E are of the sizes marked in [Fig. 35], and of the proper length to fit between side sticks A at the places indicated on the drawing. They are cut oval-shaped, as shown in the small section drawing in [Fig. 37].