Convict plans in Model Craftsman 1946

[die fliedermaus]

This is a pic of my Convict, built from plans found in The Model Craftsman magazine, March 1946. Original plans were for ff gas.
I built mine at 3/4 scale of the original plans so it has a wing span of about 42'. I just weighed the thing and am amazed it only weighs 16 oz.
Powered by sp 400 on 3.33 to 1 gear drive.
Runs on 7 or 8 cells.
Currently using an 11x7 prop.
3 channel, r,e, throttle.

http://members.cox.net/mjohnson25/34.jpg

[Mike C]

I like the looks of that plane. I think the long nose gives it that going fast while sitting still look. It doesn't look like there is any cross bracing on the back end though. I would think that it would be a fairly quick build on everything but the wing. How does she fly?

[die fliedermaus]

Well, shortly after this picture was taken it went for it's maiden. Short flight and hard (crash) landing.
I thought it was too flimsy back there too and added some bracing. The rudder is a bit bigger now too. I might as well confess about the nose. It is extended a couple inches from the original plans. I didn't think there was any way it could balance without the mod. The original plane had a coil and battery and a gas engine to weigh down the front.
I can send you a scanned copy of the plans by e-mail.
Here's a link to a short video of the first successful flight. Hope you can view it;
Convict's second maiden flight (http://members.cox.net/mjohnson25/Convict.WMV)

[Mike C]

I would appreciate the plans. I have to confess that I have already looked at some of the plan services to see if I could find it. Talk about fate, that cool long nose is the first thing I noted and admired. What kind of wheel are those? Looks like real spokes.
Why did you reduce it from the original size?

[Mike C]

Thanks for the plans!! The longer nose looks muuuucchhh better IMHO. I was surprised at how thin the fuse looks from above. MIght be a great plane to build for flying in the back yard.