FF helicopter

[Bill Mixon]

Hi,

I am trying to find some plans or any info on rubber powered helicopters.
Not a conventional looking heli, but a built up box structure with a two bladed prop at each end. I would like to build one for indoor or light wind outdoor flight, however I am lost as far as how to setup such a model.

Any help appreciated.

Bill

[JCastle]

Bill,
This is one of those pursuits that could easily become a passion. I have no personal experience experience with one of these but I found searching the web on the subject fascinating. Check out this site:
http://home.att.net/~dannysoar/ceilingWalker.htm

[Bill Mixon]

Thanks so much for the link.

I had been looking on the internet for the past week and never found any close to what I was looking for.
I think I'll build one similar to some of the pics in the link. Thinking about using a couple of loops of 3/32" tan II for my motor. The picture you posted shows a model with a lot of dihedral on the bottom rotor or prop blade. I wonder if this keeps it pointed up. I'll give it a try and see how it works.

Thanks again,

Bill

[Bill Mixon]

Well, it worked!

Below is a picture of the model that I built.
Last night (Tuesday) I cut some blade blanks from 1/32" balsa and formed them around a 1.5" dia tube. This morning I built a motor stick for it and put it all together. Motor length is 10" and prop dia. is 9". Motor is one loop of 3/32".
Flew it late this evening when the wind finally calmed some, and was quite pleased with how it turned out. After a few flights I wound it to 550- 600 turns and let it go. It reached a height of approx 100 ft and flight times were in the 45 second range.
Considering the small amount of time I put in this thing I am very happy.
;)

[Terry Lyttle]

Old enough to remember the Jim Walker "Ceiling Walker", that's how old. Used to be that you could buy a CW and fly it in 5 minutes; ARF ain't new. We used to buy them, overload the rubber and see if we could lose them.

If you like I will go thru my OLD magazines to see if I can find an ad...

[steve lewin]

Is that really as simple as it looks ? A prop at each end ? Any tricks to putting it together ? How does it know which end is supposed to be up ?

Can you tell I don't remember these from the first time round ? I could just do with something else silly for the BMFA Nats FF evening to go with my electric Fishface.

Steve

[Bill Mixon]

Hi, Steve

Yes it is as simple as it looks.
I really did not expect it to work as I spent very little time on it. I did'nt bother to balance the props, set correct pitch, etc...
I don't know if there is any trick to getting it to go straight up. Mine will sometimes "wobble" a slight amount, but it does'nt matter as it still heads skyward.
I did put a slight amount of dihedral in the bottom prop(one on the right side of the picture I posted) which is the prop that is glued to the motor stick.
I don't know if this was needed, but other versions(such as the one in the pic that JCastle posted) had it so I used it.
I am going to build a few more and try different things and see how performance is effected.


Bill

[Terry Lyttle]

I have a few plans kicking around, one has a pair of 4-blade props and enclosed rubber, another (maybe!) uses birdfeathers as rotor blades. Hannan published a plan for a single-blade indoor 'copter, these things were popular in the 60s.

Dang! Now I am curious!

[Bill Mixon]

Hannan published a plan for a single-blade indoor 'copter, these things were popular in the 60s.

Single blade? That's interesting.
Do you have a copy of the plans that you could post on here?

Bill

[Fly_joy]

Interesting thread.

Peck Polymers makes a more sophisticated heli kit, although I love the simplicity of what you did.

http://www.mindspring.com/~thayer5/ffpages/models/ff2/penni.html

[Tony Oliver]

I've just sent you an email, but here's another one.

Tony

[Terry Lyttle]

Ad here says AJ Ceiling Walker 25c, folding wing Interceptor 50c, AJ Hornet (hey I still have a Hornet prop!)50c.... but I digress.

The Unicopter was published in AAM in May 73, single blade with counterbalance, SIMPLE frame, paper "fuselage", to be flown indoor and outdoor. I have the plan, but it will take me a couple of days to get it posted.

And the Revolver: complicated to high level, ie, inner fuse drives one prop, driver the other, all free from the fuse & tailfins. Apparently capable of considerable flight times, I never had the interest or inclination to build it.

Still can't find the Feathercopter; from what I remember, 4 feathers from each wing (a crow, I think) arranged in the same manner as your model...

Ain't this fun?

[Sparr]

http://home.att.net/~mybeasts/MatchboxCopter.gif

matchbox (http://home.att.net/~mybeasts/matchbox.htm) helicopter

[BobM]

Originally posted by Fly_joy
Interesting thread.

Peck Polymers makes a more sophisticated heli kit, although I love the simplicity of what you did.

http://www.mindspring.com/~thayer5/ffpages/models/ff2/penni.html

A bit off from your original request, but I think the Penni is a real neat project, and they actually fly like a true helicopter.

According to Dave Livesey's List, http://www.geocities.com/dmlivesay/aam.html the plans for it were originally published by American Aircraft Modeler way back in Jan, 1970. This link has a copy of them in case you want to see what your in for before buying the kit:

http://www.dream-models.com/h/penniFFhelicopter.

How about a rubber powered Piasecki, anyone?

- Bob M

[KnifeEdge51]

Matchbox Models (http://home.att.net/~mybeasts/matchbox.htm)

Interesting stuff. Yet another thing to add to the build list. I think I'll try that matchbox copter first, though. :D

Nick R.

[Bill Mixon]

Thanks for bringing this thread back to life, Sparr

I'm still flying the one pictured in my post above. I've almost lost it in some trees a couple of times, and had it get out of my sight because of the sun once, but so far I've always been able to retrieve it.
When ever I find the time I want to build one that will not ascend so quickly. So that it will just hover steady or climb only slightly.
They sure are a lot of fun.
I wish I could find a source for the bearings or teflon washers. Everything that I've found in the hobby shops has too large a hole through them.

Bill

[Bob Chiang]

I love helicopters, and other unusual models (I'm currently building a model with a spinning cylinder wing http://www.windysock.net/rotorplane.htm )

I built a couple of helicopters (the second to replace one that got stuck high in a tree) with a rolled tube fuselage and stick and tissue prop blades from plans by Stan Budenbohm (sp?). The blades are made on a very clever jig.

In calm conditions it flys like magic. It has generated more interest from the general public than anything else I've flown. It also climbs higher than any of my other rubber powered models except P-30 (maybe I need to improve my other models).

It's probably more suited for indoor because it is relatively fragile and rides very light thermals. You can see a photo here:

http://www.silbert.com/site/meffa/2002/sessions.htm

[KnifeEdge51]

Bill, cut your own washers! make them about 1/16 x 1/16 and push a pin through them for the hole. Then stick the prop (?) shaft through and wiggle it to open the hole up some.

Nick R.

[BobM]

I bought a stack of Model Builder magazines (the pnut plans were my 2nd favorite centerfolds in the 70's ;) from one of the vendors at Geneseo last weekend and came across this plan by Walt Mooney (he must have been a busy guy!). Given that this is the Centennial of Flight, it is interesting to think that a model like this might have been the Wright Brothers' original inpiration. I'll have a larger copy of the plan and the article on my web page sometime soon...

[Rotor Rooter]

This might be of interest;

Helicopter - Interleaving - Rubber-Band Powered Model (http://www.unicopter.com/1508.html)

If anyone does build it, please send me an e-mail. Thanks (jackson.dave@shaw.ca)

Dave