So here's what I have been spending some spare time on lately.

I had been thinking of converting the Dumas 24" GBZ to RC but it just seemed a little too small for what I had in mind and I wanted to have a more scale looking plane. The only solution was to design my own and might as well have it laser cut as well.

Specs are:

Wing Span: 28"
Wing area: 128 sq in
Target wing loading is under 10 oz/sq ft so my target weight is 8.9oz RTF.

Power plant with be a GWS IPS-A gearbox with the Medusa MR-012-030-4000 (4000Kv) motor and a 3 cell 300-350 mah lipo.

I'm going to try using the GWS Pico servos since they are cheap and work very well.

(Feb. 16, 2008)
**** KITS NOW AVAILABLE FROM MANZANO LASER ****

Short kits including plans, canopy and most of the wood (you supply the 1/8" X 1/16" sticks for stringers) are now available.
http://www.manzanolaser.com/index.html

Full graphics sets are available from Callie Graphics:
http://www.callie-graphics.com/

The fuselage took a long time to design but it turned out to be very easy to build and light.

First, the side formers are glued to the fuselage sides.

Sweet project! Can't wait to see how you designed the parts to ease construction. Do you plan to sell kits?

Next, the fuselage sides are glued onto the fuse top and inner former section installed.

We'll need the fin before continuing with the fuselage so here's the tail surfaces all built up. You can see the parts all interlock so they come together very fast.

The fin is glued in place and then start adding stringers. The stringers are all 1/16" by 1/8" balsa. After the side stringers are attached the 1/32" forward skins can be installed.

Next, the aft upper stingers are installed along with the stab filler piece. Then the rear sheeting is installed. This is a laser cut 1/32" balsa part with pre cut lines for cutting out the cockpit hole later.

I'll watch this one with interest.

Steve

The tail skid is glued in place and then the belly stringers are installed around it. Next, the battery hatch is built and sheeted.

The forward fuselage is built up with laminations of 1/4" balsa. these will be sanded to give this section a rounded profile.

Now for the cowl. It's all balsa and just needs a little sanding......Ok, a lot of sanding!

Madrob,

This is coming together really nicely.
Good work,

Longhorn

Nice...I like it!

Thanks guys!

The parts I got from Charlie at Manzano Laser are great. Good choice in balsa weight and the cutting is very nice.

More updates soon.

Rob

This is indeed... schweet!!

Tom