I recently was given a 1958 Jetco Nordic 72 inch wingspan free flight glider kit decided I would build it and make some modifications turning it into an RC powered glider. Decided to add ailerons, rudder, elevator, and obviously throttle. I also increase the cockpit orb to ensure that I can fit all the electrics and more importantly, the battery inside. I also change the aesthetic a little drawing upon a Quasi Moa look. I also took a chance and removed the double wing dihedral, resulting in a flat wing with may be 1° or 2° of dihedral. The livery pattern and colour are intended to be appropriate to the era, drawing upon the livery shown on the box cover.

The build was pretty quick taking about 2 months, fitting the 1200 mah battery in was tight and essential to get correct CoG. I recently finished the build and flew it dedicated to my club mate Jim who recently passed on - hence the call letters JIMBO-TOO and the pilot name of Jimmy D. The Jetco Nordic 72 flies just the way Jimmy would have loved - clean, gentle, smooth, and easy to fly. Makes me remember the good times with him every time I take it out to Fly.

Spit100 (Jon)...Continue Reading

I have found another aerial donkey to construct (although I still plan to do a Snowbird jet soon too) and have to complete my Lloyd 40.08 and the group build Anson with my relatives.

In the mean time. The 1917 Junkers J.1 serial 586/18 sesquiplane is not as ugly as the ones I normally build. In fact, Dave ORCC and I had a good chat about whether this was really an Nugly (nice and ugly) aircraft. He took the position that it was not ugly enough to be Nugly. I explained that it is more Snugly,.....less Nugly.

Look up Snugly up in Webster’s Dictionary and you may or may not find:
“Snugly”, adjective. Used to describe something that is innately ugly in an indirect way. synonyms: subtly ugly. Alternate meaning: somewhat ugly - see also: sufficiently ugly.

The Junkers J.1 (actually manufacturers # J4) ground support and reconnaissance biplane. Nicknamed the Mobelwagen “furniture van", or “Moving Van” or sometimes the Blechesel, or “Metal Donkey” or the “flying tank”, the J.I was very rugged and well liked by its crews despite its clumsy handling, entering front line service in August 1917. What is not to like about an aircraft that was certified with the official name of “Junk 1”!

The J.I was unique because: the enormous top wing spanning more than 50 feet tip to tip; thick airfoil section with cantilevered construction; entirely made of metal frames with corrugated metal covering; fuselage with octagonal cross-section with its front wrapped in an armored “tub” protecting engine, fuel, pilot, and gunner; large rectangular corrugated metal covered tail surfaces; bracing wires not required between wings; almost invulnerable from gunfire from the ground below.

Link to the research, build thread.

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...18-sesquiplane


Jon

I finally started the odd looking 1916 Lloyd Skycruiser 40.08 Austro-Hungarian triplane bomber even though there was only one built and it may never have successfully flown. It is unusual in that it was entirely Finished in plywood including the wings. So this is the start. I had done quite a bit of research a year ago but chickened out because of the swept swallow wings.

I chose 1:15 Scale = Multiply real dims in feet by .8 which gives model size in inches and a nice 5’ 1” wingspan. Still need to do some more research.

I have a build thread here:

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...atch-Build-Fly

Spit100 (Jon)...Continue Reading

Because of the COVID confinement, this was a complicated and pretty quick build. Very happy with how it turned out and flies.

Southfacing got some great flight video too, flying like a DR1.

My build thread is in progress here:

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...-fighter-build

Now to finish the 1922 Barling bomber.

Spit100

Zeppelin DSCN5452 (1 min 20 sec)

I know I have not finished the Barling, and the Anson is a work in progress too, but I couldn’t resist starting the Triplane. Made good progress this weekend. Very challenging and complicated build. Lots of design issues to figure out...

My build thread is in progress here:

https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show...-fighter-build

Jon

Since 2014 I have enjoyed figuring out how to build and fly some odd and Nugly planes. I always have a few in progress on the bench. Anyway, for me, there is no better way to relax than focus on a model.

The models are always semi scale in that I only add significant scale details to make the model feel more scale than they are.

Lately I have been picking scales to end up around a maximum of 72” wing span so I don’t have to disassemble then.

Generally all outdoor or flying photos but my friend Southfacing.

Jon (Spit100)

And a few more scratch and kit builds....see blog post 2 for the other more recent scratch built planes. Outdoor Photo credits to Southfacing....