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I started building a model of the old "Chief" , the one in the middle, several weeks ago. I got the plans from England off ebay.While I was doing that I read an article on engineered wood on clstunt.com and got to thinking how about and engineered wood profile fuselage. I laminated lite ply and made a maple engine crutch and covered the whole thing with balsa.The model on the right. The wing is a Nobler unit with a different wing tip. The object waqs to make a profile fuse. that is as stiff as a built up fuse. I had a piece of maple from Woodworkers warehouse sitting nearby and I got the idea to make a profile fuse. out of that. The maple is 1/2" thick just right for a profile fuse. I cut out the fuse. core from it and rimmed it with balsa to get the shape I wanted. I then drilled many holes to lighten the thing. I built up the fin and rudder from sticks to save tail weight. Poking more holes in it. I built the wing from the Nobler root airfoil making a straight wing with no flaps to keep it simple. I sheeted the fuse with 1/16" balsa from the nose to just behind the wing and 1/32" balsa from there to the tail. I added a 3/8" balsa tripler to the left side of the nose and 1/16" ply to the right side, where the engine will mount. When I mounted the engine, a converted Fox .40, I drilled two sets of holes so I could move the engine to get the right balance without having to add nose weight. The fuse. on the table shows the fuse. drilled and sheeted on one side. Projected weight, ready to fly, will be around 40 ounces. Pretty light for a hard wood airplane I think. Most balsa planes of this size, .40 powered and 55 inch wing span, come out around 50 ounces. Now I have three planes to paint and cover. On another topic but related, there is a contest in Baton Rouge and the C.D. lives on Meadowwood Dr.
Perry Rose