...but on that one day every 2,300 years the skies of Betelgeuse #4 belong to the Mystery Pushers
 

I had been looking at this for a year or two. But I was moved to build it by a mailing list discussion about how to rig biplanes.

I started with a page from the Norwich Flying Aces Newsletter (Wingers and Wall Bangers). John Koptonak found it, I don't know where, and redrew it for the newsletter. It showed an all balsa version with a 12 inch span that was designed by George Lawrence in 1932. It flies with the propeller in the rear. There is no fin or stabilizer.

The rear, and bottom, wing is rigged with less incidence than its mate. I think of it as a biplane flying wing. Some one wrote me saying it was a tandem. It could be for all of me. My vote is that it works with the Flying Flea slot effect.

I ran the plan thru a xerox machine set to 122% and substituted stick and tissue construction. I did a Lazy Man's 10 Step trim program by gliding it on the bed and found it worked best with the CG under the middle of the upper wing.

At the gym, it flew right off with a long loop of about 0.075" TanII. I never did get it to handle the power burst with any grace. It would do a couple of nerve racking loopy turns (or turney loops) before settling down. But then it would climb in right circles for long steady flights. It recovered well after hitting stuff on the ceiling and then would continue climbing. It flies with less fuss than any flying wing I've seen.

Aside from a couple of desultory and failed experiments with the thrust line, I didn't engage in any effort to improve the flights. I was happy just to watch it. It's a fun thing that attracted a good deal of interest.

I've posted a couple of drawings and some instructions.
"PLANS" &c FOR THE MYSTERY PUSHER (CLICK)

  dannysoar@worldnet.att.net

       Between the pull of their sun, half the size of our own solar system, and their gigantic home world, flight would seem impossible.   But on that one day every 2,300 years the skies of Betelgeuse #4 belong to the Mystery Pushers.    The Betelgeuse float in awe as the whirling twirling twisted wings push apart through their glycerin gassed giant.   The goal: their slow pulsing phoebes.  One would notice, in the cool evening after their exodus, floating down a fluffy dust; not unlike the ashes of the phoenix: but of carbon, cellulose, and latex.

Late night electro-musings or balsa dust withdrawal.

You folk who are looking for high point FAC planes might give this a gander. I can supply a fanciful 3vu cutaway pic that should do fine as documentation.

This is a twin propeller plane. The tractor props are hard to see in the pic.

A plan for this can be found at KLICK

Eut adds. "The spark was supplied by a home made lead/acid cell. The model flew well. It did not last too long as the acid from the battery soon destroyed the fuselage. Elevation of the flying site was 7000 ft (north of Craig, Colorado).

Eut and the hull of the Tern

Eut writes.. "Here is a picture of a model of a full sized airplane I designed called the Tern. It is a tandem, both wings the same size. I have the unfinished hull in my garage."  He made it in the 70's  The scan was from a very faded color print and I did a good deal of restoration.  It turns out that the orange trim should be red. Maybe I'll fix it . But maybe not. Not only is the  idea daring, but the model is impressive. I was working on the image for about 15 minutes before I realized I was looking at a model. He adds.. "The model was built by Jim Hanson of Virginia Beach, VA and was test flown by Herk Stokley. The test went satisfactorily, It was not flown off water, not sure why. This was back in 1972 and my memory is not perfect. I did find some of my files and attach some drawings. Eut also sends a couple of pix of an electric Bernelli,  which may well be posted by the time you read this. Take a chance. go to  Burnellis

dannysoar0