Here is a new Short Kit that I’ve been working on. Doing a google search, I found this one-off example of a Cessna 195 that had the radial replaced by a Garrett turboprop engine and the rounded wing tip clipped. Of course, the 195 is a high wing and has no struts at all. So, this created a NoCal that has 56 square inches and a 16″ long fuselage. What great specs for NoCal!
full scale Turbo Cessna 195 – used for skydiving in Brazil
I had been studying indoor guru, Don Slusarczyk’s “Indoor NoCals” page (long off the web, but soon to be hosted here again). I worked with Don to integrate his practices into this kit – we feel that everyone can build this plane with “hobby shop” wood. That is, go to your local store that stocks balsa and find yourself some 1/16″ x 3″ x 36″ sheet wood that weighs about 11 grams or less – this will be about 6-pound wood, and that is what Don recommends.
My build at 6 grams. This fat bladed prop has been replaced with a narrower prop blanks in the kit.
My model weighs 6 grams without rubber and Don’s weighs in at 5 grams. The Short Kit will be laser-cut from this type of wood – nothing greater than 12 grams a sheet or about 6.7-pound wood. I am even including laser-cut prop blanks from 1/32″ sheet and instructions on how to create an indoor prop that will properly fly this plane.
In addition, I have created two tissue print files – one if you have a wide format printer (11″x17″) and one if you only have a normal printer (8.5″x11″). They can be found here with all of my other free tissue print files: https://volareproducts.com/blog/?page_id=2293 Note, all full scale photos show a white wing and red horizontal tail, so only the fuselage profile is included in the print file.
Don’s 5 gram version – built to plan with provided kit wood
Don is writing up his build of his model and posting it in segments on Hip Pocket Aeronautics. You can find the article here: http://www.hippocketaeronautics.com/hpa_forum/index.php?topic=21522.0
We believe that, if you are a modeler that builds small stick and tissue, you can build this kit and have yourself a very competitive Indoor NoCal. You can find the $10 short kit here: https://volareproducts.com/blog/BUY/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_18&products_id=1055 (note, I will start shipping these after the New Year).
Here are three videos that show how this model flies. The first is my prototype, not yet fully trimmed and the other two are Don’s as he has progressed in his testing:
Many thanks to Don for his assistance and advice in this process and for building and proving the second prototype.