Everyone loves Peanuts (unless you’re allergic). Here is my latest. The Bellanca Aries T-250 – a rare model from the ’70s. Cloudbuster Chris Boehm built one several years ago from the Walt Mooney plan. We talked and he wants a bigger one. I said “that sounds great” but I did this one for the upcoming indoor season. (I’ll get to larger version later.)
Now I am working on printed tissue. Two factors here: 1) there were only four built (easy!) and 2) all of the color schemes are complicated.
I built this (and cut laser parts) from light 1/32″ and light 1/20″ balsa – hoping to create something for Indoor that will not have to fly at a million (scale) miles an hour. The ribs and most of the formers are 1/32″. All of the stringers and cut pieces are 1/20″. I did use 1/16″ square for the leading edges and spars.
This Peanut has almost 33 square inches of wing area. That’s not bad for a “normal” airplane (not a racer or other “strange” configuration). In fact, it is more than my Nesmith Cougar or my T.E.A.M. HiMax.
The challenge for me now (beyond the tissue) is to make a light and well-functioning prop. I’m not sure if this will be a stacked prop or a formed prop. I can’t seem to make formed props lighter than carved ones, so I’ll probably go stacked. I’m calculating (mentally) a 5″ or 5.5″ at about 6″ Pitch.
Oh, I’ve got to vacu-form a windscreen – shouldn’t be too hard. With any luck, I can get this flying at around 6 grams without rubber – I hope!
Hi George,
This is a really cool model, I like your version with the built up nose/cowl. Re the prop: maybe blades from a plastic soda bottle, attached to a dowel hub/spar. Tom Hallman has one on his Corona Cougar. Might be a good compromise for gym floor survivability.
Tom also uses thin clear “heat shrink” tubing, heated over a form with a hairdryer, for his canopies/windshields. Looks thin and lightweight!
His YouTube channel has videos showing how he built the Cougar prop, and formed a canopy.