SUB

&S
SEE P
AVE
AGE 4
0

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TECHNIQUE

FLAP-HAPPY!
SPORT SCALE MASTERCLASS PART 13
TECHNIQUE

STRONGER METAL JOINTS

A BEGINNERS’ GUIDE TO BRAZING AND
SOLDER SOLDERING
SCALE SOARING

BRAKE, BRAKE!
AIR BRAKES FOR SCALE SAILPLANES
TECHNIQUE

WORKING WITH THE GRAIN

AUTHENTIC WOODGRAIN FINISH FOR
PLYWOOD SURFACE SKINNING

FOXEY LADY
RUSSIANS
ARE COMING!
De HAVILLAND DH 83 ANTONOV

FOX MOTH An-2

● SUBJECT FOR SCALE
● SCALE THREE-VIEWS
● COLOUR SCHEMES
● IN DETAIL ‘ANNUSHKA’
SPORT-SCALE 50.5” WINGSPAN
FOR .19-25 MOTORS
CONSTRUCTION FEATURE
August 2020
No. 249 £5.99

08

BUCKER Bu181 KORNETT

1:3.5 SCALE 75.5” (1918MM) WINGSPAN FOR .90-1.20 FOUR STROKE ENGINES ● TYPE HISTORY 9 771368 900066
THE ISSUE AHEAD...

Formation...
FLYING SCALE MODELS - THE WORLD’S ONLY MAGAZINE FOR SCALE MODEL FLYERS
ON THE COVER
Rather like a ‘bicycle-made-for-two’,
the De Havilland DH 83 Fox Moth
was very much a Tiger Moth for four,
not least because the design used
major components from the Tiger,
including wings (modified), tail-end
flying surfaces and main
undercarriage. It’s our ‘Subjects for
Scale’ feature this month.

AUGUST 2020 NO.249

4 CONTACT
12 Just for starters

6 SPORT SCALE MASTERCLASS PART 13

All about landing flaps. All types; all the linkages

12 BUCKER BU181 KORNETT

Dr. MIKE HAWKINS FRAeS invites you to try this manageable-
size 75.5" ( 1918mm ) wingspan, elegant German 1930s
trainer for .90 - 1.20 size four strokes. Plans and cut parts set
available.

20 BUCKER BU181 KORNETT TYPE HISTORY

MIKE HAWKINS traces the story of this elegant little one-off
trainer type that the Luftwaffe didn’t want

22 GET TO GRIPS WITH

BRAZING AND SOLDERING
A beginners guide to stronger metal joints

26 ANTONOV AN-2 ‘ANNUSHKA’

50.5" wingspan sport-scale model of the World's last
mainstream mass production biplane, for .19 -.25 cu.in. motors
and 3/4 function R/C
26 34 AN-2 SCALE DRAWING
1:100 scale detail drawings of a big, big, biplane workhorse

36 TYPE HISTORY: ANTONOV AN-2

An aviation anomally that ranks, in useful longevity and bredth
of tasking, with such classics and the Douglas DC-3

42 scale soaring
Chained to the Lockdown building board, Chris Williams makes
an effective, practical set of air brakes for scale sailplanes

46 SUBJECTS FOR SCALE:

DH 83 FOX MOTH
A Tiger Moth for four, and the first aircraft in UK to operate a
commercial service profitably, unsubsidised, so it is said

52 fox moth scale drawing

1:50 three view drawing

54 Fox Moth flying colours

Including the ‘Royal Fox Moth’ once owned
by Edward Prince of Wales.
46 56 fox moth in detail
Close-up study of British civil register survivor G-ACEJ

56 working with the grain

A technique to replicate woodgrain on plywood surface skinned
www.flyingscalemodels.com aircraft like the Albatross WW1 fighters

AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 3

Editor: Tony Dowdeswell
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FLYING SCALE MODELS is published

monthly by Doolittle Media, Doolittle Mill,
Doolittle Lane, Totternhoe, Beds, LU6 1QX.
Reproduction in part or whole of any text,
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liability for errors and omissions.
Advertisements are De Havilland Fox Moth; 1932 design Much of it’s airframe
accepted for publication in FLYING SCALE design was a carry-over from the Tiger moth. Production was
reinstated after WW2 to satsify the continued need for a low-
MODELS only upon Doolittle Media’s cost ‘bush-plane’.
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CONTACT
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nsurprisingly, even people with no interest in aviation are

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Beds, LU6 1QX. In the post-WW2 era that heralded the jet age, with its
Tel. 01525 222573 pursuance of faster and higher aircraft performance, the
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EC1A 9PT operational requirements that the most technologicaly modern
aircraft cannot perform. Two such aviation anomalies well worth
020 7429 4000. considering as subjects for flying scale modelling are dealt with in
this issue.
NEWSTRADE: Select Publisher Services, When Oleg Antonov first proposed what, eventually, would
emerge as the Antonov An-2, it was dismissed out of hand, only to
3 East Avenue, Bournemouth.
emerge,after WW2 in 1947 as an entirely new, post-WW2
BH3 7BW. production biplane for mainstream military and commercial
01202 586848 purposes. More that 15,000 have been built during a production
Email: tim@selectps.com period of more that fourty years that has been the second longest
ever, exceeded, eventually, only by the four engine Lockheed C-
130 Hercules.
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Of somewhat different circumstance, the De Havilland DH83 Fox
Lane, Totternhoe, Moth also transcended biplane-era obsolescence. Designed and
first flown in 1932, Fox Moth production was reinstated in 1945, in
Beds, LU6 1QX.
Canada, where there had previously been Fox Moth production
Tel. 01525 222573. and where there was a continuing demand for the ‘bush-plane’
that the DH83 had previously been for Canadian use.
As for the Antonov ‘Annushka’ as it was affectionately called, it
might be argued that it really is the one and only ever, jet
(c) Copyright Flying Scale Models 2020 propelled biplane. Not in pure jet form admittedly, but in later
Doolittle Media. An-3 follow-on format it had turboprop power which, alter all, is a
jet engine driving a propeller.
The paper used on this title is from Aviation is full of surprises ... you never know what’s coming next!
sustainable forestry

4 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

TECHNIQUE

SPORT SCALE
MASTERCLASS PART 12: CONTROL SURFACES
FIG. 1. OTHER LINKAGE APPLICATIONS
DROOPING AILERONS COUPLED TO FLAPS
Modern computer radios permit all kinds
NOT TO SCALE BUT WITH RATIOS SHOWN 30DEG. OF FLAP DEPRESSES AILERONS 10DEG. of control mixing with infinitely variable
throw adjustment, and many of the
mechanical linkages mentioned earlier
REPEAT TO OTHER AILERON can be consigned to scale modelling
history - the writer is one person who’s
1:1 unlikely ever to use them again.
1:1.5 Nevertheless, there will be modellers who
need to use a walking beam in a project
because their computer radios have
1:1 FLAP DRIVE insufficient channels or mixers to match
1:2 AILERON DRIVE AILERON SERVO WITH DIFFERENTIAL requirements. In which case, making a
FLAP SERVO couple of square inches of paxolin into
mixer cranks and horns is a cheaper
alternative than upgrading the radio
gear!
Before electric actuators became
standard fit in full size aircraft, the walking
REPEAT TO OTHER FLAP beam would be used to adjust the
AND BELLCRANKS elevator neutral to compensate for the
TO AILERON trim change which occurs when flaps or
TO FLAP spoilers were extended, and could do the
same for a model. Or one could use the
linkage to inject a spot of ‘up’ trim when
FIG. 2. lowering an arrestor hook to sit the tail
down and help the hook to engage; on a
full-size Grumman F3F, the pilot would
TO ACTUATOR have wound in some stabilizer up-trim at
ARTICULATED ROD
BELLCRANKS his stage. I have already mentioned the
drooping ailerons on the Miles Messenger
and Bf 109. Many other aeroplanes have
this feature (e.g. Auster AOP9, Fairey
Flycatcher, Fieseler Storch, Helio Courier,
Bf 110, Westland Lysander, not to mention
many modern jets) and a walking beam
derivative, using right-angled bell-cranks,
would duplicate the full size mechanism,
EPOXY SECURELY as depicted in Fig 1.
IN PLACE A suitable ratio of aileron droop to flap
droop appears to be 1:3 on the full-size,
ALUMINIUM
SLAT SHOWN and would be a good starting point for a
RADIUS ARMS
OPEN model. Finally, we said earlier that if we
planned to have retractable slats, we
RADIUS ARMS would have to arrange for them to drop
slightly as they emerged from the wing l.e.
in order to achieve the correct slot profile.
Figure 2 shows a linkage patterned after
that of the Bf 109. In a model one could
RADIUS ARMS arrange for a servo to operate slats, the
OPEN AND LOWERED CLOSED
servo being activated by a computer Tx
A DIAGRAMMATIC MOVING SLAT LINKAGE mixer when the flaps were lowered, or
wired in series with a pair of micro-

6 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

switches actuated from the flap linkage. FIG. 3A-C.
When the flap deflection was equal to or
greater than, say 10o, the slats would
move fully out, and as the flaps were
raised to less than 10o deflection, the slats
would move fully in again, and the pilot
would have to be ready for trim changes. A. INBOARD FLAPS
Note that I have mentioned these ideas
not as contest-winning gimmicks, but as
practical suggestions to complement the
flying fun to be gained from really
controlling one’s model at all phases of
flight. Provided one is careful to avoid
backlash in all linkages, one could spend
hours just taking off and landing with the
thrill of seeing it all happen:
undercarriage down, flaps, slats, and a
gentle steep sink to a three pointer, open
up, reverse the procedure and go round B. DROOPING AILERON PLUS FLAP
again.

FLAPS
One of my interests lies in exploring
landing flaps and their effects. However,
many modellers avoid fitting working flaps
to models of planes which used them for
real, which is a pity, because flaps are a
boon; they are lots of fun to set up and FLAP
use whether you fly heavy or lightly AILERON
loaded models, and their benefits show
up really well on low drag aeroplanes, ie
NORMAL AILERON
most monoplanes. NEUTRAL
On a real machine, full flap provides NEW
AILERON
extra lift and just as important, extra drag, NEUTRAL
to permit steeper slower landing
approaches with a shorter rollout than is
possible in ‘clean’ configuration.
Moreover, during a flapped landing
approach with a model, the extra lift and
drag makes the controlling of height with
engine and speed with elevator far easier
than without flap, improving landing
precision. Flaps are of particular benefit to
modellers who fly from mown strips C. FLAPERONS FLAP LAYOUTS
surrounded by long grass, facilitating
proper STOL techniques, and they also
ease landing a model in gusty conditions. PHOTO 2.
Three position flaps are the most
versatile, the settings being ‘up’, ‘slightly
down’ for take off and circuit bashing,
and ‘fully down’ for landing. However, 2
position ‘up down’ flaps are perfectly
adequate for discovering their benefits
and having fun.

FLAP LAYOUTS
There are 3 main landing flap layouts (Fig
3). First and most common are flaps
located inboard of the ailerons.
Second are the machines which have
inboard flaps, but which also droop the
ailerons when the flaps are lowered (Fig
3b). Examples include the Stuka,
Devastator, Bf 109, Messenger, Gemini,
and Storch. By contrast, the Handley
Page HP 88 swept wing ‘T’-tailed research
jet of 1951 raised the ailerons by some
15deg when the flaps deployed, to
counteract the nose down effect of its
Fowler flaps. The VC 10 airliner (also a ‘T’-
tail machine) did the same, showing that
this “crow” set-up, beloved of R/C soaring
fans, is not restricted merely to model
gliders!
The third flap system (Fig 3c) is where
strip ailerons can move up and down PHOTO 1: Paul Mitchell’s Westland Whirlwind sports true-scale Fowler flaps, shown here
together control-line style as flaperons, as depressed.

AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 7

PHOTO 2. PHOTO 3.

PHOTO 2: THere we see the flap hinge in the port nacelle... PHOTO 3: ...which is normally concealed within the grp nacelle fairings.

FIG. 4. well as in opposition, the KZ 8 and

FLAP STYLES Akrostar being well known examples. This
configuration is very convenient for
model use, and your author used
flaperons on his CAP 21, 232 and Haigh
Superstar with great success for both
PLAIN FLAP manoeuvring and landing. The Fairey
Flycatcher and IIIF bipes used drooping
full-span ailerons as ‘camber-changing
flaps’, and modern computer radios

SPLIT FLAP

SLOTTED FLAP
PIVOT

Paul displays is beautifully crafted 6ft

span Whirly.
MILES & JUNKERS AUXILIARY AIRFOIL FLAPS

FOWLER FLAPS
SLIDES ON RAILS

FAIREY-YOUNGMANN FLAP
COMPLEX
SCISSORS
LINKAGE

ZAP FLAP

PIVOT SLIDES
Ron Laden lofts his Bronco to show us
the 4-section plain flaps.

8 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

PHOTO 4. PHOTO 5.

PHOTO 4: Flaps closed... PHOTO 5: ...and deployed. PHOTOS 6 & 7: Slotted flaps as on this sport scale twin can use aluminium, grp or tufnol
hinge brackets, with nut-and-bolt hinge pins. Note the aerofoil shape of the flap.

PHOTO 6. PHOTO 7.

The Byron kits Corsair featured the 3-piece slotted flaps of the full size plane.
 FIG. 5.

FLAP HOUSED

FLAP PARTLY EXTENDED

A Brian Taylor Mustang shows its

faithfully reproduced plain flaps.

would make short work of duplicating

these with one servo per moving surface.
There are numerous flap styles, (see Fig
4), including plain flaps, split flaps, slotted
flaps, Junkers and Miles auxiliary airfoil
FLAP IN LANDING flaps, Fowler flaps, Fairey Youngman flaps
POSITION (Fig. 5), and Zap flaps (Fig. 6).
If one finds the thought of replicating
45
MAX the complex Fowler flap linkage
daunting, don’t worry - one can simply
settle for split or plain flaps, which on a
sport scale model will be entirely
adequate for enhancing our flying
FAIREY-YOUNGMANN FLAPS USED ON GANNET. WHEN THIS LOT
OPERATES ANOTHER SET OF PUSHRODS ADJUSTS THE TAILPLANE enjoyment. Interestingly, the DH Hornet
INCIDENCE TO CSANCEL VARIATIONS IN LONGITUDINAL TRIM! began life with Fowler flaps, but changed
to split flaps before series production
began. The reason for the change was
excessive nose-down couple when the
FIG. 6.
ZAP FLAP SYSTEM USED BY BRIAN TAYLOR ON FAIREY FULMAR Fowlers were deployed making it difficult
to lower the tail enough for landing -
PUSHROD especially vital for getting the tail hook to
PUSHROD engage the arrestor wires on carrier
landings! Changing to split flaps cured this
problem.
FLAP HORN Several photos here show examples of
modellers’ renditions of the various types
of flap, in the hope that readers who
have never tried flaps will be encouraged
LINK to have a go. I’ll discuss the setting up
SLIDING GUIDE and use of flaps in the flying section of this
series. ■

With all four landing flaps extended (one not quite fully!), a large Whilst this Stuka has operating flaps, its builder fought shy of drooping
scale Gladiator whispers in for a smooth landing. the ailerons too, due to fears of tip-stalling.

10 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

SQUADRON
BOOKS
AIRCRAFT IN ACTION - SOFT COVER
1200 Fairey Firefly in action
1204 Early MiG Fighters in action
1224 F-84 Thunderjet In Action
10211 P-51 Mustang in Action
10216 F6F Hellcat in Action
10219 B-17 Flying Fortress in Action
10220 F4U Corsair in Action
10221 B-25 Mitchell in Action
10222 P-38 Lightning in Action
10225 TBF/TBM Avenger in Action
10227 B-29 Superfortress in Action
10228 B-24 Liberator in Action
10235 SB2C Helldriver in Action
10236 SBD Dauntless in Action
10238 A-20 Havoc in Action
10241 F-105 Thunderchief in Action
10242 A-26/B-26 Invader in Action
10243 Messerschmitt BF 109 in Action
10246 A-1 Skyraider in Action
10248 CH-47 Chinook in Action
10249 UH-1 Huey in Action
10263 UH-60 Blackhawk in Action

WALK AROUND SERIES - SOFT COVER

5549 OV-1 Mowhawk Walk Around
25043 Messerschmitt Bf 109G Walk Around
25056 Spitfire (Merlin) Walk Around

WALK AROUND SERIES - HARD COVER

65043 Messerschmitt Bf 109G Walk Around
65056 Spitfire (Merlin) Walk Around
65070 Heinkel HE 111 Walk Around

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PLAN FEATURE

BUCKER
Bu182
KORNETT
Dr. MIKE HAWKINS FRAeS invites you to try this manageable-size 75.5" ( 1918mm ) span
elegant German 1930s trainer for .90 - 1.20 size four strokes

12 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

P
reviously, I built a Bucker 180
Student to 1:4.5 scale, which flew
rather nicely and is already
available in the FSM plans range.
Subsequently, I made the rather
smaller, single seat Bucker Kornett using
built-up-structure balsa wings instead of
balsa skinned foam cores. These work
equally well and do not flap quite so
much when flying through turbulence.
The wings split for transport and the
Kornett flies just as nicely as the Student.
The original (full size) aircraft was
designed for simple, cheap construction
with minimum of double curvature, which
benefits the model; oh for the simple life!
The same Enya 90 or 120 motors, as were
used in the Student are used for the
Kornett. They would make a nice pair, if
only the Student had not succumbed to a
radio failure sometime back, during a visit
to USA after I flew it at a Scale Meeting in
Las Vegas.
These days, airlines have long since
been tolerant about taking large model
crates as passenger-checked baggage. It
was fun while it lasted!
Incidentally, queries that I have
received regarding some other of my
models in the Flying Scale Models range,
would suggest that some experience
building scale models from kits or plans is
advisable before tackling a fairly major
project such as the Kornett.
OPTIONS
The wings split in the middle into 38 in.
sections for transport and it is necessary to
remove the undercarriage legs to do this.
If transport is no problem, then the wings
could be made in one piece (e.g: you
drive a container truck). Practically any 90
or 120 four stroke engine should be
suitable to power this model.
Flaps are fitted, but were by no means
necessary on the original full size aircraft
so these could safely be omitted on the
model. The model balances as shown, but
with batteries, wires and magic, could
well use electric power. However, they
DON’T sound right (he mutters into his
beard)!
The model may be built with closed or
open cockpit as you wish. Note, with an
open cockpit your cockpit detail has to
be more carefully done!
AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 13
CONSTRUCTION
My way of doing it. Yours may be better.
1: Fuselage.
This is made in three sections, which are
then joined together.
Old fashioned engine bearers are used
in the nose, as these give strength and the
right thrust and downthrust can be built in.
I use 6-32 x 1.25 in. truss-head bolts and
captive (T) nuts to mount the motor in the
bearers. The tank box is ply, as are the
front side fuselage panels, while the
battery tucks in between the bearers.
The mid fuselage section is from 1/4 in.
balsa sheet and allows for fabric covered
side panels above the wing.
The rear section uses conventional
formers and stringers, spliced together
with the nose stringers, over F4. 1/4”
square spruce for stringers is very hard to
find now. Do-it-yourself shops sell 1/4 x 2in.
x 12 ft. laths which can be cut down to
1/4” square with a small (e.g. Dremel)
circular saw; not as strong as spruce, but
stronger than balsa.
Install polythene tubes as leaders for the
Basic, unskinned wing panels, showing the landing flap panels.
Here the fuselage components have been assembled and brought
together with the fin and tailplane.
rudder cables and push-rod snakes for the
elevator and tailwheel. Join the three
parts together and the upper nose and
rear fuselage section can be planked with
3/32” sheet balsa, but using ply panels to
support the tailwheel.
The nose cone is fibreglass, about 1/8”
thick, say four or five layers of 2 oz. cloth. I
used the same Plaster-of-Paris female
mould as for my Student.
2: Tail.
The horizontal stabiliser is sheeted, top and
bottom, with 1/16” balsa. The fin is fabric
covered and the rudder and elevators,
fabric covered over a 3/32” balsa core.
Rectangular ribs are used, planed down
to section after construction.
With the Student, the tail was
detachable to allow the model to be
packed into a crate. I have not done this
with the Kornett as I see no prospect
(under present airline conditions) of
transporting it in anything other than my
Mitsu van.
The stabiliser is mounted on 1/4” balsa
strakes attached to the side stringers but
should not be glued in place until the
wing also can be lined up with the
fuselage.
3: Wings.
With 1/2” balsa leading edge, 1/4” square
mainspars and 3/8” balsa rear spar, the
wings are strong. The leading edge is
planked with 3/32” balsa and spar webs
14 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020
Fore, aft and centre section components of the basic fuselage frame.
Fuselage mated to the wing, which is now fully skinned, with ailerons
and servos installed.
are fitted between all ribs. The centre
section is planked and capping strips used
on open ribs.
Jigging tabs on each wing rib ensure
that the wing, built on a flat board, will
have the correct degree of washout.
Pack up the spars to fit.
The wing joining rods are 5/16” ground
dural rod, sold in 12 inch lengths by KS
Engineering. 5/16” carbon fibre rod would
do or 1/4” steel if available.
The flaps are made from 1/8” ply, with
nylon hinges into scrap balsa. Because of
the dihedral break at F4, the flaps are not
quite in line with their pushrods. The horn
moves in a 1/16” ply box to allow
alignment.
Ailerons are built on a 3/32” balsa core.
Aileron servos are mounted on the
removable hatch on the lower surface so
access is possible. (Build them in with no
access and you will need it, as sure as
eggs have little chickens in them.)
4: Undercarriage.
The undercarriage legs sit one behind the
other in a slot in a hardwood bearer in
each wing. These are held in by two
aluminium cover plates screwed to the
bearer. The best way to cut the slot to fit,
is with a Dremel type circular saw.
Brass plates are soldered to the legs to
take the upper leg fairing and the lower
semi-spat. The fairing is built around the leg,
stuck to the tab with Evostick or similar
glue. The spat is bolted to the lower tab.
The fairing and spat are not stuck together.
I found a suitable fibreglass moulding for
the spat in an old ARTF kit, but you can
carve polystyrene waste moulds, (blue
foam is best), and mould your own with
three layers of 2 oz. glass cloth. I used the
same 4 in. Dubro pneumatic wheels as on
my Student.
Steel wire varies from fairly soft to as
tough as titanium. Using soft wire will
mean that the legs will tend to ‘retract’ as
the model lands. Not good ! With harder
wire, it may be necessary to heat to dull
red in order to bend the wire. After
bending, the wire should then be
tempered by heating to brighter red and
plunging into cold water. At first, I did not
do this properly and had to straighten
each leg after the first few landings. It was
necessary to remove the legs, cut off the
fairings and re-temper the top leg bend.
The fairings were then rebuilt and so far all
is well.
5: Engine.
As with the Student, the model flies
equally well with the Enya 90 with a 14 x 7
or the 120 with a 15 x 6 or 14 x 8 propeller.
The cooling vent under the front
fuselage is non-scale, but allows
adequate cooling for either engine. A
remote plug connection is advisable and I
use a mini-jack plug on the battery and
socket mounted in the cowl. The tank is a
10oz or 12 oz Sullivan, slid into its tank box
from the rear.
 CUT PARTS
SET FOR THE
Bucker Bu182
KORNETT
Get straight down to construction without delay!
This month’s full size free plan feature is supported
by a laser-cut set of ready-to-use balsa and
plywood components. This provides all the parts
that, otherwise, you would need to trace out onto
the wood before cutting out.

IT DOES NOT INCLUDE STRIP

AND SHEET MATERIAL OR
SHAPED WIRE PARTS

Price £110.00
plus carriage: £11.50 (UK); Europe £26.00

Order set CUT/FSM545

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BUCKER
Bu182
KORNETT
Full size copies of this three
sheet plan are available from
Flying Scale Models Plans
Service,
Doollittle Mediia, Doolittle
Mill, Doolittle Lane,
Totternhoe, Bedfordshire,
LU6 1QX. Tel 01525 22257

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Price £22.50
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Order direct from:- Doolittle Media, Doolittle Mill, Doolittle Lane,
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enquiries@adhpublishing.com.
Wheel spats for prototype model were canibalised from ARTF kit. It's really beginning to look like an aeroplane now! The fuselage is
Otherwise need to be moulded or carved from block balsa. fully skinned, tail feathers all in place, engine cowl all done and the
main undercarriage fitted.

ENYA 90 four stroke installation. Note jack plug socket for ignition Radio and fuel tank installion in the fuselage. Plenty of room there.
connection.

6: Radio.
I am using Futaba 2.4 GHz, six channel
with five standard Hitec servos and a
retract servo on flap, set to give 45° on
‘down’.
7: Details.
There is not a lot of surface detail on this
aircraft. A fuel sight gauge and filler cap
from a toothpaste tube grace the nose
cowling. The wing root fairings are single
curvature and made from thin ply.
A tread panel on the right wing root is
made from wet-and-dry paper with a thin
aluminium edge and some small screws.
8: Covering and finishing.
Balsa sheeting is used where the original
aircraft is ply and fabric where it is “mit
Stoff bespannt”.
I used some old American Super
Coverite fabric which has been in my
stock for a while and turned out to be a
bit short on ‘stickum’ when finally used. In
spite of a dab or two of Balsaloc, the wing
covering started to separate when I first
tried a few aerobatics as is shown in Kuhn
Sukasom’s photo. It is now stuck down
again, but there are alternative adhesive
backed fabric covering materials
available now that Solartex has gone for

16 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

 Tail end detail. The rudder-to-servo link is via closed loop cable.

Silencer exit and cooling vent under

the nose.

Male and female moulds with the glass

fibre nose cone.

good - more’s the pitty! Oratex is one

example.
The sheeted areas were finished with
3/4 oz glass cloth brushed on with two
coats of either Polyurethane or Acrylic
water based varnish. This gives a good
surface for paint with only a little sanding
and is reasonably ‘ding’ proof.
There is not much choice of colour Cockpit canopy easily made from flat acetate sheet.
scheme since only one aircraft of the
type actuallt flew. The model was
painted with spray-can acrylic paint.
‘Mist Grey’ is about the right colour for
RLM 63 grey.
The swastika and registration letters
were cut from adhesive vinyl sheet. See
the photographs for lettering positions.
Fuel proofer is not available in Thailand
where I’m resident, but I use
Polyurethane furniture varnish thinned
with lacquer thinner and sprayed on with
some commercial ‘matting agent’
added to take off the hard gloss

FLYING
Oddly enough, the Centre of Gravity
came out just where it ought to be
without any ballast necessary (water ran
uphill that day!).
After all the usual and proper pre-flight
checks I opened the throttle - and the
model tipped onto its nose. Anyone
need a 13 1/2 x 6 prop?
I tried again, opening the throttle

Only tricky part of the engine cowl is the nose-cap, mould it in glass fibre. Remaining panels
are single curvature.
 gently with some up elevator to start with,
at which point take off was brisk and
straight. The model climbed out and was
stable with no trim adjustments needed.
On the second flight I tried a roll and a
loop but Kuhn Sukasom’s photos showed
that the wing covering was lifting.
Flap was selected for landing and
caused a nose-up trim change. With flap
down the landing was slow and short with
a high angle of attack using a lot of up
elevator. Computer transmitter gurus
could dial in a little down elevator with
flap.
I have yet to try spins, but with the very
large rudder there should be no problem.
I have flown the model at a Club
Meeting where, apart from the fact that
nobody knew what it was, it created
favourable interest. If any of you should
decide to build a Kornett, please do not
hesitate to contact me at
Nose air intake, slightly enlarged from true scale, is enough to keep the ENYA 90 four mikeh@samart.co.th if you have any
stroke engine cool. problems and also let me see a picture or
two when all goes well.

Acknowledgement: I would like to

thank Kuhn Suasom Hiranpahn, for his
patience and beautifully clear
photographs that appear in this
feature. ■

Detail of the main undercarriage, showing the shape of the spats and fairings.

Detail of the main undercarriage retention plates under the nose.

 open up the throttle
Hold in some up-elevator and
Mike prepares for maiden flight.
slowly! Designer

AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 19

TYPE HISTORY
BUCKER Bu182
KORNETT
MIKE HAWKINS traces the story of this elegant little one-off trainer type
C
arl Clemens Bücker was born
on 11 February 1895. With
the rank of Oberleutenant zur
See, he served as a pilot with
the Imperial German Navy
during World War I.
The 1919 Treaty of Versailles forbade
aviation in Germany, so he went to
Sweden and flew as a test pilot. There he
founded Svenska Aero AB, built Heinkel
floatplanes under licence and then went
on to develop his own aircraft.
Subsequently, in 1932, he sold the
company to Swedish Railway Workshops
where it became known as SAAB, still very
much in business today, selling fighters to
the Royal Thai Air Force (amongst others).
With his Swedish chief designer, Anders
Andersson, he moved back to Germany
where aircraft construction was starting
and their first production, the two seat Bü
131 Jungmann was an immediate
success. This was followed by the single
seat Bü 133 Jungmeister, which set a
world standard for aerobatic flying.
Nose section on the enclosed cockpit version.
20 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020
Incidentally, all Bücker’s aircraft were
named after Naval Cadet ranks. He died
in 1976, aged 81.
There followed the Bü 134, a high wing
side-by-side two seater, rather like an
aerobatic Piper Cub, but it was not a
success and thereafter, the Bü 180
Student was a two seat light aircraft that
made a number of long distance
international flights, although the newly
emerged Luftwaffe showed no interested.
Next, Andersson came up with the Bü
181 Bestmann, a monoplane side-by-side
trainer to supplement the Jungmann. It
was flown by General-Luftzeugmeister
Ernst Udet and ordered as a standard
trainer for the Luftwaffe. Production
continued in France, Sweden and Egypt
after World War II.
Meanwhile, Anders Andersson designed
a single seat version of the Student , the
Bü 182 Kornett as a low cost advanced
fighter trainer. Bückers were developing
their own 80 h.p. motor for this aircraft, but
as it was not ready, a Czech 60 h.p.
Walther Minor engine was fitted. Four
were built, but as far as is known, only the
first one flew. It was reported to have an
excellent performance and full aerobatic
capability. Perhaps to make it more
resemble the Bf 109, it was fitted with flaps
and possibly, as an afterthought, a poorly
fitting and sideways hinged cockpit
canopy.
However, it was, by later standards, an
‘ultralight’ with a flying weight of 450 kg.
(990 lbs) and only 60 h.p. The
Messerschmitt to which the pilots would
progress, had 5.6 times the loaded weight
and 17.5 times the power! Small wonder
the Lufwaffe decided to stay with the
excellent Jungmeister.
Perhaps the secret of the performance
of the Bückers was Andersson’s ability to
design for maximum strength for minimum
weight, with crisp and positive control
action. In addition, the wing design of the
monoplanes feature a bi-convex section
at the root, changing to a mildly
undercambered section at the tip
During Nazi era, even German civilian
aircraft carried a prominent Swastika.

Look no hands Mum! The open-cockpit version of the Kornett - clearly a nice stable aeroplane
to fly, but nevertheless very aerobatic.
together with 3° of washout. The trailing
edge of the wing was upswept at the
fuselage junction by a dihedral break just
outboard of the centre section. This fitted
the wing to the lower contour of the
fuselage and provided a more elegant
solution than the inverted gull
arrangement used by the Klemm
Company, a concurrent supplier of trainer
aircraft in Germany at the time.
The tip section gave predictable and
vice-free handling under ‘g’-loads when
close to the stall and is perhaps a reason
why the postwar Zlin aerobatic aircraft,
which used this feature, swept the board
at international aerobatic competitions
during the 1960s.
A friend of mine who flies aerobatics in
full size and model aircraft told me that he
had flown the Bucker Jungmann and that
it was his favourite aircraft, because the
control response was so crisp and positive.
On March 16th, 1943, the German Air
Ministry issued an order that, as an
economy measure, many second line
Final fate! Down and out in an allotment patch.
and captured aircraft should be
destroyed, including examples of the
Student and the Kornett. Clearly however
there were survivors because well known
Royal Navy test pilot, the late Capt Eric
‘Winkle’ Brown flew and tested a Student
just after WW2 at a time when he was
involved in evaluating captured Germany
types (his command of the German
language being a considerable asset in
that task).
Andersson meanwhile must have
ensured that the one-and-only Kornett
survived the ‘cull’, for he continued to fly it
for his own enjoyment, having removed
the cockpit canopy. One day, he took off
from the Bücker airfield at Rangsdorf and
the engine cut as he crossed the railway
at the perimeter. The company test pilots
had advised him that, should this happen,
he should not turn back, but go straight on
and make the best landing he could. This
he did, colliding with an apple tree and
ended up in a gardening allotment with
the undercarriage and left wing torn off.
AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 21
SPECIFICATION
Span: 8.6 m/28 ft. 3 ins.
Length: 6.67 m/21 ft. 10 ins.
Loaded Weight: 450 kg/990lbs.
Top speed: 205 kph/127 mph.
Never exceed
speed: 400 kph/250 mph.
Landing speed: 90 kph/56 mph.
Range: 760 kms/460 miles.
Construction
Wing: Plywood sheeting over the front
“D” box, back to the mainspar. Fabric
covering over the rear section.
Flaps inboard of the ailerons. Rotate to
45° for landing.
Fuselage: The nose is welded steel
tube structure to the rear of the
cockpit. This is covereed with metal
panels except for fabric covering for
the panel above the wing. The rear
fuselage is a plywood monococque.
Tail: Plywood covering for the
horizontal stabiliser, otherwise fabric
covering.
References
1) Die Bücker Flugzeug. Erwin Koenig.
NARA-Verlag 1987.
Photos, drawings, descriptions in
German and English.
2) The Aeroplane Spotter. 10 February
1944 (my copy !)
One of the allotment holders offered him
some coffee and at this stage he found
that the main fuel cock was still at the
‘Off’ position. There had been just enough
fuel in the line to get him that far.
‘The Law’ then arrived, probably on a
bicycle as it was war-time. In what was
possibly the fastest accident investigation
on record, he remarked “Thank you. This is
bad. It is also stupid. You are fined three
Reichsmark !”
And that is the end of the Kornett story! ■
TECHNIQUE

GET TO GRIPS WITH

BRAZING AND SIL
JOHN STROUD OFFERS SOME ADVICE TO THOSE WHO NEED SOMETHING STR
1

Y
ou do not get very far in
aeromodelling if you cannot soft
solder. Soft, conventional
soldering, using standard
Multicore solder meets most
general needs using different sizes of
electric soldering irons for a wide variety
of tasks, but when confronted with a job
that demands real strength in a soldered
joint a quite different technique using
quite different equipment is required.
2 4 Before you resort to changing the
design or buying something that is not
quite what you need, it is far better to
learn to make that stronger metal joint. It
is not as difficult as you might think and
not particularly costly either.
Ordinary soft solder, used by plumbers
and electricians, requires modest
temperatures and usually employs a
soldering iron or sometimes ‘sweating’ a
joint with a blowlamp which, in the latter
case, can also easily ruin the joint by
making it too hot. There is also a type of
silver solder that can be used with a
normal soldering iron. I have one called
‘Stay Brite’, from the Harris Products Group
which comes as a kit and I use it for items
made in thin sheet metal; great stuff -
stronger than normal solder and it flows
beautifully. Look it up on the web.
The big difference with a brazed joint is
that one must use the flame from a blow-
lamp to reach the much higher
temperatures required, usually over 600
3 5
degrees centigrade. That’s very hot, but
always below the melting temperature of
the items to be joined. (As opposed to the
technique of welding.)

THE TOOLS REQUIRED

For most modellers, the only tool to be
bought will be a blowlamp or torch. These
days, everyone uses a liquid gas fuel,
although the old fashion paraffin burner
will work if you are a masochist. I have
even used the gas ring on a cooker.
The very small liquid gas models rather
like pens are good for very fine work such
as jewellery, but most modellers will find
that the larger hand-held size, which use
disposable gas canisters are the most

22 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

LVER SOLDERING
RONGER THAN NORMAL SOLDERING!
suitable. You need to be doing a lot of
regular work before it is worth buying one
that has a hose and is attached to a
much larger gas bottle - which way
beyond the regularity of usage that we
aeromodellers will require.
The disposable type cans are
reasonable priced and give a useful life.
Notice that a can usually only fits one
make of burner, so, when buying your
blowlamp, remember that you will need
to buy more gas for a new modeling task
much later. Get one for which you know
there is a local reliable supply. I have seen
types, which are labeled, as brazing torch
which must be the best to use, although I
still use an old Camping Gas blowlamp.
Alternatively, you might get a kit with
more than one type of burner nozzle.
Remember that you will find other uses for
it such as plumbing repairs, paint removal
and I also use mine to kill the weeds
between paving stones!

THE BRAZING PROCESS

The basic process of brazing is universal,
no matter what brazing rod filler metal is
being used. For joining steel we will need
a filler labeled for general use, either a
silver alloy or brass brazing rod. (Specialist
brazing rods for other metals and
applications are also made.) The silver rod
may seem a little expensive but it is easier
to use at a slightly lower temperature.
Very little is needed to make a good joint,
so it lasts for ages. At the same time, buy
a suitable flux if necessary. Some brazing
rod has a flux covering.
The flux is to stop oxidisation of the
surface of the items during heating. I use
the powder type, which is cheap, and
you make a paste by mixing a little with
water.

A WARNING
Assuming you intend to do the job indoors

1: Silver filler rods for general brazing, fluxed and unfluxed. 2: Johnson Mathey offer a wide range of brazing rods. Check the specification of
the one you choose, to make sure it suits your purpose. 3: Flex powder is cheep and easy to use when mixed as a paste with water. 4: A lap
joint with flux paste in and around the joint, using the long spacer to keep it level. 5: Brazing the joint using the weight of a brick to hold the
work in place. Such a large join was a struggle for a camping Gas blowlamp when the task was undertaken outside in a cold day. But this was
not so with the other two examples shown here.

AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 23

6 7 8

9 10 11

6: Brazing is the only way to make a control horn like this one made from piano wire and mild steel sheet. 7: A simple brazed undercarriage
joint held temporarily together with wire that can now be cleaned up. Note that on this sort of joint it pays to be generous with the filler as the
contact area in the centre is minimal. It could be bound with steel wire, or wrapped with thin tinplate to reinforce the joint if necessary
8: Butane charged pocket torches like this one are good only for the smallest and most delicate tasks, as for jewellery, so are of very limitted
use for the kind of task that aeromodellers would almost always undertake. 9: Slightly more effective would be kits like this one, rated for 30-
100W work. 10: Butane charged torches like this one will be good for most of the tasks that scale modelers are likely to face.
11: If working indoors in suitably cleared workspace, a fire resistant workboard like this can be helpful. This one has been used to silver solder
together a double-assembly of main undercarriage piano wire, soldered together to achieve the necessary stiffness. The line of the U-shape
form can still be seen on the workboard.

(workshop/garage?), before you start,
have a good look round and clear away
anything that could be the slightest fire
hazard. Get all paint, rags, shavings and
other combustible materials out of the
way. Some water close at hand and/or
an extinguisher is a good idea too. I do
my brazing on a concrete floor or
outdoors if possible.
Remember that the strength of a joint
depends largely on the area of contact
and should influence the design if
possible. The components must be clean
and free from rust and oil. Although, in
theory, a gap of a few thou is required, in
practice we need to make the parts fit
together as accurately as we can. (The
only time you will not have a suitable gap
is when one part is a force fit inside
another.)
Make up a little hearth from bricks to
house the assembly during brazing. This
not only conserves the heat and makes it
more even, but also helps to avoid setting
fire to the surrounds. Next, a suitable
holding method must be devised if the
parts are liable to move. Weights and wire
can usually be employed with a little
ingenuity. It is a good idea to practice on
a couple of pieces of scrap if you have
never brazed before.
Put some flux over the joint area,
assemble the workpiece in the hearth, in
a manner in which the components parts
will not move. Heat up the joint with a
blowlamp, heating the whole joint evenly
by playing the flame over the whole
surface of the work. If one piece is much
larger than the other, then the flame
needs to be played over the larger piece
much more, as it will ‘sink’ more heat than
the smaller piece. Keep touching the joint
with the filler rod as it warms up and,
when the correct temperature is reached,
the filler will melt and soon enter the joint
by capillary action.
With the rod I use, this is when it just
reaches a dull red. Once this has
happened, heat up a little more for a
second or two, then stop. There is no point
in overheating as it can ruin the job and
the action of the flux.
If you find that the filler rod melts, but will
not run in, then you do not have the
workpiece up to the required
temperature. It means that although the
flame is hot enough to melt the rod, the
heat is being carried away in the
workpieces faster than the lamp can put it
in. You might be able to buy a torch that
gives
out more heat, or borrow another lamp
to use two at a time. (The latter is what we
used to do when I was a lad and we used
big five-pint paraffin blowlamps.)
Allow the item to cool down or,
alternatively, quench it in water. Clean up
the joint to remove the hardened flux and
any unsightly filler - and there you have it;
very strong and only a 5 minute job. If it is
a test piece, try tearing it apart or
breaking it with a hammer to see if there is
any area of incomplete fusion.
If you get into some really tricky work,
you might consider ‘step brazing’. For this
you need special filler rods that melt at
various temperatures. By using the rod
with the highest melting temperature first,
a second, adjacent joint can be made by
carefully using filler of a lower
temperature, and so on.
FINDING THE TOOLS AND
MATERIALS
Blowlamps of the type required are
available in many D.I.Y. and tool shops.
Get a spare gas canister at the same
time. Brass and silver brazing rod might be
a little more difficult to find and make sure
you get that flux as well if necessary. I
bought my silver rod and flux for £5 from a
tool stand at an exhibition many years
ago. ■

24 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

AeroDetail series ONL
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CONSTRUCTION FEATURE

'ANNUSHKA'
DON LUCK'S 50.5" wingspan sport-scale model of the World's last mainstream mass production
biplane the… ANTONOV An-2 …for .19 -.25 cu.in. motors and 3/4 function R/C

26 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

B
ack in 1995, the UK air display
scene was enlivened by the
arrival of an ANTONOV An-2
(NATO code name COLT)
aircraft. Bought and flown over
from Nyiracasa, Hungary by display pilot
Vic Norman, HA-MEP was sponsored by
St lvel and teamed up with a Fournier RF-
4, it was used to promote their then new
product ‘Utterly Butterly’ margarine.
The An-2 is a 1947 59ft 8in. wingspan
workhorse biplane with slow flying ability,
which Vic described as “A big ugly, but
oh-so-beautiful biplane that hovers like a
big cloud.” Peter March described it as
“Utterly Uggerly!”, but with a character
all it own but could never be described
as graceful!
Love it or hate the shape of this
incongruous pre-WW2 era incursion into
the post WW2 aviation era, it does make
a good model subject. If one keeps the
all up weight around the 13-14 oz/sq.ft
mark, it can be made to fly quite slowly
without the need of the enormous
‘flappery’ of its real counterpart.
At a tad over the scale of 1:14,
wingspan is 50.5 ins, suitable for 0.19 -
0.25cu.ins. engines.
CONSTRUCTION
Always on the lookout for something
‘different’ (apart from design) I have
evaluated blue foam board as a
AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 27
building aid for the ‘curvy bits’ although,
as a traditional balsa/ply basher, I have
been surprised how easy it was to
integrate foam with balsa (so, OK, I’m
behind the times!). Apart from weight
saving, I found subsequent finishing was
easy without recourse to epoxy surface
skinning or equivalent. Another novel
feature is the engine cowl, but more
about that later.
Build two fuselage sides identical
(except for left and right handed former
D), making sure the ply is on the outside.
When the second side is dry and while
still pinned to the building board, fit and
glue formers B and C ensuring snug fit
and square, then fit and glue the
So ugly, it's beautiful?
Just a giant Tiger Moth!
second side on top, again checking
squareness and alignment. When dry,
remove from board, fit and glue former A
and bring the tail posts together; a
fuselage jig will ensure alignment.
Fit 3/16in. cross braces and bracing strips
behind former A, glue 1/4in. rails for the
top wing support between formers B and
C, fit 3/32in. hard sheet fuel tank floor and
infill the sides with 1/16in. sheet back to
former C (grain vertical).
Using pink or blue foam board (pink is
finer but heavier and I used 1 in. blue
‘FLOORMATE 200’ from Dow Chemical Co.
Cut out the rough shape of the fuselage
rear top deck and draw round the outline
(gently!), then hollow out to approx 3/8in.
thickness up to the fin position before
1 2
28 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020
gluing in place with five-minute epoxy
(which will not attack the foam). Also,
epoxy into position the foam top front
decking, chin and cheek areas.
Fit a new blade to your favourite craft
knife and enjoy yourself slicing and
carving the foam to final shape, finishing
with medium grade abrasive (e.g. 360
wet/dry paper). N.B. If you take your time
with careful carving the sanding should
be minimal, but in any case avoid inhaling
the dust. (A face mask maybe).
Fit 3/8in. sheet cockpit roof and l/8in. ply
cockpit glazing and frame bars. Measure
accurately and cut 3/16in. slot for the fin.
Complete the internals including servo
rails, tail wheel mount, closed loop rudder
controls and exits etc.
Fin, rudder, tailplane and elevator follow
conventional construction using stock
balsa strip and sheet. Cover and finish as
individual components before fitting
together. Note that the elevator needs to
be hinged after fitting to the fin using
hinge tape or film.
Top and lower wings are each built in
three component parts. Note that the
wing tips and the wing-to-fuselage fairing
are all formed from foam, carved and
sanded to shape, much lighter than
chunks of balsa! Ailerons on the top wing
are cut free only after completion of the
wing-build, adding 1/8in. sheet
components. The ailerons extend beyond
trailing edge by 1/8in.
Bend to shape the 10 swg piano wire
 3 4

5 6

7 8

9 10

1: The basic fuselage frames and formers. 2: Use of a jig is the best chance of avoiding the 'banana fuselage' effect. Here, the basic fuselage
frames are mated to cross-spacers and formers. 3: Foam balsa saves balsa bashing, but generates a different sort of mess! 4: Foam block is
also used for the fuselage nose, applied over balsa sheet for strength. 5: Cockpit glazing is attached to the balsa framework. 6: O.S.25 up front
provides all the power needed. Engine cowl on prototype model made up from rolled 0.5mm plywood sheet, with balsa nose ring, but a
flowerpot of the correct diameter and taper could be used. 7: The underside of the lower wing showing the hardwood anchor rail for the main
undercarriage. Primary undercarriage legs are 10 swg, while the spreader bar is 14 swg. 8: The one-piece upper wing. Note the blue foam
centre fairings. 9: Blue foam is also used to form the wing tips. 10: Ailerons on upper wing only.

AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 29

 undercarriage, drill 1/8in. holes in the
undercarriage locating track and 1/2 in.
sq. hardwood, bend and test fit until the
wheel axles protrude beyond the wing
leading edge by 1 in., checking that both
left and right undercarriage components
are symmetrical.
Fit the undercarriage to the wing, then
bind (I used fine bright florists wire) and
solder the 14 swg bracing wires to the main
10 swg main undercarriage components.
The undercarriage is subsequently located
with rubber band(s) to J-bolt under
fuselage. Remove this assembly before
applying the wing covering.
The engine cowl can be built using
0.5mm ply wrapped around l/8 in. ply
formers, to which the balsa front nose ring
is then added. I subsequently discovered
however that this circular cowl was, at this
scale, virtually identical in shape to a 1.5
litre plastic flowerpot of 5 7/8in.dia.
(150mm) so you might want to make a
Prototype model was decorated in the St.Ivel Utterly Butterly livery. Logos were enlarged tour of the local garden centres to source
from tub onto adhesive backed film. this particular component!
If you go that route, the top flange and

30 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

base need to be trimmed off, degreased
and fine grade sanded (for paint key).
De Luxe RC Modellers glue can be used
to attach ply and balsa nose rings, after
which, apertures are cut out to suit the
silencer/cylinder of your chosen
powerplant. Attachment is via three alloy
angle brackets or blocks fitted to the
firewall.
Inspect closely all blue foam areas for
dings and dents, (you’re bound to get
some ‘hangar rash’), fill and sand flat.
FINISHING
As a Cold War era military type, certainly
the only Cold War era BIPLANE (!), the
majority of Antonov An-2 aircraft were
finished in drab military colours of the
Warsaw Pact forces. Others were used for
a wide variety of civilian purposes and are
a bit more colourful as illustrated
elsewhere in this issue.
The choice of final finish is yours but, for
a non-military I would recommend glossy
shrink film. Remember though, that these
films tend to be non-diesel resistant.
When ironing down film, treat foam
areas as you would for very soft balsa,
starting in the middle, gently stretching
and ironing outwards, but be careful not
to dent the surface.
For the prototype model, the Utterly
Butterly and St lvel logos were enlarged to
the required size from a tub, cut from trim
film and slid into place with washing up
water (clean!) Nose, undercarriage legs
and wheel discs etc were painted with
matching colours.
FLYING
My ‘Colt’ model used four standard
servos, a 600 mAh battery and a
0.25cu.in. engine with 11 x 4 prop. Make
sure flying and control surfaces are warp
free; it’s possible to introduce warps
during covering, but equally possible to
correct by reheating and twisting.
I applied control surface throws
(measured at the trailing edge) as follows:
Ailerons: 1/2in. up and down.
Elevator: 5/8in. up and down
AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 31
Rudder: 5/8in. up and down
All up weight of 3lbs 7ozs for the
prototype produced a wing loading of
13.2 oz per sq.ft.
The Antonov An-2 is a delight to fly.
Make sure your motor is reliable at low
settings and the model, in whatever
colour scheme you chose, will bumble
along at just above stalling speed. If you
cut it too fine, she doesn’t drop a wing, it
just nods. Coupled aileron and rudder
make it even simpler to control.
My first flight was just as Vic Norman
described his first flight with his newly
acquired An-2.
“Take off checks completed and gently
on with the power, before you could say
‘Cor Blimey!’ we were up and laughing ...
the landing caught me out though; you
have to land this machine like a giant
Tiger Moth. If you get it wrong, it bounces
around just like the Tiger. I’m still trying to
get it right!”
I think that says it all!
... good luck... ■
 ANTONOV
An-2
ANUSHKA
Full size copies of this two
sheet plan are available from
Flying Scale Models Plans
Service,
Doollittle Mediia, Doolittle
Mill, Doolittle Lane,
Totternhoe, Bedfordshire,
LU6 1QX. Tel 01525 22257

www.flyingscalemodels.com

Order plan: FSM012

Price £12.50
plus p&p
(U.K £2.50; Europe £4.00;
Rest or World £6.00.
 EW in the ‘HOW TO BUILD...’ series
How to Build... Available
TAMIYA’S 1:48
SUPERMARINE NOW
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When Tamiya released their 1:32 scale Spitfire
Mk.IXc in 2009, they set a new standard for plastic
model kits. As one of the most popular subjects in
the history of scale modelling, we should not be
surprised to find that Tamiya has now released an
all-new Spitfire kit in 1:48 scale.
Tamiya’s brand new 1:48 scale Spitfire Mk.I
delivers innovative design, outstanding detail, an
accurate outline and crisp, subtle surface textures.
This model has nothing at all in common with their
1993 kit.
Between these covers, we provide an exhaustive
step-by-step illustrated guide to building
Tamiya’s 1:48 scale Spitfire Mk.I straight from Only
the box plus tips on painting and weathering.
Plenty of inspiration is offered with two different £14.95
plus p&p
configurations plus a conversion to the Photo
Reconnaissance version with models by Brett
Green and Marcus Nicholls.
Also included are a walkaround of a surviving
Spitfire Mk.I, a
summary of other
Spitfire Mk.I model
kits available in
1:48 scale, a list of
available accessories
and decals plus a
catalogue of helpful
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 ANTONOV An-2 'ANNUSHKA'

K J H G

DETAIL OF UPPER WING

PANEL UNDERSIDE

F
DETAIL OFWINTER AND ACTIC W
UNDERCARRIAGE SYSTEM
E C
D
B

FRONT VIEW OF
FUSELAGE WITH
PROPELLER
DELETED

SCALE 1:100
 A B C D E F
FUSELAGE
SECTIONS

WING SECTIONS
G
H

AILERON HINGE J K

L
REAR VIEW

DETAIL OF LOWER WING PANEL UPPER SIDE

CROSS SECTIONS TO FLOATS

TAIL UNIT
SKI

WEATHER SKI
TYPE HISTORY
ANTONOV An-2
'ANNUSHKA'
An aviation anomally that ranks, in useful longevity and bredth of tasking, with such
classics and the Douglas DC-3
T
he Antonov An-2 must surely rank
among the most notable
anomalies of aviation; a
mainstream commercial and
military, piston engine powered
biplane, designed entirely from scratch in
the post WW2 era, yet hugely successful,
build in very large numbers, and
progressively adapted for a range of tasks
wider that any other types in aviation
history. Indeed, over 30 variants can be
found listed, excluding further adaptions
that take it beyond the An-2 designation.
The grain of the idea that led to the An-2
dates back to 1940 when Oleg Antonov
began developing the specification for a
heavy-duty utility aircraft capable of
operating from the most primitive flying
sites. Initially rejected at a time when the
general demand for ‘faster and higher’
left no room for a biplane, Antonov’s
design philosophy found new favour in
1947 to meet a 1947 Soviet Ministry of
A line-up of Kiev, Ukraine built AN-
2Ds of a Soviet Air Force unit.
36 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020
Forestry requirement to replace the much
lighter, largely wooden-airframe
Polikarpov Po-2 that was used in large
numbers in both agricultural and utility
roles.
Antonov’s design proposal envisage a
large single bay biplane of all-metal
construction, with an enclosed cockpit
and a cabin with seats for twelve
passengers. The first prototype,
designated SKh-1 and powered by a
Shvetsov ASh-21 radial engine, first flew in
August 1947, followed by second
prototype fitted with a more powerful
Shvetsov ASh-62 engine, that allowed the
aircraft’s payload to be significantly
increased from 2,140 lbs. (1,300kg) to
4,720 lb. (2,870 kg), and in this form it was
ordered into production.
Initial Soviet production was at State
Factory 473 in Kiev, Ukrainian, where the
bulk of up to 5,000 examples were
produced by 1960. After that however,
most An-2s were constructed in Poland,
and later also in the Soviet Union after
1965. It is believed that over 13,000 aircraft
were built in Poland before principal
manufacturing activity ended during
1991.
The An-2 has also been manufactured
under license in China as the Shijiazhuang
Y-5
SLOWLY DOES IT
The An-2 is commonly used as a light utility
transport, as a parachute drop aircraft, for
agricultural work and other tasks suited to
a large slow biplane. Its slow flight and
good short field performance make it
suited for short, unimproved fields, and
some specialized variants have also been
built for cold weather and other extreme
environments.
As a mass-produced single-
engine biplane that has
been commonly

used as a utility and agricultural aircraft, it
was deliberately furnished with a
minimum of complex systems. The crucial
wing leading edge slats that give the
aircraft its slow flight ability are fully
automatic, being held closed by the
airflow over the wings. Once the airspeed
drops below 64 km/h (40 mph), the slats
will extend because they are on elastic
rubber springs.
Under typical conditions, dependent
upon various factors, such as the aircraft’s
take-off/landing weight, the external air
temperature, surface roughness, and
headwind, take-off is complete within 560
ft. while the landing run requires 700 ft.
SELF SUFFICIENCY
Among the features that make it suitable
for operation in remote areas, the An-2 is
equipped with various design features
that include a powerful pneumatic brake
system similar to those used on heavy
The ever tractable 'Annushka' could undertake a mirriade of tasks in
differing circumstances. This is an Aeroflot Anntonov An-2T on skis in
winter 'bush country’.
road vehicles to stop on short runways. It
also carries a battery driven air
compressor so that the pressure in the
tyres and shock absorbers can be
adjusted without the need for installing
specialised equipment. It requires no
ground power unit to supply power for
starting the engine. Likewise, there is no
need for an external fuel pump to refuel
the aircraft as it is provided with an inbuilt
onboard pump that allows the tanks to
be filled from simple fuel drums.
ZERO STALL
As quoted in the pilot’s manual, the An-2
has no stall speed. The note from the
handbook reads: “If the engine quits in
instrument conditions or at night, the pilot
should pull the control column full aft and
keep the wings level. The leading-edge
slats will snap out at about 64 km/h (40
mph) and when the aircraft slows to a
forward speed of about 40 km/h (25
A float equipped An-2 skims the water surface as it scoops water into
the bottoms of the floats, presumably in preparation for a fire-
bombing run.
AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 37
TUCKING IN TIGHT!
A pair of Antonov An-2TP aircraft of the
Polish air force at an air show. Note the
differences in camouflage schemes.
mph), it will sink at about a parachute
descent rate until the aircraft hits the
ground.”
As such, pilots of the An-2 have stated
that they are capable of flying the
aircraft in full control at 48 km/h (30 mph).
In contrast, a modern Cessna four-seater
light aircraft has a stall speed of around
50 mph.
This slow stall speed makes it possible for
the An-2 to fly backwards relative to the
ground if the aircraft is pointed into a
headwind of roughly 35 mph, in which
condition it will travel backwards at about
5 mph whilst still under full control.
IN DEMAND
The An-2’s ability, looks and flying
characteristics, and its status as one of
the world’s biggest single-engined
production biplanes, mean that demand
for the An-2 is increasing in Western
Europe and the United States, where such
attributes are prized by collectors of
classic aircraft, making it an increasingly
common sight at airshows.
Many western countries prohibit the use
of the An-2 commercially because the
aircraft has not been certified by the
relevant national aviation authorities.
These restrictions vary by country, but all
prevent the An-2 being used for any ‘for
profit’ purpose, with the exception of the
United States, where An-2s imported since
the late 1990s are limited to experimental
certification.
However, Polish-built but PZL-built An-2s
are exempt from this restriction due to a
bilateral agreement with Poland.
 Smart and easily reproduced colour scheme of this An-2, operated by the East German (DDR) airline Interflug.

In a bizarre air action during January mountain.

CALL TO ARMS
The An-2 was used extensively by both the
Soviet Air Force and other Eastern Bloc
military forces. It was first used in a military
context during the Korean War of the
early 1950s and later, the Vietnam
People’s Air Force (VPAF) was another
prolific operator during the Vietnam War,
where the service occasionally used the
type as an attack aircraft.
During the 1960s, a single An-2 that was
attempting to engage South Vietnamese
naval units was shot down by a United
States Air Force McDonnell Douglas F-4
Phantom II fighter, under the control of an
Air Intercept Controller on the USS Long
Beach.
1968, a clandestine TACAN site installed
by the United States Air Force in Northern
Laos for directing USAF warplanes flying
from Thailand to Vietnam was attacked
by three North Vietnamese An-2s. Two of
An-2s fired on the outpost using a mixture
of machine guns and rockets, while a
third An-2 orbited overhead to survey the
assault. In response, an Air America Bell
UH-1B Iroquois helicopter that had been
resupplying the site gave chase to the
two attacking aircraft. Using an AK-47
machine gun, the American crew
succeeded in shooting down one of the
An-2s while the second aircraft was
forced down by combined ground and
air fire, eventually crashing into a
During the Croatian War of
Independence in 1991, a number of aged
An-2 biplanes previously used for crop-
spraying were converted by the Croatian
Air Force to drop makeshift barrel bombs;
they were also used to conduct supply
missions to the town of Vukovar and other
besieged parts of Croatia. The chief
advantage for the An-2 was that they
could take off and land in small or
improvised airstrips; they were also
frequently used to drop supplies by
parachute on isolated garrisons.
CURTAIN CALL
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and
the various Communist states of Eastern

The St.Ivel 'Utterly Butterly' An-2 brought to U.K by Viv Norman was a This An-2 was flown by the Lithuanian Air Force.
regular performer on the summer Air Show circuit during the lat
1990s/earlt 2000s.

38 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

Europe, most airlines that had operated
the Antonov An-2 in these regions have
been withdrawing the type from service
due, in some cases, to these aircraft
being over 40 years old, as well as a result
of the decline in the production of avgas
to fuel the type.
Private operators are typically still using
the An-2s on account of the type’s
stability, capacity and slow-flying ability
which has made it relatively popular for
some functions, such as for skydiving. The
downside includes relatively high noise
levels, increasing maintenance costs, high
fuel consumption and unsophisticated
nature (the pre-flight checks alone take
This An-2 seen, stored, at Kenosha Regional airport, Wisconsin had previously been operated
between 30 and 40 minutes) all of which by South African Mercy Air providing a service to humanitarian mission organization. The HR
renders the type obsolete for the majority prefix of the registration marking indicates registration with Honduras.
of commercial routes in Europe.
But the large number of An-2 aircraft
available means that unit prices are
especially low in comparison to
contemporaries. That price factor has
made them highly attractive for
continued use in the developing world,
where their ability to carry large loads into
short airstrips makes them assets to airlines
on a budget. Many ex-Aeroflot An-2s
have since found work with regional
airlines across Africa, Central and South
America, Cuba and Southeast Asia
In recent years, the An-2 has also
gained popularity in the U.S. and The An-2 carries the Czech Republic OK prefix to its registration marking on the fin/rudder,
Canada, where it has often been used as together with one of the more flamboyant checkerboard colour schemes seen on the type.
a bushplane.
As of 2015, there were thousands of An-
2s remaining in operation around the
world, including over 1,500 in Russia, over
290 in Kazakhstan and 54 in Ukraine

A RECORD RUN
The Guinness Book of World Records
states that the 45-year production run for
the An-2 was for a time the longest ever
for any aircraft and challenged the well
over two decades-long run of the much
lighter, late-1920s-origin Polikarpov Po-2
biplane it was intended to replace.
But the An-2’s production duration run
record was exceeded by the four-
turboprop, 1954-origin, Lockheed C-130
Hercules military transport.
None of that, however, detracts from
the very special place Oleg Antonov’s
An-2 undoubtedly holds in the panoply of
aviation history. ■
Following the demise of the East German DDR and the unification of East and West German
states, Lufthansa operated this example of the 'Annushka'.
SPECIFICATION
Capacity: 12 passengers / 4,718 lb.
(2,140 kg) freight
Length: 40 ft. 8 in (12.4 m)
Upper wingspan: 59 ft. 9 in (18.2 m)
Lower wingspan: 46 ft. 7 in (14.2 m)
Height: 13 ft. 5 in.
Powerplant: 1 x Shvetsov ASh-62IR 9-
cylinder air-cooled supercharge radial
piston engine, 750 kW (1,010 hp)

Performance
Maximum speed: 258 km/h 160 mph,
(258 km/h)
Cruise speed: 120 mph (190 km/h)
Stall speed: 31 mph (50 km/h)

Another colourful An-2, this one registered in Rumania.

AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 39

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On Silent Wings with CHRIS WILLIAMS
SCALE SOARING
A
part from those related to Rip
Van Winkle, it can’t have
escaped anyone’s notice that
at the time of writing, our
flying activities have come to
a shuddering halt. This means that there
are no outdoor activities upon which I can
report, so, as someone who likes to build
his own models, our attention must
perforce turn to activities in the
workshop...
FULL STOP...
Those who might have been following the
progress of my current project on the
Scale Soaring forum, seemed moderately
impressed with the speed of progress, only
to wonder why it had suddenly slowed
down. The reason was simple: I had come
to the last job: the airbrakes. This is the
stage when I usually contact my
therapist...
“What seems to be the trouble, Mr
Williams...?”
“... I, I, er I...”
The only 2020 visit to the hill before lock down...Geoff Crew's version of the 1/4 scale Slingsby Petrel.
42 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020
“It’s the Old Trouble, isn’t it? You’re
going to try and build airbrakes again?”
I stared at her, mutely.
“Now look, we’ve been here many
times, and you know you can do it,
because you’ve done it before, right?”
“...I s’pose so...”
“OK, then, that will be £50... “
Before delving further into the subject, it
might be worth looking at a couple of
definitions. There is quite a constructional
difference between airbrakes and their
cousins, spoilers. Spoilers are sometime
known as Barn Door Brakes because they
are simple horizontal flaps, fitted behind
the main spar and hinged at the front,
allowing them to open and close
like...well, like barn doors.
Airbrakes, or scissor brakes, open and
shut in opposition to each other on both
the upper and lower surfaces of the wing,
their two connecting arms pivoting about
their centres. (As a point of interest, I have
found that just one set of brakes on the
upper surface of the wing are nowhere
near as effective as the simple spoiler). So,
with gritted teeth, I set about making up
the first airbrake assembly.
After a day and a half, I gave up and
threw it away, but now memory was
starting to return to the throne, and I had
a fair idea as to how to proceed. There
are six pivot points; two in the centre of
the arms and four through which the
blades are attached to the pivot arms.
First job then, is to make up the base of
the assembly from 3mm balsa and to
insert two 3mm ply rectangles that will
take the main pivot point screws. The ply
rectangles are glued slightly proud to the
surface to prevent binding of the arms
against the base. The shape of the base is
taken from the depth of the spars in the
portion of the wing that the assembly will
sit, but is made deliberately over-size to
allow some useful adjustment when it is
finally glued in place.
The pivot arms in this particular case are
made up from 6mm sq. spruce, which
prompts a further thought or two. Imagine
The base for the airbrake assy made from 3mm balsa with ply inserts. 1st stage: drilling out the blades.

Blades fitted, ready for screwing to the base. Support spars retro-fitted to the wing.

if you caught an obstacle on landing and
ripped a lower blade off, breaking one or
both arms. If there was no way of
repairing the damage, the whole wing
would be a write off, which is why there
no nuts & bolts in my design and
everything is made of wood. (Also, from
beginning to end, the blades will be
removed and replaced some thirty of
forty times, which gives you some idea
why therapists can be involved).
So, to make up the four pivot arms, it’s
sensible to first make up a ply template
with all the holes carefully drilled out
equidistant to each other. Thus, should
you be unfortunate enough to break an
arm, you should be able to make up a
close replacement. Also, the self tappers
upon which the arms pivot, face to the
rear and can be removed or adjusted for
tightness, even after the assembly has
been fitted.
So, the following seems to be the best
sequence:
1: Make up the arms and drill out with
the template

1st fit of the airbrake assy in the wing. Airbrakes fitted with caps glued in place.

AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 43

 The completed airframe, ready for covering & finish.

2: Lay two blades in the closed position, snugly to the blade, and is jamming drawing unnecessary current from the
offer up the arms in the appropriate against the end of the aperture. Once battery.
positions and drill through to the blades. sorted, the blade should now be opening Mixing the ailerons on a glider to rise up
3: Screw the blades to the arms and and closing properly, and all that’s left is ten or fifteen degrees in concert with the
check that they still close properly to trim it down to allow for the thickness opening of the brakes, will significantly
4: Offer up the blades in the of the covering material, and increase your rate of descent.
closed position to the add or remove material to There, that wasn’t so difficult, was it? I
base and drill through render it flush with the don’t know what all the fuss was about...
for the main pivot surface of the wing.
screws. Once you have IN THE WORKSHOP
repeated the Obviously, the foregoing all came about
Now, if the stars process for the due to the construction of my current
are as correctly project, the 1:4.2 scale Zugvogel. This was
aligned as your started on the first day of the nation-wide
Slim wing servo sits
blades, they snugly in the next lock down and this is the result exactly
should open and inboard bay. four weeks later, just after the lock-down
close without any was extended, no doubt not for the last
binding. Good, time. At this stage, with a pilot inserted,
that was the easy lower brake blade, and a battery in place, the glider weighs
bit! the job is just about in at 8lbs, with the CG in the correct
The first time I done. location. This is the first ever project where
contemplated fitting a large lump of lead has not been
an airbrake assembly JUST A COUPLE OF needed at this stage to balance properly,
into a virgin wing, I realised FINAL THOUGHTS... so it remains to be seen what a bit of
with horror that a big chunk of Make sure to set the servos up covering and paint will do to the status
the trailing edge would then be so that the arms are as horizontal as quo...! ■
floating in the breeze, with minimal possible to the pushrod so that in the
support. It wasn’t until the next time closed position the servo is not stalled and c_williams30@sky.com
around I realised that by extending the
supporting spars to the adjacent ribs, the
problem would be solved, especially with The new version
a couple of web plates to stiffen thing compared to the original,
further. scale at 1:3.5.
With the appropriate parts of the ribs
cut away, we now have an aperture into
which the airbrake assembly can now be
offered up. By juggling the base around
until the blades are fitted snugly in the
centre of the wing, both the base and the
blades can be marked out so that they
can be sanded flush within the framework
of the support spars. (Did I mention that
the blades are over-size, too?).
Depending on the set up in any
individual wing, the servo can now be
fitted, set up, and removed again whilst
we now concentrate on the final prize:
getting the darn brakes to close!
Assuming that at this stage they open and
close with undue friction, the top sheeting
can be added, with the slot cut out.
When the glue has dried, the strip that
was cut out of the sheeting can now be
glued to the top airbrake blade.
That was easy, wasn’t it, but wait! The
brakes won’t open! This might well be
because the end of the strip is fitting too

44 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

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SUBJECTS FOR SCALE

De Havilland DH 83
FOX MOTH A Tiger Moth for four, and the first aircraft in UK to operate a
commercial service profitably, unsubsidised, so it is said.

G-AOJH is one of the Canadian built DH 83Cs with all-round vision 'blown' cockpit canopy. Built in 1947, it went to the Northern India Flying
Club until 1955, when it was flown to UK and operated for air-experience flights. Sold on again in 1989 into private hands, it was then superbly
restored to mint condition as seen here.

46 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

B
eginning in 1915, Arthur Ernest
Hagg had been employed by
the Aircraft Manufacturing
Company (Airco) that produced
aircraft designed by Geoffrey De
Havilland and he was one of those who
‘moved on’ when ‘D.H.’ formed his own
Company in 1920. Immediately post
WW1, the general attitude to military
aircraft requirements after ‘the war to end
wars’ left little hope of new business from
that direction, leading De Havilland, like
others, to concentrate on the private and
commercial flying market, for the wealthy
and for air travel, of which there was the
beginning of a demand.
One of De Havilland’s early successes in
the fare-paying air traveller field was the
four-seat DH 50, first flown in 1923 and
which, in DH 50J variant with Bristol Jupiter,
was well received albeit in penny
numbers, but by 1926, examples were
being used to fly scheduled services in
Australia.
To capitalize on this success and to meet
an anticipated demand for an aircraft
that could carry a higher passenger
count, Arthur Hagg was tasked with the
design of what became the DH 61 Giant
Moth that could accommodate eight
AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 47
passengers, the prototype of which first
flew in 1928. Ten were built, some of which
went to Australia for scheduled air service
with QANTAS, others to Canada, while
another was operated by the Daily Mail
newspaper, complete with motorcycle so
that newshounds could be flown to the
nearest airfield and from there by bike to
wherever the scribe was to get his story!
A FLYING FOX
By 1930 Hagg had become De Havilland’s
chief designer. Born and brought up in
Bournemouth on U.K’s south coast, it is
perhaps no surprise that he enjoyed a
 The DH 83 prototype G-ABUO prior to first test flight
in early 1932, demonstrating the wing fold (applied
to both port and starboard of course).
hobby pastime of sailing which, perhaps
led, indirectly to the creation of the DH 83
Fox Moth.
Working at the De Havilland factories at
Stagg Lane aerodrome, Edgeware, North
London and later at Hatfield, Hagg’s
personal weekend sailing indulgence
entailed a Friday evening ritual of packing
wife, kids and kitchen sink into car for a
slow and tedious (“...are we there yet...?”)
journey to the south coast along roads
that were nothing like what we have
today. So why not fly?
Thus was created the De Havilland 83
Fox Moth. However, the aircraft was not
Ladies of De Havilland staff demonstrate the passenger accommodation, which was,
undeniably a tight fit. The bulged passenger access door features fore/aft sliding
window panel.
48 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020
really a personal indulgence, being
designed by Hagg in late 1931to answer
what was perceived as a real
requirement for a low cost and
economical light passenger aircraft, at
least for a well-healed minority.
TIGER PARTS
To achieve the new design for a four seat
aerial carriage, Hagg took the wings and
tail surfaces of the DH 82 Tiger Moth
already established as a success with
Flying Clubs, and mated these, suitably
modified with less sweepback, to a
revised fuselage with an enclosed
passenger cabin between the upper and
lower wings, with ‘driver’ perched in an
open cockpit (later enclosed) positioned
above and behind.
Appart from wings, tailplane and
fin/rudder, other components also carried
over from the DH 82 included the main
undercarriage and plenty of other parts
from the same source in order to keep
production costs to a minimum. The
centre-section between the upper wings
was however, different. Gone was the
Tiger’s corrugated gravity tank, replaced
by a smaller component that gave none
of the drag and turbulence associated
with the original. The new part was also
slightly wider resulting in an increase in
wingspan by eighteen and a half inches.
Fuell was now carried in a fuselage tank.
First flown, unregistered, in early February
1932 prototype G-ABUO was quickly
followed by G-ABUT, the third example,
registered to its designer, but used as a
factory demonstrator, also winning the
Kings’ Cup Air Race that year at a speed
of 124 mph.
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS
However, after the initial success of the
Fox Moth as a racer, the type’s future
clearly lay in the light transport field, so
that, initially, it was being categorised as
a five-seat feeder-line type, a somewhat
optimistic description since the cabin
offered rather ‘snug’ accommodation to
four normal-sized passengers.
MORE ELBOW ROOM
Cabin accomation was made a little
more comfoertable by outwardly bulged
fuselage cabin doors to provide a
modicum of additional elbow room, with
the passengers seated either on a
forward facing bench-type seat at the
rear of the cabin and an aft-facing slung
seat forward. The latter was however
somewhat hard on the backs and the
thighs over a long flight period.
Aloof from this and until the
development of a cockpit enclosure, out
in the elements, sat the pilot, but not
entirely cut off from his passengers, since
the instrument panel in front of him
incorporated a small window through
which the passengers could be seen and
maybe given a certain calming
reassurance if needed.
After preliminary tests in Great Britain,
prototype Fox Moth G-ABUO was soon
shipped to Canada for evaluation on
floats and skis by Canadian Airways. The
success of these extended trials
generated sufficient interest that the type G-ABUT, the third Fox Moth constructed, registered to De Havilland's Chief Designer Arthur Hagg
was put into production at de Havilland’s and used as a factory demonstrator. It won the 1932 King's Cup Air Race, piloted by W.L.Hope
Toronto factory, ‘BUO becoming CF-API with a recorded speed of 124.25 mph over a 1,223-mile course. There were 42 starters that year.
on the Canadian register.
Meanwhile, U.K. based production was
shared evenly between sales for the
home market and for exports, with 49
aircraft going onto the British register.
British-based aircraft were mostly used for
short-haul joyrides or as feeder-line flight
services around the British Isles, the type
achieving the distinction of being the first
aircraft to earn a profit in commercial
airline service without subsidies in U.K.
In Australia, Fox Moth VH-UQM Miss
Currie began operating a 108-mile service
over southeastern Bass Strait between
Launceston, Tasmania and Whitemark on
Flinders Island in October 1932. It was thus
the inaugural aircraft of what was to later
become Australian National Airways.
QANTAS used Fox Moths to replace de Fit for a King-in-waiting. Originally registered as G-ACAL and then G-ACDD, this distinctive
Havilland DH.50s on the Flying Doctor bespatted Fox Moth was briefly operated in 1932 by HRH Prince of Wales (later King Edward
Service. VII/Duke of Windsor). Finished in Blue-and-Red Brigade of Guards colours, but saw little usage
before being sold on to a Belgian owner, then returned to UK, sold on again to New Zealand
and eventually to Canada, where it is still active as CF-YPM.

Prototype Fox Moth G-ABUO was sent to Canada during 1932 as a demonstrator. Floats were fitted and the aircraft
wasoperated by Canadian Airways for a period during late 1932/early 1933.

AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 49

Built in 1933, as delivered to New Zealand a year later, ZK-AGM has
enduring an accident littered history, having been firstly written off in
a crash during 1936, then rebuilt with a new fuselage in 1938. It
survived until another write-off accident at Lake Wanaka, NZ in 1963.
The gathered-together remnants then formed the basis for a final
rebuild to superb condition, emerging to fly again during 2015. It now
actually on the UK register as G-CIPJ, but continues to fly with its NZ
registration.
The life of ZK-ADI may well have been the most accident prone and
most travelled of all DG 83 Fox Moths, and also a 'score board' of the
greatest number of owners! Accidents while in New Zealand included
arguments with first, a bullock and later a sheep!
There were some 17 owners prior to being shipped to USA in 1974,
where another mishap resulted in a second U.S. owner and thereafter
a transfer to Ron Souch's restoration facility at Hamble, UK, and sold
to a UK owner a G-ADHA. Back 'home' again to NZ in 1997, it went
through a further four owners until it appeared in the bespatted,
yellow colours of it's first owner as seen here.

A MOUNTAIN TO CLIMB
During 1933, potential fame beckoned
the Fox Moth when it was decided to use
one in connection with the historic
attempt to cross Mt. Everest in both a
Westland Wallace and in the Westland
PV-3 biplane, the role of the de Havilland
aircraft being that of a feeder between
the base camp and Calcutta, but
unfortunately the chosen machine,
G-ACCS was destroyed at Allahabad in a
gale.
ROYAL APPROVAL
As a result of the prototype’s stay in
Canada, a number of Fox Moths began
to appear with hoods over the pilot’s
position, this being the case for perhaps
one of the most famous Fox Moths of all,
G-ACAL purchased by the then Prince of
Wales (later King Edward VII and
thereafter Duke of Windsor). Certainly one
of the most colorful of the type, this
machine was finished in the colours of the
Brigade of Guards, and was soon re-
registered as G-ACDD.
However, following trials after its delivery
shortly before Christmas 1932, the new
machine was little used, and a
replacement was found in the twelve-seat

Air Travel NZ Ltd was established in 1934 by Mr. Bert Mercer, operating DH 83 Fox Moths, the first being ZK-ADI
seen in be background of the photo, with (possibly) Mr. B.M. being one of the two gents in the foreground).

50 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020


1 & 2: Two views of the passenger cabin seats in Fox Moth G-ACEJ. Comfort rating must have
been at 'Ryan Air minus' level. 3: More elbow room! The bulged cabin door on G-ACEJ.
4: Cockpit floor. Note the sunken footrests. 5 & 6: Two views of the Canadian-built G-AOJH,
showing the 'blown', rearward sliding cockpit canopy that was a post-WW2 production revision.
£4,250 Vickers Viastra. On delivery of this,
the Royal Fox Moth was sold, at first to a
Belgian buyer with whom it became OO-
ENC before going to Egypt in 1933. In the
following year, it appeared on the register
of the Congo, finally becoming ZK-AEK of
Air Travel New Zealand in 1935.
MILITARY CALL-UP
In view of the fact that there were never
many Fox Moths to be seen in British skies,
it is no surprise that only about ten were
available for absorption into the RAF for
communication duties on the outbreak of
WW2 in 1939. Not all survived this
‘experience’ abut some did, to re-assume
civil identity once more after the end of
hostilities,
BACK TO THE FUTURE
The reintroduction to production, post-
WW2, of a 1930s-era aircraft at the dawn
of the jet age may seem a denial of
aviation progress, but the De Havilland
Canada Company saw a ready market
for a reliable bush-plane to suit the needs
of the country where outlying
communities, particularly those close to
water, could be conveniently reached by
such a type.
Thus was created the DH 83C variant to
be manufactured by a local workforce
well qualified in the woodworking skills
that had only just ceased to be required
for production of the De Havilland
Mosquito. Couple that to the widespread
availability of surplus DH 82 Tiger Moth
sub-assemblies at knock down prices for
re-cycling and you have a very
affordable aeroplane of ready proven
capability for the task in mind.
For the 53 postwar DH.83Cs
constructed, the145 hp Gipsy Major 1C
was specified and these were fitted with
larger pilot cockpit openings, a larger
windscreen and rearward sliding ‘bubble’
style canopy. It also had a large
ambulance cabin door on the port side
to accommodate a stretcher and proved
to be an excellent and economical bush
A further airborne view of G-AOJH in all its immaculate green and gold magnificence.
1
plane.
Total production of the DH.83/DHC.83C 2
Fox Moth was 153, being 98 in U.K, two in
Australia and 53 in Canada after WW2.
SURVIVORS
DH.83 G-ACEJ was active in the UK in
2010, but since 2015 has been registered
in Munich, Germany, regularly appearing
at displays and meetings (still with its UK
civil reg).
DH.83C G-AOJH active in U.K.
ZK-ADI active in New Zealand in 2010
ZK-AGM active in New Zealand in 2015
after rebuild in UK
ZK-APT active in New Zealand in 2019
ZK-AQB active in New Zealand in 2017
DH.83 VH-UJJ ex-G-ACEB active in
Australia in 2009
C-FYPM ex-ZK-AEK active in Canada in
2008
VH-UVL active in Australia in 2018
C-FDIX Under restoration to airworthy
condition at Buffalo Airways by Buffalo
Joe McBryan and the PLANE SAVERS! 3
crew in Yellowknife, NWT, Canada with
the aim of having it flying by the spring of
2020 ■
SPECIFICATION
Crew: 1
Capacity: 3-4
Length: 25 ft 9 in (7.85 m)
Wingspan: 30 ft 10 _5⁄8 in (9.414 m)
Height: 8 ft 9 x1⁄2 in (2.680 m)
Empty weight: 1,071 lb (486 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 2,000 lb (907 kg)
Powerplant: 1 x de Havilland Gipsy III
four-cylinder air-cooled inverted in-line
piston engine, 120 hp
Performance
4
Maximum speed: 106 mph (171 km/h)
Cruise speed: 91 mph (146 km/h)
Range: 425 mi (684 km)
Service ceiling: 12,700 ft (3,900 m)
De Havilland DH83 FOX MOTH

PROTOTYPE
G-ABUO

BOTH WINGS FOLD TO

90 DEGREES
FAIRCHILD FLOAT

SHORT TYPE FLOAT

STYLE OF ENCLOSED COCKPIT

CANOPY ON SPANISH FOX MOTH
EC-AEI

SCALE 1:50
 FAIRCHILD TYPE FLOAT SHORT TYPE FLOAT

FUEL LINE MISSING ON

SPANISH AIRCAFT

CANADIAN A/C VO-ADE WITH

FAIRCHILD FLOATS 1935.
ALSO SPANISH REGISTERED A/C
EC-VVA

STARBOARD SIDE OF
ENGINE COWL

DH 83c
NOTE EXTENDED DOOR

POST WW2 CANADIAN FOX MOTH

CF-PJB WITH STANDARD SHORT
TYPE FLOATS.

NOTE FILLET ON LOWER WING.

FOX MOTH FLYING COLOURS

DH83 FOX MOTH OPERATED

BY EDWARD, PRINCE OF
WALES (LATER KING EDWARD
VII) IN BRIGAE OF GUARDS
COLOURSI

54 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

G-ABUT: the third Fox Moth produced, operated by Arthur E. Hagg, De Havilland’s Chief
Designer, creator of the DH 83. Used as Company demonstrator. Impressed as as X9304
in 1939 and operated by No.24 Squadron from 1939. Subsequently reduced for spares,
November 1941.
COLOURS: all blue, with aluminium dope horizontal fuselage stripe, plus same for leading
edge of tailplabe and rudder, horizontal line on fin
* rudder and reg. letters.

G-ACEJ: operated by Scottish Motor Traction Company.

COLOURS: overall aluminium dope, with mid-blue fuselage stripe. Company lgo on
engine colw and rudder in yellow and blue. Survives on U.K. register.

G-AOJH: DH83 colour overall mid/dark green with fuselage registration letters in Gold.
Forward fuselage trim line also in gold. Aircraft features one-piece reaward sliding cockpit
canopy.

VH-RAL: Australian registered example in overall aluminium dope finish, with mid-grey
nose. Originally ordered for supply to Germany, but registered in UK as G-ACID in 1933.

AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 55

IN DETAIL

De Havilland DH 83
FOX MOTH
1 2 3

1: Engine cowl front face showing the generous size air intake. 2: Engine cowl, showing the exhaust pipe run down the
fuselage underside. 3: Oil cooler mounted on the fuselage side at rear of cowl. 4: Wing bracing wire anchor points at the
wing root, also showing the long exhaust pipe run. 5 & 6: Two views of the stearable tailwheel unit.

56 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

4 5

7 8

9 10 11

7: Cabin side window. Note the metal frames and further view of the oil cooler. 8: Right fuselage side at the passenger cabin position showing
all windows and passenger access door with ‘elbow-room’ ouward bulge. 9, 10 & 11: The main undercarriage, a carry-over from the DH 82 Tiger
Moth. 12, 13 & 14: Cabane struttery above the passenger cabin.

12 13 14

AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 57

15

15: Wing struts and wire bracing, also showing the position of the pitot head. 16: Wing underside,
showing the link to the aileron horn. 17: Typical wing strut anchor point. 18 & 19: the wing root
tread plate for passenger access. 21: General view of the tail surfaces. 22-24: Control wire links to
the rudder and elevator. Note also the tailplane dracing strut in 24.

21 22 23

16

17

24

18

19

20
25

26

27 28 29

22-25: The open style cockpit windshield on G-ACEJ. Two types of enclosed rear sliding canopy were also applied to Fox Moths, including the
‘bubble’ style moulded type that applied to Canadian-built post WW2 DH83Cs. 28: View down into the cockpit well. Pilot has ‘parked his flying
helmet over the control column. 29: Instrument provision to the right of the cockpit. Left hand side equally sparse.

AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 59

TECHNIQUE

WORKING WITH
THE GRAIN
DARIN COVINGTON DESCRIBES THE TECHNIQUE HE USED TO REPLICATE
WOODGRAIN ON PLYWOOD SURFACE SKINNED AIRCRAFT LIKE THE ALBATROS D.VA

O
ne of the designs I test-built
for the late Peter Rake was
his 1/6th scale Albatros D.Va,
and one of the challenges
of such a modelling subject
was to duplicate the plywood surface skin
that was a feature of all the Albatros
single seat Scouts (fighters) from D.1 to
D.Va - and in fact beyond. All of these
featured a very thin plywood skin. THE D.1,
DII and D.IIi had pre-moulded upper and
lower skin panels, steamed and moulded
in concrete moulds, then glued to the
structure and further secured in place
with nails and screws, but with flat
fuselage side, whereas the D.V and DVa
both had fully oval section fuselages that
entailed pre-steam moulded fuselkage
skins throughout.
The most obvious way to replicate this
airframe feature in miniature for our scale
models is to use actual plywood or balsa
and stain it. This means the skin panels
have to be fitted exactly and there is no
tolerance for any glue that will inevitably
wind up on the skin.
A further problem is that wood stain
doesn’t take very well to a soft wood,
such as balsa, leaving it blotchy, while
very thin model building plywood tends to
be too dark to begin with. A further
problem, in the case of attempting to skin
the fuselage by replicating the individual
skin panels of the full size aircraft, it that
he end-grain of the seams will also soak
up additional stain, ruining the

The author's 1/6th

scale Albatros D.Va
reveals just how
effective his
woodgrain surface
finish technique is
in replicating the
full size. You have
to pracice though!

60 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

appearance because the outlines of the
individual panels appear far too
prominent.
There are things that can be done to
help alleviate these problems, but they
are hit-and-miss in my experience. The
solution I decided on was a process I
have previously used, with good success,
in my day-job as a cabinetmaker. I’m
referring to a faux wood grain finish. It
involves more work than a stained finish,
but you have much more control over
the outcome.

BASE PREPARATION
Obtaining a smooth base for the wood-
grain effect is important. After the
fuselage is sheeted and sanded smooth,
you’ll need to fill the grain and apply a
smooth coat of enamel. Next, apply an
automotive filler/primer. I recommend a
two-part, catalysed product; a single
component primer can be used, but this
tends to shrink into the grain later,
The tools of the trade. The
telegraphing through. You’ll also need to graining tool for creating the
apply more coats of it to match just one effect, the brush for
application of a high-build catalysed 'feathering', the waxed
primer. paper for applying the finish
After the primer is dry, sand it well with a to the model and masking
tape - LOTS of masking tape.
fine wet/dry paper of about 320-400 grit.
If you need to, apply another coat to fill
the grain and ensure there is no bare
wood showing; do it now and do a final
sanding in preparation for the enamel
topcoat. I used a cream coloured, spray
can paint and applied several coats. You
want the final finish to be as smooth as
you can get it.
‘Orange peel’ (a bumpy texture), can
affect the final look in a very negative
way. If you have trouble achieving a
smooth finish, the final coat can be wet
sanded with fine paper to smooth it out.
There’s no substitute for preparation at
this stage, so take your time and use fine, This is the sort of
400 grade, wet or dry abrasive. This colour mirror smooth
finish you should
coat needs to be thoroughly dry before be aiming for
you proceeded further. Even here in the prior to applying
desert where I live, in Las Vegas, I waited the wood-grain
several days to be sure. effect.

MAKING THE GLAZE

The wood grain pattern is applied using a
glaze mix. I used regular house latex and
a product called Glazing Liquid (look it up
on Amazon - ED). The glazing liquid
reduces the pigment strength without
reducing the viscosity. It’s available in
paint and home improvement stores. You
need to confirm you have the latex base
to use with the latex paint. Mix it
approximately 1:1, it’s not really critical,
and you’ll also need to experiment with
the ratio anyway.

APPLYING THE WOOD-GRAIN Individual 'ply' panels are masked

This is where you need to get creative. I off ready to begin applying the
use a tool called, (oddly enough), a wood-grain effect finish. Use a high
quality, low-tack masking tape for
wood-graining tool. It’s a common item best effect.
that can be obtained at home
improvement centres or over the Internet
(again, Amazon is a good starting point -
lots of examples popped up immediately
when we tried - ED). As you can see from
the pictures, it has a handle and a flexible

AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 61

The grain effect is applied to a scrap piece of laminate. If you get it
wrong, no harm is done and you can easily try again.
piece attached to it. The flexible piece
has grooves, in a semicircular pattern. You
can leave it on the handle, or remove it,
for variations in the wood grain look.
This tool works by applying a wet
application of glaze as the tool is pulled,
and rolled, at the same time through it. It
seems strange that a wood grain pattern
can come from this, but it does. The rate
of movement and rolling changes the
pattern. It’s best to practice using the tool
until you understand how it works.
In the normal use of this tool, the glaze is
applied directly to the item that is being
wood-grained and the tool used on that.
This won’t really work for our application
though, due to the compound curves and
tight areas you find on a model aircraft.
What I came up with to solve this
problem is a variation of how automobile
dashboards were wood-grained in the
1920s through to the 1950s. Here, a plate
was used, etched with the pattern, and
Once the first panels have been
applied, allow them to dry
completely before re-masking for
the panels in between.
62 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020
From the laminate, the pattern is transferred to waxed paper before
finally committing it to the model.
paint was applied to it. A flexible roller
with a special cover, similar to a baker’s
rolling pin, was then rolled across the
plate, transferring the paint (with a grain
pattern) to the roller. This roller was then
rolled across the dashboard, transferring
the pattern to it. It was flexible enough to
work on curves and get into tight areas.
I adapted this idea for my purpose. The
glaze is brushed onto a palette and the
tool is rolled/rotated through it to create
the wood-graining pattern. Then, wax
paper is laid over the fresh glaze. This
transfers the pattern to the wax paper,
which, in turn is then pulled off and
moved to the model. Carefully line up the
wax paper and lightly press it on the
surface, then pull it off. This leaves the
pattern on the model.
You then immediately take a brush, with
just a little of the glaze on it, and drag it
across the surface. This pulls the tips of the
pattern out and adds additional ‘pores’
to the wood. It’s almost a dry brush
technique.
That’s the basic procedure, but it is
essential to practice it a sufficiently before
committing to the model. Using this
transfer method also has the advantage
of permitting you to get the pattern just
the way you want before you transfer it to
the model. To duplicate the look of
separate plywood panels, mask off
alternating sections. Be random with the
graining pattern, you want a natural look,
so try not to repeat the same pattern.
Allow it to dry thoroughly before moving
on.
STAINING
At this stage, the graining is fairly
consistent in colour. Now, if we apply a
colour over that, we can increase the
contrast within each panel and between
the individual panels. An oil based gel
stain works best here. It has a thick
See over
After you have all the wood-grain effect
in place, then you begin to add tonal
variation to the panels with coloured
varnish. Yes, that does mean yet more
masking.
 A daunting restoration task! The Albatros D.Va in the state
in which it arrived a Silverhill restoration facility in 1977.

THE SMITHSONIAN'S
ALBATROS D.VA
ONLY TWO GENUINE ALBATROS D.VA EXAMPLES REMAIN, ONE IN THE AUSTRIAN WAR
MEMORIAL MUSEUM, CANBERRA, AND THE OTHER AT THE NATIONAL AIR & SPACE MUSEUM,
WASHINGTON, D.C. THE LATTER IS A RESTORATION STORY OF TRUE DETERMINATION

P
resumably taken back to USA as
a war prize after WW1, this
Albatros D.Va was a gift from the
French Government, which, by
1919 had been gifted on, to the
De Young Memorial Museum in San
Francisco where, photographic evidence
proves, it was on display as late as 1937
but later must have been removed from
view, to progressively deteriorate when
tucked away and eventually entirely
forgotten.
Then, in 1947, the late Paul E. Garber
(then director of the National Air Museum,
now National Air and Space Museum) got
wind of the aircraft’s existence, paid a visit
to the De Young Museum where he was
told that they had no such aircraft. But, by
surreptitiously looking behind corners and
closed doors, Garber discovered the
dilapidated, disassembled airframe. It
transpired that, whilst the Albatros was
indeed there, it had in fact been sold.
Determined not to let go, Paul Garber
thereafter tracked down the new owner
who had, by then, taken delivery of his
$500 acquisition and put it on display at a
prominent San Francisco tourist spot.
Persuasive as ever, Paul G. convinced
owner George Whitney to donate the
aircraft to the National Air Museum, the
D.Va tehn being transferred to what later
became the Paul E. Garber Preservation
and Restoration facility at Silver Hill,
Maryland in 1949. (It was, and is, a
treasure trove of aviation history).
The Albatros languished there in the
same pathetic state of disrepair until early
1977 when the restoration project
commenced, with emphasis on
authenticity. The final roll-out of the fully
restored aircraft took place some sixteen
months later in March the following year
after over 8,600 man hours of restoration
effort.

ABOVE LEFT: Whilst the Albatros factory in Germany probably manufactured the D.Va fuselage skin panels from steam-softened plywood,
formed in concrete moulds, the Smithsonian restorers used Plaster-of-Paris male and female moulds. Steaming took about five to ten minutes,
then left to dry for four or five days. ABOVE CENTRE: The restored upper wing on a specially created work frame. ABOVE RIGHT: Restorers at work
on the upper wing and the fuselage, by then at an advanced stage. Panel line demarcations can be seen on the fuselage.

AUGUST 2020 FLYING SCALE MODELS 63

Although not everyone has access to a vinyl cutter to make the After much effort, and no little investment of time and skill, this is
'screw' guide, we do all have access to fine marker pens for what you should be looking at.
emphasising the panel lines and adding the screw detail.

consistency that will lie on top and will not
wash away all of the previous work. It will
also soak into the graining a little. The
heavier you apply it, the more contrast
you get in the pattern. Mask off the
individual panels again, and apply a thin
wipe of the stain. Vary the application
between panels for a natural look. Not
too thick though.
SEAMS AND FASTENERS
After the stain had dried, the nails and
screws were replicated using a marking
pen and a guide that I cut from masking
film, using a vinyl cutter. Thereafter, I
outlined each panel with a very fine point
pen that was just a bit darker than the
panels, for a little definition of the
individual panel edges.
FINAL FINISH
After everything has dried for several days
at least, (and I can’t over stress the fact
that it needs to be absolutely dry), apply
a few thin coats of polyurethane from a
spray can. I used an oil-based type.
CONCLUSION
If you like this technique, give it a try. I
can’t stress enough just how important it is
to do plenty of test pieces before
attempting it on your model. There are
many variables that can drastically affect
the way it turns out. The colours used in
the materials will definitely require sample
pieces to determine the authenticity of
the final outcome.
The only way to know how they will look
is to try them. Also, keep an eye out for
compatibility of products because you
are layering a variety of materials.
Incompatibility and inadequate drying
times could be disastrous. These issues will
rear their ugly heads early if you make test
samples. ■

64 FLYING SCALE MODELS AUGUST 2020

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