Luton Minor + Sep 2010 free plan

[Richard Wicker]

Almost by accident I found myself picking up the scalpel this weekend and starting work on a model of the "Luton Minor". It's based on the old free flight plan by E. Fearnley, which I had traced a radio conversion for some time ago.
Having a small .06 AP engine doing nothing, and needing to find a reason to use the mini servos I bought on a whim last year, the "Builders Itch" set in (Anyone else recognise the symptoms?) and that was that.
OK, it wont be 100% scale, given that all i've done is beefed up a ff plan for rc, adding doublers, bulkheads, tank bay etc but keeping the original outline. The only other modification being to take the dihederal off the wing.
Anyway, if I can figure out how to get photos on here, i'll post the build -if anyone is interested? It wont be as fast as some though, I don't work like that, and my employer has first call on my time.

[Steve biplane]

Richard,
If you have an interest in Luton Minors then you should read 'On Home-Made Wings' by Arthur W J G Ord-Hume. Amongst other things it relates his trials and tribulations getting Minor G-AFIR back into the air around 1950. A good read that's still in print or get it through your local library.
Steve

[Richard Wicker]

Hi Steve.
Thanks for that, I may well give it a read. My main interest is WW1 aviation, but anything before the jet took over interests me. The Minor build came about mainly due to it being simple to convert to rc, suites the diddy engine and servos when kept to the ff size, and with luck should make into a pretty little model for calm days -IF we get any!!

[Mike Rolls]

A pal of mine built Eric'd LM for Mills 75 - free flight. Eric's original was Allbon Dart powered and must have been a bit lighter than my mate's, which used to drone around until the tank ran dry, never getting above about 10-15 feet.

Mike

[Guest]

A very long time ago, I built a scaled up version of Eric's for a K Kestral 1.9cc which came out at 1/6 th scale. Flew so good it flew away into a field of wheat. I had to leave it for 2 weeks till wheat was cut. This was 1/6th of 12 weeks that one of the full size had to languish in a field till crop cut. thats taking scale too far!!

Model never flew again as rain weakened everything. Engine started OK though.

I have somewhere a nice photo of a full size which won concours- all white with blue trim - probably available on web thru googling

John

[Graham Ashby 123]

Lovely aeroplane the Luton Minor. I built the Andrew Moorhouse Peanut version many years ago as G-AFIR and I once owned a 60" span radio version with an O.S. 40 four-stroke up front. The R/C model had no dihedral (as full-size) and wasn't the easiest of things to fly. Looked terrific in the air though. Wish I hadn't sold it now...

[Mike Rolls]

John
The K Kestrel -that brings back memories. It was an engine I lusted over but couldn't afford at the time and only ever saw one or two back then. Had the chance of buying one for nostalgia's sake about 20 years ago - but it was a non-running wreck and my lustfullness wasn't that strong!
Mike

[Guest]

Mike,
I have 2 of them, buried somewhere in my workshop.
I hope to resurrect them sometime, and if they still run OK , then ebay them.
The first one powered the Eric Fearnley Luton Minor scaled up 1/3rd.
Lovely model, compression set just to give it enough power to circle on a very slow climb on a lazy summer day - bliss.
John

[Mike Rolls]

John
Those were the days!
Mike

[Peter Miller]

Back in 81 I designed an R/C Luton Minor which appeared in RCM&E. IT was powered by a G-mark 30 flat twin and featured on the cover.
Arthur Orde-Hume wrote a long letter to the editor saying that he had thought that it was his own aircraft for a moment and making several very complimentary remarks. He also said that he was amusedd by the fact that the G-Mark engine at £78.95 cost almost three times as much as he used to pay for the 37 h.p. Aeronca JAP twins which he bought in 1946.
I have a photocopy of that letter. I also have a copy of a letter from the then owner of G-AFIR.

[Steve biplane]

In the book I referred to there is a copy of AOH's receipt (1949) for £25, for the purchase of G-AFIR which bought him "a pre-war registration which had flown and a highly unairworthy airframe attached to it". Another receipt in the book, from 1963, is for 4 gallons of fuel (total cost one pound and tuppence) given when AOH dropped into Heathrow to refuel. Can you imagine the chaos that would create to flight plans these days.
Steve.

[Peter Miller]

I had a K Vulture once, well named indeed. Never did get that to fire up but collected an awful lot of bruises. Being a sadist I gave it away to some unsuspecting sucker. That must have been back in the early 60s.

[Richard Wicker]

Never thought about this before, but Graham is right, the Luton is a lovely little plane. The more I study it, it just seems to have something about it. One of those planes that are so inoffensive that no matter what type or era is your "Thing", you can't help but like it.

[texas]

Changing the subject slightly I'm interested in the Luton Buzzard II. I have reproduction of the Aeromodeler article from way back and have found another photo on the Luton Minor web site. Does anyone know if any model kits or plans were ever produced for this as I'd like to make an electric powered model of it some time in the future. If no-one can come up with anything I may draw up some plans of my own.

[Allan Jordan]

 For those interested there is a plan available from the plans service  FSP697. It's rather small at 22'3/4ins and it is a F/F version, but it might scale up quite well. I'm thinking of trying it myself ( don't know when though) I think it would look really great at about 105 ins. span!

[texas]

Sorry but FSP 697 is for a Luton Minor not the Luton Buzzard II. Still looking.

[Chris Salomon]

I remember, many years ago, my dad had a collection of 'Practical Mechanics' magazine from the 30's right up to the 60's and there was a serialised construction feature on the full size Luton Minor.  It always fascinated me that it was possible to build a plane at home with no more than ordinary woodworking tools.

Oh, and we threw my dad's old Practical Mechanics away some years ago sadly!

[Ron Harrison]

OK anyone, not having built a Model from a plan before, always been ARTF or Boxed Kits, where do I go with regard to deciding what quantity of Balsa etc. to buy? Is there a Formula or something less exotic I can follow?

 

I am referring, in this instance, to the Luton Minor, Septembers Free Plan.

 

Thought that there were moves afoot to include a list of materials, for people like me, on the Plans!?

 

Cheers

 

Ron

Edited By Ron Harrison on 03/08/2010 12:19:58

Edited By Ron Harrison on 03/08/2010 12:20:42

[Simon King]

I agree with Ron- I am a complete novice when it comes to building and would love to have a go at the Luton Minor plan as in the latest issue of RCM+E.

 

But I just don't know what parts I need and how much of each.  Unfortunately I am not in a position of having loads of stock items in the workshop so would have to buy what I need.  When the designers supply these plans would it not be possible to just write a shopping list on the side of the plan somewhere so us novices could go to our LHS and say "I want THIS please" rather than looking for a load of odd bits and then realising that the one bit of wood you need has been overlooked!

 

Please designers, give this some thought!  It can't be too difficult as you have built the thing after all!

 

Many thanks

[Misha]

I agree with Ron and Simon. Also, I think it would be very practical for us, beginners in scratch building,  that you more illustrate phases of building, and not only text. pictures of covered model are great, but we need to see how model is built first. Phase by phase. Tthis can be done in maybe 10 pictures more, but very helpful.

You have to remember that those plans are mostly for beginners and not for build experts.

 

Cheers

Edited By Miroljub Misovic on 12/08/2010 22:35:11

[Guest]

I seem to recall from way way back that plans did have a material list to help builders buy what they didn't already have in their workshops.

 

Maybe Graham might pick up on this ??

 

john

[Steve Hargreaves - Moderator]

Experience tends to tell you how much wood you will need plus most balsa bashers always have a few sheets of balsa lying around the workshop. Often you will find that only a small amount of, say, 1/4" balsa in needed & this can come from the "scraps box". Obviously if you have absolutely no wood then you will need to buy a full sheet of 1/4!!

 

Take the point though, for a novice this is not so easy so a list on the plan would be very useful & shouldn't be that hard to do.....I too am going to build the Luton so I will take a look at the plan & post up list of balsa if this helps........

 

Basically though balsa comes in 2 widths....3" & 4" & is 36" long so for the main components (fuselage, wing sheeting) measure the widest part & then decide if you can get two out of a 4" wide part or would you need 2 sheets of 3" (one fuz side per sheet). Carry on like that until you have enough wood for every component & off to the model shop you go!!! Yes you will have some left but you can save this for the next build!!!!

 

Personally I always transfer the components to thin card using carbon paper (yes you can still buy it!!) & then draw around the card templates onto the wood. This allows me to "nest" the parts onto a sheet for minimum waste & also alows me to take advantage of any straight edges on the wood by using them to replicate the straight edges on the templates.

 

Building is great fun...it can be a bit dauting at first but the worst time is the 5 minutes just before you start...once you get into it everything will start to slot into place & you always have this wonderful forum to ask for advise.....whats the worst that can happen....you mess up a component & have to make another one!!!! As Nike say....Just Do It!!!

 

& remember...there are no mistakes..these are just learning opportunities...

[Steve Hargreaves - Moderator]

 A quick look at the Luton Minor plan with my ruler has produced this list of wood. Obviously other parts will be required also…the plan details some block & a few bits of ¼” balsa too for the front end & cowl so if you have nothing in stock you will need these too….

 Fuselage Sides & lower sheeting 3 off 3/32” x 3” x 36”

Wing Ribs & Formers 1 off 1/8” x 4” x 36” (or you might get these out of the remains of your Fuselage sheets)

Fin, Rudder, Tailplane & Elevators 1 off 3/16” x 3” x 36” (also cut your turtle deck stringers from this)

Bottom Wing Skin 1 off 1/16” x 3” x 36” & 1 off 1/16” x 4” x 36”

Leading Edge ¼” LE Section

False Trailing edge 1 off ¼” x 3/8” x 36”

Trailing Edge 1 off 1 ½” x 3/8” TE Stock

Spar 1 off 1/8” x 3/8” Spruce

Ply Doublers & Dihedral Brace 1 sq ft 1/16” ply

 I’m not quite sure what’s going on at the trailing edge either…the plan & instructions seem to indicate that the entire wing is built on a skin of 1/6” balsa but looking at the two sections through the inner & outer ribs it shows the skin under the TE section in the middle but not at the outer ribs. If this is the case then it would mean that the TE section will not match the wing thickness at the outer ribs…..I think I will use a skin under the entire wing but suspect I will need to watch the dimensions of the ribs & false TE to make sure everything ties up OK…maybe Dave Royds could comment if he’s ever on the forum….

 I also noticed that the sides of formers B3B & B2 are slightly concave on the plan….not sure if this is intentional or a problem with the plan printing but I suspect this will be a nightmare to glue & then cover if it results in concave fuz sides so they will be straight on my version thus giving a flat fuz side.

 I’m looking forward to building mine. I inherited a part built Luton Minor from the guy who taught me to fly way back in the late 70s. I can’t remember much about the model (which I chucked out when I dropped out of the hobby in the late 80s) but I recall it was about 48” span & designed for a 0.19cu in glow motor…the guy who built it said he was going to paint it Grey & Maroon so maybe my model should be these colours in homage to him

[Arron Davison]

Hi guys im a newbie to building and this luton minor really caught my eye its a lovely little bird. iv got the plan from this months RCM&E, so how do i start if i cut the bits out it will lose the other bits on reverse? do i trace? and do i cover the plans in anything thanks for your time and sorry to be a pain iv got to start somewhere.

[Ron Harrison]

Trace or copy the parts of the plan you are contemplating cutting then the original will not get sullied!

 

When you start building over the plan, cover it with some Polythene to stop getting bits stuck to it!

 

Good luck

 

Ron

Edited By Ron Harrison on 16/08/2010 20:47:44