Scratch built Wot 4

[Richard Long 2]

Has anyone got a set of plans?

The linking the first post is broken.

Regards

[Dove from above]

Thinking same thing Richard.

[kc]

The link was to the Colin Usher near equivalent to Wot4 and is now available on Aerofred - you need to register to see it. It's for about 52 inch straight wing or 58 inch tapered wing and is very similar to the balsa Wot4 but I think it's not exactly the same.

You could also consider the Rival by Mike Delacole which is on Outerzone

[Plummet]

Was the original model that started this thread this the Wot4 plan that was being sold on EBay a few years ago.

If so "I THINK" the story of its history dates back to when the original Wot4s were produced. In those days "I WAS TOLD" Chris Foss was only producing the foam wings. So he released a plan for the fuselage and tail and sold the wings to go with it. Then someone designed a built-up wing to use in place of Mr Foss's foam ones. These two plans were what was being sold - "IF I AM CORRECT".

Can anyone confirm this story.

I built one of these years ago, and it flew beautifully from the start. Until folk flying a couple of warbirds caused me to fly away from the strip, and I was distracted - loss of concentration - too far away - loss of orientation - the inevitable!

I really must finish the re-build sometime.

Plummet

[gangster]

Plummet. Yes you are about right. I believe that when the wot 4 was originally produced it was a plan pack. Foam wings a plan and a few other bits. Most of the balsa you sourced yourself. A bit later they made a full kit. This was slightly different from the old mark 1. Different wing chord and section. A few years ago a company called Yesterday’s aeromodeller plans service were selling a plan for the MK1. It could even be a reproduction of the original plan. They also included a plan for a built up wing as all the kit wot 4s were foam . Realising that 40 years in from the original and in over 40 years modelling I had never owned a wot 4. I built one from this plan. It’s a lovely model to fly. Sadly I can find no trace of YAMPS now so assume they have packed up. The good news is that you can still get wing ribs for that plan from Igull

[gangster]

Plummet. Yes you are about right. I believe that when the wot 4 was originally produced it was a plan pack. Foam wings a plan and a few other bits. Most of the balsa you sourced yourself. A bit later they made a full kit. This was slightly different from the old mark 1. Different wing chord and section. A few years ago a company called Yesterday’s aeromodeller plans service were selling a plan for the MK1. It could even be a reproduction of the original plan. They also included a plan for a built up wing as all the kit wot 4s were foam . Realising that 40 years in from the original and in over 40 years modelling I had never owned a wot 4. I built one from this plan. It’s a lovely model to fly. Sadly I can find no trace of YAMPS now so assume they have packed up. The good news is that you can still get wing ribs for that plan from Igull

[gangster]

So my question on this is. Ignoring ARTf foamies giant and mini wot 4s how many versions of the proper ARTB kit wot 4 are there? I was given a wot 4 wing when I built mine and no way would it fit and am still wondering what to use it for. There was a company mentioned on here selling wot 4 plans and watt 4 plans which clearly were not real foswots but looked a blatant clone. Just wondering how close they ate

Edited By gangster on 10/10/2019 15:22:43

[Richard Wood]

This is the superbly drawn Foss plan that used to be available from YAMPS

[kc]

I think the info about the original Wot4 being sold as a plan pack is correct. However the one thing that seems incorrect is that someone SOLD a copy of the Wot4 plan - my understanding is that they GAVE AWAY a photocopy of the original plan when you BOUGHT the built up wing plan from them. Would appear to be a copyright thing!

I don't underrstand YAMPS who/what are they?

There are at least 3 types of Wot4 kit wings

1. the original plan pack foam wing  iGull sell precut balsa ribs for this plan at 18.50 pounds

2 the classic Wot4 kit 52 inch wing

3 the tapered Wot4 kit wing based on the Acrowot style.

Then there are variations in taiplane & fin original and later type similar (same?) as an Acrowot.   Also modified slimmer rear fuselage underside on later models.

Interesting thing is all Wot4's whatever the style all fly the same! However they are modified they all fly well. I reckon its the big fat blunt wing section with general proprtions just right that make it so.

 

Edited By kc on 10/10/2019 17:43:07

[gangster]

Yes KC. I just looked at my plan it does actually say that it’s a free copy. I don’t know what the deal with C Foss was on this or where yamps are now

Edited By gangster on 10/10/2019 18:10:28

[gangster]

[Chris Mills 1]

Does anyone have a copy of the Wot 4 plan with built up wings? I did have one but it has gone missing.

Chris.

[JACK]

hi chris,the plan you want will be the mk 1 version,l believe they are still availiable from mr foss….l used to have one but not sure if l still have it,will p.m you if l have,jack.

[kc]

There is a very similar ( copy?) called the Devil Dancer from Colin Usher /Hip Pocket aero which you could download from here.

I would suggest you also consider the Rival by Mike Delacole which was /is an RCME plan but it's available on Outerzone together with the original article. Slightly bigger span & slightly simpler build.

[Chris Mills 1]

Thanks for the responses.

Look forward to your PM Jack if you can find the plan.

[Gary Fentiman]

Think I'm gonna give this a go as its a great plane to get my kids interested. I remember seeing one go vertical on an OS.46 when I was learning on my HI-BOY.

[Nigel R]

The Watt Four is a clone, for certain, or hats will be eaten. And it has the tapered wing shown on the plan.

But. I'd concur on Rival though, it's an arguably better engineered model, both to build and fly.

 

As another alternative to Wot4, Super Hots is an easy build and classy fun fly model from the era when fun fly models still had standard size controls.

Several versions on OZ:

https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=4581

https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=4095

https://outerzone.co.uk/plan_details.asp?ID=6021

Edited By Nigel R on 15/11/2019 11:49:28

[Gary Fentiman]

Just a quick one on the wot 4 plans it says that there is an option of Dihedral on the wings, but as I remember the wing was flat?

[John Bisset]

Gary,

You are correct. The original Wot 4 did not have any dihedral. I can't speak for the ARTF foam variants and smaller versions!

[Bruce Collinson]

Current ARTF and recent foam have no dihedral, nor did the foam veneered wing kit I built about 3 years ago.

BTC

[Geoff S]

The wooden ARTF Wot4 I put together earlier this year has no dihedral (nice and easy to join with no bother finding suitable props to support the wing tip) but I have a feeling there's a taper on the underneath which has the effect of setting a quite small dihedral. My wing isn't immediately to hand so can't check.

Geoff

[Don Fry]

Geoff, don't bother, your memory is accurate.

[Bruce Collinson]

Not my recollection of the one I flew on Wednesday but either way, the ARTF wing has a flat ply joiner, I believe it’s fully symmetrical and it’s flat.

BTC

[kc]

That slight dihedral would be only on the tapered wing version surely? Original Wot 4 had straight wings and the instructions say 3/4 inch dihedral under EACH wing tip for aileron trainer only - otherwise no dihedral. The Colin Usher Devil Dancer has both wings shown.

Edited By kc on 15/11/2019 18:10:53

[David Davis]

Chris Mills 1, pm sent.