My Balsa & Glass Workshop
My Scratch Built Balsa RC Models
Welcome to “My Balsa Models Builders Page.” All projects in this webpage are my scratch-built Balsa RC model aircraft. I have been building RC model aircraft for more years than can be recalled, starting out with many kits, but my last 16 builds have all been scratch built. I love working with wood and the 2-D views of an RC model on paper plans to see how things can come together in a 3-D fully functional flying RC model. I develop my various build descriptions so other RC modelers can potentially avoid many of the pitfalls and mistakes that I have made (and still do today). If anyone has questions during your scratch builds, I'd be more than happy to try and assist you.
If you are serious about trying to build your own Balsa RC model aircraft, you should look at the "Magnetic Build Board" section I have on this page. It contains the link to "Airfield Models". Airfield Models has really great information on building Balsa models. I also provided you with the link to "RCPlanes.Online". RCPlane.Online has a great CG calculator along with various other calculation programs you might need for building your own RC models.
Aerofred.com and Outerzone.co.uk are two of my favorite web sites to obtain free plans for new builds. They like to post images of Builder's models, and Fred has posted my model images and instructions under the heading of the associated aircraft.
To aid in getting the plans you download to a set of full-size plans, I highly recommend you take the time to view a great 2-part video series produced by Mark Robinson titled "Download & Print Plans - Balsa Model Airplane Building". I also recommend your use PDF X to view/edit and print your RC model plans.
NOTE - You can view all images using a “Spotlight Box” by simply clicking on any image.
Click on any link below to jump to that Balsa RC Model Section
Some Old School Build Pictures
PDF Instruction's for Larry's Big Table
Blended Wing Body (BWB) Concept
Beechcraft Starship
I was contacted by a flying club friend who has asked me if I would be interested in building him a new kit he was looking to purchase. Even though this is not a scratch build, I am very interested in this kit because I feel I can use the AMTN wing and fuselage design to aid me in coming up with plans for a JetZero BWB RC model I discuss further down on this webpage.
The kit and retracts have arrived, and were brought to me on 5 April 2024. So, this model is now my latest build project. A Callie-Graphics package has been ordered and will arrive well before we will need it. Below are a couple images of the balsa and plywood RC model in discussion. A unique aircraft indeed. You can see more images and read additional information @: AMTN Starship. There also is a multi-part Plane Fun R/C Channel Build Log that you can view @: Starship Build. So, I added this new build section with updates as I go thru my build. I hope you enjoy this build as much as I am.
This latest update is as of 27 April 2024 and I updated my “build description” which you can view and download using the link below. The first task in the build of Main Wing Part A (or inboard-wing panel) is to remove all the finished parts required for assembly from the Lite ply sheets, sanding the edges and cutouts to help make that assembly go smoothly. You can see all the parts needed in the left image below.
Builders Note — If you plan to install the WA-20 8mm hardwood dowel in the nose of the Main Wing, now would be the time to cut 8mm notches in both WA-1 ribs for the dowel to fit into.
I started with the right side of Main Wing Part A. The top right image shows the magnetic board jig and a dry-run test fit of ribs WA-1 thru WA-3, and main spars WA-7 thru WA-13. Various magnetic fixtures are used to hold the ribs perpendicular to the building board, and to ensure each of the seven spars are positioned 90 degrees to rib WA-1. This AMTN kit is awesome. The Lite ply parts fit together like no other kit I have ever built. With the jig and test-fit verified, each main spar can be lifted out, one at a time, to apply the Titebond III wood glue to each joint, and then set back down into the ribs. Just as I did on the front wing, I take my glue syringe and put a small bead of glue along all the interlocking rib/spar joints.
Builders Note — I clamp a small aluminum “L” bar along the length of rib WA-1 to ensure it is kept straight during the panel assembly. Once WA-7 through WA-13 are all glued in place, this is allowed to set overnight before I proceed any further.
Next, this partial assembly of the right inboard-wing panel is temporally removed from the mag fixture jig and flipped over so ribs WA-4 thru WA-6 can be glued into the wing spars WA-9 through WA-13. With these three outer ribs initially glued in place, flip the panel back over and reinserted it into the mag fixture jig. Place some more mag fixtures along the outer three ribs to ensure they are held in their correct positions while the glue dries. Now glue spars WA-14 and WA-15 into the interlocking slots of ribs WA-3 through WA-5. This forms the bay for the main landing gear (MLG) retract. Again, I used my sock weights to keep all ribs resting on their support tabs.
Three Builders Notes — 1) This is a good time to verify the fit of the fiberglass wing-tube sleeve through ribs WA-4 thru WA-6. 2) To help strengthen the MLG bay, I glued some 10mm balsa triangle stock in the outside corners of the rib/spar joints. 3)Finally, it is critical that ribs WA-1 and WA-6 are perpendicular to the building board surface. This is to ensure a good matting of the inboard-wing panels to the mid-wing panels, and the join of the two inboard-wing panels.
Next, I cut-out the WA-17 leading edge for this panel from a 10mm balsa sheet and glued it to ribs WA-1 through WA-6. Make sure you grind an angle to the ribs leading edge to improve the glue joint between the WA-17 leading edge and six ribs. The bottom left image below shows the right inboard-wing panel at this stage of the build.
After going through all the same steps again to build the left inboard-wing panel, I pulled that panel from the mag jig and as you can see in the right bottom image below we now have both panels needed for the Main Wing inboard section. Next up is to start the build of a mid-wing panel. If you have any questions about this build, please feel free to send me an email @: Starship.
AMTN Beechcraft Starship Website.
Miss Vintage
While working on the coding for the April 2024 edition to my “Build of the Month ” Series, I found the model selection so interesting that I decided it would be my next scratch build project. So, I added this new build section with updates as I go thru my build. I hope you enjoy this build as much as I am.
This latest posting is as of 5 April 2024 and I updated my “build description” which you can view and download using the link below.
Changes made to the design are discussed in my “build description.” Remember you can view any image larger using the “Spotlight Box” by simply clicking on any image.
The left image is the build-up of the wing center panel. On the right you can see all three wing panels in a jig I set up on my wood workbench for a dry run test fit. Only minor adjustments to the basswood main spar ends were needed to get a nice fit. The three wing panels have all been assembled using 30 minute epoxy resulting in a total wingspan of 59″ with the 1″ dihedral at the end of the main spars as called out on the plans. The 1/16″ balsa vertical grain shear webbing on the back of the main spars and between the trailing edge sheets has been installed. Basswood diagonals have all been cut, sanded, and glued between the R1 ribs. Next I need to put 1/32″ birch plywood sheeting on the top and bottom of the wing over the entire wing join area, but with the delivery of the Beechcraft Starship discussed above, this scratch build is being placed on hold for now. Not to worry, I will come back to this build once I'm finished with the Starship, I'm guessing sometime this late summer or fall. If you have any questions about this build, please feel free to send me an email @: Miss Vintage.
Full size plans in PDF format that can be downloaded and/or printed from here.
Andy Clancy's Speedy Bee
After publishing the August 2023 Edition of my "Build of the Month" Series, I decided to start yet another scratch build to keep me busy over the winter months, and that being the Andy Clancy Speedy Bee. As I worked through my scratch build, I posted new build images such as those to the right, and update my build description which you can obtain via the link provided below. After finishing my build I made the decision to change the main landing gear from the rubber band suspension per the plans to an oil filled shocks/springs suspension. Therefore, the final version of my build description is now as of 19 Jan 2024. I hope you will enjoy this scratch build as much as I did. If you have any questions, just send me an email.
Final Version of My Build Description, in PDF format, which includes images and scratch build hits.
Full size plans in PDF format that can be downloaded and/or printed from here.
.jpg)
1929 Velie Monocoupe
The Velie Monocoupe Model 70 was one of the first airplanes ever built for private fliers. A total of 350 Velie Monocoupe were built from 1927-1929. The Velie Monocoupe was a wooden framed, doped fabric-covered monoplane, seating two people side-by-side in an enclosed cabin (hence the name). Conceived by pilot/businessman Don A. Luscombe, who developed a mock-up in 1926, and developed into a flying airplane by farmer-turned-plane-designer Clayton Folkerts—first produced by Central States Aircraft Corp in Davenport, Iowa—the little plane was a revolution in personal aviation: small, relatively inexpensive, quick, and efficient (70-80 mph on just 55 horsepower), and with an enclosed cockpit (protected from the weather) for two people. In an era of big, costly, lumbering, open-cockpit biplanes, the Monocoupe was like a flying sports car coupe. Powered by the little 55 hp Velie five-cylinder air-cooled radial engine and a wingspan of 32’, the model 70 Monocoupe was a very successful airplane. The company sold so many units in 1928 that they were able to claim that 80 percent of the civilian airplanes sold in the U.S. in that year were Monocoupes.
The images to the left are: top - full size 1929 Velie; middle - my RC model of the Velie; bottom - a 1932 Monocoupe Model 90 at the 1963 AAA fly-in, and yes that is me with my father who restored N429N, which is now on display at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome, Rhinebeck, New York.
My Build Article, in PDF format, which includes all the images and instructions.
Full size plans in PDF format that can be downloaded and/or printed from here.
Old School Build
Here are a couple images that show some old school building techniques. These are from my 1929 Velie Monocoupe that I started in winter 2022, and was completed in March 2023.
S.T.O.L. Pigeon
The free S.T.O.L. Pigeon plan and article were downloaded from AeroFred.com. This is a GREAT site to obtain plans for scratch builds.
The construction of this model is very straightforward. Simplified wings give all of you scratch builders a well-deserved break. The ribs are spaced as far apart as practical, and the wings are identical in all respects. The rib spacing allows a mere 38 ribs to be used for both wings. That number is very close to most 2-meter gliders, but remember, you get all the nostalgia of two wings for the building time of one...
This is a great plane for the first-time scratch builder to build and fly. I modified the plans to use "bolt-on" wings (template found on “BalsaWorkbench.com”,) increased the rudder by 30%, extended both wings to 48" removed the dihedral, and put an O.S. .35 2-cycle in for power.
I used five channels in this airplane but that is not to say fewer could not be used. This biplane has been flown on three channels and it even does well on two channels. The reason for the five channels in my aircraft is that I tend to get frustrated with a slow aircraft if I can't do aerobatics and have lots of functions to play with.
First step in most of my builds is to print out a copy of the full-size plan on my Canon printer using the "poster" settings, and then put all the pages together for an overall 77" x 42.5" plan on two sheets. You can also get the plan printed out at Fed Ex for around $25 a copy. Having the full-size plan, I then went thru and determined all the materials I would need to make the build. Any balsa sticks and sheets, basswood or plywood needed was ordered from Balsa USA.
The Article found in RC Modeler - December 1986.
My Build Description in PDF format, which includes all the images and instructions.
Full size plans in PDF format that can be downloaded and/or printed from here.
New Big Tables
I built a number of these flat top tables for R.G. Satow RC Flying Field. I created a PDF file with instructions and a complete bill of materials if you would like to build one for your own use at home. Click the link to download or view the instructions.
Boeing Blended Wing Body Concept
I'm going to try and draw up some plans for an RC model using two electric ducted fans (EDFs) for propulsion. Something around 48" to 60" for a max wingspan. A built-up fuselage using light ply formers and skinned with 1/16" balsa. Wings as I normally build using a "boxed D" design. I plan to use 5/8 inch carbon fiber tubes to mate the wings to the fuselage. Right now the overall span is 54", but a large part of that is the wide fuselage, which also acts as another large wing like lifting surface. Overall wing loading I hope will end up being less than 20 oz. per square foot. The twin EDF fans will be inside the fuselage, with access panels on the bottom of the fuselage. Tricycle gear, but not going with retracts on this first try. To help with handling and to try and not have a crash-and-burn on first flight, I want to use a Spektrum receiver with the "Safe" technology built in. I don't see this new BWB design flying much different than my 150 Wonder since both are about the same size, weight, and power.
5/3/2023 Based on my review of available EDFs, I will be using twin Freewing 64mm 12 Blade Ducted Fans powered by 2840-2850KV motors, and a single 4S 5200mah LiPo in my design of the Boeing BWB military transport. These two EDFs will give me a 1:1 power-to-weight ratio (assuming 5.5 lbs total weight) at full thrust.
After having drawn up several different views using paper and pencil, I decided to try my hand at 2D Computer Aided Design. As of today, I have all fuselage profiles established; detailed layouts for both wings; a top, bottom, and side view of the fuselage; rib profiles; all now in digital 2D drawings. You can see these in the links in the section below.
Using the center fuselage front and aft profile views, I printed out templates for all the fuselage formers and fuselage ribs. I then took the templates and generated actual full size formers/ribs cut from 1/8 inch form core board.
With the announcement on 13 October 2023 from the USAF that JetZero, an aerospace company based in the US, will build the world's first blended wing body (BWB) demonstrator aircraft (bottom image to the left) for the USAF, my design efforts to model the Boeing BWB have been placed on hold. Should I decide to try and model the JetZero BWB concept, updates will be posted on this webpage. More to come, maybe.
I will try and keep you up to date on my progress. For those of you that want to follow me through the process, I will post the date here for when the files below have changed.
(as of 5/3/2023)
BWB Scale Model Design and Build
This build description is going to be somewhat different from others I produced in the past for my other scratch builds. First, this build is based only on a picture I ran across in a copy of Aviation Week and Space Technology (Feb 13-26, 2023) of a new concept from Boeing for a Blended Wing Body (BWB) military transport targeted for the US Air Force. This scalable configuration could be developed as a tactical airlifter Lockheed C-130 replacement, or a Boeing C-17 size strategic transport. The wingspan of the initial Boeing concept is estimated at about 130 feet, using medium or even high-bypass-ratio turbofans buried along the sides of the center fuselage. Second, there are no plans that I can download from the web for this build. Therefore, I will start this build description by working up the requirements of the RC model, and development of the plans to scratch build from. The first thing I needed to do was to see what additional data I could find on this new BWB transport, which I rapidly found was only a few more pictures. There is nothing in the way of any three views, line drawings, or specifications. Boeing currently is not releasing any additional data.
Using the top view picture I worked up my initial 'scale' representation of the BWB outline. Next, I broke out my old engineering design drawing kit (from my bachelors engineering class back in the mid-70's) and pulled out several scaled rules to find something that would provide me with a scale I could use to end up with a model in the 48-60 inch wingspan range. This wingspan range was set to be able to store the model in my workshop, and to carry it to the flying field in the bed of my Colorado pickup. What resulted was an initial plan that comes in with a 54-inch wingspan and a center fuselage of 13.5 inches wide by 30 inches long. So, this top view of the overall outline was put down on drawing paper as the starting point for my plans. Please read my "Design and Build Document" in the section to the left for more of the design story.
Cloud Dancer Article
Cloud Dancer Full Size Plans
My Complete Build Document with Pictures
Cloud Dancer
The free Cloud Dancer plan and article were downloaded off Outerzone.co.uk, but plans can also be found on AeroFred.com, which has several versions of the Cloud Dance ranging from 40" to 86" wingspans. There also is a laser short kit for the larger Cloud Dancer 120 available for purchase on bulsaworkbench.com.
The Cloud Dancer I built was designed by Fred Reese, and the article is from a June 1993 edition of Radio Control Modeler (RCM). This .60 size version has a wingspan of 73" with a total wing area of 850 sq. inches, which will result in a light wing loading of approx. 17 oz. per sq. in. The overall fuselage length is 57", and is designed for a .40 - .60 two stroke. I installed a Thunder Tiger .61 2-stroke my father used many years ago.
First step in this build was to print out a copy of the full size plan on my Canon printer using the "poster" settings, and then put all the pages together for an overall 77" x 51" plan.
Given the plan only has the right wing and right horizontal stab drawn, I inverted the plan file vertically to get a left wing and stab, and that copy of the plan was cut up to get the patters for all the ribs, formers, fuselage sides, etc.
You can also get the plan printed out at Fed Ex for around $25 a copy.
Having the full size plan, I then went thru and determined all the materials I would need to make the build. All balsa sticks and sheets, basswood, or plywood I needed were ordered from Balsa USA. I used my magnetic build board and fixtures for this build as all the major sections ended up fitting on the 48" board.
The two images here show my finished Cloud Dancer. Double check all the control throws and throttle throw for correct directions, and verify the CG is per the plans. She flies great so have fun.
Bokkie MK II
This low wing .20-.30 powered sport flier builds quick, flies great, and won't break the bank.
RCM Big Bird II Article
Big Bird II Description with the images and all the instructions
Big Bird II Plans
Big Bird II
The free Big Bird II plan and RCM article were both downloaded from AeroFred.com. There also is a Big Bird I plan.
This build is very similar to the Dynaflight Butterfly plane. The construction is very straightforward. A basic LONG box fuselage, stick built tail surfaces, and a BIG flat bottom wing. This would be a great plane for the first-time scratch builder to build and fly. I modified the plans to use "bolt-on" wings, added ailerons to each of the outer wing panels and flaps to each of the inner wing panels, increased the rudder and elevator by approximately 30%, extended each of the inner wing panels to 23", which yields an overall wingspan of 94", and removed the dihedral at the wing center section joint. There are some other modifications which I call out in my build description that I've provided to the right. I initially used an O.S. .26 Surpass 4-cycle for power, but later changed to an O.S. .25 FX 2-cycle so I could use the 4-cycle on another model. I elected to use five channels in my scratch build but that is not to say fewer could be used if you did not want the ailerons and/or flaps, or more can be used if you want to drive each flap and aileron surface servo using a separate channel on the receiver. It is your call on this one.
Double Trouble 40
She has a wing span of 36.5", overall length of 38", and is powered by an O.S. 46LA. A very simple build, and she turned out to be an interesting aerobatic biplane.
Article by Fred Reese W/Instruction and Spec's
Magnetic Build Board & 1935 Aeronca C-3
The Results: A scratch built 1935 Aeronca C-3. Six foot wingspan and powered by an O.S. .35 2-cycle.
Here are the links to display or download the Full Size Plans and the Article From RC MODELER.
Lots of good info here, and is where I got the info I needed to make my magnetic building board and all the various fixtures.
Another good source of magnetic build board information and many different types of fixtures that you can purchase.
Ed Kazmirskis' Simla
The Simla was RC pioneer and legend Ed Kazmirskis' boldest and most ambitious design. In 1965 the Simla was a giant leap into the unknown world of large-scale RC Aerobatics (Pattern) airplanes, decades before big models would be commonplace. The Simla was an experimental, one-of-a-kind effort employing out-of-the-box thinking at a time when aircraft design was as much intuition as scientific. It featured adjustable high-, mid-, and low-wing positions; adjustable dihedral and stabilizer incidence; and, best of all, an early form of plug-in wings in an era when dowels and rubber bands were holding all other models wings on. Plans for the Simla can be ordered from the Model Aviation Magazine Plans Service. You can find a link to their site on my 'RC_Links' page by simply clicking on the “AMA Plans Service” link.
The Model Aviation Article that got me interested in scratch building the Simla.
My Build Description, in PDF format, which includes all the images and instructions.
1911 Voisin Canard
A Truly Different Aircraft
The Voisin Canard was an aircraft developed by the Voisin brothers during 1910 and first flown early in 1911. It was named the Canard because of the resemblance of its forward fuselage to that of a duck's long neck while in flight. It was originally flown as a land plane: with the addition of floats it became one of the first seaplanes used by the French Navy.
I found the details of the original full sized aircraft at Wikipedia.
My Build Description, in PDF format, which includes all the images and instructions.
Full size plans in PDF format that can be downloaded and/or printed from here.
A short video of my Voisin Canard actually flying can be download here.
Big Double Trouble
and X-20
When I first saw the Virgin Galactic White Knight Two and Spaceship Two back in 2008, I thought it would be interesting to see if these two aircraft could be built as RC models. As with the two Virgin Galactic aircraft, the mothership model would carry a smaller aircraft model to altitude and then released to allow another member of our flying club to control its flight using a separate transmitter. I searched the web for any existing plans but came up with zero. So, I decided that I would come up with something myself.
My White Knight Two model would be similar by having two fuselages, a very large wingspan, and a center wing section that would carry the smaller captive carry RC model. Because of its very gentle handling characteristics, known flying qualities, and rather simple design, I decided to use the plans from my Dynaflight Butterfly kit as a starting point, and then made many additions and modifications from there. The largest difference was this would be a twin fuselage model using two 4-cycle engines for power, and a wingspan of 152 inches overall. Not a small model. Details of this build are contained in my build description which is provided below.
Big Double Trouble Hardware List.
My Build Description, in PDF format, which includes all the images and instructions.
by Larry Nieman
.jpg){kind=link}
