SOME AIRPLANES are not designed to be new concepts, but
rather to fill a specific need more perfectly than those that already
exist. This was the case when Jim Allen Jr. put pencil to vellum and
created the Blue Max II.
Jim’s desire was to come up with a fun-fly type model that
would be more precise on the controls—especially at slow speeds—
than the one he was flying at the time and would slow more quickly
for landing while still being light enough to have exemplary
vertical-performance capabilities. That was a tall order!
To achieve those goals Jim decided to use a swept-back wing in
place of a straight wing. The swept wing, he reasoned, would give
superior low-speed maneuverability and “go-where-you-point”
qualities. He added tip plates to help keep the airflow on the wing
for even more lift and stability in low-speed regimes.
All the preceding attributes were incorporated into an easy-to-
build design that translates well today into a high-performance sport
model for .40-size engines or conversion to electric power.
The Blue Max II construction article was published in the
February 1985 MA. Plans are number 465D, and they come
complete with a bill of materials. MA
Edition: Model Aviation - 2007/01
Page Numbers: 156