May 2008 121
AMA Plans Service Showcase
Lil’ Foiler
A successful design in
downsized form is revisited
JOHN TANZER’S original RC Foiler
design was published in the May 1991 MA.
The .60 glow-powered model was so
popular with his fellow club members and
others who built it that John decided to
build a smaller version using the same
construction techniques and the same
airfoil design. He called it the Lil’ Foiler.
The construction feature was published
in the October 1992 MA. The Lil’ Foiler
was designed to be powered by .40- to .51-
size glow engines, but it is yet another
candidate for effortless conversion to
electric power.
This model features a constant-chord,
multispar wing with shear webs. The result
is an extraordinarily rigid structure. The
fuselage is also robust; it has 1/8 Lite Ply
sides with 3/32 cross-grain balsa sheeting on
top and bottom. The tail feathers are
constructed from 1/4 sheet balsa. It’s an
easy build!
With a wingspan of 48.5 inches, the Lil’
Foiler has a wing area of 615 square
inches. The suggested flying weight is 4.5-
5.0 pounds. It’s not exotic in planform, but
it is practical, rugged, and rendered in a
size that can be transported in one piece for
some fun lunchtime flying sessions.
The full-size plans for the Lil’ Foiler—
set 721—are available for $14 from the
AMA Plans Service. See page 199 for
ordering details. MA
05sig4.QXD 3/25/08 9:35 AM Page 121
Because there are variations in the wood,
there will be slight differences in the height
of the balsa sheets. The last step to prepare
the wing skin is to block-sand the surface
with a long sanding block or T-sander.
Make the other skins exactly as the
first, and then you’re ready to adhere the
skins to the foam core. This will be the
subject in my column next month.
If my instructions are unclear, take a
look at the accompanying photos. As they
say: a picture is worth a thousand words.
Good luck on your next project!
Lozenge Fabric: Many of the World War
I German pursuit aircraft incorporated a
unique camouflage design called a
“lozenge” pattern on their wings. This
pattern (Lozengetarnung) was made from
irregularly shaped, colored polygons that
were time-consuming to paint.
Additionally, the painted pattern added
considerable weight to the aircraft, so a
preprinted fabric in various forms and
colors was used from 1916 on.
As with the full-scale aircraft,
producing a painted lozenge pattern has
always been tedious work for modelers.
Wildmann Graphics now offers a fivecolor
lozenge-fabric covering in 1/4 scale.
It is available in two distinct patterns. The
darker pattern is designed for upper wing
surfaces while the lighter pattern is made
for the lower wings.
Wildmann Graphics produces the fabric
by printing the pattern on linen-colored
Solartex using a large-format printer. The
printer utilizes Eco-Sol acid-based
permanent ink. The easy-to-use fabric has
a glue backing and can be adhered using a
low-heat setting. The street price for a 2-
meter roll is $65. See the source listing for
contact information.
Armand’s Spad 13: It’s said that you
can’t get too much of a good thing. The
appearance of the Balsa USA Spad 13 in
my latest columns has piqued interest
among our readers. The latest submission
comes from Armand Francoeur of
Westford, Massachusetts.
Armand completed his Spad last
summer, covered it with Solartex, and
used Benjamin Moore latex paint for the
finish. He used a 1-inch foam roller to
apply the paint and top-coated the finished
scheme with Minwax clear acrylic spray
paint from a can.
Being a retired electrical engineer,
Armand converted a Poulan 42cc chainsaw
engine and, in his words, “homebrewed”
an electronic ignition. The
airplane weighs 21 pounds, and Armand
reports that the CG was dead on when
completed. He credits the heavy Poulan
engine for making the CG right on the
money!
Armand wrote that the Spad handles
nicely in the air but that its ground control
was slightly squirrelly. He added a gyro to
the rudder, which helped substantially.
Armand belongs to two clubs: the
Concord Sky Hawks in Concord, New
Hampshire, and the 495th RC Squadron out
of Tewksbury, Massachusetts. He was
initially interested in RC electrics but got
hooked on large, gas-powered models
when he flew his scratch-built Citabria. He
has since converted a dozen gas engines
from 18cc to 50cc, and they all use his
homemade electronic ignitions.
Nice work, Armand! I have to agree—
once you try large gas models, there’s no
turning back!
That’s all for this month. If you would
like to see your beautiful model in a future
RC Giants column, send me some
photos—digital preferred—and a brief
write-up.
Go flying; have fun! MA
Sources:
Wildmann Graphics
(406) 892-1911
www.wildmanngraphics.com
German Lozenge Camouflage
www.wwiaviation.com/lozenge.html
122 MODEL AVIATION
05sig4.QXD 3/25/08 9:29 AM Page 122
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/05
Page Numbers: 121,122
Edition: Model Aviation - 2008/05
Page Numbers: 121,122
May 2008 121
AMA Plans Service Showcase
Lil’ Foiler
A successful design in
downsized form is revisited
JOHN TANZER’S original RC Foiler
design was published in the May 1991 MA.
The .60 glow-powered model was so
popular with his fellow club members and
others who built it that John decided to
build a smaller version using the same
construction techniques and the same
airfoil design. He called it the Lil’ Foiler.
The construction feature was published
in the October 1992 MA. The Lil’ Foiler
was designed to be powered by .40- to .51-
size glow engines, but it is yet another
candidate for effortless conversion to
electric power.
This model features a constant-chord,
multispar wing with shear webs. The result
is an extraordinarily rigid structure. The
fuselage is also robust; it has 1/8 Lite Ply
sides with 3/32 cross-grain balsa sheeting on
top and bottom. The tail feathers are
constructed from 1/4 sheet balsa. It’s an
easy build!
With a wingspan of 48.5 inches, the Lil’
Foiler has a wing area of 615 square
inches. The suggested flying weight is 4.5-
5.0 pounds. It’s not exotic in planform, but
it is practical, rugged, and rendered in a
size that can be transported in one piece for
some fun lunchtime flying sessions.
The full-size plans for the Lil’ Foiler—
set 721—are available for $14 from the
AMA Plans Service. See page 199 for
ordering details. MA
05sig4.QXD 3/25/08 9:35 AM Page 121
Because there are variations in the wood,
there will be slight differences in the height
of the balsa sheets. The last step to prepare
the wing skin is to block-sand the surface
with a long sanding block or T-sander.
Make the other skins exactly as the
first, and then you’re ready to adhere the
skins to the foam core. This will be the
subject in my column next month.
If my instructions are unclear, take a
look at the accompanying photos. As they
say: a picture is worth a thousand words.
Good luck on your next project!
Lozenge Fabric: Many of the World War
I German pursuit aircraft incorporated a
unique camouflage design called a
“lozenge” pattern on their wings. This
pattern (Lozengetarnung) was made from
irregularly shaped, colored polygons that
were time-consuming to paint.
Additionally, the painted pattern added
considerable weight to the aircraft, so a
preprinted fabric in various forms and
colors was used from 1916 on.
As with the full-scale aircraft,
producing a painted lozenge pattern has
always been tedious work for modelers.
Wildmann Graphics now offers a fivecolor
lozenge-fabric covering in 1/4 scale.
It is available in two distinct patterns. The
darker pattern is designed for upper wing
surfaces while the lighter pattern is made
for the lower wings.
Wildmann Graphics produces the fabric
by printing the pattern on linen-colored
Solartex using a large-format printer. The
printer utilizes Eco-Sol acid-based
permanent ink. The easy-to-use fabric has
a glue backing and can be adhered using a
low-heat setting. The street price for a 2-
meter roll is $65. See the source listing for
contact information.
Armand’s Spad 13: It’s said that you
can’t get too much of a good thing. The
appearance of the Balsa USA Spad 13 in
my latest columns has piqued interest
among our readers. The latest submission
comes from Armand Francoeur of
Westford, Massachusetts.
Armand completed his Spad last
summer, covered it with Solartex, and
used Benjamin Moore latex paint for the
finish. He used a 1-inch foam roller to
apply the paint and top-coated the finished
scheme with Minwax clear acrylic spray
paint from a can.
Being a retired electrical engineer,
Armand converted a Poulan 42cc chainsaw
engine and, in his words, “homebrewed”
an electronic ignition. The
airplane weighs 21 pounds, and Armand
reports that the CG was dead on when
completed. He credits the heavy Poulan
engine for making the CG right on the
money!
Armand wrote that the Spad handles
nicely in the air but that its ground control
was slightly squirrelly. He added a gyro to
the rudder, which helped substantially.
Armand belongs to two clubs: the
Concord Sky Hawks in Concord, New
Hampshire, and the 495th RC Squadron out
of Tewksbury, Massachusetts. He was
initially interested in RC electrics but got
hooked on large, gas-powered models
when he flew his scratch-built Citabria. He
has since converted a dozen gas engines
from 18cc to 50cc, and they all use his
homemade electronic ignitions.
Nice work, Armand! I have to agree—
once you try large gas models, there’s no
turning back!
That’s all for this month. If you would
like to see your beautiful model in a future
RC Giants column, send me some
photos—digital preferred—and a brief
write-up.
Go flying; have fun! MA
Sources:
Wildmann Graphics
(406) 892-1911
www.wildmanngraphics.com
German Lozenge Camouflage
www.wwiaviation.com/lozenge.html
122 MODEL AVIATION
05sig4.QXD 3/25/08 9:29 AM Page 122