■ Ferrell Papic
Cessna No. 1
First Cessna design can be
your first venture into the
world of electric park flyers
CLYDE V. CESSNA built his first flying
machine in 1910. His new airplane’s
airframe turned out to be aerodynamically
stable and had an advanced design for its
time. His first flights in the new aircraft
were limited to short hops because of
inadequate engine-cooling technology
which caused the Elbridge engine that he
used in his craft to overheat.
A few years later Mr. Cessna’s sons
went to fight in World War I. Having seen
great advances and changes in aircraft design
and capability, the boys came home from
war with the desire and knowledge to build
the Cessna Aircraft Company into a thriving
business.
To make a more robust Radio Control
(RC) flying model that would not shed bits
and pieces in normal flying conditions, I
have dispensed with some of the finer details
of the Cessna aircraft. A rubber-bandretained
swing-arm landing gear saves a
great deal of wear and tear on the
model. The bent-wire steering tail
gear is a useful feature not found
on the original Cessna No. 1. The
long tail moment and generous
stabilizer makes the Cessna a
forgiving craft to fly.
CONSTRUCTION
Wing: Because of dispensing with
king posts and wing-bracing
wires, I made the undercambered
wing a three 1⁄16 balsa spar system
with a 1⁄16 balsa shear web on the
center spar.
The tops of the wingtips are
capped and sanded to shape with
1⁄16 balsa. The tip caps give the
wing covering material something
to hold on to. The wing rib pattern is
Don’t let this airplane’s open-framework fuselage construction
scare you; this one is easy to build!
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This front view of the model shows the open-bay fuselage to
good effect. There is plenty of motor-cooling here.
20 MODEL AVIATION
The scalelike thread bracing adds to the old-time effect. It’s not
difficult, but it adds a great deal of scale appeal.
Text explains how to make this scalelike pilot with goggles. The Cessna’s rudder is hinged to the rear of the fuselage
structure; there is no fin. The structure is minimal.
This is the scratch-built ball-bearing gearbox and
motor option.
The simulated wire wheels are a
simple and effective detail.
Another view of the motor, which
has simple and accessible mounting.
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T pins are placed above, below each vertical fuselage brace. Thread is glued to starting point then looped around each pin and glued.
The forward fuselage section with the wing removed shows the aluminum mounting tubes and the radio-gear area.
Cover the wing center-section with heavy paper using a light
application of yellow carpenter’s glue.
You can make wheels with rubber O-rings, balsa plywood, aluminum
tubes, metal washers, paper spoke prints provided on plans.
shown with spars and leading and trailing edges for reference.
The wings are joined with 13⁄4-inch dihedral on each wingtip.
This amount of dihedral aids in tight turns required when flying
in an enclosed gymnasium space.
Cover the wing center-section with heavy paper using a light
application of yellow carpenter’s glue.
Fuselage: Patterns of the fuselage parts are provided on the
drawing plans. Assemble the 1⁄16 balsa sides. The wire-braced
open framework on the rear of the fuselage is simulated with
heavy thread. Ken Johnson showed me a clever way to apply the
thread bracing to the fuselage. Place T pins above and below
each vertical brace. Glue the thread to a starting point, then loop
the thread around each T pin. Glue the thread in place.
The inverted fuselage can be assembled on the plan top view
to ensure proper alignment. Install the top and bottom 1⁄16 balsa
corner strips. Glue on the 1⁄8 balsa stabilizer mounts. Use the
loops that went around the T pins to mount the top and bottom
bracing thread. Attach the aluminum rudder hinge tube to the rear
of the fuselage with glue and thread. Install the 1⁄16 balsa front
fuselage doublers.
Cover the fuselage front with heavy paper using a light
application of yellow carpenter’s glue. Drill holes in the fuselage
for aluminum wing and landing-gear mounting tubes. Center and
glue the aluminum wing and landing-gear mounting tubes in
place. Brace the landing-gear mounting tube with scrap balsa and
glue. Bend and cut the left and right 1⁄16-inch-diameter piano-wire
landing gear.
Build the cockpit module, and dry-fit the wing, fuselage, and
cockpit module. Make any adjustments with sandpaper until a
good fit is achieved. Cover the cockpit module with heavy paper
using a light application of yellow carpenter’s glue. Center and
22 MODEL AVIATION
Photos courtesy the author Graphic Design by Carla kunz
02sig1.QXD 11.21.02 3:01 pm Page 22
glue the cockpit module to the wing.
Wheels: You can fabricate wheels using 13⁄4-inch-outsidediameter
O-rings from the hardware store, aluminum tubes, steel
washers, hard 1⁄16 balsa plywood, and spoke prints from the
plans. The wheels can be mounted on the 1⁄16-inch-diameter
piano wire with spacer washers and thick cyanoacrylate glue.
You must take care to keep the wheel bearings dry.
Rudder: Build the rudder using 1⁄8 balsa. Bend the bottom of the
steering tail-wheel wire. The tail wheel can be secured on the
1⁄32-inch-diameter piano wire with a right-angle bend at the end
of the wire. Insert the wire into the rudder hinges and hinge tube.
Bend the wire top to fit in the rudder. Glue the hinges into the
rudder. Apply heavy paper using a light application of yellow
carpenter’s glue to give strength to the front of the rudder.
Stabilizer and Elevator: Assemble the stabilizer and elevator
with 1⁄8 balsa strip. Mount the stabilizer to the fuselage with
glue.
Finishing: Because of its light weight, availability, and strength,
I used yellow Reynolds Plastic Wrap and a glue stick to cover
the wing, rudder, and stabilizer. Apply RC/56 glue to the bottom
of the wing ribs to prevent covering from coming loose. To
avoid damage, use heat sparingly when shrinking the covering.
Sew figure-eight thread and glue elevator hinges, being careful
to leave the hinge centers dry. Install the 1⁄32 plywood rudder and
elevator horns.
Pilot: Carve a featureless balsa bust. Draw goggles and a
mustache on heavy paper, and cut them out. Glue the paper parts
on 1⁄32 wet balsa, then glue them on the bust. Glue on a balsa
nose. Paint the goggles sky blue with a glint of white in the
upper left corners of the lenses. Paint on a leather flying cap and
coat. Glue the pilot in the cockpit. Voilà!
Flying: I use the reliable GWS 5-gram, four-channel GWR-4P
FM receiver; 5-gram GWS Pico standard servos; and GWS 2-
amp speed control in my airplane. I like to use two-pin Deans
gold-plated connectors on my battery pack and radio-gear
connections.
I charge my conventional 100 mA
batteries with a Hobby People Activator
Type: RC Electric Sport
Scale
Wingspan: 321⁄2 inches
Motor: GWS Lite Stik geared
Flying weight: 6 ounces
Construction: Balsa sheets
and sticks
Covering/finish: Colored
Saran Wrap
This is the scratch-built ball-bearing gearbox and motor, GWS ICS50 2-amp speed
control, batteries, and antenna. The B2 7.2-volt motor is available from Watt-Age.
Notice that the tail-wheel wire serves double duty as the hingepin
wire as well. This is ingenious!
The left and right swing-arm landing gears pivot independently in
an aluminum tube. Swing is limited by a rubber band.
24 MODEL AVIATION
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February 2003 25
pulse battery charger at .2 amps. To
prevent battery explosion, I must charge
my Lithium-Ion batteries with a dedicated
voltage cutoff battery charger, such as a
7.2-volt Lithium-Ion camcorder battery
charger.
(Editor’s note: If you are going to use
Lithium-Ion cells, be sure to use a charger
specifically designed for them; improper
charge or discharge procedures can result
in an explosion and/or fire.)
Adjust the battery and radio-gear
location in the fuselage so that the correct
center of gravity at the wing main spar is
achieved. Visually check the underside of
the wing center at arm’s length for correct
left and right symmetry. Symmetry
corrections can be made with heat and
gentle persuasion. Check all servos in the
airplane for reversed controls. Reversed
controls can usually be corrected at the
transmitter. Some small Electronic Speed
Controls require plugging and unplugging
battery connectors to get them to operate.
Outdoor flying is best done in no wind
or moderate wind conditions. Indoor
flying is best done anytime! MA
Ferrell Papic
300 W. Lincoln #82
Orange CA 92865
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