UPON RECEIPT OF the cartons
containing the Hangar 9 Taylorcraft’s parts,
I was impressed with the attractive and
sturdy packaging. The outside carton had
been badly damaged during shipment, so I
opened it—while holding my breath—to
find no damage to the model components
because everything was efficiently packed.
All parts were bagged, ranging from the
largest piece to the smallest hardware. Save
the box; the pictorial renderings around it
are helpful for referencing details during
construction.
The Taylorcraft will be well received not
only by the Giant Scaler; my immediate
reaction was that with its scale appearance
and size, it would be the ideal candidate for
the glow-flying sport flier to graduate not
only to gas power, but into the Giant Scale
arena. After completing and flying the
Taylorcraft, my initial feeling was endorsed
as reality. For that reason, I am covering the
gas-powered Taylorcraft in this review.
Covered with Goldberg UltraCote, the
kit includes all of the necessary hardware,
including a good-looking, scale, prepainted
fiberglass cowl with molded air intakes,
scoops, and simulated louvers molded into
the fiberglass in a realistic fashion. The pilot
seat is included, as are prefinished fiberglass
wheel pants. The checkerboard wing-bottom
covering is attractive, adding good looks in
static situations and during flight.
Instructions: Mark the instruction booklet
as noted in the supplied addendum sheet.
Before starting, thoroughly read the entire
54 pages of directions; the booklet is ample
and complete for building, but it should
include added information for the gaspowered
Taylorcraft.
In Section 13 there is a note to not use
silicone tubing for gas lines, but it does not
clearly state whether or not the supplied
tubing can be used. The supplied plastic
spinner will not fit the Zenoah G-23 engine
and propeller; a 21⁄2-inch-diameter Tru-Turn
42 MODEL AVIATION
Joe Beshar
P r o d u c t R e v i e w
198 Merritt Dr., Oradell NJ 07649
Hangar 9 Clipped Wing
Taylorcraft ARF
Pros:
• Great packaging
• Perfect first Giant Scale model
• Excellent flight performance
• Attracts attention
Cons:
• Instruction booklet could have been
clearer on some items
• Not enough instructions for gasengine
applications
Joe’s shirt almost matches the neat checkerboard scheme on the bottom of the Taylorcraft’s wing! It’s a good-looking model.
spinner with a 120 cutout and short adapter
is required. There is no reference to
propeller size; I used a Windsor Classic
Series 16 x 8. The drilled holes in the
firewall are for glow engines.
Section 12 outlines a pattern of four
holes for mounting the gas engine; they
need to be drilled, and the lower two run
into the assembled fuel-tank platform. Thus
it is almost impossible to install the supplied
blind nuts from the inside of the firewall in
the front fuselage cavity for the enginemounting
bolts. These blind nuts require
7⁄32-inch drilled holes where 3⁄16-inch holes
are specified in the instructions. The G-23
requires a Brison inverted muffler for fit and
engine exhaust from the bottom of the cowl.
There is no mention of this in the
instructions.
Step 2 in Section 8 instructs the builder
to bend the tail-wheel wire 1⁄8 inch above the
pivot bushing with needle-nose pliers. There
was no way I could do that; however, I was
able to bend the wire using a table vise.
In Section 5, Step 5 instructs to drill 1⁄4-
inch-diameter holes for the wing dowels;
these should be 5⁄16 inch in diameter.
In Step 15 for wing-alignment
measurement, it is shown from wingtips to
stabilizer tips. The stabilizer is not yet
assembled, thus it cannot be measured for
alignment. Measurement must be taken at
this point of construction to the rear end
point of the fuselage.
Step 5, Section 9, specifies drilling 1⁄16-
inch-diameter holes for the control horns.
This dimension for the 2-56 bolts needs to
be 5⁄64 inch for bolt passage.
The linkage for the pull-pull rudder
control system is shown using .020-inchdiameter
music wire, which is supplied
tightly rolled. The wire’s springing
characteristic makes it almost impossible to
straighten for a straight connection for the
pull-pull rudder connections. The strung
wires could also cause radio interference.
Flexible plastic cable connections would be
more desirable for this application.
Section 18’s addendum notes that the
predrilled holes for the wing-strut mounting
need to be redrilled 3⁄16 inch lower in the
landing gear. I found that the holes had to be
drilled 1⁄4 inch lower, and by tapping the
holes to accept 4-40 bolts, as shown, held
with Loctite makes it much easier to
assemble the struts; the bolt is held stable
when the nut is assembled with the strut.
In Step 2, Section 18, it is stated that the
covering under the wing needs to be cut
away to expose the small blind nuts for strut
assembly. This is a real challenge because
it’s difficult to try to feel through the
covering. A punched or marked hole would
be good for this purpose.
When I was finally able to locate the
holes, I took the dimensions to at least get
the builder in the proximity of where the
blind nuts are located (at the bottom wing
measure 273⁄8 inches from wing center and
7⁄8 inch up from the aileron cavity for the
first hole; from there measure 8 inches up
toward the leading edge for the second
hole). I trust that this will be helpful.
Section 20 illustrates the method of
assembling the steel cross rods at the bottom
of the landing gear. This defeats the
flexibility of the landing-gear side members
because the stiff rod connection to the
fuselage bottom disallows any movement. A
1⁄6- or 3⁄32-inch-diameter “V” bent rod 1⁄2 to 1
inch from the fuselage bottom at the “V”
point assembled with a spring or wound
rubber at the “V” point to the fuselage
center would provide the needed flexibility.
Flying: I thought it would be interesting to
have a group of accomplished fliers
participate in the Taylorcraft’s maiden flight
for a true evaluation of its performance. I
asked Steve Perlbinder to lead the
contingency. Steve is one of the most
accomplished and dedicated aeromodelers I
know. He is generous with his knowledge of
building and flying, voluntarily helping
everyone at the flying site. He initiated the
flight, followed by John Holter, Harry
Frank, Jim Hirchak, and myself.
June 2003 43
The Hangar 9 Clipped Wing Taylorcraft is a great first Giant
Scale aircraft. It has docile, trainerlike qualities.
This model is appealing from any angle. Notice the long tail
moment arm; it makes for a stable flier.
There’s a great deal of room for gear in the cabin area. The pilot’s seat is included. Read
all instructions carefully before beginning assembly.
Photos by Bob Hunt
During the first flight there were all
kinds of discussions among the group
regarding the model’s aileron control
turning characteristics; aileron was not
enough. It required rudder movement to
turn effectively. Claims were that rudder
always had to be used because of the
lack of aileron effect. There was much
conversation about this control.
Comments were plentiful about the
needed correction action, from design
changes to differential aileron throws.
When the Taylorcraft was landed,
Steve found that the left-wing aileronhorn
connector was dislodged. You
should have seen the expressions of
bewilderment and the red faces on the
fliers—especially me, since I was
probably guilty of carelessness when
hooking up the aileron connector.
The horn was connected in place, and
flying continued with nothing but
positive comments from everyone
describing the Taylorcraft’s
performance. Control authority was
excellent all the way to touchdown, with
no nasty tip-stall tendencies. Three-point
landings culminated in the model
mushing on the runway, tame as a kitten.
The Hangar 9 Taylorcraft is a beauty
with a scalelike appearance that attracts
everyone’s attention. The few minor
glitches in the instruction booklet aside,
this airplane is an outstanding
contribution to the aeromodeling
community. Good luck and happy
landings! MA
Contact Information:
Horizon Hobby, Inc.
4105 Fieldstone Rd.
Champaign IL 61822
(217) 355-9511
www.horizonhobby.com
Specifications:
Wingspan: 851⁄2 inches
Length: 67 inches
Wing area: 1,315 square inches
Flying weight: 13-15 pounds (mine
weighs 15 pounds, 11⁄2 ounces)
Recommended engines: Glow two-stroke
1.08-1.48, glow four-stroke 120-182, or
Zenoah G-23
Radio required: Four-channel rudder,
elevator, throttle, and aileron
Manufacturer’s suggested retail price:
$379.95