Corben Super Ace
This project is a dime scale Corben Super Ace for an e-postal on Hip Pocket Aeronautics.
Dime Scale models are models which were sold for a dime in the thirties and forties. They are simple models which results in simple construction and light weight. This makes them very suitable as flying scale models.
The span is restricted to 16 inch, although some dime scale models were 20 inch. The span of 16 inch is very suitable for flying outdoor, much more so than the smaller peanuts.
Worldwide contests are held for these models, in which the model must be built as on the plan. Deviations to make it closer to scale will loose you points. Scale isn't the primary issue here, fun and flying is!
The Corben Super Ace was a home built sportsplane from 1935, driven by a Ford Model A engine.
Construction
The model is covered in yellow and black Esaki tissue and finished with a coat of Future. The wings are covered in blue and sprayed with silver from a spray can. The black registration is also from black Esaki tissue.
The landing gear is made flexible by extending the vertical strut with a piece of music wire. It goes through a pinhole in the paper fairing. The third picture shows the landing gear when the model is pressed down.
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The intsrument panel isn't a scale reproduction but merely what is shown on the plan [113 KB]
. Just cut and paste and you're finished!
The prop is a 6" Igra, reduced to 5.5". The blade width is reduced as well.
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Flying
The finished model weighs 11 grams. The motor is made from 90 cm 2.8 g/m rubber from which I made a braided loop.
For the first flight I gave 300 turns and let her go. She flew almost straight and looked perfectly trimmed.
For the second flight I gave her a bit of left rudder and let her go on 500 turns. She climbed slightly and made a large left circle.
Confident in the trim setting I took the stopwatch and started increasing the turns and timing the flights.
First timed flight was 35 seconds on 800 turns. Best flight was 62 seconds on 1100 turns, just under the calculated maximum.
Motor run was about 45 seconds, followed by a nice glide. The air was getting really damp now and it was getting dark.
The next flight was a dissapointing 37 seconds, probably because the elevator setting was changed because of the dampness.
But I had my 10 timed flights needed for the e-postal! Time to pack and leave.
My flight times were: 35, 43, 45, 49, 52, 47, 45, 55, 62, 37. Average 47 seconds, enough for a second place.
