Skyrida Article & Plans
October 1969 American Aircraft Modeler

October 1969 American Aircraft Modeler Table of Contents These pages from vintage modeling magazines like Flying Aces, Air Trails, American Modeler, American Aircraft Modeler, Young Men, Flying Models, Model Airplane News, R/C Modeler, captured the era. All copyrights acknowledged.

As promised, Bob G. sent a photo of his complete Skyrida airframe. He says all he needs is to install the engine and get a break in the snowy weather to be able to go fly it.

Skyrida

Ray Malmstrom

SOMETHING different always catches the eye and this old saying is as true for the novice, as for the old-timer. As model aircrafts go, "Skyrida" certainly possesses that excitingly different look, and when we tell you that you will find it easy to build, and to fly, then our guess is that you are already reaching for that balsa knife. So let's go!

You will find the "easy-build" sketches will give you all the info you need to build yourself a Skyrida quickly and easily. Work on a flat board (white pine, plywood, etc., are all suitable). Use a sharp knife (we prefer a really sharp single-edge razor blade) and a medium and a fine grade of sandpaper for shaping and finishing the parts. Remember to sandpaper all surfaces lightly between coats of dope. Only one side of the wing and stabilizer are shown, so simply reverse your tracing for the opposite side. Easy! Check when you cement the stabilizer in position that it is at right angles to the fuselage, and the fin is truly upright. A carpenter's square or small T- square come in real handy here.

When bolting in your Pee- Wee 020 engine, make sure you offset it to the right (model viewed from the rear) with either two 1/16" ply or 1/16" - thick metal washers. This is most important. By the way, if a Pee-Wee 020 is a new engine to you, be sure and run it on a test bench first, and familiarize yourself with the starting procedures and fuel setting.

Fuel-proofing with several coats of clear dope is required for powered models. Easily started Pee Wee 02 engine is recommended.

MATERIALS LIST

4 sheets 1/16 x 3 x 36'" medium balsa

2 sheets 3/8 x 3 x 36" medium balsa

1 sheet 3/32 x 3 x 36" medium balsa

2" sq. piece 1/8" ply

1 x 3'" piece 3/32" ply

1" sq. piece 1/16" ply (or 2, 1/16" thick metal washers)

1 x 2" piece 1/32" ply

4" length 1/8 diam. dowel rod

1 piece linen or gauze 3 x 5-1/2"

1 tube balsa cement

1 bottle clear dope

1 small bottle fuel-proof dope

1/2" brush for doping

1 small jar - color dope

1 small brush for color trim

4 nuts and bolts (for Pee Wee)

Small piece of lead for nose weight

1 sheet tracing paper

Modeling pins

Choose a calm day (or evening) and some long grass for first glide and power tests. From a shoulder-high launch (into any slight breeze there may be) with the nose pointing slightly downward, the plane should touch-down about 15 yards ahead of you. Check to see that the glide is straight. A turn in either direction can be checked by slightly warping the rear edge of the fin in the opposite direction to the turn. If your Skyrida dives, gently warp the trailing edge of the stabilizer up and vice-versa. Make all adjustments no more than 1/32" at a time. The fin and tail surfaces, like any well-designed real aircraft, are quite sensitive; so a little at a time.

Now comes "the moment." A first power-on flight! Start your Pee-Wee and adjust it for smooth running, then face into the breeze and launch steadily and smoothly. Never in your excitement throw the model. The plane should climb steadily away in a left-hand turn, and continue to climb in the same turn until the fuel runs out. It should then settle into a fairly straight, flat glide. We found that by turning the rear edge of the fin just 1/16" to the right (viewed from the rear) as shown on the plan, we got a wide left-hand turn under power, and a sweeping right-hand circle on the glide - a most pleasing flight pattern. Skyrida is happiest when flying to the left under power, so keep her that way. All the best, and high-flying to you.

Skyrida Assembly Drawing

Not only is construction sequence shown but also outlines for tailplane right half. Reverse the outline for left half.  

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Skyrida Plans

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Posted December 11, 2011