Guy's who has built one of Dick Mathis Chizler's and was it a kit or scratch built, is there a difference in the R S M kit and the original plans, I have an O S 30 S that needs a home and I am thinking about the Chizler...
Thanks...
The OS .30S will work, but the model will need to be light, like less than 40 oz. for good performance.
Regarding the question about the difference between the RSM kit and the original plans:
The original Chizler fuselage construction showed the fuselage sides made from 1/4" sheet that tapered in thickness from 1/4" at the nose to 1/8" at the tail. (The original plans do not show any doublers of any kind in the nose section. It was in the November 1966 issue of Flying Models.) The top was a 1 1/4" hollowed block, the bottom was a 3/4" hollowed block with the rudder and sub-rudder from 1/2" sheet. This allowed the entire aft portion of the fuselage to be a blended shape without the appearance of just adding "slabs" (as in relative thin sheets for the top and ventral portion of the fuselage). In other words, there was no delineation between where the fuselage cross section shape ended and the vertical fin started. To me, this was a predominate feature of the overall appearance of the Chizler. Mathis used a Fox .35 for power. The RSM kit uses the relatively thin sheet wood for the rudder and sub rudder and does not really achieve the "blended" shape of the original though that shape can be achieved with a bit of work.
I have built "several" of these and consider the design to be one of the better flying ships from the Classic era. As Larry Renger mentioned earlier, this is a Nobler based wing though I think the plans showed a slightly thicker airfoil. In his construction article, Mathis explained that an "old" Nobler kit wing could be used. So whatever power train/weight combination works for a Nobler will work for this. My first Chizlers used the OS .35S (starting in 1995), the best ones had Tom Lay reworked OS .35S's. Weights were around 42 to 45 oz. Then went to the Double Star .40 (slightly modified) and the performance was better. Each of my Chizlers have been competitive. I am still flying a Chizler with one of these Double Star engines.
The Chizler shown in his construction article, weighing 40 oz., placed 2nd at the 67 Los Alamitos Nats, behind Bart Klapinski. Though Mathis does not explain it, the difference between 1st and 2nd that year was appearance points. At that time, the model was finished with red Jap tissue and clear dope. Mathis refinished that Chizler (red, blue and white color scheme) and flew it to 8th place at the 68 Olathe Nats.
My first Chizler followed the original plans using the sheet sides and top bottom and bottom blocks to achieve the "blended" fuselage shape as shown in the Mathis article. My next Chizlers used 3/32" sheet sides with 3/32" strip planking over formers for that blended appearance of the original.
The original magazine plans show gearl covers and was flown that way at the 65 Nats. Mathis later changed the gear covers (appeared at the 68 Nats) to sort of rakish wheel pants that complimented the shape of the fuselage. (The RSM kit shows the gear covers as well as the wheel pants, where the shape of those pants on the kit plans was based on photographs of the Mathis Chizler at the Olathe 68 Nats.)
Mathis was an exceptional CLPA pilot and was a force in the '60's with his Chizler design. He had several really good profile stunt designs published (Coyote, Excalibur I and II, and Citabria). He was also a serious FF competitor with a number of really good FF power and tow line and HL glider designs.
For those that are interested, Mathis had a later Chizler that had retracts featured in the August 1978 issue of Model Aviation. It was operated with springs and a timer.
Keith
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