Author Topic: Fairy Spearfish (Read 3578 times)

Balsa Butcher · « **on:** May 02, 2010, 11:13:42 AM »

Been wanting to build one of these for a long time, finally got 'round tuit. Power will be TT 36 w/Perry carb (although engine shown is an OS 32). Thought I'd post a pic before taking it apart for painting.

Wayne J. Buran · « **Reply #1 on:** May 02, 2010, 04:14:07 PM »

Pete, looks good. Keep the pictures coming. Which plans did you use
Wayne

Balsa Butcher · « **Reply #2 on:** May 02, 2010, 05:15:50 PM »

Thanks Wayne, the plan I used was the original as published in (I think) Model Airplane News. I did have it copied as it was cracked and faded. On the plan the bellcrank is inside the wing. I moved it outside similar to what Pete Mazur did to the Brodak Guardian. The slider I copied from Gary Hull's sketch in Control Line World. Hook release is a spring loaded cylinder I fabricated out of brass tubing, wire and a small spring. So why'd I make it? It's the outboard aileron, goes up when the flaps go down, just too cool.

wwwarbird · « **Reply #3 on:** May 02, 2010, 09:35:13 PM »

That looks really cool, please keep us posted as you get it finished up!

Isn't that a Dauntless wing plan it's sitting on? Don Hutchinson's maybe? Who did the laser cut flap piece with all the holes?

roger · « **Reply #4 on:** May 03, 2010, 04:34:08 AM »

id like a shot of the nose an the landing gear set up.that looks cool ! im working on one too. i really like the looks of it . i cant do all you did but oh well
roger

Wayne J. Buran · « **Reply #5 on:** May 03, 2010, 05:36:20 AM »

Pete, thanks for the info. I would like to see more linkage shots on the aileron set up when you get a chance. Especially the cylinder thing.
Thanks
Wayne

Mike Anderson · « **Reply #6 on:** May 03, 2010, 08:23:06 AM »

Here is what may be the simplest linkage I ever used for anything --

You can adjust the throw by moving the clevises up/down on the horns

john e. holliday · « **Reply #7 on:** May 03, 2010, 09:14:34 AM »

That is as simple as you can get. Thanks for the idea.

Glenn (Gravitywell) Reach · « **Reply #8 on:** May 03, 2010, 01:29:49 PM »

Fairey Aircraft designed and built some of the pound for pound, ugliest airplanes on the planet! That said....here's my old Fairey Albacore! LOL

ps....love your ship, can't waite to see her all painted up.

roger · « **Reply #9 on:** May 04, 2010, 08:14:07 PM »

what color was the real plane? ive seen a white one. what web has one a/

Balsa Butcher · « **Reply #10 on:** May 07, 2010, 10:32:58 AM »

Wayne: Shown is the aileron set-up. Made from a couple of small elevator horns, a cut-down 1/2A bellcrank and some quick links. Right from the plans, works well. Other shot is the hook release cylinder with the hook attached. I can send you a letter with a diagram of what is inside it.
Warbird: Good catch, the Dauntless is a "Prairie Dog Works" project (New Mexico's version of the Skunkworks). I can't release any more info on it right now but you should see it again. BTW: Great job on the PBY

Roger: My limited research has only shown the plane in silver or natural aluminum (might be white, only have seen B&W pics). Only 5 were made, only 4 flew so the Brits never bothered to paint it. I believe that it would be legal to paint it in any British naval color scheme so a camoflage scheme like the ones found on Sea Hurricanes and Seafires coul be used. I'm just going with naval gray.

david smith · « **Reply #11 on:** May 07, 2010, 04:25:38 PM »

Here are some pics of my spearfish from the last couple of years.

the first pic is 3 or 4 days before Sig in 07 of my first version

The second pic is finished before decals version 2 and the third is the bare bones of version 2.

I dont have any pics of my third version but there is one in the Nats news for profile day last year and I think the pic of it missing the outboard wing is in one of the NCS newsletters.

Great looking plane cant wait to see the finished pics.

Joe Just · « **Reply #12 on:** May 07, 2010, 05:01:14 PM »

Peter, great job, great looking plane. In the mid 80's we made a short run of the Spearfish. Some were flown at the 90 and 91 Nats. However the version we built and the one you have built may not receive the 10 points for scale as the wing we used and your wing does not match the outline of the prototype. Check out the pictures in David's thread. Since the inseption of the plans that you built from and now there has been a tightening of the scale rule for profile. My suggestion, enter it,fly it, take pride in your workmanship and effort and ignore the scale score. You at most will only loose 10 points if at all. Gosh, I just wish I could build as well as you. Keep up the interest.
Joe Just

Mike Anderson · « **Reply #13 on:** May 07, 2010, 07:40:11 PM »

The Leroy Cordes Spearfish had a straight leading edge, whereas the prototype had some slight sweep from about 1/3 span outward. The rules still state (I think) that in order to receive scale bonus points the outlines of the major components must "closely resemble, by the officials visual judgement" the prototype. So as with any profile, it kind of depends on the official on the day you are entering it. The amount of sweep is very slight, and kind of hard to see on some small 3-views. I don't remember anyone ever denying Leroy (or Pete Mazur, who flew one quite often) the scale bonus at any of the local contests that I ran into them.

David's model appears to be based on one that his Dad and I flew which I designed some time after Leroy's came out. This one has (had) a sweep from the fuselage all the way to the tip, so I guess you could say that it errs in the other direction - there is no straight center section. I don't know of any examples of this one being denied scale bonus points either - in fact, I still have a fuselage built and was considering finishing it off this year.

john e. holliday · « **Reply #14 on:** May 08, 2010, 08:03:31 AM »

Depending on the 3 views is what we are supposed to go by. I remember one individual having trouble getting his 10 scale points until his son pointed out that dad had wrong 3 views. It makes it easier if the officials would follow the rules as I hate to see someone show up at the NATS or any big contest and have problems. It is also getting to the point now that if the plane is not ready to fly it will not get processed as gneral rules say it must have already been flown.

Mike Anderson · « **Reply #15 on:** May 08, 2010, 12:16:58 PM »

To get bonus points in Profile:

8.1.3.1. Profile Class models shall receive 10 bonus points if the outlines of the major components of the model closely resemble (by official’s visual judgment) the actual aircraft as shown in the three-view drawing. (Judges Guide: The model should be identifiable with the full-scale aircraft shown in the three-view.)

It is not necessary that the wing outline (one of the "major components", by definition in another rule) be exactly to scale or to any percentage of scale - it should just 'closely resemble' the 3-view's wing outline. Yes, it is a gray area with some models and prototypes and judges - but that's what we are left with in profile.

I remember that, at the Nats, one competitor presented 3-views of a wing with a swept leading edge and a swept forward trailing edge. His model had a rectangular planform. He did not receive scale points AT THE NATS, even though he had received them at local contests.

As for the Spearfish shown, I personally have given the scale bonus to other models built to the same plans. But that's just me - if SOME OTHER judge refused, based on his own 'visual judgement', there really isn't any complaint due, nor any avenue to make it.

roger · « **Reply #16 on:** May 10, 2010, 04:20:39 PM »

my fish is buillt off plans from l/c plan. the only thing i changed was the size, for a .015 motor its comming along.

roger · « **Reply #17 on:** May 10, 2010, 04:25:57 PM »

anybody know what color that thing is? wht. or yellowon cordes plane.

Mike Anderson · « **Reply #18 on:** May 10, 2010, 05:32:03 PM »

Quote from: roger on May 10, 2010, 04:20:39 PM

my fish is buillt off plans from l/c plan. the only thing i changed was the size, for a .015 motor its comming along.

Well, for .15 Profile there are no scale points, and no 3-views required. (What is the l/c plan?)

Quote from: roger on May 10, 2010, 04:25:57 PM

anybody know what color that thing is? wht. or yellowon cordes plane.

Leroy's was overall white, with the canopy & gun turret black and English roundels. ( ... IIRC ...

)

roger · « **Reply #19 on:** May 10, 2010, 06:47:22 PM »

that is the plan in leroy cordes article in some web site i ran across and and old picture of im guession its leroy himself. im guessing its 9/8 /09 thanks

roger · « **Reply #20 on:** May 10, 2010, 06:55:53 PM »

is he still around

Mike Anderson · « **Reply #21 on:** May 10, 2010, 11:03:28 PM »

Ooohhh, l/c=Leroy Cordes -- gotcha. I know that website - the Australian "CLAMF" site has a lot of article reprints of carrier planes in the Navy Carrier section. They have the Spearfish article (11/1980 M.A.N.). And yes, that picture is Leroy. (They also have the Frank Kelly Hellcat article).

Last time I asked the Chicago guys about him, he was flying RC Sailplanes very seriously. I haven't seen him in at least 20 years -- closer to 25, probably.

roger · « **Reply #22 on:** May 11, 2010, 03:12:12 PM »

Elwyn Aud · « **Reply #23 on:** June 09, 2010, 09:14:23 PM »

One of our former club members picked up one of these second hand several years ago, although I don't think he planned to use it in competition. Mostly just something different to play around with.`

Bob Reeves · « **Reply #24 on:** June 10, 2010, 07:56:44 AM »

Who dat, I musta missed it?

Wayne J. Buran · « **Reply #25 on:** June 11, 2010, 04:49:37 AM »

Quote from: Elwyn Aud on June 09, 2010, 09:14:23 PM

One of our former club members picked up one of these second hand several years ago, although I don't think he planned to use it in competition. Mostly just something different to play around with.`

Looks like a Class 1 Spearfish. I wonder who built that. The Detroit guys flew a lot of those. Rick Sawicki could probably she some light on that one. Thanks for the Pic.
Wayne

Mike Anderson · « **Reply #26 on:** June 11, 2010, 07:28:24 AM »

I was thinking Class 2, but I still wouldn't know anything about who might have built it. It is a real good looking plane though.

Wayne J. Buran · « **Reply #27 on:** June 11, 2010, 12:19:25 PM »

Quote from: Mike Anderson on June 11, 2010, 07:28:24 AM

I was thinking Class 2, but I still wouldn't know anything about who might have built it. It is a real good looking plane though.

Judging from the picture it surely looks like a Tigre 40 or 60 with muffler ears. Even looks like a rear intake given what we dont see.
Wayne

roger · « **Reply #28 on:** June 20, 2010, 04:49:07 PM »

anybody got a good pencil drawing of the spearfish logo i need to see it

roger · « **Reply #29 on:** June 23, 2010, 09:30:42 PM »

if anybody has better plans then mine you can see the little fairey in the corner mine dont show

Author Topic: Fairy Spearfish (Read 3578 times)

david smith

Joe Just