LOOKING FOR Plans for the Top Flite Tutor II Profile

[Steve Dwyer]

Does anyone have the plans for the Tutor II Trainer, I would like to build this model. I realize it was once offered as a ARF and was discontinued. Any help would be appreciated or of you can direct me to someone. Getting back into control line flying after 50 years.

Steve

[Dan McEntee]

  Unless someone drafted a set from an ARF kit, there never were any plans from the factory, at least none that I ever saw. This airplane is much larger than the original Tutor by Top Flite Models back in the 70's. Someone may have an unbuilt kit to trace a fuselage or tail surfaces from, or a damaged model to get rib out lines from. They weren't in production for very long and had some soft fuselage issues, and most have been used up, or are stashed away for a rainy day.
  Good luck and have fun,
    Dan McEntee

[Don Chandler]

YA-If someone has a drawing I wouldn't mind getting hold of a set iether.

[Keith Miller]

Here's something that may help.  This is a set of the Tutor kit plans blown up 120% to give a 54" span which is identical to the Tutor II.
The Tutor has a 45" span, and the Tutor II is 54"
I measured my Tutor II ARF and compared it to the 120% plans and - perfect!
To double check, I measured my Tutor II ARF:

Tip thickness at spar 1.65".  Assuming 3/32" sheeting, tip rib is about 1.4625" thick at spar.
Tip chord (total including flap) 8 3/4";  LE to hinge line is 7 15/16" (7.9375)
Root is 13 3/8" (13.375) from LE to TE of flap, 10 1/2" LE to hinge line.
Moment arm, hinge line to hinge line 18 1/4"
Overall length 41" (from front of fuselage to end of rudder, engine not included)
Elevator span 21" at hinge line.
** All of these dimensions match up exactly to a 120% blow-up of the Tutor plans

I then traced the root template from the plan and generated a virtual model core to match the Tutor II dimensions, then virtually cut the core at the appropriate rib spacing to generate the rib templates.

I haven't built to these plans and templates yet, but I'd sure love to hear if they work out for someone!
P.S. - to squeeze into the file size limits of this site, I had to zip the file in a method that may not be compatible with everyone's zip tools.  If you'd like an uncompressed file (~1.6 MB), PM me.  I also had to rename it to a .txt file, so change the extension back to .zip.

Criminy - three failed attempts to get these simple things uploaded... ugh.

** Edit 7/16/19 - seems the uploads failed again... I've had several requests for the files - I'm guessing the upload tool is corrupting the pdfs... Let's try this again.
Nope - failed miserably. The file size is just a tad over 1MB which fails to upload.
For those who are interested in copies of this plan, just email me. Hopefully the Stunt hangar service will be fixed soon.

[Dan McEntee]

    A simple blow up of the original kit may suffice, but I wouldn't use 3/32" sheeting for the wings, no need for the extra weight. Redraw the ribs for 1/16" sheeting and cap strips. The kit plans don't show all the ribs, do they? If you traced kit ribs, then you should be OK for 1/16" sheeting. Might have to run my copy of the kit plans down to Office Max and enlarge them. Eric Rule was making a replica kit with a 1 inch longer tail. Blowing up his plans and incorporating his construction and engineering may be a better option.
   Type at you later,
    Dan McEntee

[Mike Griffin]

Dan you are right.  I have built one of Eric's Tudor kits that is based on the "original" Tudor, not the Tudor 2.  These plans could be enlarged to fit the bill.  He also produces the kit in a take apart version.

Mike

[Dennis Toth]

Dan,
I have flown the Tutor II as an ECL, it is OK but you mentioned Eric using 1" longer tail, with this ship I believe this is going in the wrong direction. It already has 18 1/4" hinge to hinge and for me this gave a very soft corner. I did some mods that consisted of first stiffen the fuse by adding 1/64 planking. If you are building from scratch go 5/8" all the way back with 1/64" ply sides with lots of formers and 1/16" ply doubler on the nose (ECL could do 1/32" ply doubler). Second mod was to shorten the hinge to hinge to 17 1/2", then increase the stab/elevator to 28% of the wing area (split 50/50). This is gives more turn power, allows more flap (if you need it to carry more weight, like in electrics) and has a strong grove.

Best,    DennisT

[Horby]

With a longer hinge line you don't need to make the tail bigger. You make the tail bigger you amplify the fuse movement which is one of the problems with the design of a profile.


Warren