Stilares-Tom Dixon M.A.N. April 1977

[Shawn Lenci]

Has anyone ever built a Stilares by Tom Dixon?  I have been looking through my old Model Airplane News magazines and came across the design.  It is a cross between a Stiletto and and an Ares.  A very nice looking airplane and would qualify for the Nostalgia 30 class.  It is too bad MAN does not still offer plans for most of their old stunt designs.

Shawn

[Chris Brainard]

I built one...a long time ago. It was my first "big" model. At that point I was still an inexperienced builder and a beginner in flying. It's interesting that you brought up the subject of the Stilares. It is very nice looking model and one I'm seriously considering building again...this time with the advantage of a whole bunch more building and flying experience!
Chris

[Randy Cuberly]

Has anyone ever built a Stilares by Tom Dixon?  I have been looking through my old Model Airplane News magazines and came across the design.  It is a cross between a Stiletto and and an Ares.  A very nice looking airplane and would qualify for the Nostalgia 30 class.  It is too bad MAN does not still offer plans for most of their old stunt designs.

Shawn

I built one of these in the 80's and it was a great flier...I think it had an OS40 FP for power but it's been a while and that could be wrong...Unfortunately it was fairly short lived and fell victim to a pushrod failure...my fault for the soldering method experiment...didn't do that again.
Tom Dixon has plans for it...I know because i got some from him at VSC either last year or the year before.  I plan to build another for an LA46.  If He doesn't have any I could copy mine for you but would rather you tried him first.  He may still own the rights to the plan.

Randy Cuberly

[Shawn Lenci]

Randy,

Do you know if Tom's plans are "blueprints" (ammonia based blueprint machine) or blackline drawnings from a photo copy machine?

Thanks,

Shawn

[Balsa Butcher]

All the ones I have from Tom are blueprints. I have found that the best way to contact Tom is by USPS. He does answer back. I always include a SASE to make it easier.  If you like the Stilares, check out the Phoenix, available from Model Aviation published early 1983. That one I know about, it's a great flier.

[Shawn Lenci]

Pete,

I have the plans for the Phoenix already.  I always liked the look of that airplane!

Shawn

[Balsa Butcher]

Mine has been retired for many years but now that it is eligible for NOS-30 it may fly again.

[Shawn Lenci]

Spoke with Tom Dixon on the phone this morning regarding the Stilares and some of his other offerings.  He says he is considering building a new one as well for the N30 class.  He seemed like a pretty cool guy on the phone.  Told me his plans are now blackline copies and not the old "blue prints" they used to be.  He has a few I am going to order.

Shawn

[Balsa Butcher]

Good information, Thanks for the update. A few other Dixon designs worth looking at IMHO: Stylus (built), Smoother (updated Smoothie), Charisma (built), Time Machine, classic version (Nobler Style).  

[Phil Spillman]

About 15 years ago one of my flying buddies in western PA built one of these beauties. His is powered by a stunt tuned FP .40. On a fine Summer afternoon my friend left me fly his model and I felt so confident with it that after a very few climbs and dives I went right into a full PA pattern! It performed so well that my friend told me that that was the best he'd ever seen me fly. I was truly delighted by the plane and his comment! I have no problem singing the praise of this design. It's a winner!

Phil Spillman